IndiGo to Pay Rs. 20,000 Compensation to Passengers for Leaving Them Behind at Kolkata Airport

Kolkata, Sep 18: India’s budget carrier airline IndiGo has been ordered to pay Rs 20,000 in compensation to a family who were left behind by the airline at the Kolkata airport in 2017. The National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC), hearing IndiGo’s review plea against the Tripura state commission's order, asked the airline to pay Rs. 20,000 to Kalpana Rani Debbarma and her family. In 2017, the family had complained that its flight from Kolkata to Agartala had departed without informing them while they waited to board at the airport.

The Commission further informed that no effort was made by the Airline to compensate them by arranging for their travel in the next scheduled flight to Agartala. "It is not in dispute that the Complainants were put to lot of mental agony and inconvenience as they had to stay in a hotel for two days and once again travelled by Indigo Airlines after two days after having had to purchase fresh tickets by spending an amount of Rs. 16,432," it said.

The commission added saying when it is not a silent airport, the announcements should be made at least in the sensitised waiting area. Reports inform that Debbarma, her husband and her two minor sons were travelling from Kolkata to Agartala availing Indigo flight services in 2017.

The Airlines had issued boarding passes to all of them but they failed to board the flight due to a deficiency in service. In her plea, Debbarma claimed that IndiGo had left all her family at the Kolkata Airport without informing them despite their being in the Airport premises. Reports inform that the family had to stay in a hotel and purchase new tickets the next day.

A bench comprising of Justice R K Agrawal and presiding member Justice M Shreesha said, “It is the basic duty of care for a passenger who has been left behind despite issuance of the boarding passes, when admittedly boarding passes were issued well ahead of the boarding time and the baggage was also boarded on to the Airlines, is to provide meals and refreshments, hotel accommodation in cases where stay of one more night is necessary and the operating carrier should also pay particular attention to the needs of the accompanying family”.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 18, 2018 11:33 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).