13,000 fliers denied boarding between May and October
Rajesh.c@timesgroup.com
Chennai:07.12.2019
Citing technical, operational and bad weather conditions, more than 13,000 passengers were denied boarding in airplanes across airports in India between May and October. In a reply to the Lok Sabha, Hardeep Singh Puri, minister of state for civil aviation said that the top 5 airlines, including Air India, Indigo, SpiceJet, AirAsia and Vistara denied boarding to 13,071 passengers. And compensated these passengers with ₹563.7 lakh. More than 120 million passengers fly across airlines in India in a year.
Air India was the worst as it denied boarding to 9,978 persons and paid ₹434.02 lakh in compensation. Spicejet paid ₹86.04 lakh in compensation to 2,624 passengers while the country’s largest carrier Indigo denied boarding to 325 passengers and paid them ₹34.2 lakh. “Today an air passenger has lost his importance as the passenger charter introduced in February is toothless,” said D Sudhakar Reddy, founder of the Air Passengers Association of India (APAI).
“Globally, when a passenger is denied boarding it is rewarding for the passenger, right from upgraded tickets on an alternative date, luxury accommodation and free stay. Airlines in India do not care for passengers,” he said. As per the passenger charter, an amount equal to 200% of the booked one-way base ticket plus airline fuel charges, subject to a maximum of ₹10,000 for alternative flights booked within 24 hours has to be paid. And that compensation doubles to 400% if alternative departure is more than 24 hours. In case the passenger does not opt for alternate flight a refund of full value of the ticket and compensation of 400% of the booked one way basic fare plus airline fuel charges subject to a maximum of ₹20,000 has to be paid as compensation.
Rajesh.c@timesgroup.com
Chennai:07.12.2019
Citing technical, operational and bad weather conditions, more than 13,000 passengers were denied boarding in airplanes across airports in India between May and October. In a reply to the Lok Sabha, Hardeep Singh Puri, minister of state for civil aviation said that the top 5 airlines, including Air India, Indigo, SpiceJet, AirAsia and Vistara denied boarding to 13,071 passengers. And compensated these passengers with ₹563.7 lakh. More than 120 million passengers fly across airlines in India in a year.
Air India was the worst as it denied boarding to 9,978 persons and paid ₹434.02 lakh in compensation. Spicejet paid ₹86.04 lakh in compensation to 2,624 passengers while the country’s largest carrier Indigo denied boarding to 325 passengers and paid them ₹34.2 lakh. “Today an air passenger has lost his importance as the passenger charter introduced in February is toothless,” said D Sudhakar Reddy, founder of the Air Passengers Association of India (APAI).
“Globally, when a passenger is denied boarding it is rewarding for the passenger, right from upgraded tickets on an alternative date, luxury accommodation and free stay. Airlines in India do not care for passengers,” he said. As per the passenger charter, an amount equal to 200% of the booked one-way base ticket plus airline fuel charges, subject to a maximum of ₹10,000 for alternative flights booked within 24 hours has to be paid. And that compensation doubles to 400% if alternative departure is more than 24 hours. In case the passenger does not opt for alternate flight a refund of full value of the ticket and compensation of 400% of the booked one way basic fare plus airline fuel charges subject to a maximum of ₹20,000 has to be paid as compensation.
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