The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (DCDRC), Karnal, has directed Etihad Airways to refund Rs 1,21,737 as ticket cost, along with 9% interest per annum from the date of purchase, and pay compensation and litigation costs to a Civil Judge and her husband after holding it guilty of deficiency in service and unfair trade practices.
The commission awarded a compensation of Rs 75,000 each to the complainants for mental agony and harassment, along with Rs 22,000 towards litigation expenses. It directed the airline to comply within 45 days, failing which the amount will carry interest at 12% per annum.
The complaint was filed by Nitika Bansal, a Civil Judge at the Karnal court, and her husband, a Block Development and Panchayat Officer (BDPO) in Fatehabad district. The couple had booked round-trip tickets from New Delhi to Zurich via Abu Dhabi and a return journey from Rome to Delhi after their wedding in 2025. The tickets were purchased through MakeMyTrip, said counsel Rajan Gupta.
He said the airline preponed the departure time of their flight from New Delhi by 1.10 hours. The revised schedule made it impossible for the complainants to reach the airport on time due to work commitments. Despite requesting the airline to restore the original schedule, provide an alternative flight, or issue a refund, their requests were rejected, forcing them to book a flight of another airline at a higher cost.
Commission president Jaswant Singh, along with members Neeru Agarwal and Sarvjeet Kaur, observed that the passengers had informed the airline of their difficulties before the travel date, giving the airline sufficient time to accommodate their request, or resell their seats.
