Consumer Court Fines Alliance Air Rs 50,000 for 6-Hour Flight Delay, Calls It ‘Mental Torture’

The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (Southwest Delhi) has held Alliance Air Aviation Ltd guilty of negligence and fined the airline Rs 50,000 after passengers faced a six-hour flight delay without proper communication or basic facilities.

The complaint was filed by two women passengers who travelled on June 5, 2022. They said that the airline neither gave them timely updates nor provided refreshments or even water during the long wait, leaving them distressed.

The Commission, led by President Suresh Kumar Gupta and Member Harshali Kaur, observed that:

• The delay was not proven to be beyond the airline’s control.
• The engineering issue was detected only after the aircraft was pushed out of its bay, showing poor maintenance.
• Passengers were not kept informed about the delay.
• No refreshments or essential facilities were given despite the long wait.

The Commission described the experience as “nothing but mental torture” and a clear deficiency in service. On July 7, it ordered Alliance Air to compensate the passengers with Rs 50,000 for the inconvenience and mental harassment.

This ruling highlights that airlines, like all service providers, must ensure basic care and communication to passengers, especially during delays.