‘Flight Cancelled Without Refund:’ Consumer Court Asks Make My Trip To Pay Customer Rs 39,000

The Consumer court in Chandigarh has directed online ticket booking platform, Make My Trip (MMT) to pay a remuneration of Rs 39,000 to a customer whose flight was cancelled without a refund, reported The Indian Express.

The State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission upheld the decision of a district consumer court and asked Make My Trip to pay Rs 39,000 to the customer.

Reuters/Representational Image

The complainant Rajat Sharma and his family said that they had booked flight tickets to travel to Bagdogra and back from Chandigarh in March 2019 through MMT’s website. He stated that the said booking was confirmed after a payment of Rs 51,688.

The complainant alleged that their return flight was cancelled without any prior notice or providing any reason whatsoever.

He further said that despite repeated attempts, neither were they given any refund for the cancelled flight nor were they provided any alternative arrangements. The complainant thus booked another flight for himself and his family, which cost him Rs 36,469.

Pexels/Representational Image

After failing to refund, Make My Trip shifted the blame on Jet Airways airline for cancelling the flight.

At this time, the company had become defunct and was under insolvency proceedings before the National Company Law Tribunal, Mumbai Bench.

MMT in its reply said that the complainants duly agreed to the terms and conditions of the user agreement, which highlights that in case a flight is cancelled, the airline company will be responsible and is duly mentioned in the guidelines issued by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).

BCCL

Later, the District Commission directed MMT to pay Rs 29,080 to the complainant (the cost of the return tickets) and also to pay an amount of Rs 10,000 as compensation.

Make My Trip (India) filed an appeal against the order of the District Commission, before the State Commission.

The State Commission after hearing the matter held that the appellant failed to discharge its obligation of providing due services to the respondents even after receiving the convenience fee, as is evident from the air tickets. It said that the appellant neither provided nor made any alternative arrangement for the return journey for Rajat and his family.

The Commission thus dismissed the appeal of Make My Trip (India) and upheld the District Commission order.

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