Man missed Bengaluru-Delhi IndiGo flight after bus took different route; court orders Rs 73,000 compensation

A district consumer commission in Andhra Pradesh has held a bus operator responsible for deficiency in service after a passenger missed his Bengaluru-Delhi flight because the bus took a different route and arrived several hours late.

In an order dated August 17, the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, Kurnool, directed Greenline Travels to pay the passenger Rs 73,000 for replacement travel and accommodation expenses, mental agony and litigation costs.

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The commission also ordered that the amount would attract 12% annual interest if it was not paid within the prescribed period.

Passenger booked bus from Adoni to Bengaluru before Delhi flight

According to the commission's order, the complainant had been selected to pursue an M.Phil. in Clinical Psychology at the Institute of Human Behaviour and Allied Sciences (IHBAS) in Delhi. He was required to report for the course on October 27, 2025.

He had booked an IndiGo flight from Bengaluru to Delhi for 10:50 am on October 26.

Since he was living in Adoni, he booked a Greenline Travels bus from Adoni to Bengaluru on October 24. The bus was scheduled to leave Adoni at 11:15 pm on October 25 and reach Bengaluru at around 5 am the following day.

Before boarding, the passenger also asked the driver about the expected arrival time at Devanahalli Toll Cross. He was reportedly told that the bus would reach between 5 am and 5.30 am.

Greenline Travels bus took different route

The passenger boarded the bus at around 11.30 pm. However, at about 5 am, he was informed that the bus was travelling on a different route and would reach Devanahalli only around 9 am. The bus did not reach the destination even by 9 am.

At around 10.15 am, representatives of IndiGo contacted the passenger as boarding had begun and the departure gates were due to close. The bus eventually reached Devanahalli Toll Cross at around 11.30 am, nearly six and a half hours after its scheduled arrival.

By then, the passenger's flight had already departed.

Passenger books another flight after missing IndiGo flight

After missing his scheduled flight, the passenger booked another flight to Delhi at 7.30 pm on the same day.

He also incurred accommodation and other incidental expenses while waiting for the replacement flight. He eventually reached Delhi at around 2 am the following day.

The passenger subsequently sent a legal notice to Greenline Travels on October 29, 2025, seeking compensation for the losses.

The company received the notice but neither responded nor paid compensation, following which the passenger approached the Kurnool District Consumer Commission.

Greenline Travels denies deficiency in bus service

Greenline Travels denied that it had been negligent or had provided deficient service.

The company argued that its ticket terms and conditions allowed routes and timings to be changed depending on prevailing circumstances and operational requirements.

It also cited possible delays caused by traffic congestion, road conditions, diversions, weather, vehicle breakdowns and other circumstances beyond its control.

The bus operator therefore argued that it could not be held responsible for the delay.

Consumer commission rejects bus operator's argument

The commission, headed by President Karanam Kishore Kumar and Members N. Narayana Reddy and S. Nazima Kausar, noted that there was no dispute over the scheduled journey from Adoni to Bengaluru or the passenger's 10.50 am flight from Bengaluru.

The commission found that Greenline Travels had not provided a convincing explanation for changing the route or for the substantial delay.

It observed that while a company's terms and conditions could cover delays arising from circumstances genuinely beyond its control, they could not be treated as permission to significantly alter a route or delay a passenger for several hours without a reasonable explanation or timely information.

The commission also noted that the passenger had relied on the published bus schedule while making his flight arrangements.

“Therefore, the complainant cannot be faulted for relying upon the schedule represented by the opposite party,” the commission said.

Missing flight due to bus delay amounts to deficiency in service

The commission rejected the argument that the driver's assurance about the arrival time was not binding.

It said the complaint was not based solely on what the driver had told the passenger. Instead, the central issue was the substantial route change and the resulting delay.

The bus was supposed to reach Bengaluru at around 5 am but arrived at Devanahalli only around 11.30 am, causing the passenger to miss his flight.

“While minor and unavoidable delays may be inherent in road transport, an unexplained delay of several hours, resulting in the passenger missing a pre-booked flight, amounts to failure to render the service with reasonable care and diligence,” the commission held.

Greenline Travels ordered to pay Rs 73,000

The passenger had sought Rs 7,840 for the unused IndiGo ticket, Rs 8,000 for the replacement Air India ticket and Rs 5,000 towards accommodation, amounting to Rs 20,840.

The commission, however, said the cost of the unused IndiGo ticket could not be recovered from the bus operator.

It awarded Rs 13,000 towards the replacement flight and accommodation expenses.

The commission further awarded Rs 50,000 for mental agony and inconvenience, taking into account the importance of the passenger's academic commitment in Delhi.

Another Rs 10,000 was awarded towards the cost of the consumer complaint.

This took the total compensation payable by Greenline Travels to Rs 73,000.

Greenline Travels given 45 days to pay compensation

The commission directed Greenline Travels to pay the Rs 73,000 within 45 days of receiving the order.

If the company fails to make the payment within that period, the entire amount will carry interest at 12% per annum from the date of default until the payment is made.