Court orders airline to pay Rs 50,000 compensation to passengers for flight delay and not providing refreshments

The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, southwest Delhi, has held Alliance Air Aviation responsible for deficiency in service after a six-hour delay in the departure of its flight. The delay, which caused mental distress to passengers, led the commission to order the airline to pay Rs 50,000 as compensation for mental harassment, agony, and litigation expenses, a TOI report stated.

Long Flight Delay

The order, passed last month by commission president Suresh Kumar Gupta and member Harshali Kaur, came in response to a complaint by two passengers, Mainawati Devi and Shakuntala Devi. They were scheduled to travel from New Delhi to Gorakhpur on June 5, 2022, at 11.30 am to attend a religious ceremony. The complainants reached the airport at 8 am, completed all formalities by 9.30 am, and were ready to board at 10.45 am. However, their flight departed only at 5.30 pm.

No AC, Refreshments

According to the complainants, the air-conditioning system was not working, and no refreshments or water were served. At 1 pm, the aircraft was pushed back but was then brought back to the bay, after which passengers were asked to de-board. They alleged that no information was provided for the next four hours, and they were allowed to re-board only five-and-a-half hours later.


On June 6, the complainants wrote to the airline about the mental harassment and service deficiency. Alliance Air, in its reply on June 17, declined compensation. The complainants then filed a case before the district commission seeking relief.

Commission’s observation

The bench observed that the aircraft should have been fit for operation once boarding had started, and any technical issue should have been identified beforehand. It further stated that the delay was not caused by weather conditions or air traffic clearance. The commission added that passengers were forced to face mental distress as they were de-boarded and not even provided basic water or meals during the delay.