NEW DELHI: A Delhi consumer commission has ordered an airline to pay Rs 71,587 to a passenger who missed his Bengaluru-bound flight after allegedly being delayed by ground staff at the airport.The commission found that the airline had failed to substantiate its claim that the passenger reported late for check-in. It noted that the carrier had not produced supporting evidence, such as CCTV footage, to establish that he had arrived after the stipulated time.The New Delhi District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, headed by president Poonam Chaudhry and member Bariq Ahmad, directed the airline to refund Rs 11,587, which the passenger spent on booking another ticket on the same day. It also awarded him Rs 50,000 for mental agony, harassment and humiliation, and Rs 10,000 towards litigation expenses.The dispute arose after the passenger booked a round-trip journey from Delhi to Bengaluru, with his onward flight scheduled for June 22, 2025, and his return journey on June 28. He told the commission that he had made the booking a month in advance as he needed to attend an urgent official meeting in Bengaluru.According to his complaint, he reached Delhi airport at around 5.45am, an hour before his scheduled departure at 6.45am. However, he alleged that airline staff took more than 45 minutes to process his check-in despite repeated requests for assistance.He further claimed that a ground staff member incorrectly informed him that the flight was full and asked him to approach the help desk for rescheduling. The process was further delayed when another staff member allegedly behaved rudely and directed him from one employee to another.By the time the matter was addressed, he had missed his flight. With the official meeting still to attend, he said he had no option but to purchase another ticket from the same airline for Rs 11,587.The passenger also alleged that the airline created difficulties during his return journey from Bengaluru on June 28. Staff initially refused to let him check in, citing a policy under which passengers who miss their onward flight cannot use the return leg of the same booking.He was eventually allowed to board after explaining that he had purchased another onward ticket from the same airline.The airline, however, disputed his account. It maintained that its records showed he had reached the check-in counter only at 6.10am, contrary to his claim of arriving at the airport at 5.45am.The carrier argued that he had violated the check-in requirements published on its website. He was consequently marked as a ‘no-show’ and removed from the passenger list for failing to report within the prescribed time.The commission, however, found that the airline had not produced material evidence to support its version of events. It observed that the carrier could have relied on CCTV footage or other records to establish that the passenger had reported late.In the absence of such evidence, the commission held the airline liable and directed it to pay the passenger a total of Rs 71,587.
