CHENNAI: A Consumer Forum in Chennai has directed Singapore Airlines to compensate noted businessman, GVK Reddy, who approached the forum after his ticket was downgraded from business class to economy class without any prior notification.
Reddy, chairman and managing director of MARG Ltd, had purchased an air ticket to fly from Singapore to Chennai on Singapore Airlines’ Flight SQ 528 on 19 April, 2011. However, he was told at the check-in counter that his seat had been downgraded to economy class with Singapore Airlines giving him a voucher for Singapore dollars 600 - the difference in fare value of the business and economy class. Despite his protests, he had to take the seat offered by the airline.
Charging that the airlines had collected necessary charges for a confirmed business-class ticket and then downgraded the ticket to an economy-class ticket at the last minute without proper prior notification, Reddy issued a legal notice seeking Rs 20,000 as refund of the cost of business class ticket with interest, Rs 5 lakh for deficiency of service, Rs 2.5 lakh for loss, Rs 12 lakh for causing him mental agony and pain, and Rs 25,000 as cost of the complaint.
In its written reply, the airline argued that the complaint was untenable, as Reddy had been the last one to book the ticket and was also the last one to arrive for check-in, at 6.57 pm, by which time the business class tickets were overbooked. Hence, the complainant was downgraded, said the airline, adding that the conditions of the contract make it clear to passengers that they may not be able to travel in their booked seat due to overbooking.
Considering the submissions by both parties, the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum, Chennai (South), noted that not informing the complainant of being downgraded clearly amounted to a deficiency in service.
Further, the forum directed Singapore Airlines to pay Rs 30,000 to Reddy as compensation for mental agony and hardship, and Rs 5,000 as cost within six weeks.
Bestfbkl - I wonder if it's the same person as below, the Mumbai Airpore Chairman?
- Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, along with Executive Chairman, Mumbai International Airport, G.V.K. Reddy, at the inauguration of the T2 terminal on Friday. — Paul Noronha
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