A consumer court in Raipur has penalized a private airline for failing to notify a passenger of its departure terminal, resulting in a missed flight and forcing a family to spend the night at the airport.
The District Consumer Commission, consisting of President Dakeshwar Prasad Sharma and members Nirupma Pradhan and Anil Kumar Agnihotri, held the airline liable for deficiency in service and unfair trade practices in its July 21 order. The panel directed the carrier to pay Rs 50,000 in compensation, alongside Rs 5,000 for mental agony and an additional Rs 5,000 for litigation costs.
Schedule Revision Missing Crucial Location Details
The dispute stems from a March 31, 2015 travel reservation from Delhi to Raipur, for which the passenger paid Rs 13,161 for family tickets. Ahead of the trip, the airline sent an SMS notifying the traveler that the departure had been advanced by 15 minutes, moving from 5:50 p.m. to 5:35 p.m. However, neither the text message nor the issued ticket indicated which terminal would handle the flight.
Based on his incoming arrival at Terminal 3, the passenger proceeded to Terminal 3 an hour before the updated departure time. Upon reaching the counter, he was informed that the flight was operating out of Terminal 1D, located roughly 7.5 kilometers away.
Missed Deadline And Additional Expenses
Unable to navigate the distance to Terminal 1D before check-in counters closed 45 minutes prior to departure, the family missed the flight and remained at the airport overnight. To reach their destination, the traveler had to purchase replacement tickets the following day at a cost of Rs 21,135.
When the airline turned down a formal legal notice seeking reimbursement, the passenger filed a case with the consumer commission. Neither the airline nor the booking agency submitted affidavits, evidence, or legal representation during the commission’s proceedings.
Commission Rejects Airline Defense
In its earlier response to the complainant’s legal notice, the airline maintained that the passenger reported at 4:49 p.m., missing the mandatory 45-minute pre-flight check-in cutoff for the 5:35 p.m. departure.
However, the commission noted that the passenger had requested airport CCTV footage to prove his timely arrival at Terminal 3, which the airline failed to produce. The panel concluded that because the carrier neglected to mention Terminal 1D in its flight updates, the traveler could not reasonably reach the correct gate in time. The ruling emphasized that airlines are obligated to provide complete operational details when modifying flight schedules and are financially accountable for losses stemming from incomplete communication.
