Hajj trip ends in ordeal: SpiceJet told to pay ₹62,000 to Srinagar couple for denied boarding
SpiceJet has been ordered to refund the airfare and pay compensation totalling more than ₹62,000 to a Srinagar couple, whom it allegedly denied boarding at
SpiceJet has been ordered to refund the airfare and pay compensation totalling more than ₹62,000 to a Srinagar couple, whom it allegedly denied boarding at Delhi airport after their Hajj pilgrimage last year. They were reportedly forced to spend the night at Delhi airport and book alternative tickets to Srinagar the next morning. According to an Indian Express report, SpiceJet denied boarding to the couple despite their having valid boarding passes, completing check-in formalities, and arriving at the boarding gate on time. A consumer commission in Srinagar, on 9 June 2026, directed the airline to refund the ticket cost of ₹10,078 and pay ₹52,000 as compensation to the couple. Here's what happened: Ghulam Nabi Fafoo filed a complaint against SpiceJet, alleging that on 8 July 2024, he and his wife, Raja Begum, were denied boarding on a Delhi to Srinagar flight.
According to the complaint, the couple were returning to Srinagar after completing the Hajj pilgrimage. Their son had booked tickets for a SpiceJet flight scheduled to depart Delhi at 6:45 pm and arrive in Srinagar at 8:20 pm. Fafoo and his wife claimed that they had reached the airport well before the departure and completed check-in formalities. They had even checked their luggage in with the airline and obtained boarding passes before proceeding to the boarding gate. However, when boarding commenced, and they approached the gate with their valid boarding passes, they were allegedly not allowed to board the aircraft, IE reported. Fafoo said in his complaint that when he sought an explanation for the denial, the airline staff failed to provide any reason for denying boarding to him and his wife.
He also alleged that “blue-eyed people” were accommodated on the flight in their place, IE reported. Fafoo said their boarding passes were cancelled by the airline. Their checked-in baggage was also allegedly returned after several hours, as a result of which they missed all available flights to Srinagar that day and were forced to spend a night in Delhi. This, according to the complaint, added considerable inconvenience and mental distress to the couple. They then had to book an IndiGo flight to Srinagar for the next morning at a significantly higher fare of ₹13,450, incurring additional expenses. Also Read | Delhi HC asks SpiceJet to disclose assets in $8 mn Sunbird case What did the consumer commission say?
The consumer commission bench, comprising President Dr Farah Deeba and member Shabnum Munshi, held SpiceJet responsible for the inconvenience and financial loss suffered. The bench ruled in favour of the complainant and awarded compensation along with the refund of the original ticket cost. “The opposite party (SpiceJet) is held liable not only for being deficient in service but also for adopting unfair trade practice towards the complainant,” the Indian Express quoted the commission's order.
The BriefWire