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B'luru-bound woman stranded in London, wins Rs 1.6L

By · Published by Everything Blog

In short

The Bengaluru 1st and Rural Additional District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission ordered British Airways to refund Rs 1.38 lakh for the ticket, alongside Rs 25,000 in compensation and Rs 2,000 for legal expenses. The traveler, a doctoral student named Bhadrapriya, arrived nearly three hours early for her connection from Canada to Bengaluru before airline staff refused to issue her boarding pass. British Airways initially attempted to resolve the ordeal by offering an apology and a £50 electronic voucher, which her family declined. The consumer forum dismissed liability for travel platform EaseMyTrip and airline WestJet, finding British Airways solely responsible for the disruption.

Key points

  • International carriers face legal liability if they fail to assist transit passengers who…: International carriers face legal liability if they fail to assist transit passengers who are stranded abroad without local visas.
  • Airlines cannot rely on unsubstantiated no-show claims when challenged to provide concret…: Airlines cannot rely on unsubstantiated no-show claims when challenged to provide concrete evidence of missed reporting times.
  • Token compensation vouchers can be rejected by consumers in favor of formal legal remedie…: Token compensation vouchers can be rejected by consumers in favor of formal legal remedies for severe travel disruptions.

Sources checked by our analysis pipeline: 1

The Bengaluru 1st and Rural Additional District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission has ordered British Airways to refund the full ticket amount, Rs 1.38 lakh and pay Rs 25,000 in compensation and cover Rs 2,000 in legal costs.

How a cancelled flight left her stranded at London Airport

Bhadrapriya was pursuing a PhD in neurobiology at the University of Saskatchewan in Canada. She booked a international round-trip ticket through EaseMyTrip on January 17, 2024, for Rs 1,38,945. Her itinerary covered travel between Saskatoon and Bengaluru, with the onward journey scheduled for August 1 and the return journey for August 29, 2024.When she reached Saskatoon airport on August 1, she was informed that her WestJet flight to Toronto had been cancelled without prior notice. WestJet arranged an alternative route via Calgary and London so she could reach Heathrow in time for her connecting British Airways flight to Bengaluru. She was told to collect her boarding pass at London airport.

However, when she reached Heathrow, British Airways refused to issue the boarding pass, citing booking issues. Bhadrapriya said she had arrived about two…

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