British Airways ordered to pay compensation to Indian passenger

British Airways, the largest full service airline of the United Kingdom and the third largest in Europe, boasts of an extensive global route network and its impeccable service offered to its customers.

However, the "world's favourite airline" as British Airways calls itself, did not probably find favor in the eyes of one customer, Mona Bhog, who was denied to board the plane in spite of possessing a boarding pass.

The Delhi State Consumer Commission, in response to a complaint filed by Bhog, has ordered British Airways to pay Rs. 50,000, to the woman passenger who was denied a seat on a flight to London despite having a confirmed ticket and the boarding card.

Bhog, the complainant, was reportedly not allowed to board a flight on August 7, 1995 despite having a confirmed ticket and a boarding card as the luggage hold and the doors got closed by the time she reached there.

"Whenever a passenger reports for check–in counter and obtains a boarding pass, it is all the more incumbent upon the airlines to ensure that the person who had been issued boarding pass is allowed to board the plane," Commission's President Justice J.D. Kapoor said.

When a passenger reports for check–in before the departure time of the aircraft, it is the duty of the service provider not only to make announcements before taking off in respect of seats that are vacant and the ticket holders of the same have not reported, it observed in a release.

Justice Kapoor rejected the defence arguments by the British Airways that Bhog had arived late and hence by the time she reached the gate, the luggage hold and the doors of the aircraft were closed.

She was asked by staffers of the airlines to go through a gate at the passenger service unit but was denied entry there though some other passengers were allowed to pass through it, the Commission said.

The Commission has asked the airlines to refund the cost of the ticket with 15 percent interest to Bhog, a resident of Paschim Vihar in New Delhi.

Last October, British Airways kicked up a storm when it suspended its employee, Nadia Eweida, for wearing a Christian cross. However, it announced, January 19, that its uniform policy will change to allow all religious symbols, including crosses, to be worn openly by its staff.