Air India offers Rs 1,000 to a Bengaluru frequent flyer for a damaged bag; Passenger files case, gets Rs 17,000

A Bengaluru flyer who returned home with a dented trolley bag after a Delhi flight has won compensation after nearly 18 months of pursuing the matter. A consumer commission ruled that the airline was negligent and directed it to pay damages and litigation costs, rejecting the airline’s defence that the passenger failed to report the damage before leaving the baggage area, a TOI report stated.

Bag arrives damaged, complaint not recorded

Saurabh Raperia, 28, who lives on Old Airport Road in Bengaluru and is part of Air India’s frequent flyer programme, travelled from Delhi to Bengaluru on September 8, 2024. His trolley bag had been checked in with a fragile tag.

When he reached Kempegowda International Airport and collected the luggage, he noticed a large dent on the bag. Raperia went to the airline’s baggage service counter to report the damage. According to him, staff refused to accept the complaint or issue a Property Irregularity Report (PIR) and instead asked him to raise the matter through email.

Social media post and compensation offer

Later the same day, Raperia posted about the incident on X. Air India responded to the post and asked for his ticket details, baggage tag number and a damage complaint number.

He shared the details available with him and clarified that he had not received any complaint number because the staff had refused to register his grievance at the airport.

On September 9, 2024, he emailed the airline seeking compensation. Two days later, the airline offered Rs 500. After he said the amount was inadequate, the offer was increased to Rs 1,000.

Raperia said the airline should either replace the damaged trolley with one of similar quality or compensate him Rs 13,425.

Air India cites baggage policy

The airline maintained that passengers who leave the baggage area without reporting damage are considered to have received their baggage in proper condition.

Raperia argued that this position was unfair because he had attempted to report the damage immediately but the airline staff did not accept his complaint.

After several follow-ups did not resolve the issue, he sent a legal notice to the airline on September 23, 2024. He said he received no response.

Consumer forum complaint

Raperia then filed a complaint before the consumer commission on December 10, 2024.

Air India denied the allegations and said there was no deficiency in service or unfair trade practice. The airline asked the commission to dismiss the complaint.

Commission finds airline negligent

After examining the documents and hearing both sides, the commission said that the airline’s offer of compensation itself showed that the damage occurred while the baggage was in its custody. It held that the airline could not admit damage and later deny responsibility.

The commission said: "The opposite party has taken a defence that, as per its carriage policy, if a passenger leaves the baggage delivery area without reporting damage, the baggage is deemed to have been received in good condition. This defence cannot be accepted in the present case, as the complainant has clearly established that he attempted to report the damage at the airport itself but was prevented from doing so by the airline's own staff. A service provider cannot rely on an international policy when its own officials have obstructed compliance with it."

The forum also noted that once damage to checked-in baggage is established, the airline must prove it was not negligent. It said Air India did not present such evidence.

On February 17, 2026, the commission directed Air India to pay Rs 7,000 as compensation for the damage and Rs 10,000 towards litigation costs.

(Source: TOI)