The Kottayam Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission has fined Air India ?50,000 for canceling a flight without prior notice. The complaint was filed by Mathews Joseph, a resident of Pala, who had booked an Air India flight from Mumbai to Kochi scheduled for 5:30 am on July 23, 2023, to attend a medical examination for a job. However, the flight was canceled without informing him, and the alternative flight was only available at 8:32 pm, causing him to miss the medical test and ultimately lose the job opportunity.
Mathews Joseph reached out to Air India’s customer care to seek compensation for the losses caused by the airline’s negligence, but he did not receive a satisfactory response. When he approached the consumer forum, Air India failed to provide any proof that the complainant had been notified about the flight cancellation. This lack of communication and failure to offer timely alternatives was a key factor in the commission’s ruling.
The commission, led by Adv. V S Manulal with members R Bindu and K M Anto, concluded that the complainant suffered significant losses due to the canceled flight, delayed alternative, and missed medical appointment. Consequently, Air India was ordered to pay ?50,000 as compensation for the deficiency in service and the inconvenience caused to Mathews Joseph.
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