A consumer forum directed British Airways to pay ₹ 5 lakh each as compensation to a septuagenarian couple for not providing wheelchairs, despite the complainant's requesting the airline for them well in advance.
The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum – Hyderabad II was dealing with a complaint filed by Anil Chawla (70) and Alka Chawla (72), both residents of Punjagutta.
The complainants stated that on account of age-related heath issues that they had booked wheelchairs. However, on their return from Phoenix in USA to Hyderabad via Heathrow Airport in the UK on May 21, 2016, only one wheelchair was provided. The complainants also stated that they were told to to take a bus from Terminal 3 to Terminal 5, for which they had to walk a long distance. But when they reached the terminal, they realised that they had missed the flight. They were forced to walk to the customer service desk to rebook their tickets. They stated that the airline had provided them with food coupons and hotel accommodation.
For its part, the airline denied its responsibility in providing the wheelchair. It stated that wheelchairs are to be given to travellers by Heathrow Airport Authority which had subcontracted services to a company ‘Omniserve’. It stated that the complainants did not inform it of their health condition, otherwise it would have requested for a fit to fly certificate.
The forum noted that the complainants had clearly requested special assistance while booking tickets. It stated that the tickets do not show that their contract is with Omniserve. “Their payment was made to the opposite party and the arrangement was definitely the (responsibility of the) opposite party only,” the forum noted.
Apart from directing the airline to pay compensation, the forum ordered it to pay costs of ₹ 10,000.
(eom)