Woman not allowed to board flight misses betrothal: Agency, airline asked to pay up
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Chennai
TIMES NEWS NETWORK
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An online travel company and
a US airlines have been directed to pay `2 lakh as compensation to a
woman whose betrothal had to be cancelled after she was not allowed to
board a flight in Minneapolis, United States, despite having a valid
ticket to fly on the aircraft. District Consumer Disputes Redressal
Forum, Chennai (north) slapped the fine of `2 lakh on MakeMy Trip
(India) Pvt Ltd and Delta Airlines, after applicant T A Prasanna said
her daughter T A Indira Priya's betrothal could not be held on February
8, 2013.
To ensure that she is here in Chennai for her betrothal, the applicant had booked a Delta Airlines flight from Minneapolis to Amsterdam on February 5, 2013, and from there a connecting Delta flight the same day to New Delhi on February 7, 2013. He had booked all tickets through MakeMyTrip.
However, when Indira Priya approached Delta Airlines ground staff at Minneapolis terminal, they refused to issue her boarding pass saying no seat was available in the flight.
She had to spend an additional `2.8 lakh and travelled by a Lufthansa Airlines flight on February 21, 2013 from Minneapolis to Chennai.
“The act of MakeMy Trip and Delta Airlines amounts to negligence and unfair trade practice,“ the petition said, seeking refund of `91,000 fromMakeMy Trip, refund of the ticket fare of ` 2.8 lakh, besides `5 lakh as compensation.
MakeMyTrip submitted that she reached airport late to board the scheduled flight and the booking was marked as a `no show' by the airlines.Also, the portal said, it had acted merely as a facilitator for booking airlines and hence, it was not liable to pay any compensation.
A bench comprising forum president K Jayabalan member and T Kalaiyarasi, however, said Indira Priya had a valid ticket but the airlines failed to issue the boarding pass, which was deficiency in service.
MakeMyTrip is also equally liable for Delta Airlines not issuing boarding pass, it further held, adding that cancellation of betrothal posed untold sufferings and mental agony to Indira Priya.
The bench then directed MakeMy Trip and Delta Airlines to pay a compensation of `1.96 lakh, including refund of `91,000 to the woman and her father.
To ensure that she is here in Chennai for her betrothal, the applicant had booked a Delta Airlines flight from Minneapolis to Amsterdam on February 5, 2013, and from there a connecting Delta flight the same day to New Delhi on February 7, 2013. He had booked all tickets through MakeMyTrip.
However, when Indira Priya approached Delta Airlines ground staff at Minneapolis terminal, they refused to issue her boarding pass saying no seat was available in the flight.
She had to spend an additional `2.8 lakh and travelled by a Lufthansa Airlines flight on February 21, 2013 from Minneapolis to Chennai.
“The act of MakeMy Trip and Delta Airlines amounts to negligence and unfair trade practice,“ the petition said, seeking refund of `91,000 fromMakeMy Trip, refund of the ticket fare of ` 2.8 lakh, besides `5 lakh as compensation.
MakeMyTrip submitted that she reached airport late to board the scheduled flight and the booking was marked as a `no show' by the airlines.Also, the portal said, it had acted merely as a facilitator for booking airlines and hence, it was not liable to pay any compensation.
A bench comprising forum president K Jayabalan member and T Kalaiyarasi, however, said Indira Priya had a valid ticket but the airlines failed to issue the boarding pass, which was deficiency in service.
MakeMyTrip is also equally liable for Delta Airlines not issuing boarding pass, it further held, adding that cancellation of betrothal posed untold sufferings and mental agony to Indira Priya.
The bench then directed MakeMy Trip and Delta Airlines to pay a compensation of `1.96 lakh, including refund of `91,000 to the woman and her father.
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