Woman, baby kept waiting 10 hours on plane, airline ordered to pay Rs 1.5 lakh

The woman alleged that the flight was later cancelled and she and her infant son had to remain at the airport for several more hours without proper food or assistance. (AI-generated image)

A Delhi consumer commission recently ordered an international airline to pay Rs 1.5 lakh to a woman and her infant son after they allegedly had to remain inside an aircraft for about 10 hours without basic facilities during a flight delay.

Commission president Poonam Chaudhry and members Shekhar Chandra and Bariq Ahmad held the complainant entitled to compensation, noting that she and her child had to suffer because of the airline’s poor service.

“On the given facts, we are of the view that the complainant No. 1 is entitled for compensation as she and her infant baby had to suffer because of poor services, negligence and irresponsible behaviour of OP-1 (airlines), which in our opinion amounts to deficiency in service,” the commission said on September 2.

Why commission awarded compensation

According to the complainant, she had booked a business-class ticket through a travel agent for a trip from Los Angeles to Mumbai via Beijing in 2017. The return flight was scheduled to leave Los Angeles on July 19 and reach Mumbai the following day. According to the complaint, when she reached Los Angeles airport, she was informed that boarding had been delayed by two hours. It was alleged that after boarding, the aircraft remained on the tarmac for nearly 10 hours without taking off.

The complainant alleged that the passengers were not provided food or drinking water. She said her infant son remained without food and water and that the crew refused to provide hot water to prepare milk for him. The passengers were eventually informed that the flight had been cancelled. The complainant alleged that she and her son then remained at the airport for several more hours without proper accommodation, food or assistance.

The airline attributed the delay and cancellation to heavy rainfall and adverse weather conditions. It was stated that several flights were delayed, including that of the complainant, due to bad weather. The airline stressed that it had no obligation to compensate a passenger affected due to delay or cancellation of flight if the same happened due to reasons outside the airline’s control.

The commission noted that the complainant had produced a weather report showing overcast skies, humidity below 70 per cent and visibility of 4-5 km. It observed that nothing had been shown during arguments to establish that there were compelling reasons for cancellation of the flight.

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Holding that the woman and her baby suffered because of poor service, negligence and irresponsible behaviour, the commission found the airline deficient in service. It, hence, directed the airline to pay Rs 1 lakh as compensation and Rs 50,000 towards litigation expenses within four weeks of receiving the order.

Takeaway

The case highlights that airlines must provide passengers with basic facilities such as food and water when they are kept onboard an aircraft for prolonged periods due to delays. Failing to ensure passengers’ basic comfort and safety may amount to a deficiency in service.

For consumer-related grievances, individuals may contact the consumer helpline in their respective states (Delhi: 1800–11–4000) or call the National Consumer Helpline at 1915 for assistance.

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Ashish Shaji is a Senior Sub-Editor at The Indian Express (Digital), where he specialises in legal journalism. Combining a formal education in law with years of editorial experience, Ashish covers court developments and key cases for the audience. Expertise Ashish is a law graduate (BA LLB) from IME Law College, CCSU. His work at The Indian Express focuses on translating the often-dense proceedings of courts into clear, legal content. He also runs liveblogs from the Supreme Court and various High Courts. Industry Experience: With over 5 years in the field, Ashish has contributed to several niche legal and professional platforms, honing his ability to communicate complex information. His previous experience includes: Lawsikho: Gaining insights into legal education and practical law. Verdictum: Focusing on high-quality legal news and court updates. Enterslice: Working at the intersection of legal, financial, and advisory services. ... Read More