Amid a surge in consumer complaints against airlines, the government has called a meeting of these companies and online travel aggregators on November 8.
The National Consumer Helpline run by the Department of Consumer Affairs (DoCA) has received thousands of complaints on a range of issues including delays in processing refunds after ticket cancellations, denial of boarding despite valid tickets and ‘misleading claim practices’ such as showing seats as paid. ‘ despite offering a mandatory web check-in service for free.
According to government data, out of more than 10,000 complaints received against various airlines and travel facilitation portals in the past year, 41 percent were ‘cancellation of tickets, but no refund from airlines.’
“Certain practices of airlines fall under unfair trade practice rules,” said Rohit Kumar Singh, secretary, DoCA. He said that in meetings with airlines and travel portals responses to many complaints raised by customers would be obtained from them.
Singh, however, clarified that the DoCA does not interfere with the pricing of services by airlines.
Complaints such as service deficiency and delay in compensation due to lost and damaged baggage accounted for about 15% each of the total complaints received. Some of the biggest complaints include airlines displaying all seats as paid, even with mandatory free web check-in.
Pointing out that the ministry has nothing to do with the business model of airlines or travel agencies, Singh said, “We are saying that when a customer has a confirmed ticket, he should not be subjected to further inconvenience in the form of these things (paid seats which are making life difficult for air passengers).
However, the sale of goods or services is a package deal. It is unfair to add cost without prior disclosure after purchasing a service,” the official pointed out.
DoCA will not take any action on complaints raised by customers against airlines and travel portals until it hears from them at a meeting next month.
“Airlines advertise ‘free web check-in’ but charge for seats. Once a traveler pays the fare and the airline issues a confirmed ticket, all services must be fair and convenient for customers. Exploitation of consumers is not acceptable,” said Singh.
