Hyderabad: Cleartrip asked to pay Rs 1.35L to the traveler for 'faulty’ service

Hyderabad: Hyderabad District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission–I has held that online travel portals cannot escape liability by passing off as mere intermediaries.

The commission ruled that it is its duty to clearly inform passengers about crucial requirements, such as transit visas, at the time of ticket booking.

Holding Cleartrip Private Limited guilty of deficiency in service, the commission directed the company to pay Rs 1.35 lakh as compensation and legal costs.

UK visit plans disrupted

The complaint was filed by Sudhir Parakala, a resident of JJ Colony, Tirumalagiri, Hyderabad. He had booked round-trip Lufthansa tickets from Hyderabad to London for himself and his wife on March 20, 2024, to visit their daughter in the UK.

The tickets were booked through Cleartrip after paying Rs 89,880. However, the portal did not inform him that a transit visa was mandatory for a halt at Frankfurt, Germany, which was part of the flight’s route.

Boarding denied at last minute

Sudhir encountered technical issues during online check-in. When he reached the airport, airline authorities refused him boarding due to the absence of a German transit visa. Stranded at the airport with no alternative, he was forced to buy fresh tickets on Etihad Airways for Rs 1,15,913, suffering a major financial loss.

Refund rejected by both portal and airline

When Sudhir approached Cleartrip seeking a refund, the company rejected his claim, stating that it was only a booking platform. Lufthansa Airlines also declined to refund the ticket amount, citing fare rules.

Cleartrip argued before the commission that, as per its terms and conditions, the responsibility of verifying visa requirements rested solely with the passenger and that refund liability lay with the airline under DGCA norms.

‘May be required’ not a valid warning

After examining the details, the commission observed that mentioning “transit visa may be required” in small print was not adequate disclosure. It held that the portal should have clearly stated that a transit visa “is required” in mandatory terms.

The commission also pointed out that Cleartrip failed to submit any proof that such a warning was displayed on the booking page before payment was made.

Withholding information led to passenger’s loss

The commission stated that suppression of vital travel information at the booking stage directly resulted in the passenger being denied boarding and suffering financial loss. The plea that Cleartrip was only an intermediary was rejected outright.

₹1 L compensation, ₹35,000 legal costs

After hearing the arguments from both parties, the commission ordered Cleartrip to pay Rs 1,00,000 as compensation for service deficiency, and Rs 35,000 towards litigation expenses. The total amount of Rs 1.35 lakh must be paid within 45 days from the date of the order.