DISTRICT CONSUMER DISPUTES REDRESSAL COMMISSION

WEST TRIPURA :  AGARTALA

 

CASE   NO:   CC- 07 of 2021.

 

1. Shri Sankar Bhattacharjee,

S/O. Late Birendra Ch. Bhattacharjee,

C/O. Shri Ajit Debbarma,

Old Kalibari Lane, Krishnanagar,

(Near Advisor Chowmohani),

P.O.-Head Post Office, Agartala,

P.S.-West Kotowali P.S.

Dist. -West Tripura, Agartala- 799001,…..…..................Complainant.

 

 

-VERSUS-

 

   1) The Chief Executive Officer(CEO),

Go Airlines(India) Pvt. Ltd.

1st Floor, Wadia International Centre(WIC),

Pandurang Budhkar Marg, Landmark:

Near Deepak Talkies, Worli, 

Mumbai-400025, Maharastra. 

 

2). The Director,  

Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation Ltd.(IRCTO), 

Statesman House, B-148, 11th Barakhamba Road,

New Delhi-110001.....................................................Opposite Parties.

 

    __________PRESENT__________

 

 SRI GOUTAM DEBNATH

PRESIDENT,

  DISTRICT CONSUMER  

DISPUTES REDRESSAL COMMISSION,

      WEST TRIPURA, AGARTALA. 

 

DR (SMT) BINDU PAL

MEMBER,

  DISTRICT CONSUMER 

DISPUTES REDRESSAL COMMISSION, 

  WEST TRIPURA,  AGARTALA.

 

SRI SAMIR  GUPTA

MEMBER,

  DISTRICT CONSUMER  DISPUTES  

REDRESSAL COMMISSION,

WEST TRIPURA,  AGARTALA. 

 

C O U N S E L

 

For the Complainant : In-person. 

 

For the O.P. No. 1 : Sri Amrit Lal Saha,

  Sri Abheek Saha,

  Sri Kajal Nandi,

  Advocates. 

 

For the O.P. No. 2 : Sri N. Anix Singh, 

  Sri Arindam Ray,

  Advocates. 

 

FINAL ORDER  DELIVERED  ON: 26/04/2023.

F I N A L     O R D E R

1. This complaint U/S. 35 Consumer Protection Act is filed by the Complainant seeking compensation against the O.P. No.1 in particular, alleging deficiency in service on the following facts.   

The Complainant planned his tour schedule from Agartala to Port Blair and back as follows :- 

     

Sl. Date Destination Air Travel Agency PNR No. Flight No. Fare

1 10/12/20 Agartala – Kolkata Indigo OGMRKF 6E-443 Rs.2,366/-

2 12/12/20 Kolkata – Port Blair Vistara UK 747 QQZQEJ UK 747 Rs.23,801/-

3 18/12/20 Port Blair – Agartala Air India HJHGK A1 -788/A1-745 Rs.9,366/-

                    

On 06/12/2020, O.P. No.1 intimated the Complainant that the flight between Kolkata to Port Blair was cancelled for unavoidable reason. But due to the inconvenience caused to the Complainant, he asked for compensation but in vain. However, the Complainant was refunded the entire booking amount.

 The O.P. No.1 in written objection pleaded in Para-7 that as per CAR(Civil Aviation Requirement) clause 1.4 under circumstances beyond control of the Airline for cancellation of flight the Airline is not liable to pay compensation. Similarly in Para-9 of the written objection pleaded that as per clause 3.3.1 if cancellation of flight is informed to the passenger less than two weeks before and upto 24 hours, the Airline shall offer an alternative flight or refund the ticket, as acceptable to the passenger. 

  Documents and evidence submitted to substantiate respective stand.   

6.      Hearing argument the following point are taken up for discussion and decision. 

    (a). Whether under the facts and circumstances, cancellation of flight and refund of the booking amount, by the O.P. No.1 amounts to deficiency of service.                                                           

DECISION AND REASONS FOR DECISION:-

7. As per the CAR(Civil Aviation Requirement) the O.P. No.1 refunded the entire amount to the Complainant and informed cancellation of flight 5 days ahead of the schedule journey. 

8.     What necessarily follows is that the O.Ps. in particular the O.P. No.1 did not act beyond their Statutory Rules and guidelines of the Civil Aviation Department.  

9. Even if any inconvenience was caused to the Complainant for cancellation of schedule flight, it can't be said that there was deficiency in service on the part of the O.P. No.1. Malafide intimation, negligence, acting beyond statutory guidelines etc. as per the definition given in section 2(ii) of the Consumer Protection Act, 2019 are required to be attributable to the O.P. to establish deficiency in service on the part of the O.P.                      

10. In the case at hand the O.P. had to cancell the flight due to unavoidable operational reasons which was duly informed to the Complainant 5 days ahead of the schedule journey and the entire booking amount was refunded which the Complainant duly received also.   

11. The point is decided in the negative against the Complainant.                

                In the result the complaint is dismissed, however without cost. 

          Supply a certified copy of the order to both the parties free of cost.        

 Announced.

 

SRI  GOUTAM DEBNATH

PRESIDENT,

DISTRICT CONSUMER  DISPUTES 

REDRESSAL COMMISSION,

WEST TRIPURA,  AGARTALA

 

 

DR (SMT)  BINDU  PAL

MEMBER, 

DISTRICT CONSUMER DISPUTES 

REDRESSAL COMMISSION, 

WEST TRIPURA,  AGARTALA

 

 

 

SRI SAMIR  GUPTA

MEMBER,

 DISTRICT CONSUMER  DISPUTES  

REDRESSAL COMMISSION,

WEST TRIPURA,  AGARTALA.