Air India Ordered to Pay Rs 1.5 L to Father-Daughter Over Poor In-Flight Conditions

Air India Ordered to Pay Rs 1.5 L to Father-Daughter for Appalling Flight Experience

The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission–VI in New Delhi has directed Air India to pay Rs 1.5 lakh to a father-daughter duo for “deficiency of service” on a Delhi–New York flight.

Shailendra Bhatnagar and his daughter detailed a distressing journey in September 2023, citing broken and uncomfortable seats, malfunctioning call buttons, inoperative entertainment screens, filthy toilets, foul odours, poor-quality food, and unresponsive cabin crew during the nearly 15-hour flight.

Air India claimed the aircraft had cleared all pre-departure checks and suggested the complaints stemmed from a denied business-class upgrade. The commission rejected the defence, noting the airline had ignored a prior legal notice, and observed that silence in response to specific allegations suggested a lack of valid rebuttal.

The court awarded Rs 50,000 each to the father and daughter for mental agony, plus Rs 50,000 for legal expenses, totaling Rs 1.5 lakh. While the commission denied a full refund of the Rs 3.18 lakh ticket fare, it stressed that airlines must meet service standards as mandated under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, and DGCA regulations.