Bengaluru businessman served old milkshake on flight, gets Rs 60,000 relief

BENGALURU: A man who was served a packaged drink past its best-before date onboard a plane and fell ill after consuming it and sustained losses in his import-export business, complained to a city consumer court. It ordered the airline to pay him a total compensation of Rs 60,000 for deficient service.

South Bengalurean Srinivasamurthy N was flying on a SpiceJet flight from Dubai to Mumbai on June 20, 2023. He ordered an 80-ml milkshake packet and consumed it. He later noticed on the packet of the milkshake that its best-before date was June 18 of that year. He submitted to the court that after consuming the milkshake he suffered severe health complications including illness, discomfort, heavy vomiting and physical debilitation. Under treatment for a week starting June 21, Srinivasamurthy said due to the airline’s service deficiency, he was unable to travel, attend business meetings and conduct transactions.

He claimed he lost Rs 22.1 lakh in his green chilli trading business. He approached the 4th additional district consumer disputes redressal commission in Shanthinagar to highlight deficiency in SpiceJet’s service. Srinivasamurthy sought a direction for the airline’s managing director and four directors to compensate him with Rs 1 lakh for mental agony and losses, Rs 9 lakh for medical expenses, Rs 22.1 lakh for spoilage of green chillies and Rs 50,000 for travel costs, among other reliefs. The airline officials did not appear during the proceedings, at the end of which the court found there was ‘carelessness and negligence’ on their part.

The court recognised that Srinivasamurthy was unable to attend to his trade deal at the pre-decided time, causing spoilage of his green chilli stocks. But the court also noted the lack of medical evidence to support his claim of suffering from illhealth and ruled that he is thus not entitled to the total compensation claimed. In its January 22 order, the court directed the opposite parties to pay the complainant Rs 25,000 for deficient service, Rs 25,000 for the mental agony he suffered and Rs 10,000 for litigation cost. The airline has to comply with the order withi