JET AIRWAYS (INDIA) LTD. Vs. VINOD KUMAR KANTHA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The complainants/respondents, one of whom is a senior Advocate, travelled from Patna to Kolkata and from Kolkata to Chennai on Jet Airways on 24.11.2010. The flight from Patna to Kolkata was late but the complainants were allowed to board the flight which was to take them from Kolkata to Chennai though they had reached late for the purpose of boarding the plane.

(2.) On 26.11.2010 the complainants travelled from Patna to Kolkata on Indigo Airlines and were to travel from Kolkata to Patna on Jet Airways. The Indigo flight which was scheduled to leave Chennai at 1.15 p.m. was rescheduled and got delayed. The flight landed at Kolkata airport only at 4.55 p.m. The complainants claim to have reached the Luggage Booking Counter of Jet Airways at 5.22 p.m. after picking up their luggage from the conveyor belt. They, however, were not allowed to board the flight which was to take them from Kolkata to Patna and were informed that the counters had closed 45 minutes before the scheduled time of departure which was 6.05 p.m. The complainants, therefore, purchased tickets of Kingfisher Airlines for travelling from Kolkata to Patna which charged a higher fare from them. They also had to suffer cancellation charges amounting to Rs.750/- for each ticket. The flight from Kolkata to Patna, however, took off only at 6.40 p.m.

(3.) Being aggrieved, the complainants approached the concerned State Commission by way of a consumer complaint impleading both the Indigo Airlines as well as Jet Airlines as the opposite parties in the complaints.