Kochi: The evening of December 14, 2019, proved to be a significant turning point for TP Salim Kumar, an officer of the Indian Revenue Service (IRS). The routine end to his week in Mumbai was transformed into an incident of public humiliation, which he still recalls vividly. Kumar was removed from a shuttle bus at Mumbai airport and was coerced into paying for a lounge service that was supposed to be complimentary, marking the beginning of a prolonged legal battle against IndiGo Airlines.
After almost six years, the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission in Ernakulam delivered a verdict ordering IndiGo to compensate Kumar ₹1.22 lakh for “deficiency in service” and “unfair trade practice.” Although he felt a sense of vindication from the ruling, Kumar expressed that the compensation does not adequately address the mental trauma and humiliation he experienced.
“I am happy that the Commission ruled in my favour. But the amount is not enough for what I went through,” he stated, noting that he intends to appeal for a higher compensation before the Kerala State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission.
At the time of the incident, Kumar was the Assistant Commissioner of Customs in Mumbai and regularly traveled to Kochi to be with his family. His plans for that evening included a simple family outing, which was disrupted when he was asked to deboard a flight due to an alleged ‘operational/technical issue’ after waiting for the delayed takeoff.
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Despite initial reluctance, Kumar agreed to leave the flight after being assured that he would be rebooked on a later flight, a decision that garnered applause from fellow passengers. However, his ordeal escalated as the airline failed to honor its promise, pushing him to wait much longer for a different flight. Their offer of lounge access, which was assured as complimentary, fell flat when Kumar was pursued for payment as he prepared to board the next flight.
“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,” Kumar explained, adding that the airline later claimed they would not cover the costs for alcohol. He faced intense pressure and was ultimately compelled to pay, despite his protests about the airline’s commitment.
Kumar’s evening, which had originally promised family bonding and enjoyment, culminated in a distressing homecoming devoid of the anticipated joy. “That night, my family was waiting at Kochi airport. We had planned a movie and dinner. Instead, I came home humiliated and exhausted,” he recalled.
The Commission’s ruling, issued on October 27, outlined IndiGo’s failures and held the airline accountable for its treatment of passengers. It condemned the lack of documentation justifying the exclusion of alcohol from the complimentary lounge access, stating bluntly that “the consumer cannot be humiliated at the gate and compelled to pay under the threat of being denied boarding.”
Moreover, the verdict emphasized that air travel should not just be seen as a transactional movement from one location to another but rather as a relationship built on trust and respect. The Commission urged airlines to prioritize passenger dignity in their service management practices.
In the final ruling, IndiGo was mandated to pay Kumar ₹1 lakh for mental distress, reimburse the coerced lounge payment, compensate for missed cinema tickets, and cover litigation costs. Furthermore, the Commission dismissed the airline’s jurisdictional objections as “hyper-technical.”
For Kumar, this case transcends financial recompense; it symbolizes the principle of dignity for passengers. “I fought this not as an officer but as a passenger who was wronged. What I seek now is not just compensation but an acknowledgment that no passenger deserves to be treated this way,” he declared.
