Kumar’s ordeal began on September 14, 2023, when he was scheduled to board a Bengaluru-Mumbai flight at 9:24 pm. The departure was delayed to 10:50 pm. Kumar, concerned about missing his Zurich flight, sought help from Air India staff, who assured him that the flight would proceed on time. However, Flight AI 641 only landed in Bengaluru at 1:58 am on September 15, and boarding for AI 642 did not begin immediately. The extended delay resulted in Kumar missing his 6:40 am Zurich flight.
Despite Kumar’s six-hour plea for assistance, Air India did not offer an alternative international flight, providing only domestic options. After 12 hours, Kumar accepted a flight to Delhi, from where he booked another flight to Zurich at a cost of approximately Rs 1.67 lakh. Additionally, he lost Rs 11,426 on pre-booked accommodation in Zurich due to the delay.
In the order, commission president M Shobha highlighted Air India’s admission of the delay but refusal to offer compensation, despite rescheduling Kumar to a Delhi flight. The commission ruled that Air India should have arranged an alternative flight to Mumbai to avoid the inconvenience faced by Kumar and other passengers.
Air India has been ordered to pay Rs 1,78,503 with 6% annual interest from the ticket booking date, Rs 25,000 for service deficiency, and Rs 5,000 for litigation costs. The compensation must be paid within 45 days, or Air India will face an 8% annual interest penalty until the payment is made.
