Kerala IRS officer vs IndiGo 6-yr battle: Lounge humiliation costs airline dear, but he isn’t done yet
Kochi: For Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officer TP Salim Kumar, the night of December 14, 2019, remains unforgettable, not because of the long wait at the Mumbai airport, but because of the humiliation he suffered. What was supposed to be a routine flight home to Kochi to spend the weekend with his family ended with Kumar allegedly being publicly embarrassed. He was pulled off a shuttle bus and forced to pay for a lounge service that the airline had promised was complimentary.
After nearly six years of his legal battle, the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, Ernakulam, ordered IndiGo Airlines to pay ₹1.22 lakh in compensation and costs for “deficiency in service” and “unfair trade practice.” But while the verdict vindicated his long legal battle, Kumar, who currently serves as Customs Deputy Commissioner at Kochi International Airport, said the relief is inadequate for the humiliation and mental trauma he endured.
“I am happy that the Commission ruled in my favour. But the amount is not enough for what I went through,” Kumar told Onmanorama. “I was humiliated in front of other passengers after agreeing to deboard for the airline’s convenience. I plan to appeal before the Kerala State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission for a higher compensation,” he said.
A night that changed a routine journey
At the time of the incident pertaining to the case, Kumar was working as an Assistant Commissioner of Customs in Mumbai. A frequent flier, he often flew to Kochi every two weeks to spend the weekend with his wife, son, and daughter. On December 14, 2019, his family had planned a simple evening together. They were supposed to pick him up from the airport, watch Mammootty’s film, ‘Mamangam’, have dinner, and return home.
“It was a last-minute booking, and I had to pay around ₹12,500 for the ticket, which usually costs ₹3,000,” Kumar said. After boarding the IndiGo flight 6E-755 from Mumbai to Kochi, which was scheduled to fly at 6.55 pm, the aircraft remained grounded for nearly 30 minutes. Around 7.30 pm, airline officials approached him and requested that he deboard, citing an ‘operational/technical issue.’
“I refused at first because I needed to reach Kochi. But they insisted and promised to put me on the 9.20 pm flight. I finally agreed after seeing that all other passengers were depending on me to make the decision. The flight’s captain even made a public announcement thanking me, and everyone clapped. I thought I had done something good,” Kumar recalled.
However, once off the plane, the airline failed to honour its assurances. Instead of being rebooked on the 9.20 pm flight, Kumar was told he would have to wait for the 12.25 am IndiGo flight to Kochi. To compensate, IndiGo staff offered him access to the airport lounge with the assurance that all expenses would be covered.
“I believed them and waited at the lounge. I ate some food and had a beer. But when I boarded the shuttle bus to the flight, the lounge and airline staff came running, demanding ₹2,150, saying that I did not pay for the service and the airline would not cover alcohol,” he said.
Kumar protested, explaining the airline had promised to bear the cost. “They did not listen and pulled me off the bus. One of the staffers took my boarding pass and even threatened to tear it up. Everyone was watching. I felt completely humiliated,” he said.
Under pressure, he paid the amount and flew home. “That night, my family was waiting at Kochi airport. We had planned a movie and dinner. Instead, I came home humiliated and exhausted. I was treated like a beggar,” he said.
Commission’s findings
In its October 27 order, the Commission found IndiGo guilty of deficiency in service and unfair trade practice, ruling that the airline “failed miserably to produce any contemporaneous document” showing that the complimentary lounge voucher excluded alcoholic beverages. “The consumer cannot be humiliated at the gate and compelled to pay under the threat of being denied boarding,” the order said.
The order further stated that “air travel is not merely the movement of a passenger from one city to another, but it is a relationship of trust in which timely, truthful communication and humane handling matter as much as the ticket itself.” The Commission rebuked the airline for failing to “place dignity at the centre of disruption management” and treating the passengers as PNRs and not people.
IndiGo was directed to pay ₹1 lakh as compensation for Kumar’s mental agony and inconvenience, ₹2,150 refund for the coerced lounge payment with 9% interest, ₹626 refund for missed cinema tickets with 9% interest and ₹20,000 towards litigation costs. The Commission also dismissed IndiGo’s jurisdiction and misjoinder objections, calling them “hyper-technical defences.”
Kumar says the case was not just about money but about dignity. “I fought this not as an officer but as a passenger who was wronged. What I seek now is not just compensation but an acknowledgement that no passenger deserves to be treated this way,” he said.
