1 day ago
Chandigarh Consumer Commission Orders Airline to Refund Rescheduling Fee
A passenger paid an airline USD 500 to change the date of his flight back to Chicago.
He said the airline cancelled his ticket without telling him.
The airline denied cancelling it and said the ticket was still open for use.
The consumer commission said the passenger had not proved that the airline cancelled the ticket.
But the airline had acknowledged that the USD 500 should be refunded.
It did not show that the money had been returned.
The commission said failing to make that refund was poor service.
It ordered the airline to refund the money and pay another Rs 10,000 for distress and legal costs.
The Chandigarh District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission ordered an unnamed airline to refund a passenger USD 500 paid to reschedule his return journey to Chicago.
The commission also awarded Rs 10,000 for mental agony and litigation expenses.
The passenger alleged the airline cancelled his ticket without notice, but the commission found he had not proved that claim.
The airline said the ticket remained open for use and that it was processing the USD 500 refund.
The commission found the airline had not shown that it completed the refund it had acknowledged was due.
- Who
- A passenger and an unnamed private airline; the case was decided by the Chandigarh District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission.
- What
- The commission ordered a USD 500 rescheduling-fee refund and Rs 10,000 in compensation and litigation expenses.
- Where
- Chandigarh, India.
- When
- The commission issued its order on September 23; the year is not stated.
- Why
- The airline failed to show that it had returned a fee it had acknowledged was refundable.
Passenger's account
Airline's account
Ticket cancellation
Passenger's account
The passenger alleged that the airline cancelled his return ticket without notice after he sought another date change.
Airline's account
The airline denied cancelling the ticket and said its records showed the ticket was open for use.
Last-minute request
Passenger's account
The passenger said he sought another change because of family circumstances and alleged that airline staff did not properly assist him.
Airline's account
The airline said he approached its Chandigarh office on June 18, one day before the scheduled flight, seeking a last-minute change that it could not accommodate.
Rescheduling-fee refund
Passenger's account
The passenger sought return of the USD 500 fee, saying his grievance had not been resolved.
Airline's account
The airline said the amount was being processed for refund to the original payment method without deduction; the commission found no proof that it had actually been refunded.
Key facts
- Refund ordered
- USD 500, reported as about Rs 31,440–31,441
- Additional award
- Rs 10,000 for mental agony and litigation expenses
- Original round-trip fare
- USD 680
- Scheduled return date
- June 19, 2022
- Rescheduling payment date
- April 25, 2022
- Commission's finding on cancellation
- The passenger did not prove that the airline unilaterally cancelled the ticket; the airline produced a status showing it was open for use.
- Commission's finding on refund
- The airline acknowledged the USD 500 was refundable but did not show that it had been refunded.
Quotes
Chandigarh District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission
The consumer disputes commission that decided the passenger’s complaint.
“The admitted liability of the opposite party to refund the said amount cannot be defeated merely because the complainant has failed to prove the allegation of cancellation. The failure to refund the admitted amount, despite the opposite party’s own assurance, amounts to deficiency in service to that limited extent.”
indianexpress.com
Sources
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