Hyderabad consumer commission orders MakeMyTrip, IndiGo to refund ticket deduction, pay compensation
HYDERABAD:
The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission–II in Hyderabad has directed MakeMyTrip (India) Private Limited and InterGlobe Aviation Limited (IndiGo) to refund deducted airfare and pay compensation to a passenger who was denied boarding for a Dubai flight due to insufficient passport validity.
The order was passed on January 21, 2026 by a bench comprising member P.V.T.R. Jawahar Babu. The complaint had been filed on February 9, 2024 by Shravani Bhuram, a software engineer from Somajiguda.
Passenger stopped at airport check-in
According to the complaint, Bhuram booked round-trip flight tickets on June 19, 2023 to travel to Dubai on June 27, 2023 and return on June 30, 2023 to attend a friend’s birthday event. However, at the airport check-in counter on June 27, airline officials informed her that she could not travel because her passport had less than six months’ validity. She was denied boarding and returned home.
The complainant argued that neither the booking platform nor the airline flagged the passport validity issue while booking tickets or during web check-in 24 hours before departure.
IndiGo later refunded ₹21,541 out of the ₹40,495 paid for the return tickets. Bhuram approached the consumer commission seeking ₹8,18,954 along with interest and litigation costs.
Companies deny liability
MakeMyTrip told the commission that the responsibility for valid travel documents lies with the passenger. It said it merely forwarded the details provided by the customer to the airline while issuing tickets.
IndiGo also denied liability, stating the passenger failed to comply with mandatory travel requirements. The airline maintained that boarding was correctly denied as the passport validity was less than six months.
Commission finds service deficiency
The commission observed that both companies admitted the passenger was denied boarding shortly before departure. It noted that neither the travel portal nor the airline flagged the passport validity issue at the time of ticket booking or during web check-in. The commission said the inconvenience could have been avoided if the requirement had been pointed out earlier. It also observed that the complainant should not suffer financial loss due to the actions of the opposite parties, especially when cancellation charges were deducted for a journey that did not occur.
Refund and compensation ordered
The commission partly allowed the complaint and directed the two companies jointly and severally to:
Refund the deducted amount of ₹18,954 with 9% annual interest from the date of filing the complaint until payment.
Pay ₹10,000 as compensation for inconvenience and mental agony.
Pay ₹5,000 towards litigation costs.
The companies have been given 45 days to comply with the order.
If they fail to comply within the stipulated period, the complainant will be entitled to an additional ₹10,000 compensation, apart from the amounts already awarded.
