A district consumer disputes redressal commission in Hyderabad has directed IndiGo Airlines to pay Rs 55,000 to a passenger whose Rs 35,000 premium liquor bottle was shattered inside checked baggage during a flight from Delhi to Chennai.
The commission ruled that the airline committed gross negligence and enforced an unfair contract by offering a Rs 500 compensation voucher for the destroyed item while attempting to shield itself behind standard liability disclaimers.
Ground Handling Negligence Identified
The case stems from a September 3, 2025 flight taken by passenger Vineeth Maddala. According to the complaint, Maddala declared the sealed liquor bottle to airline staff during check-in at Delhi airport to ensure appropriate handling measures were taken. Upon collecting his suitcase at Chennai airport, he discovered the bottle had been broken into pieces.
In subsequent email correspondence, IndiGo customer care acknowledged that the bottle was properly packed and sealed prior to check-in. However, the airline cited its baggage policy, which states that fragile items such as glass bottles are accepted at the passenger’s own risk. IndiGo conceded that operational factors might have caused the damage despite care efforts and offered a Rs 500 travel voucher.
Rejection of Standard Risk Disclaimer
Maddala issued a legal notice through advocate P. Santhoshi Kumari, which went unanswered, leading him to file a formal complaint. The commission—comprising President M. Ramgopal Reddy and members J. Shyamala and D. Madhavi Latha—noted that IndiGo failed to submit a written response within the mandatory period. Consequently, the panel proceeded ex parte, leaving the passenger’s claims unchallenged.
In its July 1 order, the commission observed that a bottle safely packed inside a suitcase does not shatter during standard transit unless subjected to violent throwing, dropping, or severe mishandling by ground handling staff. The panel ruled that an airline cannot evade liability through boilerplate terms when it knowingly accepts a fragile item verified as securely packed, as it owes a heightened duty of care to the passenger.
Financial Compensation and Interest Details
The commission concluded that offering a token settlement disproportionate to the actual financial loss constituted an unfair contract.
IndiGo was ordered to reimburse Maddala Rs 35,000 for the destroyed bottle along with 9 percent annual interest. The tribunal also directed the airline to pay Rs 15,000 in compensation for mental agony and Rs 5,000 toward litigation expenses.
