Bhubaneswar, (Reporterspen), May 9: In a recent ruling, a district consumer court in Jharsuguda, Odisha, has directed SpiceJet to pay Rs 60,000 in compensation to a passenger for the inconvenience caused by irregularities in the airline’s operations and substandard service.
The order was issued by the District Consumer Grievances Redressal Forum in response to a case filed by Nirmal Mohapatra, a former Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) of Jharsuguda, who alleged deficiencies in SpiceJet’s services. Mohapatra pursued legal action following the revelation of irregularities through his RTI petition.
According to sources, Mohapatra had booked tickets with SpiceJet for a family trip to Assam in November 2021. Upon their return journey, they boarded a flight from Bagdogra, which was diverted to Guwahati without prior notice to accommodate a passenger who had been left behind. Consequently, they arrived in Kolkata at 9.30 pm instead of the scheduled 6.30 pm, causing Mohapatra to miss his train to Jharsuguda. He had to incur additional expenses by hiring a taxi, and his wife and son fell ill due to the prolonged journey.
The consumer court’s verdict on Wednesday mandated Rs 50,000 compensation for the passenger’s inconvenience resulting from operational mismanagement, along with an additional Rs 10,000 to cover the legal expenses incurred in filing the case.
