Consumer Court raps MakeMyTrip over data lapses, orders Rs 1.37 lakh compensation
The case dates back to 2019, when the Mumbai-based consumer booked tickets worth Rs 1.48 lakh for a family trip to Hong Kong, only to find the tickets mysteriously cancelled without his consent.
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A consumer court in Mumbai has ordered online travel giant MakeMyTrip (MMT) to pay over Rs 1.37 lakh to a customer for failing to protect user data and for imposing arbitrary cancellation charges.
The case dates back to 2019, when the Mumbai-based consumer booked tickets worth Rs 1.48 lakh for a family trip to Hong Kong, only to find the tickets mysteriously cancelled without his consent. While the airline assured a substantial refund, MMT withheld a large chunk, citing cancellation fees without a clear explanation or policy backing.
The matter escalated further when unauthorised bookings began to appear via the customer’s MMT wallet, prompting him to report suspected fraud. However, MakeMyTrip allegedly failed to act swiftly or transparently, leaving the consumer with both financial loss and security concerns.
The Mumbai Suburban District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission pulled no punches, calling MMT’s response “a lame excuse” and holding the platform accountable for failing to safeguard consumer data or offer redressal mechanisms for digital fraud. The commission highlighted the lack of SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures) at MMT to handle fraud or data misuse.
As more Indians move toward digital-first lifestyles, this case is a stark reminder to tech platforms to upgrade their grievance redressal and data security practices. In the words of the commission, protecting user data is not optional, it is a legal and ethical imperative.
