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Airline pay compensation of Rs. 2 Lacs for loosing lawyer's coat & gown

In Sri Dibakar Bhattacharjee vs Air India, the West Bengal State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission directed Air India to pay compensation of Rupees Two Lakhs each to two lawyers who could not appear before the Supreme Court on the date of hearing as the coat and gown and other case files was in the luggage which got misplaced by the Airline.

The Commission said that though the Carriage by Air Act, 1972 has defined the liability of airline under various circumstances, Honble Supreme Court in The Consumer & Citizens Forum v. Karnataka Power Corporation [1994 (1) CPR 130] laid down that the provisions of this Act give the consumer an additional remedy besides those that may be available under other laws for the time being in force. In the instant case, the OP Airlines sought to compensate the Complainants in terms of the relevant provisions of the Carriage by Air Act, 1972 and as amended vide Act 28 of 2009 dated 20-03-2009. However, as discussed hereinabove, given that there was deficiency in service on the part of Appellant Airlines in losing the luggage of the Complainants, which caused them immense harassment, agony, mental tension and loss of professional face apart from monetary loss, in our considered opinion, Complainants are entitled to compensation as per the provisions of the Consumer Protection Act, 1986. In this regard, reliance is placed upon the decision of Hon’ble National Commission in Spicejet Ltd. & Ors. Vs. Dr. Atanu Ghosh [R.P. No. 1411/2015] and also in M/s Emirates v. Dr. Rakesh Chopra 

Article referred: http://www.livelaw.in/lawyers-coat-gown-luggage-misplaced-airline-consumer-commission-orders-compensation-lawyers-not-appear-sc-read-order/

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