AIR INDIA LIMITED Vs. C KRISHNASWAMY

JUDGEMENT

(1.) THE opposite party in O.P. No. 306/2000 on the file of the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum, Chennai (South) is the appellant herein. The facts lie in a narrow compass.

(2.) THE complainants wanted certain articles to be airlifted to Chennai from Singapore for which the opposite party charged extra with an assurance that the baggage would reach Chennai in the same flight as the complainants and would be delivered at Chennai. However, the opposite party did not and could not keep their word and the baggage reached Chennai only the next day. According to the complainants because of the delay in the delivery, the opening ceremony of their editing room on 16.9.1999 could not be commenced. The baggage contained air -conditioning units and since the opposite party did not move the baggage to Chennai as undertaken by them, the complainants had to postpone the inauguration function. The baggage came to be delivered only on 21.9.1999 after one week by the opposite party. The complaint therefore came to be filed calling upon the opposite party to refund the excess amount collected from them towards baggage charges, Rs. 20,000 towards loss on account of the postponement of inauguration, Rs. 15,000 towards deficiency in service, Rs. 10,000 towards extreme agony and sufferings, Rs. 5,000 towards tension and mental fear and Rs. 5,000 towards loss of time, Rs. 2,000 for repeatedly visiting the airport and for rearranging to collect and transport their baggages.

(3.) THE opposite party took umbrage under some general information printed on the time table that excess baggage would be carried only subject to space being available that the excess baggage to be transported was solely left to the discretion of the carrier and since there was no space the baggage could not be airlifted by the same flight as the complainants. There was no deficiency in service.