A Consumer Court Has Directed Air India To Pay Rs 2Lakh Each In Compensation To Two Lawyers For Lost Bags And 'Reputation'.

A consumer court has directed Air India to pay Rs 2 lakh each in compensation to two lawyers who had blamed loss of checked baggage for not being able to argue a case in the Supreme Court and consequently having their petition dismissed by the judge.
Dibakar Bhattacharya and Sanjay Pandit had flown Air India to Delhi on August 13, 2017, to represent their clients in a hearing that went haywire for them after two pieces of checked baggage did not arrive on the flight.
The duo said they entered the court with visitors’ passes because the guards otherwise wouldn’t let in anyone without a black gown. When the time came for the petition to be heard, the judge said they could not represent their clients without being in proper lawyers’ attire.
“Air India failed to trace the bags containing their laptops, documents related to the case and lawyers’ gowns,” counsel N.R. Mukherjee told the West Bengal State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission.
The legal team representing Air India said compensation for lost baggage would be paid to the two passengers in accordance with airline rules. The rate of compensation is Rs 450 for every kilo, based on which Bhattacharya and Pandit are entitled to Rs 11,700 for two lost bags weighing 26kg.