Click to play videoMumbai: You may all excited and ready to take off to a relaxing holiday, but what if your air journey turns painfully intolerable? Don’t worry, you can sue the airline and win damages.
This is what a disgruntled passenger did.
In a landmark judgment, the Maharashtra State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission has ordered Air India to pay Dr Vinayak Shrikhande Rs 2.75 lakh as compensation for allotting a faulty, non-reclining seat on flight from Mumbai to New York.
Shrikhande, a 72-year-old surgeon, discovered to his horror the seat he was given could not recline.
He contacted the cabin crew of the Air India flight, who tried to help him. But in the process, the seat belt got stuck in its socket and Shrikhande was asked to undertake the 18-hour journey, sitting painfully upright without a belt.
The crew then told him the seat had been defective for several weeks. A hassled Shrikhande approached the consumer court demanding damages.
Justice P N Kashalkar ordered Air India to pay the surgeon Rs 2.75 lakh as compensation and Rs 5,000 towards legal costs.
The court also issued a show-cause notice to General Manager, Air India, Narendra Kumar, seeking explanation as to why he should not be prosecuted for perjury for filing a false affidavit in Air India's defence.
In its response to an email sent by CNBC TV-18, Air India says it had apologised to the consumer and had also offered an upgrade to first class on his next travel.
The airline is also considering challenging the state commission's order.
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