Mumbai Consumer Case: 11-Year Wait Ends As Senior Citizens Get ₹2.73 Lakh In Jet Airways–MakeMyTrip Dispute

Mumbai, April 27: Almost 11 years after being left stranded due to wrongful ticket cancellation, two senior citizens have finally received the full and final compensation awarded to them by the Maharashtra State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (SCDRC), bringing a prolonged legal battle to a close.

Full compensation paid

The complainants were paid a total of Rs 2,73,277 for the deficient services rendered by Jet Airways and online travel portal MakeMyTrip.

Although the State Commission passed its order on February 25, 2024, holding both companies guilty of deficiency in service, the full compensation was not immediately paid.

Execution plea filed for balance amount

Advocates Nisha Shah and Kalpesh Joshi, appearing for the complainants, said that only partial payment was made initially.

“The day the orders were passed in February 2024, fifty percent of the amount was paid by MakeMyTrip to the complainants. However, the remaining amount was kept pending. We then filed an execution application seeking the balance. Finally, on April 15, the remaining Rs 1,46,370 was paid. After a fight of 11 years, the senior citizens have finally received the money,” they told The Free Press Journal.

Passengers stranded despite confirmed tickets

The case dates back to December 2015, when Ela Mehta, a resident of Cuffe Parade in Mumbai, and 93-year-old Leela Shah (since deceased), a New Delhi resident, had booked tickets from Ahmedabad to Mumbai.

While one ticket was intentionally cancelled, the remaining two were repeatedly confirmed as valid by the airline, including through a confirmation email a day before travel.

However, upon reaching the airport, the women were informed that their tickets had also been cancelled, leaving them stranded without any assistance.

Commission finds clear deficiency in service

In its 2024 order, the Commission observed that despite repeated reassurances, the airline failed to honour the bookings and did not provide alternative arrangements, forcing the passengers to purchase fresh tickets at additional cost.

“The complainants, Ela Mehta and Leela Shah, are senior citizens who were already vulnerable due to their age. The wrongful cancellation of their tickets, particularly when they had received assurances from Jet Airways that their tickets were valid, caused undue suffering and confusion. The fact that they were left stranded at the airport without any assistance, despite having valid tickets, worsened their situation. They were forced to make last-minute arrangements and purchase new tickets, which led to additional costs. It is important to note that the Opposite Parties failed to provide adequate care and assistance, which they are legally and ethically obligated to do. They did not offer any alternative travel arrangements or accommodation, and the complainants were forced to fend for themselves in an already stressful situation. The actions of both the opposite parties had caused the complainants undue hardship, which cannot be ignored,” the order copy maintained while awarding the senior citizens compensation.

Defence rejected by panel

Rejecting the defence of both companies, the Commission held that the cancellation occurred without the complainants’ consent and that both parties attempted to shift responsibility. It termed the conduct a “clear deficiency in service,” particularly serious given the advanced age of the passengers.

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The Commission had directed both companies to jointly and severally pay Rs 50,000 each as compensation to Ela Mehta and to the legal heirs of Leela Shah, along with Rs 50,000 towards litigation costs, with interest applicable for delays.

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