Panaji: The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission ordered Tata SIA Airlines Ltd to repay a woman and her son Rs 91,745, along with 18% interest, over failure to refund fare. The commission also directed the airline to pay Rs 1 lakh for mental stress, hardship and the cost of litigation.According to the complaint, Maureen De Silva and Rhys Camara, both residents of Miramar, purchased two Goa-London return air tickets on Vistara on Dec 4, 2020. They paid Rs 91,745 for the journey.The complainants received a phone call from the airline on Dec 22, 2020 informing them that the flights were cancelled due to the suspension of flights amid the Covid-19 pandemic. The airline said it would remain in touch with the complainants regarding the refund of the fare, or would give the complainants a chance to reschedule their flights at a later date as per their convenience. The refund process was expected be initiated directly by the airline.However, the complainants did not hear from the airline, which forced them to contact customer services for a refund or a change in booking dates. Customer service assured the refund but did not specify the timeline.The complainants called customer service several times, with each call lasting for more than an hour, and sometimes the call was kept on hold for extended hours. They thereafter decided to discuss the issue with the airline via email in 2022, but there was no response, prompting them to file a legal notice.The airline argued that the refund was not initiated as the period of refund was not within the limitation period.The commission, headed by president Bela Naik and member Auroliano de Oliveira, found the approach of the airline to be very casual. They found it had no case to challenge the complainants’ stand, and thereby found it liable for unfair trade practice and deficiency of service.
