New Delhi, Aug 24: The apex consumer commission directed Swiss International Airlines to pay a compensation of Rs 20,000 to a flyer and upgrade his economy class ticket to business class for his future travels, as a penalty for serving him non-vegetarian food instead of a Jain meal he had opted for.
The National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC) upheld the district forum's order also directing Swiss International Airlines, to pay Rs 10,000 towards litigation cost and dismissed the revision petition filed by Mumbai resident Amit Jay Kumar Jain to enhance the compensation.
“The opposite party (airlines) shall be bound by its commitment to upgrade economy class to business class in one flight booked by the complainant from India to Europe or Europe to India with a rider that the complainant must undertake that flight within one year,” the bench presided by Justice Ajit Bharihoke said.
The bench, which also comprised member S M Kantikar, noted that the complainant was alerted by a co-passenger before he could eat the non-vegetarian food served to him.
“It cannot be said with certainty that the complainant consumed a morsel of non-vegetarian food. Thus, under the circumstances, the compensation awarded to the complainant seem to be reasonable and there is no cause for interfering with it,” the bench added.
According to the complaint, on May 6, 2011, while flying from Zurich to Mumbai, Jain was served with a non-vegetarian meal whereas he had opted for a special vegetarian Jain meal.
When he approached the district forum in Mumbai, the airline said the mistake was human error and offered that in future any one economy class ticket booked by the complainant from India to Europe or from Europe to India would be upgraded to business class and an apology was also tendered in writing.
The forum had also granted a compensation of Rs 20,000 and Rs 10,000 as cost towards the litigation to Jain.
Jain's appeal for enhancing the compensation was rejected by the state commission after which he approached NCDRC.
The kidnapped schoolboy was rescued by the police and reunited with his parents. Son of a gift shop owner from Basavanagudi area in Bengaluru, Chirag has reportedly told police that decided to make some quick money to spend on cricket betting and gambling after learning kidnap tricks from the ‘Crime Patrol’. According to police, Chirag reached a private school around 3pm on Tuesday on a Bounce rental bike and zeroed in on a fourth standard student who was walking out of school. He told the boy he was his father's friend and that he required help to search for a relative who had gone missing. The boy believed Chirag and rode pillion on the bike. Chirag then engaged the boy in conversation and learnt about his father's business and got his mobile phone number. He then made a call to the boy's father, demanded Rs 5 lakh and warned him against approaching cops. However, the boy's father alerted Cottonpet police and special teams were formed to crack the case. While Cottonpet inspector Venkatesh TC's squad verified CCTV footage in and around the school, Chamarajpet inspector BG Kumaraswamy's team started tracking the suspect's mobile phone movements. An hour later, the suspect's location was traced to a hotel on the Lavelle Road-St Mark's Road stretch. Police rushed there, rescued the boy and arrested Chirag.
Comments
He tasted the non veg food. Otherwise how he knows that it is non veg food. Now by this compenasation do he will be back to his religion? What type of drama it is?
once they served me vegetarian food, insted of non-veg. i do complaint, i didn't receive any compansation.
What would be the case if it is vice versa?
Good decision and justice.
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