Broken Seats In Business Class, Passengers Forced To Use Stools; Chandigarh District Commission Holds Air India Liable

Brief Facts:

Mr. Rajesh Chopra and his wife, Mrs. Gamini Chopra (“Complainants”) booked an Air India flight from New York to New Delhi. Having paid a substantial sum of Rs. 8,24,964/- for business class tickets, the Complainants expected a comfortable journey. However, they found themselves facing discomfort due to broken seats in the aeroplane, forcing them to use stools for support for the duration of the 14-hour flight. This situation exacerbated the medical condition of Mr. Chopra, causing excessive swelling and pain in their feet. The Complainants, dismayed by the poor condition of their seats despite paying for premium service, attempted to address their concerns first through communication with Air India and later by sending a legal notice. Air India responded, expressing regret for the inconvenience caused but did not offer a satisfactory resolution. Feeling aggrieved, the Complainant approached the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission-I, U.T. Chandigarh (“District Commission”) and filed a consumer complaint against Air India. Air India didn't appear before the District Commission for proceedings. Therefore, it was proceeded against ex-parte.

Observations by the District Commission:

The District Commission referred to the evidence provided by the Complainants, including the electronic ticket itinerary receipt, boarding passes, photographs illustrating the absence of proper seating arrangements, medical records diagnosing the health issues of Mr. Chopra and receipts for medical treatment and therapy. The District Commission held that these documents, along with the affidavit of the Complainants and correspondence with Air India regarding their concerns, established that the Complainants purchased business class tickets but were provided with defective seats since the same did not slide or moved forward as a result of which Mr Chopra suffered with physical pain and discomfort due to the swelling in his legs.

Despite the completion of the journey, the District Commission noted that Air India failed to provide a satisfactory response to the Complainant. Therefore, the District Commission held Air India liable for deficiency in services for failure to provide services for which the Complainants paid a large sum of amount.

The District Commission directed Air India to pay compensation of ₹ 50,000/- to the Complainants for the mental agony and harassment endured, along with ₹ 10,000/- for the litigation costs incurred by them.