A Delhi consumer forum has ordered Indigo Airlines to pay a compensation of Rs 1.5 lakh to a woman for providing her with an unhygienic and stained seat. The airline was found guilty of deficiency in service, with the court also noting the mental agony and physical discomfort the passenger endured. The New Delhi District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission issued the order after hearing a complaint from a passenger named Pinki.
On January 2 of this year, Pinki was travelling on an Indigo flight from Baku to New Delhi when she was assigned a seat she described as "unhygienic, dirty, and stained". She claimed that when she raised the issue with the airline, her complaint was handled in a "dismissive and insensitive manner".
Indigo Airlines, in its defence, stated that it acknowledged the passenger's concern and provided her with a different seat, which she accepted. The airline maintained that Pinki completed her journey to New Delhi in this new seat without further issue.
The commission, consisting of President Poonam Chaudhry and members Bariq Ahmed and Shekhar Chandra, reviewed the evidence and issued its order on July 9.
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The forum sided with the passenger, concluding that Indigo was indeed guilty of a deficiency in service. In its decision, the commission stated, "As regards the discomfort and pain, mental agony suffered by her, we are of the view that she must be compensated." As a result, it directed Indigo to pay Rs 1.5 lakh for 'mental agony, physical pain and harassment.'
The forum also ordered the airline to cover the passenger's litigation expenses, directing a payment of Rs 25,000 for legal costs. Indigo's failure to submit the Situation Data Display (SDD) report—a crucial internal document used to track flight operations and document incidents involving passengers—was a major contributing factor in the commission's ruling. The commission observed that the airline's defense was severely undermined by the lack of this important document.
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