News for air travelers...Airline company reprimanded by court for broken seats and dirty toilets, awarded compensation of ₹1.5 lakh

If you travel by air and have ever experienced poor airline service, this news will bring you great relief. A man and his daughter have received compensation of ₹1.5 lakh due to poor service.

Airline Poor Service Compensation: If you travel by air and have ever experienced poor airline service, this news will bring you great relief. A man and his daughter have received compensation of ₹1.5 lakh due to poor airline service.

The New Delhi District Consumer Commission issued this decision on January 14, 2026. Let's find out what the whole matter is.

What is the whole matter?

A man and his daughter booked round-trip economy class tickets from India to New York through MakeMyTrip. The two arrived in New York on September 6, 2023, and were scheduled to return on September 13, 2023. The total cost of these tickets was ₹273,108. An additional ₹45,000 was also paid to change the daughter's travel date from September 20 to September 6.

However, during the 15-hour flight, the passenger faced broken seats, dirty restrooms, and other inconveniences. A complaint was filed, which was decided in the passenger's favor, and compensation was ordered.

Passenger's Complaint

According to an ET report, the passenger was extremely unhappy with the airline's service. He filed a complaint with the Consumer Court. Legal notices were also sent to the airline on November 3 and 9, 2023, but no response was received. In his complaint, the passenger stated that during the journey, he encountered broken seats and a non-functioning backrest button.

The condition of the restroom was particularly poor. According to the passenger, the airline's restroom was in worse condition than a public restroom. There was no perfume or air freshener in the bathroom. Despite complaining about this, the support staff failed to provide any assistance. The passenger also claimed mismanagement of the food quality. Photos were also provided during the complaint.

The Commission found the airline deficient in service.

The Commission found the airline deficient in service and ordered compensation to the passenger. The travel ticketing platform was absolved of any responsibility in the matter. The court found that the photos presented and the failure to respond to the legal notice worked in the passenger's favor.

The airline failed to provide a convincing response to these allegations, leading the court to find the airline guilty.