A Delhi consumer court has directed international airline Etihad Airways to pay Rs 75,000 for the delayed return of a passenger’s check-in baggage, deeming it a deficiency in service, reported The Times of India.
The complainant, Asha Devi, had claimed that her check-in baggage, containing valuable items such as Rs 30 lakh and 30 grams of gold, went missing during her journey from Sweden to Delhi, and was only returned to her several days later. Devi alleged that these items were not recovered when the airline returned her baggage.
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The Delhi State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, presided over by Sangeeta Dhingra Sehgal and member JP Agrawal, held the airline accountable for the delay, stating that the delayed return of the luggage caused significant inconvenience to Devi.
“It is clear that the bag of the complainant, which was rather a check-in baggage, was misplaced and was handed over to the Complainant in Delhi at her given address on 07.06.2016. We find that this is a deficiency of service on part of the Opposite Party (Etihad Airways), as it caused great inconvenience to the Complainant due to delay in getting her clothes etc,” the commission noted.
However, the commission rejected Devi’s claims regarding the loss of high-value items, stating that she had failed to declare these valuables, including money and jewellery, at the airport. “…no credence can be attributed to the allegations made in the complaint and we find no merit in the present complaint regarding loss of high-value items,” the commission ruled.
According to the complaint, Devi had travelled on an Etihad Airways ticket from Sweden to Delhi, with layovers in Berlin and Abu Dhabi. During her stop at Berlin airport, her flight was upgraded to business class, resulting in her bag being relocated due to lack of space in the overhead compartment.
Upon her arrival in Delhi, Devi was unable to locate her bag and subsequently filed a ‘Lost Cabin Baggage’ report. The bag was eventually returned to her, wrapped in plastic, but she claimed several valuable items, including a gold chain, locket, wristwatch, and mobile phone, were missing.
Devi contacted Etihad Airways personnel to address the issue, but no resolution was provided.
In its defence, Etihad Airways contested the allegations, stating that Devi’s claims were fabricated and that she should have approached Air Berlin, whose crew had allegedly relocated her bag. The airline argued that Devi did not raise any concern at Abu Dhabi Airport when her baggage was transported to Delhi, nor did she declare the valuables in the Property Irregularity Report (PIR).
“The OP also points to the fact that the complainant did not make any complaints at the Abu Dhabi Airport when her bag was taken on the flight to Abu Dhabi. The OP further contests the fact that the valuables in dispute were in fact in the bag, as the complainant had not disclosed the same in the PIR. The fact that the complainant did not make any declaration of possession of the large amount of money in Swedish Kroner or valuable gold items thus renders the OP not liable for the same,” the commission stated, noting the airline’s defence.
First Published: Oct 02 2024 | 10:37 AM IST
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