The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission of Chandigarh has directed a travel and tours firm to pay Rs 37,000 to a city couple for the ruined Jammu and Kashmir trip.
Sanjay Gupta of Chandigarh alleged that in April 2023, he and his wife decided to take a holiday trip to Jammu and Kashmir and they started looking for tour and travel operators to facilitate their planned trip. After searching on the internet, the complainants found the website of Gyan Rachana Tours and Travels, who had advertised budget-friendly trips and claimed that 96 per cent of their customers were satisfied with their services.
Trusting the claims made by the travel firm, Gaurav Jain, a representative of the firm, through WhatsApp helped the complainants choose their travel package to Jammu and Kashmir and after a negotiation, the package was finalised between the two parties.
After finalisation of the package, the representative of the firm asked the complainant to transfer an amount of Rs 22,000 as advance which was accordingly transferred by the complainants on April 28, 2023. As per the tour package, four flight tickets were booked with Go Airlines (India) for the departure and return of the complainants.
However on May 3, 2023, the firm representative informed the complainant that the airline had been declared insolvent and also that all its flights had been grounded and the travel firm was going to cancel the entire travel package. The complainants, thus, requested the representative of the travel firm either to make alternative arrangements for the complainants or to refund the entire deposited amount. On this, they were informed that the amount paid was non-refundable and refused to refund the same.
The Commission on hearing the matter said that the case is reduced to a narrow compass as it is to be determined if the act of the travel firm amounts to deficiency in service and the complainant is entitled to the relief as prayed for.
The Commission, thus, directed the travel firm to refund Rs 22,000 to the complainants along with interest at 9 per cent per annum from May 10, 2023, when the journey was scheduled to start till onwards, and also to pay a lump-sum amount of Rs 15,000 to the complainants as compensation for causing mental agony and harassment to them.