Forum rejects couple’s claim against airline

Wanted ₹7 crore for missed flight

The National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC) on January 16 dismissed a complaint filed by a couple from Chennai who had demanded accumulated compensation of ₹7 crore from American Airlines. The complainants had alleged they had been forced to miss their flight to New York, due to mismanagement by the airline.

The complainant, Captain G.N. Venkat Rajaram, had alleged that before he and his wife, were about to board their flight from Los Angeles to New York, they were informed that the flight was overbooked, and passengers travelling with more than three pieces of hand luggage were required to check it in.

Further, the complainants alleged that despite having smaller hand luggage, they were denied boarding. “The staff of American Airlines not only misbehaved with the complainants, but displayed an explicit deficiency of service reeking of racism and arrogance,” read the complaint in the order.

Seeking an accumulated compensation of ₹7 crore, the complainants approached the national consumer forum for relief.

However, the forum observed that the complainants had not been able to justify the quantum of compensation that they were claiming.

‘Claims exaggerated’

“We are of the view that the claims made in the complaint are without any sound basis and have been exaggerated in order to invoke the jurisdiction of this commission and hence, the same cannot be entertained” the NCDRC said in its order.

Dismissing the complaint, the court said, “It is evident from the break-up of compensation claimed, that all claims made for the alleged unlawful and unethical conduct, misuse of dominant position by the opposite parties, are purely on ad hoc basis.”