New Delhi, Jul 25: Kuwait-based Jazeera Airways has been ordered by a consumer forum here to pay Rs 50,000 to one of its passengers as compensation for losing her luggage in transit from Dubai to Delhi.
The New Delhi District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum asked the Kuwait's low-cost airline to pay damages to city resident Poonam Gupta, rejecting the airline's offer of Rs 19,200 as compensation saying it did not cover the trauma and harassment caused to her.
“We are of the opinion that offer given by the opposite party (airline) to compensate against the lost baggage, though based on applicable rates of USD 20 per kg, as per terms and conditions of travel, does not cover compensation for trauma, harassment, anxiety on not getting the bag. Non-delivery of baggage is a serious deficiency.
“So, holding opposite party guilty of deficiency in service, we direct it to pay Rs 40,000 for all sufferings and we further award Rs 10,000 towards litigation expenses,” the bench presided by C K Chaturvedi said.
The forum's order came on a complaint by Poonam Gupta, whose suitcase was found missing at IGI International Airport here on arrival from Dubai.
Gupta, who was travelling with her relatives, had alleged her missing 24-kg-heavy suitcase had costly clothes, electronic items and other valuables worth around Rs 6.5 lakh.
Admitting that the missing suitcase could not be traced, the airlines had contended in its defence that it had offered Rs 19,200 to Gupta along with a return ticket to Dubai as compensation for her loss but she had not accepted it.
The forum declined to hold the airline liable for value of the contents of the lost suitcase saying, she also partly contributed to the loss by keeping valuables in her luggage without declaring their value.
