Singapore Airlines (SIA) has been ordered to compensate an Indian businessman 35,000 rupees (S$735) by an Indian consumer protection council, for downgrading his ticket from business class to economy without prior notice.
As reported by New Indian Express, the businessman Mr GVK Reddy, had flown on flight SQ528 from Chennai to Singapore on April 19, 2011.
Despite having booked a business class seat, he was informed at the check-in counter that he had to fly economy as business class was overbooked and he was the last person to make the booking and to check in.
Mr Reddy protested but had no choice but to accept the seat offered by the airline, the report said.
Documents from the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum of South Chennai issued on May 7 this year reported that SIA offered Mr Reddy a S$600 cash voucher — the difference between the classes' ticket prices — and a S$150 in-flight voucher as compensation.
But Mr Reddy refused and later filed a legal notice with SIA seeking compensation of more than S$104,000 for costs including damages, deficiency of service, loss of image and causing him mental agony and hardship. Mr Reddy was evidently more than ready to recover his losses, especially the mental torture of having to fly economy (things might’ve been different if he was offered premium economy).
SIA responded with the argument that its booking conditions had clearly indicated that passengers might not be able to travel in their purchased class in the event of overbooking. Unsatisfied with the response and not ready to give up, Mr Reddy filed a complaint with the consumer protection council, this time seeking compensation of more than S$41,000.
The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum of South Chennai said that the downgrade without prior notice had “clearly amounted to deficiency in service” and it was thus acceptable that Mr Reddy “underwent mental agony and hardship” when he was “compelled to travel in economy class”.
An SIA spokesperson told TODAY that the airlines has compensated Mr Reddy the 35,000 rupees. Four long years after the incident. Mr Reddy must’ve endured the agony of waiting to be compensated.
Photo: allenthepostman via Flickr
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Singapore Airlines (SIA) has been ordered to compensate an Indian businessman 35,000 rupees (S$735) by an Indian consumer protection council, for downgrading his ticket from business class to economy without prior notice.
As reported by New Indian Express, the businessman Mr GVK Reddy, had flown on flight SQ528 from Chennai to Singapore on April 19, 2011.
Despite having booked a business class seat, he was informed at the check-in counter that he had to fly economy as business class was overbooked and he was the last person to make the booking and to check in.
Mr Reddy protested but had no choice but to accept the seat offered by the airline, the report said.
Documents from the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum of South Chennai issued on May 7 this year reported that SIA offered Mr Reddy a S$600 cash voucher — the difference between the classes' ticket prices — and a S$150 in-flight voucher as compensation.
But Mr Reddy refused and later filed a legal notice with SIA seeking compensation of more than S$104,000 for costs including damages, deficiency of service, loss of image and causing him mental agony and hardship. Mr Reddy was evidently more than ready to recover his losses, especially the mental torture of having to fly economy (things might’ve been different if he was offered premium economy).
SIA responded with the argument that its booking conditions had clearly indicated that passengers might not be able to travel in their purchased class in the event of overbooking. Unsatisfied with the response and not ready to give up, Mr Reddy filed a complaint with the consumer protection council, this time seeking compensation of more than S$41,000.
The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum of South Chennai said that the downgrade without prior notice had “clearly amounted to deficiency in service” and it was thus acceptable that Mr Reddy “underwent mental agony and hardship” when he was “compelled to travel in economy class”.
An SIA spokesperson told TODAY that the airlines has compensated Mr Reddy the 35,000 rupees. Four long years after the incident. Mr Reddy must’ve endured the agony of waiting to be compensated.
Photo: allenthepostman via Flickr
Done reading? Sit back, relax and watch Coconuts TV: