Congress’ Prithviraj Chavan, Shiv Sena’s Anil Desai bat for airline operators to provide cash refund to passengers

Congress’ Prithviraj Chavan, Shiv Sena’s Anil Desai bat for airline operators to provide cash refund to passengers

They urge civil aviation ministry to enforce consumer protection law

Sanjay JogUpdated: Monday, June 15, 2020, 12:51 PM IST
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Mumbai: Maharashtra former Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan and Shiv Sena MP Anil Desai have urged the Union Ministry of Civil Aviation to enforce consumer protection laws so that the airline operators can provide cash refunds for air tickets cancelled during lockdown in a specific time frame.

In a letter written to Union Minister of Civil Aviation Hardeep Singh Puri, Chavan argued that not refunding cost of air tickets for cancelled flights is an ‘’abuse of consumer rights.’’ On the other hand, Desai in his communication to Puri has urged the airlines to design satisfactory voluntary voucher schemes for those consumers who are frequent flyers and are not seeking a refund on their cancelled tickets.

Chavan said the unprecedented nationwide lockdown due to COVIDE 19 has brought businesses to a screeching halt. Airlines had to suddenly cancel an estimated 4.5 million flights worldwide.

‘’Indian consumers, who had to cancel their flight tickets after the announcement of lockdown, are entitled to receive cash refunds. According to the Consumer Protection Act, the contract between the consumers and the airline gives the right to consumers to seek a cash refund. Many airlines including Air India are not honouring this contract and compelling the passengers to accept vouchers for future travel without giving any option of cash refund,’’ Chavan said. He further stated that not all consumers however, are willing to accept a voucher for future travel and in some cases the airlines are misinforming the consumers on refund policies.

Chavan referred to the representation made by the Mumbai based consumer rights organisation, the Mumbai Grahak Panchayat, seeking the intervention of the UNCTAD by drawing their attention to the United Nations Guidelines for Consumer Protection (UNGCP). ‘’On June 4, 2020, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) has called upon governments of the member states to adequately protect consumers by enforcing consumer protection laws against abusive business practices such as penalties or fees and breach of refund rights,’’ he noted.

Chavan has therefore urged Puri to issue clarification on refund policies and direct the airline operators to prevent abuse of consumer rights and provide a choice of cash refunds with settlement of refunds in a specific time period.

Further, Shiv Sena MP Anil Desai appealed to the minister to direct airlines to process refunds for those consumers who are senior citizens or those who had booked tickets due to an emergency or for some personal/domestic function and do not wish to avail of those voucher schemes. ‘’ In line with the directions issued by UNCTAD to member states, I request the ministry to ensure a transparent process for the confirmation, conciliation, return and refund of products and services. It would be incorrect to say that by honouring consumers’ rights to refund which sometimes stems from legislation and sometimes from contract, would make the aviation sector’s situation worse off,’’ Desai noted.

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