Airlines fined Rs 35 lakh for de-boarding three

Saurabh Malik

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 30

The Punjab State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission has ordered the Director General, Civil Aviation, to ensure airlines develop a consumer-friendly approach, while directing Jet Airways (India) and Air Canada to pay Rs 35 lakh in compensation to a woman and her two children forced to de-board a Delhi-Toronto flight at Delhi airport.

Commission president Justice Paramjeet Singh Dhaliwal and member Kiran Sibal also asked for a report after taking “appropriate measures and action”.

Minali Mittal, her 11-year-old daughter Teesha and three-year-old Rivansh were left stranded at the Delhi airport during night hours “without luggage, essentials and even calling facility”.

Counsel Avnish Mittal alleged that the impression Minali got was that the cabin crew came looking at their skin colour. “On finding them to be of Indian origin, they started accusing the complainant and children by shouting at them.”

The three had in September last year boarded a Jet flight from Mohali to Delhi for onward journey. Teesha vomited in the Air Canada flight “due to foul smell from a locked washroom”.

Describing the acts of deficiency in service as also violation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the commission asserted that everyone has right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself or his family, including food, clothing, housing, medical care, necessary social services and right to security in the event of sickness.

The commission held that cleanliness issues should have been sorted out prior to boarding of passengers. The opinion of doctor at the airport dispensary should have been taken.

“We hold that Air Canada did not act with reasonableness, rather overreacted and acted in an arbitrary manner against the basic social norms and goals of the society. The action of Air Canada to deplane the complainants amounts to violation of human rights and child rights, besides deficiency in service and unfair trade practice,” the commission said.

“The stress and demanding lifestyle of working in the aviation industry may also be a contributing factor, resulting in irritable, arrogant and rude behaviour of the staff. They should be provided reasonable rest and imparted stress release training and develop behaviour which may be pleasant and respectful.

“We suggest that airlines need to look inward and find out the reasons for the discourteous behaviour of their staff… They should also develop a policy on circumstances in which a passenger can be deplaned, specifically when passenger appears to be sick…,” it concluded.