Online agency to pay client for cancelling wrong ticket
The bench comprising President K. Jayabalan and member M. Uyirroli Kannan held that Make My Trip committed deficiency in service.
Chennai: The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum, Chennai (North) has directed an online ticketing agency to pay a compensation of Rs 63,000 to a person for erroneously cancelling his flight ticket to Dharmasala, Himachal Pradesh.
In the petition V. Nataraj Vellingiri of South Ukkadam, Coimbatore submitted that, along with his friend Pramoth Nataraj, he planned to go on a trip to Dharmasala in Himachal Pradesh. He booked tickets for Rs 12,098 on July 29, 2015 through Make My Trip (India) Pvt. Ltd., Nungambakkam.
They had planned to fly from Chennai to New Delhi on SpiceJet Airlines on August 28, 2015. However, his friend Pramoth cancelled the tour due to personal reasons. He requested the agency to cancel the ticket through website of Make My Trip on August 27, 2015. However, the agency wrongly cancelled ticket issued in the name of V. Natraj Vellingiri instead of his friend Pramoth's ticket. After deducting a penalty of Rs 2,050, the agency refunded Rs 3,799.
Natraj Vellingiri came to know about this on the date of travel through the SpiceJet customer care. As a result, the entire pilgrimage program collapsed. He booked alternate tickets by spending Rs 8,994 for two passengers. He contended that Make My Trip and its office in Nungambakkam, committed deficiency in service by cancelling his ticket wrongly. He sought compensation from the agency for causing him mental agony.
In its reply, Make My Trip submitted that erroneously the flight ticket of Natraj Vellingiri was cancelled. SpiceJet was responsible for cancelling the ticket and committed the mistake. Later, the airlines processed full refund. The agency sent an apology letter and refunded Rs 3,799 to him. Hence, online portal ticketing agency had not committed any deficiency in service, the agency added.
The bench comprising President K. Jayabalan and member M. Uyirroli Kannan held that Make My Trip committed deficiency in service. As a result, Natraj Vellingiri, suffered mental agony. The bench directed Make My Trip to refund him Rs 8,299 and pay a compensation of Rs 50,000 for causing him mental agony and cost of Rs 5,000.