CHANDIGARH- Recently, a consumer court in Chandigarh issued a directive instructing Air India (AI) to compensate a couple with Rs 50,000 for causing inconvenience and mental distress.
This was due to the airline providing them with defective business class seats during a lengthy air journey from New York (JFK) to Delhi (DEL).
Air India Compensation to Couple
The court acknowledged the complainant’s handicap and noted that, despite paying 8 lakhs to the airline, the couple experienced significant inconvenience.
The district consumer disputes redressal commission in Chandigarh also documented that the complainants had purchased two business class air tickets amounting to Rs.8,24,964/- for the journey from New York to Delhi.
The couple found themselves in seats that were defective and couldn’t slide or move forward. The court emphasized that Air India did not take corrective measures even after receiving complaints.
According to the court ruling, the malfunctioning seat inflicted physical pain and discomfort on the complainants, with one of them experiencing swelling in the legs and feet throughout the entire journey.
The order also highlighted that due to the broken aircraft seats, the affected couple had to resort to using stools to provide support for their feet during the 14-hour journey.
In support of their case, the couple presented ticket receipts, medical records, photographs displaying the defective seats, and correspondence with the airline during the court proceedings.
The court held the airline accountable for its failure to address the seat deficiency throughout the entire journey.
Mental Agony to Couple
“The actions of the Opposite Party (Air India) constitute a deficiency in service and unfair trade practice on its part. This is particularly evident given the entirety of the complainant’s case in the consumer complaint, along with the unchallenged evidence available on record by the Opposite Party. Therefore, the current consumer complaint is deemed deserving of approval,” stated the order.
After reviewing the evidence, the consumer court mandated Air India to provide compensation of Rs 50,000 for the mental agony and harassment endured by the complainants.
Additionally, the court directed the airline to pay an extra Rs 10,000 as litigation costs to the affected couple.
Stay tuned with us. Further, follow us on social media for the latest updates.
Join us on Telegram Group for the Latest Aviation Updates. Subsequently, follow us on Google News.