Indian Consumer Court Awards Passenger Rs 63,000 Compensation for Last-Minute Airline Cancellation

Consumer Court Ruling Favors Passenger in Go Airlines Dispute

A consumer court has ruled in favor of a passenger who was left stranded by Go Airlines after the airline claimed the passenger was a "no-show" despite having cancelled the flight and offered a refund. In a recent order, the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission directed the airline, now rebranded as Go First, to pay compensation to the passenger.

The complainant, a scientific officer with the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board, had booked group tickets for a Goa to Chandigarh flight on December 26, 2019. Just three hours before departure, he received an SMS and email stating that the flight had been cancelled and offering him a choice between a full refund or rescheduling. However, when he sought the promised refund, Go Airlines claimed that the flight had been "rescheduled" and not cancelled, and labelled the passengers as "no-shows." The airline refused to provide a cash refund, instead offering a restrictive "credit shell."

The commission rejected the airline's defense, noting that the airline's own email on the day of travel had used the words "is cancelled." Forcing a "credit shell" on a passenger who had already opted for a refund was arbitrary action, the commission said. The airline's shifting stance from cancellation to claiming the flight was merely rescheduled and later labeling passengers as "no-shows" amounted to "unfair trade practice" and violated DGCA guidelines, the commission said, holding the carrier liable for "deficiency in service."

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Comparison of Flight Costs

The commission directed the airline to refund the ticket fare of Rs 63,161 with 18 per cent interest per annum from December 26, 2019, along with Rs 25,000 as compensation for mental agony and inconvenience. Additionally, it asked Go Airlines to pay Rs 20,000 to the complainant towards litigation costs.