A Delhi consumer forum has directed Malaysia Airlines to refund Rs 65,802 with interest and fined MakeMyTrip for deficient service and false assurances after a passenger’s relatives lost planned travel during the Covid-19 disruption.
The Delhi District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, headed by president Monika A. Shrivastava with member Kiran Kaushal, decided the complaint filed by Karan Pradeep against MakeMyTrip and Malaysia Airlines. Pradeep had booked two tickets in October 2019 for travel from Delhi to Kuala Lumpur and Manila, scheduled for March 13–21, 2020, as a wedding gift for his brother and sister-in-law.
When Covid-19 and subsequent lockdowns in the Philippines disrupted travel plans, Malaysia Airlines introduced an “Ultimate Flexibility Ticket Change Policy” allowing date changes and relaxations. According to the complaint, MakeMyTrip initially refused to reschedule the tickets, saying it was unaware of the airline’s policy, and later agreed to cancel the booking only after assuring Pradeep that a full refund would be processed within 60–90 days.
Pradeep says an email from MakeMyTrip dated March 19, 2020, stated the refund had been initiated, but the amount was never received. He alleged both the airline and the booking platform shifted responsibility for the refund to each other, forcing him to pursue the matter before the consumer commission.
MakeMyTrip contested the claim, arguing the tickets were non-refundable and that the complaint was time-barred. The commission rejected the limitation defence, noting the Supreme Court’s suo motu extension of limitation periods during the pandemic and finding the complaint, filed on November 29, 2023, to be within time.
On the merits, the commission acknowledged that pandemic-related cancellations were beyond the airline’s control but held that Malaysia Airlines could not retain the fare when the passengers were not at fault. It also found MakeMyTrip liable for failing to facilitate the refund and for giving specific assurances, rejecting the platform’s contention that it was merely an intermediary.
In an order dated February 2, the commission directed Malaysia Airlines to refund Rs 65,802 with interest at six percent per annum from March 13, 2020. MakeMyTrip was ordered to pay Rs 25,000 for deficient service and false assurances. Both Malaysia Airlines and MakeMyTrip were further directed to jointly and severally pay Rs 30,000 in compensation for mental agony and harassment.
The order underlines the commission’s view that neither passengers nor their relatives should be penalised for cancellations driven by public health restrictions, and that intermediaries who give specific refund or rescheduling assurances may be held responsible for failing to deliver them.
