December 31, 2025 : The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, Ernakulam, has held Jet Airways (India) Ltd. guilty of deficiency in service for refusing boarding to a minor child on unjustified grounds, despite the family producing both the old passport containing a valid visa and the renewed passport.
The Commission, comprising President D.B. Binu and Members Ramachandran V. and Sreevidhia T.N., ruled in favour of the complainant, Thomas Joseph, who had booked three confirmed tickets for travel from Cochin to Doha on 27 July 2013. At the boarding counter, the airline’s supervisor declined to issue a boarding pass to the complainant’s minor son, citing that the child’s valid visa was stamped on an old passport. As a result, the entire family was forced to cancel their journey.
Joseph subsequently purchased fresh tickets with Emirates Airlines and travelled the next day without facing any issue at immigration, even though the visa remained on the old passport. He then approached the consumer forum seeking reimbursement of the additional expenses and compensation for mental agony.
Jet Airways attempted to justify its action by relying on an alleged emigration circular that purportedly required visas to be transferred to renewed passports. The Commission rejected this defence, observing that the circular did not disclose its issuing authority, lacked legal backing, and appeared to be unsupported by any rule or regulation. The Commission went on to note that another passenger had been allowed to travel by Jet Airways under similar circumstances, pointing to a clear lack of uniformity in the airline’s conduct.
On the procedural issue, the Commission dismissed the airline’s plea of non-service of notice. It held that Jet Airways had full knowledge of the proceedings, particularly since it had earlier approached the Kerala State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission on the same address. The airline’s repeated failure to file a written version or lead evidence after remand was treated as a deliberate omission, amounting to deemed service and an admission of the complainant’s allegations.
In strong remarks, the Commission described the denial of boarding to a child of tender age as an act reflecting “enjoyment of sadistic pleasure by the staff concerned,” and found the airline squarely responsible for the hardship caused to the family.
Allowing the complaint, the District Commission directed Jet Airways to reimburse ₹33,000 towards the cost of tickets purchased with Emirates Airlines, with interest at 9 percent per annum from 27 July 2013 until payment. The airline was also ordered to pay ₹50,000 as compensation for mental agony and ₹5,000 as litigation costs. The amounts are to be paid within 30 days, failing which interest will continue to accrue as directed by the Commission.
