The Hyderabad District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission-III has ordered Qatar Airways and online travel agency EaseMyTrip to jointly and severally pay over ₹3 lakh in relief to the family of a passenger who died after being denied a flight refund for a malignant brain tumor.
Raghuram Yamarthi and his wife had booked return tickets from Hyderabad to Atlanta through EaseMyTrip on August 2, 2024, for a December 2, 2024 departure, costing ₹1,86,168.
Sudden Illness and Refund Denial
On November 1, 2024, Yamarthi suffered a seizure, leading to a diagnosis of a malignant brain tumor. After undergoing brain surgery on November 12, he was advised six weeks of radiation treatment, making travel impossible.
Yamarthi contacted Qatar Airways on November 11 to cancel his tickets and request a full refund. The airline directed him to EaseMyTrip. He subsequently emailed the travel agency on November 15 and submitted medical documents two days later.
However, Qatar Airways rejected his medical waiver request, citing a late submission. Both the airline and EaseMyTrip allegedly directed Yamarthi to each other, with EaseMyTrip reportedly offering only about ₹95,000 if he canceled without a medical waiver.
Commission Rules on Deficiency in Service
Qatar Airways argued that EaseMyTrip was responsible for processing the refund since the tickets were booked through the agency, and claimed it had offered Yamarthi the option of keeping the tickets open for future travel.
The commission thoroughly examined the medical records, email correspondence, and Qatar Airways' published refund policy, which included provisions for medical refunds in cases of terminal illness before departure, provided a valid medical certificate was submitted.
The Hyderabad commission found that Yamarthi had indeed provided clear evidence of a serious medical condition that prevented him from traveling. It rejected the attempts by the airline and the travel agency to shift responsibility, concluding there was a clear deficiency in service.
Tragically, Raghuram Yamarthi passed away while the complaint was still pending. His children, Yamarthi Revanth and Yamarthi Rachna, were allowed to join the proceedings as legal representatives.
Final Order and Compensation
In its September 29, 2026, order, the commission directed Qatar Airways and EaseMyTrip to jointly and severally pay the Yamarthi family a total of ₹1,86,168 (the original ticket refund), ₹1 lakh as compensation for the inconvenience, and ₹20,000 towards litigation costs. Additionally, the companies were ordered to pay 12% annual interest on the ticket refund amount. They have 45 days from the date of the order to comply.