Get expert travel advice and money-saving discounts by signing up for Simon Calder’s free email newsletter. A recent incident involving an Indian couple who experienced malfunctioning business class seats on a flight from India to Singapore has resulted in the airline being ordered to pay over £2,040 (INR 213,585) in compensation. The couple, Anjali and Ravi Gupta, paid approximately £638 (INR 66,750) for each ticket from India to Australia, including a stopover in Singapore. However, the seats did not recline as expected during their 4-hour and 50-minute journey from Hyderabad to Singapore.
Despite being offered 10,000 Kris Flyer miles per person as compensation, the Guptas declined. Kris Flyer miles are loyalty points earned by members of the Singapore Airlines frequent flyer program. Mr. Gupta is the director general of police in the state of Telangana. The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission in Hyderabad ruled in favor of the Guptas and ordered Singapore Airlines to refund £460 (INR 48,750) to each complainant along with 12 per cent interest totaling £931 (INR 97,500). Additionally, the airline was instructed to pay £955 (INR 100,000) for causing mental agony and physical suffering to the couple and £94 (INR 10,