Make My Trip, Malaysian Airlines asked to pay compensation to Hyderabad customer

HYDERABAD: The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission ordered Make My Trip and Malaysian Airlines to refund Rs. 1,76, 954 and pay Rs. 25,000 for causing a Hyderabad consumer inconvenience and mental anguish.

Karan Mohan Sood (22), a resident of Kukatpally in Hyderabad, purchased four Malaysian Airlines flights and paid Rs. 1,72,358 through the Make My Trip website.

Karan Sood and his family members booked up and down tickets to Bali on September 29, 2021 for travel on December 25, 2021 and scheduled the return on February 2, 2023.

However, after receiving confirmation from Make My Trip and Malasian Airlines, Karan received an email on December 5, 2021 from Make My Trip informing him that the flight would be cancelled on the day of travel.

The Airlines also alerted the complainant via email of the flight cancellation, and the Airlines informed Karan Sood that he may request a reimbursement through Make My Trip.

As the flight was cancelled, Karan Sood demanded a refund of the amount spent. Make My Trip declined to refund the amount paid and instructed him to use the tickets within a year for the same location and refused to refund the amount.

Karan, on the suggestion of Make My Trip, requested that tickets be booked to travel to the same location on August 16, 2022 and return on August 22, 2022.

Make My Trip requested that Karan pay an additional amount of Rs. 1,149, totaling Rs.4,596, and he paid the additional amount as requested by Make My Trip. On April 4, 2023, Karan received another call and was asked another Rs. 4,000 each, totaling Rs. 16,000 for confirming tour tickets.

Karan approached the commission for redress after receiving such illegal demands from Make My Trip and being dissatisfied with the attitude of Make My Trip.

Make My Trip filed a written version refuting Karan's allegation, alleging that Make My Trip was obliged to cancel the tickets after Malaysian Airlines stopped all flights to Bali owing to Covid pandemic restrictions, which was communicated to Karan Sood.

Make My Trip further said that Karan was advised that a refund was not possible and that they informed him of this, as well as that they were transferring the funds to their credit shell current account and had declined to repay the requested amount.

Make My Trip claimed that Karan Sood approached the commission with false, frivolous, and unsubstantiated charges, and that the complaint is flawed and should be dismissed. They also claimed that there was no fault on their side and requested that the case against Make My Trip be dismissed.

The commission declared that Make My Trip and Malasian Airlines' cancellation of flights and cancellation of tour programmes by collecting the entire sum and extra amount is unfair and deficiency in service on their part. Hence, the court ruled in favour of Karan Sood.

The commission ordered Make My Trip and Malasian Airlines to jointly refund the amount of Rs.1,76,954 paid by Karan Sood for flight tickets and to give Rs.25,000 in compensation to the complainant for causing inconvenience and agony to him. The commission also requested Rs. 5,000 towards the litigation costs within 45 days of receiving this order, failing which the complainant is entitled to additional compensation of Rs.25,000 in addition to the above-mentioned compensation.