Air India Baggage Dispute Ends in ₹74,131 Payout to Student After Refund Case

Air India has been directed to pay ₹74,131 to a student after a consumer commission found that the airline wrongly charged excess baggage fees and later did not refund the amount despite accepting her eligibility under its student travel scheme.

The Rajasthan State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (RSCDRC) passed the order, saying the student had to pursue the matter over a long period due to delays in processing the refund.

The case involves Jaipur-based student Lavanya Magon, who travelled from London to India in 2021, believing she would get student travel benefits.

What Went Wrong?

According to a report by The Indian Express, the student was charged £350 (around ₹34,131) for excess baggage at the time of travel from London to India. She later said she should have been given extra baggage benefits under Air India’s “Maharaja Scholar Scheme”, which is meant for students on international routes.

After returning to India, she asked for a refund, saying the charge should not have been applied in her case. Air India rejected the request, saying she did not meet the scheme conditions based on her course structure and the timing of her studies.

The airline said she was not eligible under the scheme because of her course duration at the time of travel, and therefore the excess baggage charge was valid.

The student, however, disagreed with this. She said she had finished her course earlier than planned under a special arrangement and was travelling back home after completing her studies, not for a short visit.

Airline Later Accepts Eligibility

Air India later rechecked the matter and agreed that Magon should have received benefits under the Maharaja Scholar Scheme. On September 26, 2021, the airline acknowledged her eligibility for extra baggage allowance and moved ahead with the refund process.

Her bank details were also taken to complete the payment. Still, despite all confirmations, the refund was never processed.

The student went to the district consumer commission with no solution in sight saying she was denied a valid refund and was put through unnecessary stress.

Commission’s Decision

The district consumer commission ruled in her favour in February 2024 and ordered Air India to refund ₹34,131 along with compensation and legal costs. Magon later challenged the order, saying the compensation was too low given the long delay in the case.

The state consumer commission agreed that the airline’s handling caused avoidable hardship and unnecessary legal proceedings.

It also said compensation should include not just financial loss but also stress and inconvenience caused by poor service.

The commission increased compensation to ₹30,000, raised litigation costs to ₹10,000, and kept the refund amount unchanged, taking the total payout to ₹74,131.