In a significant ruling, the Maharashtra State Consumer Commission has upheld a decision against an airline for misleading a Navi Mumbai couple, into paying extra for seat selection despite the availability of free seats.
Read on to find out all the details!
Airline Fined for Misleading Navi Mumbai Couple on Paid Seats
Dr. Nandy and his wife had booked tickets from Mumbai to New York via Dubai on August 26, 2017, with their return on September 15, 2017.
Due to Dr. Nandy’s health issues, they required adjacent seats. When they contacted the airline, they were told that only a few free seats would be assigned 48 hours before the flight and that convenient seats were not guaranteed.
Acting on this information, the couple paid Rs 7,200 to pre-book their seats through web check-in.
However, upon reaching the airport, they discovered that several passengers had obtained free seats, indicating that the airline had misled them.
They filed a complaint with the District Consumer Commission, which ordered the airline to refund Rs 7,200 with 6% interest, plus Rs 5,000 for mental agony and Rs 3,000 for litigation costs.
The Maharashtra State Consumer Commission later upheld this order on September 25, 2025.
The Commission stated that the airline “failed to provide adequate information about the availability of free seats,” keeping the complainants “in the dark.”
Couple ‘Impliedly Forced’ to Pay for Seats Due to Airline’s Misleading Communication
It ruled that although the couple wasn’t directly forced to pre-book, they were “impliedly forced” due to misleading communication and lack of transparency.
The airline admitted that pre-booking was optional but did not inform passengers about free seat availability at the time of ticket purchase.
The Commission concluded that hiding such information violated consumer rights and amounted to a deceptive “dark pattern.”
Legal experts said the verdict highlights the need for transparency, warning airlines against subtle tactics that pressure consumers into paying extra for optional services.
The ruling reinforces that consumers are entitled to full disclosure about services offered at a premium and that airlines must avoid practices that impair informed choice.
