A recent ruling by the Bhopal District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission has ordered Air India to pay ₹96,000 in compensation to six passengers whose flight was abruptly cancelled just two hours before its scheduled departure. The commission deemed the airline's conduct a "deficiency in service," setting a significant precedent for passenger rights.
The Case: Disrupted Travel and Financial Loss
The incident involved six passengers, including Dr. Shailendra and Sushma Nigam, who had booked Air India tickets from Bhopal to Srinagar for May 11, 2024. The combined airfare for their journey amounted to approximately ₹1.18 lakh. Critically, the group had made extensive advance reservations in Kashmir, including hotels, a houseboat, and local transport for destinations like Pahalgam and Gulmarg.
Their travel plans also included onward connections: a flight from Srinagar to Delhi and AC-1 and AC-2 class Vande Bharat Express train tickets from Delhi to Bhopal, costing around ₹54,670. On the day of travel, Air India notified the passengers of the cancellation only two hours before departure, by which time they were already en route to the airport.
Air India's Defense Rejected
Air India defended its actions to the commission, citing a bird strike as the cause for cancellation. The airline stated it had complied with Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) rules by offering seats on the next day's flight and declined to compensate for any consequential losses incurred by the passengers.
However, a three-member bench of the Bhopal commission, presided over by Yogesh Datt Shukla, rejected Air India's defense. The bench concluded that the last-minute cancellation had completely disrupted the travelers' meticulously pre-planned itinerary, leading to significant financial loss and considerable mental anguish.
Implications for Travelers
The consumer panel found the airline at fault and mandated Air India to pay each of the six passengers ₹16,000, totaling ₹96,000. This compensation covers both the direct expenses and the inconvenience suffered due to the sudden cancellation and the subsequent loss of their pre-arranged bookings in Kashmir.
This ruling underscores that consumer courts are prepared to hold airlines accountable for additional losses caused by late cancellations, even if the initial ticket price has been refunded. It reinforces the expectation that airlines must provide adequate compensation for the broader impact of their service disruptions on passengers' travel plans and well-being. Air India has not yet publicly commented on whether it intends to challenge the commission's order.