Etihad told to pay Rs.50,000 as damages

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum, here, has directed Etihad Airways, national airline of the UAE, to pay Rs.50,000 to the former Chief Secretary V. Krishnamurthy and his wife, V.G. Chelam, a former Principal of Government Medical College here, for �deficiency in service and �unendurable insult and outrageous invasion of their fundamental rights.

In their order, forum president G. Sivaprasad and members A. Beena Kumari and S.K. Sreela said the petitioners had �suffered so much of mental agony and humiliation by not being provided the confirmed seats and vegetarian food and it was a case of grossest kind of deficiency in service.

The airline has been asked to pay the petitioners Rs.50,000 towards compensation, along with a cost of Rs.1,000, within two months from the date of receipt of the order. The airline will have to pay an interest at the rate of 12 per cent if the compensation is not paid within two months.

The airline did not turn up to contest the case nor did it file its version. The forum delivered the judgement ex parte.