Passengers no longer sit quiet, more sue airlines for default

New Delhi: Airline passengers are no longer happy to hear excuses for bad service. Many of them are suing for bad service, delays, even missing baggage, and getting compensation.
In 2007, the State Consumer Commission heard 55 cases in which it ordered compensation amounting to Rs 20 lakh.
In October, the commission ordered Jagson Airlines to pay Rs 10,000 each to five passengers whose flight was delayed by over six hours. Jagson Airlines had taken the plea that technical snags were beyond their control. In another decision, Air Deccan was asked to pay Rs 15,000 in compensation for a flight that was delayed by over four hours in July.
In November, a passenger who missed his Air Deccan flight, allegedly because the airline “did not announce departure” went to the commission, which fined the airline Rs 10,000.
Justice J D Kapoor, president of the State Consumer Commission, said: “The word deficiency defined by our legislation prescribes very high standards of service, which means any transport system should be kept in flawless and perfect manner and should not affect the schedule of departure and arrival.”
Justice Kapoor also said the only plea admissible for an airline company is situations beyond human control, like weather or natural calamities.
30/12/07 Sahim Salim/Delhi Newsline

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Categories: General Aviation Dec 2007