Dr. Shah had booked a flight from Delhi to Ahmedabad on September 23, 2022. (Photo: Reuters)
The airline was found guilty of not allowing Dr Shah to travel from Delhi to Ahmedabad with her pet cat. CDRC has ordered Air India Limited to pay ticket fee, pet fee and pet carriage fee.
The Gandhinagar Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (CDRC) has ordered Air India Limited to pay compensation along with cost and interest to Dr Apoorva Shah, Professor of Surgery at BJ Medical College, Ahmedabad.
The airline was found guilty of not allowing Dr Shah to travel from Delhi to Ahmedabad with her pet cat. CDRC has ordered Air India Limited to pay ticket fee, pet fee and pet carriage fee.
As per the details of the case, Dr Shah had sought compensation after Air India Limited refused to allow his pet cat to travel from Delhi to Ahmedabad. Dr Shah’s daughter Tavisha Shah had recently returned from USA and was traveling from Delhi to Ahmedabad with her pet cat.
Dr. Shah had booked a flight from Delhi to Ahmedabad on September 23, 2022. He alleged that Air India did not specify any standard procedure for advance registration of an animal. He went to Air India’s office to find out the process, but found that the place was just a “cargo” office. He inquired with the staff and official at the airport but did not get any positive response, which left him pained.
On 23 September 2022, after the check-in process had already been completed, it was informed that since the weight of the cat was more than 5 kg, a metal cage was insisted upon. Dr. Shah’s daughter immediately bought a metal carrier at the Delhi airport from Petsfly for Rs.4,500/- in cash.
The flight captain’s approval was awaited, and after much waiting, one of the staff informed that the cat had been approved, and was finally placed in a metal carrier.
However, the airport authority expressed its inability to travel for the cat due to lack of oxygen and Dr Shah requested to be accommodated on another flight.
As per his claim no response came and while he waited for the cat his belongings were lying in the goods train. He was flatly refused any help to accompany the pet to Ahmedabad and after an hour-long struggle, the cat was handed back to him.
An alternate flight was also denied and no refund was given to him. They were forced to hire a vehicle by which they reached Gandhinagar, Gujarat.
The root of the controversy in this case stems from the time when the cat was not allowed to travel due to lack of oxygen. Dr. Shah was left without an alternate flight, and the CDRC ruled in his favor, requiring Air India Limited to compensate him for ticket fees, pet fees, and pet carriage fees, as well as costs and interest. Ordered.
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