Travel agency, two airlines fined 1.25 lakh

KOLKATA: A travel agency and two airlines have been asked to pay a fine of Rs 1,25,000 “jointly and severally” to a Jodhpur Park couple. The couple claimed they suffered immense mental agony while returning from their US trip in April 2012. This week, the state consumer forum upheld the 2013 order of a Kolkata district consumer disputes redressal forum, which fined the travel agency and the airlines.
Dr Jaytilak Biswas and his wife purchased tickets to US on a foreign airline from a travel agent at Ho Chi Minh Sarani for Rs 1,63,740.
On the return trip, the airline staff asked them to board a Kingfisher flight at Mumbai to reach Kolkata. In Mumbai, their flight to Kolkata was cancelled.
The couple moved the district forum because they had to book tickets on another airline and had to pay additional baggage charge of Rs 10,000. When the travel agent appealed at the state forum, the previous order was upheld.