Kingfisher rapped by consumer panel for "unfair trade practices"

New Delhi: The National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC) has found full service provider, Kingfisher Airlines, guilty of loading passengers on Air Deccan flights even though they had purchased Kingfisher tickets. It may be noted that Air Deccan, now branded Simplifly Deccan, provides low-cost services.

Passengers, in their complaints before the Commission, said they had purchased tickets of Kingfisher but were asked to travel by low fare service provider Simplifly Deccan.

The UB Group-owned Kingfisher operates full-service flights with hot meals and in-flight entertainment and therefore cost of travel by Kingfisher is usually higher than with Deccan.

Delhi-based passenger JK Mittal was made to travel to Bhubaneswar in a Deccan flight though he purchased a Kingfisher Airlines ticket through the airline's website. Mittal said that the ticket, which was bought for Rs4,800, would have cost Rs2,300 less if it was booked on Air Deccan.

At the airport, Kingfisher staff informed Mittal that the airline did not have a flight that day between Delhi and Bhubaneswar and so asked him to board an Air Deccan flight.

The apex consumer panel has asked Kingfisher not to indulge in such "unfair trade practice." It has also asked the ministry of civil aviation to take 'appropriate' action.

The aggrieved passenger has sought Rs5 crore from Kingfisher as 'damages'.

In a similar case, a Delhi-based passenger Dharmesh Misra was asked to board a Deccan operated Indore -Delhi flight on 7 August despite purchasing Kingfisher tickets. His case is also under consideration of the Commission.

Meanwhile, Kingfisher has termed demands made by passengers as "totally exaggerated."

The Vijay Mallya-owned UB Group has acquired Air Deccan and both the airlines are being run by the same management even as the merger process continues.