Mumbai consumer panel dismisses complaint against Brussels Airlines over denied boarding

Representation pic

A Consumer commission has dismissed a complaint against Brussels Airlines filed by a passenger who was denied boarding after refusing to pay excess baggage charges and subsequently missing the check-in deadline. An airline cannot be held guilty of "deficiency in service" for enforcing a standard contractual condition, said the Additional District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, Mumbai Suburban, in an order passed on Tuesday.

Flight dispute

The Versova resident had booked economy-class tickets for himself and his two children to travel from Mumbai to Manchester via Brussels on September 12, 2017. As his luggage exceeded the free baggage allowance, the airline's ground staff asked him to pay excess baggage charges. He refused and instead chose to rearrange his luggage. By the time he returned for the check-in, the deadline had passed. He later travelled on another airline and approached the consumer commission seeking compensation.

Panel findings

The commission observed that the passenger missed the check-in deadline because he refused to pay the excess baggage charges. "Such timelines are fundamental operational requirements in commercial aviation and are uniformly applicable to all passengers. Once the check-in process is closed, the carrier cannot accept passengers without disturbing operational schedules, security protocols, and aviation safety requirements," the commission said.

Rules upheld

The commission noted, "Merely because the complainant suffered inconvenience or had to purchase fresh tickets from another airline would not by itself establish deficiency in service."

Sept 12, 2017
Day Versova resident was to travel to Manchester