Air Costa asked to pay compensation for cancellation by Consumer Forum, Vizag

Air Costa has been directed by Vizag district consumer disputes redress forum to pay Rs 75,000 as compensation to three passengers (Rs 25,000 to each) for the inconvenience caused to them because of cancellation of flight without informing passengers. Air Costa has also been directed to pay Rs 34,000 for the cost of the alternative flight tickets with the litigation cost of Rs 2,500.

The three people were to travel to Hyderabad on March 12, 2016. From there on they were to take a flight to Dubai and then another flight to Boston. After arriving at the airport, they were intimated regarding a delay for the scheduled Air Costa flight. It was only after waiting for some hours that they came to know that their flight was cancelled. Due to their journey plans ahead of Hyderabad they were left with no choice but to purchase three tickets on Spice Jet from Vizag to Hyderabad by spending Rs 13,494, Rs 9,000 and Rs 8,016 respectively, besides paying Rs 9,000 towards luggage charges, which totaled Rs 39,510.

A. Kameswara Rao and A.V.V.S. Rama Rao , are the advocates who handled the case. As a reputed service provider Air Costa owes it’s customers the information regarding cancellation prior to departure. The ensuing difficulties have put the passengers through a troubled journey to USA via Hyderabad as was their plan. This was cited in front of the forum which sought o resolve their greviance. The Airline does not have an  obligation to pay compensation in cases where the cancellation and delays had been caused by an event like forces of nature. This was the grounds on which Air Costa had filed a counter petition.

The consumer forum found a severe lack of professional standards in the airline service provider as well as the mental, physical and financial troubles of the passengers. The forum ordered the airline to pay Rs 30,213 with interest at 9 per cent per annum from March 12, 2016 to the complainants besides Rs 75,000 compensation.

source – Deccan Chronicle