Jet Airways Fined More Than Rs. 50,000 For Serving Button In A Passenger’s Food In 2014

A Local Consumer Court yesterday gave its verdict against Jet Airways for the passenger who found a button in his in-flight meal back in 2014.

The incident

On August 6, 2014, Hemant Desai, a resident of Surat, was flying with Jet Airways from Delhi to Ahmedabad in business class. After his ordered lunch arrived, he found a button in his garlic bread. He immediately raised the issue with the crew where they desperately tried to settle it there. But Mr Desai was not impressed and later sued the company for Rs 3 lakh.

Desai complained to the Consumer Dispute Redressal Forum, Ahmedabad (rural) with an affidavit by his co-passenger, a Member of Parliament, Parimal Nathwani.

The Judgement

The Company opposed Desai in the forum, claiming proofs, mentioning that Desai he did not turn over the button as evidence to either the crew or the consumer court. They also said the button did not harm him in any way. They accused Desai of non-cooperation when they reached to him about this. In response to this, Desai produced emails where the company has apologized and tried to settle things, which he had refused.

The court spoke against the attitude of the airways, declaring that ignoring inedible items in offered lunch despite charging very high is unprofessional behavior. Also, the crew’s response and refusal to provide him a complaint book was severe service deficiency.

The court, apart from ordering the airlines to pay Rs. 50,000 to the man for his agony, asked to cover his legal expenses also, with Rs. 5000 more.