Online travel agency to pay Rs 57,000 for spoiling birthday plans in Hong Kong

CHANDIGARH: The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum has directed an online travel agency to pay Rs 57,000 to a couple for failing to organise a trip to Hong Kong they had planned along with their son to celebrate his birthday.
Urvinder Singh and his wife Mohinder Kaur, residents of Sector 33, said they hired the services of Yatra Online Private Limited on a payment of Rs 45,000. They said the company told them that no visa was required for Hong Kong and only pre-arrival registration (PAR) was to be filled, a formality that a company official would help them fulfil.

However, the firm sent a link of pre-registration arrival form to the couple and their son Ronaq Malhotra on April 18, 2017. While their form was accepted, that of Ronal was not. When the matter was taken up with the firm, its officials assured to solve the problem the next day, April 19, 2017. However, when they failed to do so, the complainants sent an email for refund of Rs 45,000 followed by a legal notice.

In its reply, Yatra said it never provided an assurance to the couple for grant of visa as it is the sole discretion of embassies. It was also stated that they are only responsible for making visa application on the basis of documents required as listed by embassies.

The company said despite the booking amount being non-refundable, as a special case, it informed the complainants that cancellation of only Rs 13,000 will be charged and rest of the amount, Rs 32,000, will be refunded, but the complainants did not give their consent for refund of the amount and demanded full refund. It was also submitted that in case of cancellation of tour due to visa rejection, no refund is to be provided and this was informed to and agreed and signed by the complainants, the company said.

The forum said, “Due to non-assistance on part of Yatra, complainants faced monetary loss and could not celebrate the birthday of their son. We feel the amount paid by the complainants has wrongly been forfeited by the company, which they are liable to refund without any deduction, on account of their deficient services.”

They were then directed to refund Rs 45,000 and pay Rs 12,000 for mental harassment.