Chennai: The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum, Chennai (North) has slapped a fine of Rs 2 lakh on an online ticketing agency and a US-based international airline for not permitting a young girl to fly and reach her destination to attend her betrothal in Chennai four years ago.
Due to the negligence of MakeMy Trip (India) Pvt. Ltd and Delta Airlines her betrothal was cancelled in February 2013. In the petition, T.A.Prasanna of CIT Colony submitted that the family members had arranged the betrothal of his daughter T.A.Indira Priya on February 8, 2013. With the help of MakeMy Trip, he booked a flight ticket for Priya to take Delta Airlines from Minneapolis, USA to Delhi, through Amsterdam.
When she approached the Delta Airlines ground staff at Minneapolis terminal, the airline refused to issue her a boarding pass as there was no seat available in the flight. Even after making frantic efforts she could not get on board.
She was made to wait at Minneapolis Airport till the next morning with mental agony. Her betrothal function, fixed on February 8, 2013, was cancelled.
She spent an additional Rs 2,79,950 to travel by Lufthansa on February 21, 2013 from Minneapolis to Chennai through Chicago and Frankfurt. Prasanna and Priya, in the petition, said “the act of MakeMy Trip and Delta Airlines amounts to negligence and unfair trade practice”.
They sought a direction to the online portal and the airline to refund Rs 91,000 along with compensation for Rs 5 lakh towards compensation for deficiency in service and refund ticket fare of Rs 2,79,950.
In its reply, MakeMy Trip (India) Pvt. Ltd submitted that as per the schedule, the booking could not materialise as she reached the airport late to board the scheduled flight on the Minneapolis (USA) - Amsterdam - Delhi sector. The booking was marked as “no show” by the airlines. The portal had acted as a facilitator for booking airlines tickets in Delta Airlines.
It duly exercised its duty by booking the tickets in the airlines. Hence, it was not liable to pay any compensation and sought for dismissal of the petition.
The bench company president K. Jayabalan member and T. Kalaiyarasi, said Priya had a valid ticket and Delta Airlines failed to issue the boarding pass for the travel, which amounts to deficiency in service. MakeMy Trip was also equally liable for Delta Airlines not issuing the boarding pass.
Priya's betrothal was cancelled and they faced untold sufferings and mental agony. The bench directed MakeMy Trip and Delta Airlines to pay them a compensation of Rs 1.96 lakh, including refund of Rs 91,000, for causing mental agony.
The negligence of Make My Trip (India) and Delta Airlines resulted in her engagement, fixed for Feb 8, getting cancelled.
The bench directed MakeMy Trip and Delta Airlines to pay them a compensation of Rs 1.96 lakh, including refund of Rs 91,000, for causing mental agony.
