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A Parliamentary Panel Says IndiGo Is The 'Worst Airline' For Consumers. Is It?

TMC MP Derek O’Brien said IndiGo charges flyers if their luggage is even 1-2 kg above the stipulated weight limit.
PRAKASH SINGH via Getty Images

IndiGo staff has reportedly misbehaved with consumers. They have offloaded passengers. The airline reportedly charges flyers if their luggage is even 1 kg above the stipulated weight limit.

These are just some of the problems that people travelling with the airline face and complain about.

MPs seems to agree.

A Parliamentary panel said on Thursday that IndiGo is the “worst-performing” carrier for consumers.

TMC MP Derek O’Brien, who heads the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Transport, Tourism and Culture, said the panel had taken strong note that during festive season, some airlines were charging 8-10 times more than the normal fares.

The Civil Aviation Ministry comes under the purview of this panel.

He said, “Our committee is very clear that the worst-performing airline for consumers is IndiGo. All 30 members agreed on this. IndiGo has not responded despite many complaints. The way they behave with consumers and charge for just one kg or two kg overweight of air baggage...”

“Every single member (of the panel) is disgusted with the way some private airlines are operating but more so with IndiGo, it is discourteous. The airline is very rigid, IndiGo even charges for one-two kg overweight, this has not been taken very well and the committee is looking into the matter seriously,” he said.

O’Brien asserted these were not only his views but of all members of the panel who were from different parties.

According to Deccan Herald, the parliamentarians also found the low-cost airline lacking in terms of having an adequate number of check-in counters.

IndiGo’s statement

IndiGo said in a statement that “as an airline our endeavour is to minimise extra hassle right from the airport entry, check-in to boarding and create more convenient experience for our customers. We therefore evaluate every complaint/feedback rigorously and develop training modules keeping the customer sentiment very much in mind”.

Rupak De Chowdhuri / Reuters

Not the first time

Thursday was not the first time that the committee had pulled up IndiGo over various complaints. It had slammed the low-cost carrier in January this year for the “discourteous and rude” behaviour of its employees towards passengers.

The panel had also said it was an “institutional” problem, and urged the market leader to adopt a consumer-friendly approach.

It had also emphasised that the “arrogant behaviour of employees should stop”.

The panel had also taken note of instances of unruly behaviour by airline staff this month and suggested that heavy penalties should be imposed on such people as well as strictest possible action be initiated against them.

It had, however, not singled out IndiGo then.

“Almost all airlines have introduced a ‘No-Fly’ list for the unruly passengers, but when it comes to the turn of airlines to contain their unruly staff, they escape from their responsibility by saying that necessary training is being imparted upon. It is very essential that the airlines have to adopt consumer-friendly approach,” the panel had said.

Complaints

  • In April this year, a doctor accused IndiGo staff of manhandling and deboarding him from a Lucknow-Bengaluru flight after he complained of mosquitoes on board. The airline claimed the doctor was offloaded for his “unruly” behaviour.
  • A video clip of a passenger being assaulted by the staff went viral on 7 November last year. The passenger, Rajeev Katyal, can be first seen being stopped from entering a coach, and then being pulled back by ground staff. The airline called it a “regrettable” incident and said action was taken against the staff.
  • Shuttler PV Sindhu had also accused IndiGo airline ground staff of misbehaving with her in November last year. She called it a “very bad experience”. The ground staff apparently objected to her carrying her kit bag which had her racquets inside it. She normally carries them as hand luggage. The airline issued a statement rejecting the claim.

(With PTI inputs)

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This article exists as part of the online archive for HuffPost India, which closed in 2020. Some features are no longer enabled. If you have questions or concerns about this article, please contact indiasupport@huffpost.com.