A consumer court in Mumbai has ordered Air India to pay a compensation of Rs 100,000 (£939) to a business class passenger for allotting defective seats on an international flight, Economic Times reports.
Rear Admiral (retired) Anil Kumar Saxena flew from Delhi to Toronto on June 3, 2023 and Toronto to Delhi on June 24, 2023.
On both legs of his 14-hour flight, the recliner seat did not function properly and Saxena had a harrowing journey.
Saxena sent numerous emails to Air India but got no response. He then sent a letter seeking refund with compensation.
The airline responded by offering a non-transferable travel voucher equal to 75 per cent value of the ticket with one year validity.
He rejected the offer and sought compensation, which was turned down by the airline.
Saxena then filed a suit against Air India in the South Mumbai district consumer disputes redressal commission seeking a refund of the ticket amount and compensation.
The airline did not respond to the commission's notice and was not present during the case hearings. The commission passed an order on an ex-parte basis.
The consumer watchdog ruled that there was a deficiency in service and ordered Air India to pay a compensation of Rs 80,000 for the mental agony faced by the passenger and Rs 20,000 towards litigation cost within 30 days.
People gather near a damaged building and trees as firefighters work at the site where an Air India plane crashed in Ahmedabad, India, June 12, 2025. REUTERS/Amit Dave
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