KOCHI: The Ernakulam District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission on Wednesday ordered a tour operator to pay Rs 1.25 lakh to a student of Sacred Heart College, Thevara, for failing to refund advance money after their study tour to Bengaluru and Goa got cancelled. The order was issued against BM Tours and Travels operating in Kaloor.
The complainant, Heloise Manuel, a BSc Physics student, and his 37 classmates, along with three teachers, had planned a study tour to Goa and Dandeli by train from February 22 to 26, 2023. The total travel cost for 41 people was Rs 2,07,000. Free travel was also offered to the teachers.
Accordingly, the complainant transferred Rs 1,00,000 as advance to the bank account of the tour operators. However, the trip had to be cancelled owing to widespread disruption and cancellation of train services owing to various reasons, and the tour operator failed to provide alternate arrangements.
Although the tour operators had agreed to refund the advance amount in June 2023, the money was not returned despite repeated requests. In this situation, the student approached the Ernakulam District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission.
“Failure to refund the amount despite a promise constitutes a deficiency in service and an unfair practice under the Consumer Protection Act,” observed a bench headed by D B Binu. The commission ordered the opposing party to return the advance amount of Rs 1 lakh. It also ordered the tour operator to pay Rs 25,000 as compensation for court expenses within 45 days.