An 80-year-old Bengaluru resident has successfully won ₹55,000 in compensation from IndiGo Airlines after being forcibly moved from a premium front-row seat, which she had paid for, to a cramped middle seat just before boarding. The Karnataka State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission ruled in favor of Ansu A. Amin, citing deficiency in service and unfair treatment by the airline.
The Incident and Initial Complaint
The incident occurred in December 2023 when Ms. Amin, who had recently undergone two surgeries, booked an IndiGo flight from Bengaluru to Ahmedabad. To ensure a comfortable journey, she specifically requested and paid for a front-row premium seat (1B) with extra legroom, along with wheelchair assistance. The total cost, including these services, was ₹13,906.
However, moments before boarding, Ms. Amin was informed that her confirmed premium seat had been changed to 28B, a middle seat in the 28th row. According to her complaint, airline staff allegedly told her she had no choice but to accept the reassigned seat if she wished to board the flight. The lack of legroom during the journey reportedly caused her significant back and leg pain.
IndiGo's Defense and Commission's Observations
Before the consumer commission, IndiGo acknowledged the seat change, stating that one of the front-row seats had to be reserved for personnel conducting an audit on that particular flight. The airline also argued that Ms. Amin completed her journey without formally objecting at the time, suggesting there was no deficiency in service.
The commission, comprising judicial member Ravi Shankar and member Sunita C. Bagewadi, rejected IndiGo's defense. They observed that Ms. Amin had booked the premium seat due to genuine medical needs, not merely for convenience. The bench concluded that shifting an elderly passenger from the front row to a middle seat significantly reduced her ability to stretch, made movement more difficult, aggravated her physical discomfort, and caused avoidable stress.
Enhanced Compensation Awarded
Initially, the Bengaluru District Consumer Commission had awarded Ms. Amin ₹8,000. However, upon appeal, the State Commission deemed this amount "meagre" given the physical pain, discomfort, and mental agony suffered by the elderly passenger.
The Karnataka State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission subsequently directed IndiGo to pay ₹50,000 as compensation for the distress caused, in addition to ₹5,000 towards litigation expenses, totaling ₹55,000. IndiGo has 30 days to make this payment; failure to comply will result in a 6% annual interest rate until the full amount is paid.