Hyderabad: Qatar Airways asked to pay Rs 45K to senior citizen for failing to provide promised services

Hyderabad: District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission-I, Hyderabad, has directed Qatar Airways to pay Rs 45,000 as compensation to a senior citizen for failing to provide the promised travel services, causing discomfort and inconvenience.

Background:

Rama Kanth Pasumarti, 73, a resident of Neredmet X Roads, Secunderabad, booked three tickets to travel from Budapest to Hyderabad on June 8, 2024, with a scheduled layover in Doha. Qatar Airways indicated confirmed travel on flights QR 200 (Budapest to Doha) and QR 4778 (Doha to Hyderabad).

However, upon check-in at Budapest, Rama Kanth was issued boarding passes showing a change in the second leg of the journey to IndiGo flight 6E 1318 — a low-cost domestic carrier — instead of the expected full-service international airline.

In his complaint, Rama Kanth stated that the switch to a budget airline, without prior notification, resulted in a stressful and uncomfortable experience for him, his wife, and their grandchild, particularly difficult given their age and the long flight duration. He added that his grandson, returning from international chess tournaments in Europe, found the journey distressing.

Despite multiple attempts to reach Qatar Airways for clarification and redress, the airline failed to respond, prompting the complainant to approach the consumer court alleging deficiency in service and unfair trade practices.

Court’s Observation:

Qatar Airways, in its defense, claimed that the change was due to a code-share arrangement with partner airlines. However, the Commission noted that there was no mention of a code-share flight in the booking confirmation. The court held that failure to disclose such key details amounts to an “unfair trade practice” under Section 2(47) of the Consumer Protection Act, 2019.

The Commission concluded that Qatar Airways was deficient in service, having collected fares for its flights while failing to deliver the agreed service or communicate changes transparently.

Verdict:

Taking into account the inconvenience caused and the particular circumstances of the complainant’s age and health, the Commission awarded a lump sum compensation of Rs 45,000 to Rama Kanth Pasumarti.

The judgment serves as a reminder for airlines to maintain transparency in code-share arrangements and prioritize customer communication to avoid such lapses.