Consumer Commission Orders SpiceJet to Refund Senior Citizens for Cancelled Flight

A consumer commission directed SpiceJet to refund a senior citizen couple for a flight cancelled during the COVID-19 pandemic. The airline was found guilty of deficiency in service for not refunding the ticket cost, despite clear guidelines from the Supreme Court and DGCA. The commission ordered the refund with interest and compensation for mental agony and litigation costs.

A consumer commission has found private carrier SpiceJet Limited guilty of deficiency in service, directing it to refund a senior citizen couple for a flight cancelled during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The senior citizens, residents of suburban Chembur, had booked flights from Mumbai to Pondicherry via Bangalore for July 2020, costing Rs 13,696. The flight was cancelled, but SpiceJet offered to keep the ticket amount in a credit shell, valid for rebooking until March 2021.

Despite repeated emails and legal notices, SpiceJet failed to process the refund, leading the couple to approach the consumer commission, which ordered the airline to refund the total booking amount with interest along with compensation for mental agony and litigation charges.

(With inputs from agencies.)