Travel

Air India Fined Rs 1 Lakh for Providing Faulty Seats to Passenger

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In an unfortunate travel experience, Retired Admiral Anil Kumar Saxena faced significant discomfort on a round-trip flight from Delhi to Toronto with Air India. Despite paying a substantial amount for his premium return flight, Saxena encountered malfunctioning seats on both legs of his journey.

Saxena’s ordeal began on his outbound flight from Delhi to Toronto, where his premium seat failed to recline properly. The airline crew attempted to fix the seat, but the technician responsible for repairs was asleep for three hours. After an hour of unsuccessful attempts, Saxena was relocated to another seat, which he found unsatisfactory given the high price he had paid.

The troubles persisted on Saxena’s return flight from Toronto to Delhi on June 24, 2023. The controls for his business class seat were non-functional, forcing him to sit awkwardly for over 14 hours. This caused him significant discomfort, including backache, sleeplessness, and fatigue.

After receiving no response to his complaints via email, Saxena sent a formal notice to Air India on August 28, 2023, requesting a refund and compensation. air india acknowledged the inconvenience and offered Rs 1.18 lakh in non-transferable travel vouchers (75 percent of the ticket value) and an additional Rs 10,000 for the return journey. Saxena rejected this offer, seeking a full refund and additional compensation for mental agony and litigation costs.

Saxena subsequently filed a suit in the South Mumbai district consumer disputes redressal commission. He demanded a refund of Rs 2,36,000 with 18 percent annual interest from the payment date, along with Rs 1,00,000 for mental agony and Rs 50,000 for litigation costs.

The commission found Air India guilty of providing deficient service and practising unfair trade practices. They ordered the airline to pay Rs 80,000 for mental agony and Rs 20,000 for litigation costs within 30 days. The commission acknowledged Saxena’s significant discomfort due to the defective seats and Air India’s negligence, mandating the compensation for the distress and inconvenience caused.

Airlines

This European airline plans to scrap free food from its flights

Air France is set to trial the removal of free in-flight meals on two of its short-haul routes from Paris Charles de Gaulle to Lisbon and Helsinki, starting January 2025.

This shift toward a buy-on-board model follows a growing trend among European airlines, as carriers look to cut operational costs and explore alternative revenue streams. Under this trial, Air France economy passengers will still be offered a complimentary beverage and a small snack, but more substantial food options will be available for purchase onboard.

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Business class passengers, however, will not be affected by this change and will continue to enjoy a complimentary meal service, complete with a range of hot and cold drinks as well as alcoholic beverages.

The move mirrors similar strategies adopted by other European airlines, such as British Airways and Lufthansa, which have both transitioned to buy-on-board catering in recent years. Air France’s parent company, the Air France-KLM Group, hopes that this trial will help determine the feasibility of the buy-on-board model for short and medium-haul flights, potentially leading to further rollouts in the future.

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Traditionally, Air France has offered an edge over budget airlines like Ryanair and easyJet by providing a free drink and snack or sandwich on most of its economy flights. However, the ongoing shift toward paid meal options reflects a broader industry trend.

Many airlines have gradually reduced their complimentary catering services in a bid to lower costs and, theoretically, pass those savings on to passengers through lower ticket prices.

Ryanair was one of the first airlines to eliminate free in-flight meals on short-haul routes, justifying the change as a way to remove “unnecessary frills” and provide more affordable fares. British Airways followed suit in 2017, scrapping free meals on short-haul flights and introducing a buy-on-board catering system.