A 28-year-old man from Bengaluru received a compensation of Rs 17,000 from the Air India authorities after filing a case of negligence for his dented bag. Nearly after 1.5 years, the passenger, with the assistance of the consumer forum, got the required compensation for the damage to his luggage.
How Did The Matter Escalate
The affected passenger has been identified as Saurabh Raperia, who is a resident of Old Airport Road in Bengaluru. On September 8, 2024, he boarded a flight from Delhi to Bengaluru. Upon his arrival at the Kempegowda International Airport, Raperia discovered a dent on his trolley bag.
He immediately approached the airline's baggage service counter and attempted to lodge a complaint. However, the staff refused to accept it or register a property irregularity report (PIR). The executives insisted he raise the issue through an email to the airline.
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Raperia, on the same day, posted the incident on X, to which Air India responded. The airline authorities asked for the ticket details, baggage tag number, and damage complaint number. He also mentioned how the staff refused to entertain his complaint at the counter. A day later, he sent an official email to Air India mentioning his grievances.
After two days, Air India offered him Rs 500, which he termed as inadequate. The airlines then increased it to Rs 1,000. Pareria then claimed that the airlines should either replace the damaged trolley from the same brand or compensate him Rs 13,425. This time, the airline again claimed that the passengers who leave the airport without reporting a complaint are considered to have received their baggage in a suitable condition.
He reiterated that the airline's own staff who refused to raise a complaint. Even after several complaints, the problem remained unsolved. Tired of the follow-ups, the passenger issued a legal notice to the airline on September 23, 2024.
Getting no responses, Raperia filed a complaint with the consumer commission. Air India reiterated its claims, saying there was no deficiency in service or unfair trade practice. After studying the case thoroughly, as the airline was offering compensation, accepting the damage occurred when the baggage was in their custody, therefore Air India cannot deny the liability.
The commission added that the passenger attempted to raise a complaint, but it was the airline authorities who refused to report the damage. The rule does not apply to such a situation. "A service provider cannot rely on an international policy when it's own officials have obstructed compliance with it," it said.
The consumer commission mentioned that the damage was caused to the checked-in luggage; therefore, the responsibility to prove the absence of negligence lies upon the airline and not the passenger. No such valid evidence was produced by Air India. On February 17, 2026, the commission directed Air India to pay Rs 7000 for the damages and Rs 10000 for the litigation.