Harshit Pande (Student) 12 April 2012

Airline and the online agent not willing to refund ticket

Hello,

Recently, an airline cancelled the flight and promised to refund the full airfare. The flight was booked via an online booking agency. In the beginning, both the airlines and the booking agency assured me that they would refund the full airfare but the processing might take few days. Now, after 2-3 weeks the agency says, "The airline says that refund was never promised, rather the passenger was given a ticked in a different flight for which he never turned up." The facts are: the airlines tried calling me the day they cancelled the ticket, but I was busy in an important meeting and couldn't receive the call, which apparently was from an unknown number. They never bothered to send me an sms about the cancellation, which would have made things known to me on time. When I went to board the flight in the airport, then only I came to know that they have cancelled and at that moment they promised me full airfare. Now they are trying to wash their hands of with these blatant lies.

It is a matter of Rs. 5,000 only; so, I am not sure if I should hire a lawyer. I want to sue both the airlines and the online booking agency. Can someone advise me through the pro se (propria persona) (litigant in person) representation for this potential lawsuit? I am in Delhi right now. Which court should I appeal to and how to do it pro se?

Thank you very much in advance for your suggestions.

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2 Replies

Kumar Doab (FIN) 12 April 2012

You have posted that "The airline says that refund was never promised, rather the passenger was given a ticked in a different flight for which he never turned up."

You had reported at the airline counter. Did the airline provide you a ticket for another airline? Did the other airline report no show, against your name?

You could have recorded the transactions with agent and airline (audio/visual). It is always better to put up the grievance in writing even if by email. Try and obtain their response on record. later you may send a notice (which you can also send) to agent and airline, narrating all representations made so far by phone/email/letter/fax etc and demanding refund with penalty and cost of representations, say within next 7 days or you shall be constrained to go public and approach institutions of legal social consumer forums, NGOo’s, print and electronic media, regulators, ministries, police etc at their cost and consequences.

You may approach a lawyer at your location with all the records you have and your lawyer shall assess the merits and prepare strategy and may prefer to issue a legal notice before filing a case with consumer forum. Your lawyer can represent you in consumer forum.

Following organizations have helped many consumers/citizens;

pehredar@network18online.com

https://www.facebook.com/Pehredar

https://ashisha.com/consumer/

outlook@bbc.co.uk

(Guest)

Dear

File complaint in consumar forum. made both as a respondent parties.

Its simple way- You have not need any advice of advocate for filling the complaint. Just disclosed all facts & negligency of airelines as well as agent. Disclosed all dates when yu contact to him for resolve the matter.