Consumer forum in Hyderabad orders GoAir to pay a compensation for a flight cancellation

economictimes.indiatimes.com:

GoAir must pay a compensation of Rs 10,000 and reimburse additional flight charges amounting to Rs 13,956 to a flyer for the abrupt cancellation of a flight to the Maldives a week before the scheduled trip. As per a ToI report, the commission supported the complainant's argument, stating that the cancellation caused mental agony and inconvenience, despite booking the tickets well in advance for a hassle-free family holiday. The complainant, DV Manohar (69), a resident of Whisper Valley, had booked round-trip tickets for Rs 77,408 through GoAir for a holiday trip to the Maldives.

The tickets were confirmed for a flight to the Maldives on December 26, with the return scheduled for January 1, 2022, ToI report stated. However, on December 15, the airline informed the complainant via email that the flight from Hyderabad to Male had been cancelled. Subsequently, the return flight from Male to Hyderabad was also cancelled on December 19.

Due to the sudden flight cancellations, the complainant had to make last-minute arrangements and book tickets with another airline at a higher cost of Rs 91,364 for the exact dates, resulting in an additional expense of Rs 13,956. Despite the complainant's attempts to seek redressal from the airline, the company neither provided an alternative nor refunded the extra ticket fare. The commission's order requires GoAir to compensate the complainant for the inconvenience caused.