Bengaluru court slams MakeMyTrip and Air France with refund order over lockdown flight cancellation

A Bengaluru consumer court has mandated MakeMyTrip and Air France to pay a total of Rs 1.01 lakh to Shushant Singh, a local resident, after they failed to provide a refund or voucher for a flight cancelled due to the COVID-19 lockdown. The Additional District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission-III, Bangalore Urban, delivered the verdict on August 20, holding the travel platform and airline accountable for their lapse in service, as per reports.

Singh, who had booked a flight from Bengaluru to Paris on March 23, 2020, was initially offered a choice between a voucher or a full refund by Air France, in light of the pandemic restrictions. Singh opted for the voucher, which was supposed to be valid for a year with a free date change option. However, when the voucher failed to materialize, Singh faced a run-around between Air France and MakeMyTrip, who were both responsible for processing the request.

The court's order highlighted the negligence of MakeMyTrip, which acted as the intermediary for Singh's booking. The ruling criticized the platform for it failure to secure the voucher or refund despite Singh's repeated attempts to resolve the issue. Additionally, MakeMyTrip's lack of response to customer service inquiries exacerbated Singh's distress.

the court's decision requires MakeMyTrip and Air France to refund Singh Rs 81,895, plus 9 percent interest from March 23, 2020, until the amount is fully paid. They are also instructed to compensate Singh with Rs 10,000 for mental anguish and an additional Rs 10,000 for legal expenses.