Ludhiana: Not allowing woman, son to board costs airline dear, asked to pay ₹1L

Not allowing a mother-son duo to board a flight has cost an airline dear as the consumer forum has ordered a compensation of ₹1 lakh. Upon notice, the airline submitted that it acted according to the rules and regulations stipulated by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, and the central and state governments regarding Covid protocols The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission ordered SpiceJet to pay ₹1 lakh to the Ludhiana-based complainants. She added that as per the pre-requisites of the airline company, the travellers underwent a Covid real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction test on December 31 of the same year from a reputed and Indian Council of Medical Research - approved lab at the SPS Apollo Hospital in Ludhiana. Upon notice, the airline submitted that it acted according to the rules and regulations stipulated by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, and the central and state governments regarding Covid protocols, which were applicable at the time. The commission ordered a composite cost of ₹1 lakh to the complainants within 30 days from the date of receipt of a copy of the order, failing which the complainant shall be held entitled to interest of 8% per annum on the said amount from the date of filing of complaint till date of actual payment.