MakeMyTrip, Go First fined Rs 19,000 after disrupting family's Thailand trip in 2013

A District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission in Chandigarh has imposed a fine of Rs 19,000 on MakeMyTrip, an online travel platform, and Go First. 

The ruling came after a family’s vacation to Thailand in April 2023 was disrupted due to repeated flight cancellations and delays, causing financial loss and emotional distress.

Complaint filed for trip disruption

The complainant 'Amit Kohar', a Chandigarh resident, had booked flights through MakeMyTrip for Go First's service from New Delhi to Phuket. Alongside the flights, the family reserved a hotel stay in Krabi through MakeMyTrip, while separate accommodations were arranged for Phuket. 

However, weeks before departure, Go First informed the complainant that the April 1 flight was canceled due to "operational reasons." Although a replacement flight was offered, it was also canceled, resulting in a further rescheduled flight on April 2.

The delays caused the family to miss their prepaid hotel stay in Krabi on April 1 and led to the loss of a portion of their prepaid stay in Phuket. The complainant argued that both MakeMyTrip and Go First were responsible for the financial losses and inconvenience they suffered due to the disruptions.

MakeMyTrip’s defense and Go First’s absence

In its defense, MakeMyTrip said that it acted as an intermediary in the booking process and could not be held accountable for flight cancellations or operational issues. The company emphasized that its user agreement clarifies that it has no control over airline decisions or refund policies.

On the other hand, Go First did not participate in the hearings, resulting in an ex-parte judgment against the airline.

Consumer commission’s ruling

After reviewing the case, the Consumer Commission ruled that both MakeMyTrip and Go First were liable for service deficiency. It noted that under the Consumer Protection (E-Commerce) Rules, 2020, online platforms like MakeMyTrip are required to ensure that services are provided effectively to consumers.

Additionally, Go First’s failure to appear in court and the repeated cancellations were deemed negligent, resulting in a “deficiency in service.”

Compensation ordered for financial loss and mental agony

The Commission ordered MakeMyTrip and Go First to jointly refund Rs 8,900 to the complainant. This amount covers Rs 6,384 for the unused hotel stay in Phuket and Rs 2,516 for the extended stay in Krabi.

The companies were also directed to pay Rs 10,000 in compensation for the mental agony and harassment caused to the complainant, along with the cost of litigation. Furthermore, the order specified that if the payment was not made within 45 days, a penal interest would apply.