MUMBAI: After initially expressing “regret” and refusing to accept any liability, Air India has relented and paid a compensation of €600( approx Rs 47,700) each to several passengers for the delay in its London to Mumbai flight on May 28. Engineering issues had been blamed for the over two-day delay.
The compensation was paid as per European Union regulations. It is a significant development as in India, only a small percentage of aggrieved passengers seek compensation. Under the Indian aviation regulator’s norms, airlines are bound to compensate passengers for flight cancellations or denied boarding. But most passengers don’t claim the relief, and the Indian airline industry saves about $100 million in unpaid compensation annually, aviation sector experts said.
