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Jet Airways has been ordered by a consumer forum here to pay over Rs 71,000 as compensation to a family of four for not communicating their food preference to the connecting airline and making them go hungry for over 10 hours during their flight to Toronto from London.

The district forum asked Jet Airways to compensate the family while also holding it guilty of rendering deficient service and not informing the family, the Sharmas, about the number of bags allowed on the connecting Air Canada flight, due to which they had to pay an additional expense of Rs 4,500 (approx) and also discard a bag worth Rs 2,000.

"The tickets were booked at Delhi and with the particulars of the allowable baggage while going to London. Jet Airways was responsible for not clarifying the correct position to the complainant about baggages.

"The Jet Airways was also responsible for not informing the food choice to the connecting flight to Canada from London. We, therefore, hold it responsible for both deficiencies," said the New Delhi district consumer forum.

The Sharmas, residing in Rohini, in their plea, had said they had booked four tickets through a travel agent of the Jet Airways for a journey from Delhi to Toronto via London and back.

While booking the tickets, they had mentioned their meal choice as vegetarian, said Sharmas adding that when they took the connecting Air Canada flight to Toronto at London, they found their meal choice had not been communicated to Air Canada, due to which they had to go hungry during the 10-hour flight.

They also said according to the tickets issued by Jet Airways two bags of upto 23 kg weight could be carried by each passenger, but Air Canada informed them that only one bag per traveller was allowed, due to which they had to pay Rs 4,500 and also discard a bag worth Rs 2,000.

Jet Airways, in their reply to a email sent by the Sharmas had said the rules of Air Canada were to be followed and had also shifted the blame on to the travel agent.

The forum, however, rejected Jet Airways’ contention that Air Canada rules would apply and it was the travel agent’s fault for not informing the family about luggage rules.

"We fail to appreciate the contention raised by Jet Airways. The tickets were booked at Delhi and with the particulars of the allowable baggage while going to London. Any change of that position in respect of baggages to be carried till Toronto by Air Canada cannot be introduced mid-way in the journey.

"We allow the expenses incurred of Rs 6,200 paid by the complainants for the baggages and allow compensation of Rs 10,000 for each of the complainants for going without food for 10 long hours of flight. We also allow another compensation for harassment of Rs 25,000 to all complainants including litigation expenses," the forum said.