Consumer Court orders Air India to pay Rs. 2 lakh for lost bags of passengers
February 21, 2018In a case before the West Bengal State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, Air India has been found guilty for loss of 2 bags belonging to 2 lawyers.
Dibakar Bhattacharya and Sanjay Pandit had booked 2 Air India flights as they had to visit New Delhi to represent a case before the Supreme Court. On arriving at the airport, they could not trace 2 checked bags which contained their laptops, documents pertaining to the case as well as the lawyer’s gowns. Even the airlines company couldn’t trace the bags and thereby the two lawyers had to appear in the Supreme Court without formal attire. Consequently, the Judge dismissed the petition as the 2 were not in proper attire.
While arguing before the Consumer court, the counsel of Air India stated that they had misplaced the bags and that they would pay a compensation of Rs. 11,700/- for the 2 lost bags weighing 26 kilograms to the Petitioners as per the airline rules. However, the chairman of the Commission, Mr Shyamal Gupta stated that this does not amount to meagre material loss as the 2 lawyers were not able to argue a case and their petition was dismissed by the Apex Court. The Petitioners suffered professional indignity as the documents and the gowns were lost. It had caused damage to the ‘reputation’ and goodwill of the lawyers as they had appeared in the Apex Court in an unprofessional manner. Thereby, the court directed Air India to pay Rs. 2 lakh to both of them as compensation. The Airlines was also directed to pay the litigation cost incurred by the Petitioners.
Dibakar Bhattacharya and Sanjay Pandit had booked 2 Air India flights as they had to visit New Delhi to represent a case before the Supreme Court. On arriving at the airport, they could not trace 2 checked bags which contained their laptops, documents pertaining to the case as well as the lawyer’s gowns. Even the airlines company couldn’t trace the bags and thereby the two lawyers had to appear in the Supreme Court without formal attire. Consequently, the Judge dismissed the petition as the 2 were not in proper attire.
While arguing before the Consumer court, the counsel of Air India stated that they had misplaced the bags and that they would pay a compensation of Rs. 11,700/- for the 2 lost bags weighing 26 kilograms to the Petitioners as per the airline rules. However, the chairman of the Commission, Mr Shyamal Gupta stated that this does not amount to meagre material loss as the 2 lawyers were not able to argue a case and their petition was dismissed by the Apex Court. The Petitioners suffered professional indignity as the documents and the gowns were lost. It had caused damage to the ‘reputation’ and goodwill of the lawyers as they had appeared in the Apex Court in an unprofessional manner. Thereby, the court directed Air India to pay Rs. 2 lakh to both of them as compensation. The Airlines was also directed to pay the litigation cost incurred by the Petitioners.
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