Ref. : ER/press/’07/Airin.21
The Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum, Ahmedabad (Rural), allowed
a complaint filed by Consumer Education and Research Society (CERS),
Ahmedabad, along with Mr. Tarun Seth and Mrs. Pratibha Seth against
the Regional Manager- Air India, Ahmedabad, and the Commercial Director-
Air India, Mumbai.
It held the airline guilty of deficiency in service and directed
it to refund the Seths Rs.2,43,241/- with 9 per cent interest from
the date of complaint until realisation and Rs.10,000/- as compensation
for mental agony, inconvenience and cost.
Mr. Seth and his wife had booked business class tickets for an
Air India flight from New York to Mumbai on 14 October 2004 and
paid a total of Rs.2,43,241/-.
Mr. K. K. Bajaj, Director (hon.), CERS, in his representation to
the GERC, had not only pleaded for the continuance of separate tariffs
for Ahmedabad and Surat, but also objected to the inclusion of unscheduled
interchange (UI) charges in the FPPPA formula. CERS had also expressed
its concern about the misuse of the FPPPA formula by the power distribution
companies and requested the GERC to print as a footnote on electricity
bills as and when the FPPPA charges are revised with the approval
of the GERC.
At London, their complaint was not resolved. Ultimately, they couldn’t
get the promised seats and had to travel uncomfortably, resulting
in aggravated backache, mental and physical harassment.
Back home, the Seths approached Air India which regretted their
inconvenience and offered them free tickets for the Mumbai- London-
Mumbai sector, which they rejected. Then they were offered free
tickets for Mumbai- New York. Hence, the Seths did not accept the
offer. Air India turned down their request for tickets with a stopover
at London.
The couple approached CERS which subsequently had to issue a legal
notice to the opposite party calling upon it to refund the air fare
to the complainants. In the absence of any response, CERS and the
couple filed a complaint with the Forum.
The Forum observed that the complainants had paid for business
class seats, but had been provided with defective seats. As a result,
they had to bear physical discomfort and mental harassment. The
Forum held Air India guilty of deficiency in service.
Mr.P.U.Rana presided over the Forum with Mrs.Nandiniben Thaker
as Member. Mr.K.H.Khatwani appeared for the complainants.
Date : 16/08/2007
Pritee Shah
Place: Ahmedabad
Editor
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