The District Shopper Disputes Redressal Fee of Chandigarh has penalised Indigo Airline of Rs 1 lakh for inflicting bodily harassment to an aged couple having knee issues whereas boarding a flight from Chandigarh to Bangalore and through their return.
The complainants, Sunil Jand, 70, and his spouse Veena Kumari, 67, had booked W-Tickets, together with two wheelchairs, from Chandigarh to Bangalore on October 11, 2023, in an Indigo flight departing Chandigarh at 4.45 pm and reaching Bangalore at 7.35 pm. Jand was going to Bangalore for complete knee alternative surgical procedure in each knees.
Jand acknowledged that his spouse had already undergone knee surgical procedure, and on reaching Chandigarh airport on October 11, 2023, wheelchairs weren’t supplied to them and so they have been informed to go to the Indigo window, which they discovered very troublesome owing to their situation.
Jand stated, “With nice issue, I and my spouse reached the check-in counter positioned about 35-40 toes as an alternative of going to the Indigo window.”
Since an hour was left to board the flight at 4 pm, the complainants requested airline staffers to drop them on the enterprise lounge on the primary ground and to take them for boarding on time.
Jand alleged, “No person got here until 4.25 pm to our assist which raised our nervousness and blood stress because the boarding was being introduced repeatedly. Then there was a sudden change to gate No. 3. Reeling in ache, we one way or the other reached gate No.3 and reported the entire matter to a woman, Ankita, who as an alternative of apologising began arguing with us. At 4.40 pm we have been supplied two wheelchairs and have been taken to the aeroplane.”
The complainants alleged that the harassment didn’t finish on the Chandigarh airport. “On the Bangalore airport, employees accompanying wheelchairs left our wheelchairs and baggage trolley simply exterior the exit gate and disappeared, leaving us stranded until 9 pm. We requested an Indigo staffer to assist us attain the taxi stand. I then spoke to Indigo buyer care from the airport however didn’t get a passable reply. They escalated the matter via demand discover to the supervisor, buyer expertise, Indigo Airline, who as a token of apology provided Rs 2,000 and closed the grievance with out taking any motion in opposition to defaulters.”
“On March 13, 2023,” Jand stated, “I wrote an e-mail to an official of the airline and requested for a speedy reply as quickly, however once more the supervisor, buyer expertise vide emails prolonged apologies and provided a token apology of Rs 2,000, making a mockery of complainants and including insult to our harm/woes.”
The couple alleged that they “handed via a really panic state of affairs/knee ache, however no compensation was paid to them”.
The Indigo Airways didn’t flip up regardless of service of discover, therefore, it was proceeded ex-parte vide order dated September 3, 2024.
The fee on listening to the matter stated, “It’s the bounden responsibility of the airline to handle passengers minute to minute, particularly when the passenger is aged and affected by ailment.”
“Indigo didn’t seem to contest the declare of the complainants and most popular to proceed ex-parte. This act of the airline attracts an antagonistic inference in opposition to it. The non-appearance of the airline exhibits it has nothing to say in its defence in opposition to the allegations made by the complainants. Subsequently, the assertions of the complainants go unrebutted and uncontroverted. As such, the identical is accepted as appropriate and the deficiency in service and unfair commerce follow on the a part of airways is proved,” stated the Fee.
The Fee, thus, ordered Indigo to pay a lump sum compensation of Rs 50,000 to every of the complainants, Sunil Jand and Veena Kumari, on account of psychological agony and bodily harassment, together with litigation bills.
