New Delhi:
A Delhi-based consumer forum has directed the Indian Airlines to pay Rs 75,000 to a man whose luggage was lost seven years ago when he had gone to Bangkok to attend a wedding.
The South West District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum held that the national carrier is liable to pay the amount since it had "badly failed" to locate the lost baggage of the complainant.
"Indian Airlines has badly failed to trace out the lost baggage of the complainant which amounts to deficiency in service for which the complainant is entitled to be reasonably compensated," a bench presided by Narendra Kumar said.
The bench directed the airline to pay Rs 40,000 to complainant Nisar Ahmed for the lost items along with Rs 35,000 as compensation and the cost of litigation.
Ahmed had flown from Delhi to Bangkok in June 2006 to attend a wedding there. He claimed items worth over Rs 47,000 meant for the marriage were lost with the bag.
Earlier, Indian Airlines sought dismissal of the complaint, saying Ahmed informed about the lost bag nine hours after the flight landed. The airline also said he had not declared the value of the articles in the bag at the time of boarding.
The forum rejected the airline's contention.