SpiceJet asked to pay Rs 25,000 to senior citizen for issuing wrong ticket

IANS June 22, 2025 283 views

A senior citizen faced distress when SpiceJet issued a flawed ticket, leaving him stranded and missing an important exam. The airline blamed weather for the initial cancellation but was held accountable for the incorrect rebooking. The consumer forum ruled the error as negligence, despite partial refunds by SpiceJet. The airline must now pay Rs 25,000 in compensation for the passenger’s ordeal.

"The issuance of an incorrect ticket was a clear act of negligence." – District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission
Mumbai, June 22: The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission in Mumbai (Suburban) has directed budget airline SpiceJet to pay Rs 25,000 to a senior citizen for issuing incorrect flight tickets, causing him mental stress and financial loss.

Key Points

1

Senior citizen stranded due to flawed SpiceJet booking

2

Missed PhD exam after airline error

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Consumer forum cites negligence despite weather excuse

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Rs 25K compensation for mental agony

The incident took place in December 2020, when the senior citizen from Ghatkopar had booked a round-trip ticket from Mumbai to Darbhanga with SpiceJet.

While his onward journey went as planned, the return flight was cancelled due to bad weather.

Acknowledging the urgency of the passenger's situation -- he had to attend a PhD online exam in Mumbai on December 8 -- the airline arranged an alternate route via Patna and Kolkata.

However, the replacement booking turned out to be flawed. The connecting flight from Kolkata to Mumbai was scheduled to depart before the passenger would even arrive in Kolkata from Patna.

This mistake left him stranded in Patna, forcing him to purchase a new ticket for the next day using his own money. As a result, he also missed his important online examination.

The senior citizen later approached the consumer forum, accusing the airline of negligence and deficiency in service.

He demanded a refund of Rs 14,577 along with Rs 2 lakh for mental agony and Rs 25,000 for legal expenses.

SpiceJet responded by stating that the flight was cancelled due to bad weather, which was beyond their control, and that they had refunded the ticket fare through the booking agent.

They also said they had issued the alternate flight ticket free of cost.

While the consumer commission accepted that the flight cancellation was not the airline’s fault, it pointed out that the issuance of an incorrect ticket was a clear act of negligence.

Although the airline later reimbursed the complainant, the commission said this did not excuse the initial error.

The commission also remarked that the passenger could have avoided further trouble by carefully checking the ticket at the time of issuance.

Despite this, it concluded that the airline was at fault for causing unnecessary stress and inconvenience.

In its final order passed on June 17, the commission directed SpiceJet to pay Rs 25,000 as compensation for mental agony and Rs 5,000 towards litigation expenses.

Reader Comments

R
Rajesh K.
This is why I prefer trains over flights for domestic travel. At least IRCTC doesn't give you impossible connections! SpiceJet should be more careful with senior citizens - they're not tech-savvy like us to double-check every detail. ₹25k compensation is too little for missing a PhD exam!
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Priya M.
Good judgment by the commission! Airlines can't keep hiding behind "weather conditions" excuse for everything. The Kolkata-Mumbai flight timing blunder shows sheer carelessness. Hope this sets an example for better customer service. 👏
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Arvind S.
While the airline messed up, the passenger should have verified the ticket details too. In India, we can't blindly trust any service provider. Always cross-check bookings - whether it's flights, trains, or even Ola/Uber!
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Sunita R.
My father faced similar issue last year with another airline. Senior citizens deserve special consideration - their stress levels are different. The ₹25k compensation is justified, but the real loss was missing that important exam. Education should be prioritized!
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Vikram J.
SpiceJet's customer service has really gone downhill post-pandemic. Last month they changed my flight timing 3 times! At least the consumer forum is doing its job properly. More power to such institutions protecting common people.
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Neha T.
The real hero here is the senior citizen pursuing PhD! 👴📚 Airlines must implement better checks for alternate flight arrangements. How difficult is it to ensure connecting flights have logical timings? Basic common sense missing!

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Tags:
SpiceJet consumer rights airline negligence senior citizen Mumbai consumer forum flight cancellation