A consumer platform in Delhi has found Indigo Airlines guilty of lack of service to provide a woman to provide a “unhealthy and stain” seat and ordered the carrier to pay her. 1.5 lakhs in compensation for discomfort, pain and mental pain.
Pinky, a resident of Chankyapuri, booked tickets for her, her husband and two other family members on December 27, 2024 through a travel agency. 48,739, PTI reported.
He traveled to New Delhi on 2 January with Baku, with his family, when he was given a “untoward, dirty and tainted” seat. He further claimed that his complaint about the case was “dismissed and insensitively handled.”
New Delhi District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, including President Poonam Chaudhary and members Barak Ahmed and Shekhar Chandra, heard the complaint and ordered that they should be compensated for discomfort, pain and mental anguish during the visit.
What did Indigo say?
IndiGo, while fighting the allegations, said that it had addressed the issue by handing over an alternative seat by Pinky, on which he voluntarily traveled and completed his journey to New Delhi.
In its order on 9 July, recently made public, the forum said, “We believe that the opposite party (IndiGo) was guilty of lack of service.”
“As in relation to discomfort and pain, he has suffered mental anguish, we think he should be compensated. We accordingly directs to pay the opposite side. 1.5 lakhs in the form of compensation for mental pain, physical pain and harassment for him. 25,000 as the cost of litigation.
The forum noted that the airline status failed to produce the data display (SDD) report, which is an essential part of its internal operating records under the standard aviation protocol.
The order states that there is no reference to this report in the written statement or in the evidence filed by the opposite party.
When the case was first informed to a member of the cabin crew, he expressed his inability to provide a clean seat. Instead, he offered Pinky a separate seat in the 14th row and increased an honest apology. According to the Times of India report, on 13 January, Pinky sent a legal notice to the airline.
With no satisfactory response, he approached the District Commission, demanding appropriate compensation, citing harassment and emotional crisis during the flight, which caused his significant mental pain.
He further alleged that the poor quality of service on the international sector is the amount of misconduct and reflected a poor approach to customer care.
The bench commented that the dirty seating system represented consumer expectations and direct violation of the airline’s contractual obligations. It was also reminded that, under the Civil Aviation requirements, all airlines registered in India should maintain a responsible grievance redressal system and a dedicated helpline number in compliance with the Consumer Protection Act 2019.
