KOCHI: The Ernakulam Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission has directed Qatar Airways to pay Rs 7 lakh as compensation to Justice Bechu Kurian Thomas, who filed a complaint during his practice as a High Court lawyer that he was denied permission to board an international flight due to overbooking. The Commission also directed the airlines to pay the complainant Rs 50,000 towards the litigation cost.
The Commission led by its President D B Binu observed that denying boarding permission to passengers who hold valid boarding passes without assigning any reason whatsoever amounts to unfair trade practice and deficiency in service on the part of airlines.
According to the complainant, he along with a group of friends had planned a trip to Scotland on April 15, 2018, from the Cochin International Airport and booked tickets with Qatar Airways well in advance. When they reached Doha for a connecting flight to Edinburgh, the complainant was denied permission to board the plane due to overbooking despite having a boarding pass.
The complainant returned to Kochi on the next day, causing inconvenience and hardship to him. The airline staff claimed denial of boarding was a normal practice and offered accommodation for the night and flight the next day, causing inconvenience to the complainant. The complainant alleged unfair trade practices and fraud by the airline and sought Rs 10 lakh as compensation.