A consumer commission in Delhi has directed an international airline to pay Rs 1.5 lakh in compensation and legal costs to a woman and her infant son after the pair were kept stranded inside an aircraft on the tarmac for nearly 10 hours without food or water.
The ruling, issued on September 2 by a bench comprising Commission President Poonam Chaudhry and members Shekhar Chandra and Bariq Ahmad, held that the carrier’s conduct amounted to a deficiency in service. The airline was ordered to disburse Rs 1 lakh as compensation alongside Rs 50,000 for litigation expenses within four weeks of receiving the formal directive.
Ordeal Aboard Grounded Aircraft
According to the complaint, the woman had purchased business-class tickets through a travel agent for a 2017 journey from Los Angeles to Mumbai with a layover in Beijing. The return leg was scheduled to depart California on July 19 and arrive in Mumbai the following day.
Upon reaching the airport in Los Angeles, the passenger was informed of an initial two-hour boarding delay. Once passengers boarded, the aircraft remained stationary on the tarmac for approximately 10 hours without taking off.
During the prolonged wait, the crew did not distribute food or drinking water to the passengers. The complainant stated that flight attendants also refused to provide hot water to prepare milk for her baby, leaving the child without sustenance. The airline eventually cancelled the flight, after which the mother and child spent several additional hours inside the airport terminal without food, lodging, or airline assistance.
Commission Rejects Weather Defense
In response to the complaint, the airline attributed the disruption to torrential rainfall and inclement weather, stating that several flights had faced delays. The carrier argued that it was not legally obligated to compensate travellers when cancellations and delays arise from circumstances outside its control.
The commission rejected the airline’s defense after reviewing meteorological documentation submitted by the complainant. The records showed overcast skies, visibility of four to five kilometres, and humidity below 70 per cent. The bench observed that the airline failed to produce any evidence during proceedings to establish that prevailing conditions warranted cancelling the service.
Finding the airline negligent and irresponsible, the commission ruled that airlines are duty-bound to supply basic amenities such as food and water whenever passengers are held inside an aircraft during protracted ground delays.
