- We have heard the complainant in person and gone through the allegations made in the consumer complaint.
- The allegations of the complainant are, on 24.11.2017, he travelled by Indigo Airlines/OP-1 from Delhi to Mumbai and back from Mumbai to Delhi on 27.11.2017. The crux of the allegations are, the flight was to depart at 1 p.m. and the complainant checked in at around 11:15 a.m. at T-1 Domestic Airport, Delhi and reached the boarding area meant for Indigo airline passengers. The area was full of passengers with very few chairs occupied by the passengers and there was no place to sit. The complainant had to remain standing. Subsequent thereto, complainant was taken from T-1 building of the domestic airport to Indigo airplane which was about 300 meters away in a bus. When the bus reached near the Indigo plane, instead of letting the passengers board the plane, they were made to wait for almost 20 minutes as the cleaning operation was going on. The bus was fully loaded with passengers and most of the passengers, including the complainant were standing.
- Further, on return journey flight the complainant ordered for paneer tikka sandwich, but, he found very little mashed paneer mixed with uncooked oil and lots of red pepper/colour inside the unbaked white bread slices which caused gastroenteritis to him and he had to eat fruits to subside it. Hence, the complainant alleged deficiency in service on the part of OPs.
- Even if the complainant’s allegations are prima facie believed to be correct, his grouse is, in the bus he had remained standing for about 20 minutes as the plane was being cleaned. These are trifling matters and humanly operated system can never be perfect or accurate in terms of minutes and seconds. If the complainant was allowed to board in an uncleaned plane, then he would have felt offended with the litters in the plane. Admittedly, no deficiency in service was allegated while actual travelling in the plane of OP-1. These are trifling matters. There are no terms and conditions produced when the passengers were to be allowed to board and to remain sitting or standing in the bus.
- The second allegation is, complainant purchased some food which caused hyper acidity to him. In the process of digestion on intake of food article, gas is bound to generate with acid secretion in digestive system and it is a common problem. Even if some heavy food is taken, it itself causes gastritis. No bill of the food article produced. No bill of the medicine was produced to prove he had to take antacid and there are no allegations, earlier gastric was never caused to him after eating food or when stomach was empty. These are trifling matters. Even when irritating food is consumed, it does generate gas in the digestion system.
- Further, the date of alleged journey and boarding is 24.11.2017 and date of filing the instant consumer complaint is 18.11.2019 i.e. nearing two years. These seems to be cooked up facts just to claim money otherwise had there been any substance, the consumer complaint could have been filed at once. We may clarify here, the Consumer Forums under the Consumer Protection Act cannot be used as a tool to extract money.
- Keeping in view the above allegations, we are of the firm opinion, these facts cannot be brought within the scope of deficiency in service on the part of OPs. Hence, we find it is not an admitable consumer complaint and proceed to dismiss the same, at preliminary stage. Ordered accordingly.
- The certified copies of this order be sent to the complainant free of charge. The file be consigned.
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