Infant denied food on 15-hr flight, consumer panel fines Singapore Airlines Rs 50,000

Chandigarh: Singapore Airlines has been ordered to pay Rs 50,000 to a passenger after the Punjab State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission found shortcomings in its meal service during a long-haul flight, including the failure to provide milk to an 11-month-old child.

The case arose from a March 2020 journey from Delhi to Melbourne booked for the passenger’s wife, daughter and mother-in-law through travel agency Bipasha Aviation. The complainant, Jaspreet Singh, alleged that his family received inadequate food during the 15- to 16-hour flight, with two adults having to share one meal and no milk being supplied for the infant.

The airline maintained that no special meal requests had been made in advance and disputed allegations of deficient service. However, the commission held that the absence of a special meal booking did not remove the carrier’s responsibility to provide standard in-flight meals and reasonable care, particularly when an infant was travelling.

The commission partly accepted the airline’s appeal against a district consumer forum order that had directed a refund of Rs 1.25 lakh, along with interest and additional compensation.

It ruled that a full refund was unwarranted because the passengers had completed their journey. Instead, the airline must pay Rs 50,000 for mental distress, harassment and legal costs within 45 days of receiving the order.

With IANS inputs