the goan I network
PANAJI
South Goa District Consumer Forum has ordered Indigo Airlines to pay a flier an amount of Rs 10,000 as compensation within one month for inconvenience caused due to a repeatedly delayed flight departure.
The complainant Priyanka Lokesh Sharma, resident of Honnavar, Karnataka booked an Indigo Flight ticket from Goa to New Delhi for January 19, 2017. She was scheduled to travel with her infant daughter.
The scheduled departure time of the flight was 9.45 pm and as per the instructions, the complainant reported to Dabolim Airport two hours in advance.
However, upon her arrival at the airport, she was informed by officials of Indigo Airlines that the flight was delayed by about two hours and has been rescheduled at 11.25 pm due to some technical glitches.
At around 8 pm, the complainant received a text message that the flight was delayed further and that it had been rescheduled for departure at 1.10 am. Since there was further delay in departure, the complainant approached the Indigo counter requesting them to arrange accommodation for her and her child.
Not only was the request turned down, but the complainant was also informed that the flight departure had been delayed further to 2 am.
The complainant finally boarded the flight at 2 am on January 20, 2017 and arrived New Delhi airport at 5.30 am.
Unhappy with the services of Indigo Airlines, the complainant filed a consumer complaint under Section 12 of Consumer Protection Act before the South Goa District Consumer Forum at Margao.
Arguing on behalf of the complainant, Adv Savio Noronha said that the complainant was forced to take care of her infant daughter as well as her luggage for a period of more than seven hours at the airport without any assistance from the airlines staff.
Apart from inconveniencing a child and her mother, the delay in flight departure had also forced the complainant’s husband to spend the entire night at the Delhi Airport waiting for his family.
Adv Noronha further argued that the reason for the delay has not been explained satisfactorily by the airlines.
Upon conclusion of the arguments, the Forum granted the complainant with costs of Rs 2,000 and directed Indigo Airlines to pay an amount of Rs 10,000 as compensation to the complainant within one month from the date of receipt of order and in default the said amount shall carry interest of seven per cent per annum from the date of receipt of this order till the actual payment.
