BA to pay Rs 36K to woman for not letting her board flight

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The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum observed that the airline should have allowed her to fly up to London by which time her onward journey status could have been confirmed, as according to the UK law a person not holding UK visa can remain in its airport for up to 24 hours.

“If the system of opposite party (British Airways) failed to show onward confirmed journey, they could have allowed her to travel up to London. The status could have been confirmed by the time she had reached London.

“Instead it did not allow her boarding under the pretext that the rules did not permit them to carry a passenger holding no visa for UK, but admit that they can do so as per law for 24 hours of such a passenger’s arrival at London,” the South West district forum said.

The forum’s order came on the plea of New Delhi resident Puja Ahluwalia, who had alleged that the airline did not allow her to board its flight, on the night of August 13, 2008, from Delhi to London despite having a confirmed ticket.

The bench presided by Narendra Kumar held that by denying boarding pass to the woman the airline had been negligent and deficient in service and directed it to pay her Rs 21,046 as difference of the price of the initial ticket purchased by her and the amount paid later for fresh tickets, along with Rs 10,000 for harassment and Rs 5,000 as litigation cost.

The British Airways in its defense had contended that the woman was denied a boarding pass as her onward travel was not confirmed and UK law forbade airlines from carrying passengers without valid Visa for UK or not having confirmed booking for onward journey within 24 hours on arrival at London. -PTI