Sign up for Simon Calder's free travel emails for expert advice and savings deals
Receive Simon Calder's travel emails
Singapore Airlines has been ordered to pay an Indian couple more than £2,040 (Rs 213,585) for “emotional distress” after their business class seats failed to recline on a flight from India to Singapore.
Anjali and Ravi Gupta's seats malfunctioned and did not recline, preventing them from sleeping during the four-hour and 50-minute journey from Hyderabad to Singapore. today's india report.
The couple paid about 638 pounds (approximately 66,750 rupees) for each ticket from India to Australia via Singapore. This was about 460 pounds (INR 48,750) more expensive than the 172 pounds for an equivalent economy class ticket. [INR 18,000].
The Guptas were reportedly offered 10,000 KrisFlyer miles each for causing inconvenience, but they declined. KrisFlyer miles are frequent flyer miles or loyalty points earned by members of Singapore Airlines' frequent flyer program.
Mr. Gupta is the police commissioner of Telangana state in southern India.
The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Board in Hyderabad, Telangana, ruled in favor of the Guptas and awarded the airline 460 pounds (Rs. 48,750) to each complainant, for a total of 931 pounds (97,500 rupees). The company ordered the refund with 12% interest from May 23, 2023. Until it comes true.
The airline also ordered Mr Gupta to pay £955 (Rs 100,000) for causing mental distress and physical pain, and £94 (Rs 10,000) to cover costs related to the charges. instructed.
Mr. Gupta claimed in his complaint that he and his wife were treated as “economy class passengers,” except for extra legroom. Deccan Chronicle.
Singapore Airlines said it “recognizes the decision of the Hyderabad District Consumer Disputes Redressal Board.”
“SIA can confirm that while the automatic recline feature on the Guptas' seats was malfunctioning, the manual recline feature was activated on the flight from Hyderabad to Singapore,” a spokesperson told The Independent. Told. “I had no issues with my connecting flight from Singapore to Perth.
“Flight time from Hyderabad to Singapore typically takes approximately 4 hours. Unfortunately, as the flight was full, SIA staff were unable to seat you elsewhere in the business class cabin. Our staff We proactively checked on these customers on a regular basis and offered to manually recline their seats if necessary. We apologize to the Guptas for the inconvenience caused by this mechanical issue.”
