A consumer court has fined Jet Airways for issuing confirmed tickets and then turning away two passengers. The First Additional District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum also lambasted the airline for not following civil aviation procedures.
Advocates R Radha and Revathy Adinath Narde had booked return tickets from Bangalore to Kochi for September 6, 2013. They had paid higher fares for the same-day tickets.
When they finished their work in Kochi and returned to the airport, they were informed the flight was overbooked and only one seat was available. Since they were travelling together, and it was not feasible or safe for one of the two women to stay back in an unfamiliar city, they requested the airline to honour the booking.
The airline expressed its helplessness and made both of them stand at the counter for a long time. Eventually, it did not accommodate them. The passengers then filed a complaint in the consumer forum, alleging that by refusing them boarding cards, Jet Airways had caused them suffering.
The women could not attend to their professional work the next day, and had spent extra money on food and stay.
Hearing both parties, the forum, headed by Syed Anser Khaleem, said the airline should have checked the availability of seats before issuing tickets.
Once confirmed tickets are issued, it is the duty of the airline to accommodate passengers, the court said, directing Jet Airways to pay Rs 10,000 with Rs 2,000 as costs to each complainant.