A district consumer commission in Jammu and Kashmir directed an Indian airline to compensate passengers after their checked-in luggage went missing during an international journey, according to a report by The Economic Times.
On March 16, 2026, the commission ruled in favour of the passengers and directed the airline to pay a total of Rs 1.19 lakh. This includes Rs 89,000 as compensation for the lost baggage, Rs 20,000 for mental agony, harassment, and inconvenience, and Rs 10,000 towards litigation costs, said the report.
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What led to the complaint?
The airline has been asked to comply within 30 days, failing which the amount will attract 10% annual interest from the date of the order until payment. The complainants, who were a group of pilgrims, booked tickets on April 15, 2025, for traveling from Srinagar to Dammam via Delhi. According to them, the PNR included multiple travellers in the group. At Dammam airport, airline staff allegedly handled all baggage collectively without verifying individual ownership, which led to mistagging.
They further claimed that baggage tags, typically attached to boarding passes, were not issued individually. Instead, the tags were handed over in a stacked pile to the group leader, making it difficult to separate and identify. On reaching Delhi, the group realised that one out of five checked-in bags was missing.
The passengers filed a Property Irregularity Report (PIR) and informed the airline. They were asked to share photos of similar luggage, which they did. However, even after 14 days, the bag could not be traced. On March 15, 2025, the airline denied liability, stating that delays in delivery were not covered, according to the report.
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The complainants said that the missing bag contained valuables worth around Rs 89,000, including sacred items purchased in Saudi Arabia and expensive clothing.
What The Commission Said
The bench, led by President Peerzada Qousar Hussain and Member Nyla Yaseen, noted that despite the PIR being filed, the airline failed to trace the baggage, said the report.
While the Carriage by Air Act, 1972 limits compensation which is generally Rs 350 per kg up to Rs 20,000 unless a higher value is declared, the commission observed that the complainants sought reasonable compensation instead of strictly relying on these limits.
Considering the inconvenience caused and the airline's failure to resolve the issue, the commission found it appropriate to award the compensation as claimed.
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