P GOPINATHAN Vs. CHAIRMAN AIR INDIA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) THE dispute arose on the following grounds :

(2.) THE complainant purchased one Air India Ticket bearing the number 098:4206:342:899 on 21.1.1989 for travelling to Dubai on flight No. A.I. 917 leaving Bombay at 6. a.m. (1ST) on 26.1.1989 from M/s. A.K. Travels, an approved agent of the opposite party.

(3.) THE main purpose of the above mentioned travel, he claims, was to get a job in a concern in the U.A.E. The complainant needed to reach thereby 4. p.m. (U.A.E. local time) on 26.1.1989, as directed by his sponsor. He had received the above mentioned ticket, okayed from his travel agents. Accordingly the complainant arrived at Sahar Airport, Bombay at 3 a.m. (I.S.T.) on 26.01.1989 for reporting and other travel procedures. To his consternation he found that his name was not on the list of passengers travelling to Dubai by Flight A.I. 917 at 6 a.m. (I.S.T.). He did not get any explanation from the Air India enquiry counter and so he approached M/s. A.K. Travels. The later informed him that his ticket was once more okayed for flight A.I. 897 leaving at 3 p.m. (I.S.T.) on 26.1.1989. The complainant duly arrived once more, well in time, to board the A.I. 897 flight, but this flight did not take off at the notified time. The passengers were repeatedly told that it would take off any moment, but eventually it took off only at 7.15 p.m (I.S.T.). The complainant arrived in Dubai at 8 p.m. (U.A.E. time) i.e. 9.15 p.m. (I.S.T.). The complainants friend received him at the airport with a transit visa, and took him to the sponsor for securing the job, but he was told that the vacancy had been filled up, as he was late in arriving. Thus the complainant felt aggrieved towards the Airlines for not reaching him on time to get the job. He claims that he would have received a salary of 2,000 D.H. (U.A.E. Currency) per month for the first year and additional 1000 D.H. for every following year upto 5 years. The complainant was working as L.D. Clerk in Civil Judicial Department, Government of Kerala. On 11.08.1988 he was granted a five year leave without pay as per order G.O. Rt. 4084/88/Hom. for taking up employment abroad.