On a Lufthansa Airlines flight, an elderly couple from Chennai was asked to dry a dripping seat with a blanket. And this wasn’t even a part of what this couple had to face on a 10-hour journey to Frankfurt aboard a flight they booked from Chennai to Vancouver via Frankfurt: a flight delay, threat of deplaning, denial of assistance and more.
On account of their harrowing experience, a Chennai court has slapped Lufthansa Airlines with a fine of ₹55,000. This comes after the elderly couple filed a complaint regarding the traumatic experience.
According to The Times Of India report, the couple – Joju Dominic, 69, and his wife Jasmine, 65 – faced emotional and financial distress because of the airlines.
The couple had booked round-trip tickets of Lufthansa Airlines for ₹3.5 lakh.
Here’s what happened:
On 12 June 2023, the couple seemed to have woken up on the wrong side of the bed.
Their woes began as early as the start of their journey; their first flight from Chennai to Frankfurt was delayed by 90 minutes, and they were left to wait in an aerobridge.
After boarding the flight, the couple found their seats completely wet, and water dripping from the overhead compartment.
However, Joju said that the cabin crew did not offer any help to them and instead threatened to deplane them if he complained about the situation.
“The staff blamed the issue on Chennai’s climate and suggested we use a blanket to deal with the dripping water,” TOI quoted him as saying.
After struggling for long, the couple was finally given alternative seats.
Once they landed in Frankfurt, the couple missed their connecting Air Canada flight to Vancouver. Joju has claimed they missed the flight because of a lack of priority assistance and delays by Lufthansa Airlines.
After an argument with the airline staff, the couple was accommodated on a later flight. However, the constant delays further led to the couple missing their scheduled ferry in Canada.
A harrowing return flight
The couple’s ordeal with Lufthansa Airlines did not end there; during their return journey, their flight experienced a fuel leakage after takeoff and returned to Frankfurt.
On 3 October, the couple was asked to go to a service centre at Frankfurt airport to seek help, and they were treated harshly.
Initially, Lufthansa Airlines denied their request for accommodation before the departure of the rescheduled flight, Joju alleged.
The couple were also not provided pre-booked wheelchair assistance and were forced to walk for around 2 km to their lodging.
Joju said the meal provided after the delayed flight was also inadequate, and they ran out of medical supplies.
Couple sues Lufthansa Airlines
The couple had sued Lufthansa Airlines for compensation of ₹3.5 lakh, which was equal to the cost of their round-trip tickets.
However, the court directed the airline to pay ₹55,000 for causing mental harassment to the couple. In addition to this fine, the airline was also asked to cover the couple’s legal costs.
Catch all the Business News , Breaking News Events and Latest News Updates on Live Mint. Download The Mint News App to get Daily Market Updates.
MoreLess