Couple Wins Case Against Airline for Misleading Information on Seat Availability

A couple, Dr.Nandy and his wife, from Navi Mumbai had purchased airline tickets for their trip from Mumbai to New York and back. However, they faced an issue when they were unable to secure seats next to each other, which was necessary for Dr.Nandy who had diabetes and high blood pressure and needed his wife’s assistance with his medication and diet. Despite reaching out to the airline, they were given the impression that only a few free seats were available and they would be assigned within 48 hours before the flight. The couple was then asked to do web check-in and reserve their seats, which they did by paying an extra Rs 7,200.

However, upon reaching the airport, they discovered that there were indeed free seats available and some passengers managed to secure them. Feeling misled, the couple filed a complaint with the consumer commission, claiming a deficiency in the airline’s service. The district consumer commission ordered the airline to refund the extra amount paid for seat reservations and also directed them to pay Rs 5,000 for mental agony and Rs 3,000 for litigation costs. This order was upheld by the Mumbai State Consumer Commission.

In a recent judgment on the case by the Maharashtra State Consumer Commission, it was stated that the airline had failed to provide adequate information about the availability of free seats, thus violating the couple’s consumer rights and engaging in an unfair trade practice. The commission also noted that although the couple was not forced to pre-book seats, they specifically requested for adjacent seats to avoid inconvenience, indicating that they felt pressured to pay for seat reservations despite free seats being available.

The commission further stated that the couple should have been informed about the free seat availability immediately after booking their tickets, allowing them to secure the free seats which were allowed 48 hours before departure. But due to the airline’s failure to disclose this information, the couple was kept in the dark and forced to pre-book seats at an additional cost.

The commission also defined “dark patterns” as deceptive design patterns that impair informed choice and violate consumer rights. In this case, the airline was found to have followed a dark pattern by not providing correct information to the passengers, resulting in a violation of consumer rights and causing mental distress to the couple. The commission ruled in favor of the couple, stating that the airline had engaged in an unfair trade practice and committed a deficiency in service.

The commission’s judgment serves as a reminder for consumers to insist on complete disclosure of all services offered at a premium by airlines. It also encourages reporting of unfair trade practices and deficiencies in service. The commission ordered the airline to pay the couple’s refund and compensation, emphasizing the importance of consumer transparency and disclosure in business practices.