A consumer disputes resolution commission has ordered SpiceJet to pay a passenger ₹55,000 for inadequate service during a flight delay. The commission ruled that providing a burger and fries to passengers who endured a 14-hour delay was insufficient. The order was issued last week by the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (Mumbai Suburban), with details made public on Monday. The commission’s President, Pradeep Kadu, and member Gauri M. Kapse, presided over the case.
The commission stated that the delay was due to a technical fault, and SpiceJet was responsible for caring for its passengers until the flight took off.
The commission strongly criticized the airline, stating that SpiceJet couldn’t simply claim that delays are normal. It emphasized that airlines have to provide adequate food, beverages, water, and resting areas during delays and keep passengers informed. The commission found that only a burger and fries were provided during the extensive delay.
The commission determined that since SpiceJet failed to provide evidence supporting its level of service, it was reasonable to conclude the provided arrangements were inadequate. The complainant had a ticket on a SpiceJet flight from Dubai to Mumbai for July 27, 2024. The flight was subject to a long delay.
The passenger alleged that during the extended delay, SpiceJet failed to provide proper facilities, only offering a burger and fries, which the passenger claimed was a violation of DGCA guidelines, particularly the Civil Aviation Requirements (CAR).
The CAR guidelines stipulate that airlines must supply food and refreshments according to the waiting period and also arrange for a hotel stay if the delay is excessive.
SpiceJet argued that the delay resulted from operational and technical issues and that it could not do anything about it. SpiceJet also cited CAR provisions that offer exceptions to airlines in extraordinary circumstances, such as technical difficulties. The commission stated that if SpiceJet claimed to have taken all necessary actions, it had to prove it.
The commission found the claim for ₹4,00,000 compensation for distress, inconvenience, and mental and physical fatigue unsubstantiated as the passenger failed to provide detailed accounts of the expenses incurred. The commission awarded the passenger ₹50,000 as compensation for expenses and mental suffering and also ordered SpiceJet to pay ₹5,000 to the complainant to cover lawsuit costs.