A Himachal Pradesh consumer commission has ordered MakeMyTrip and Go First to pay more than Rs 1.39 lakh to a family from Una after a Goa-bound flight was cancelled just two days before departure. The ticket refund had remained unpaid for nearly three years.

Holding both the airline and the travel booking platform liable for deficiency in service, the commission said consumers cannot be made to suffer because of disputes between service providers over refund responsibility.

A bench comprising president D R Thakur and members Minakshi Rana and Anoop Kumar was hearing a complaint filed by Asheesh Verma, his wife Pooja Verma and their minor daughter Triti Verma against MakeMyTrip India Private Limited and Go Airlines (India) Limited, popularly known as Go First.

“Despite requests made by complainants, the amount has not been paid back to complainants and services of travelling in airways of opposite party No 2 (Go Airlines) were not provided to complainants, which is a deficiency in service on behalf of opposite parties. Complainants, therefore, are entitled to the claim,” the commission said on June 1.

According to the complaint, the family booked three tickets on March 26, 2023, through MakeMyTrip for travel on Go First flight G8-951 from Chandigarh to Mopa Airport in Goa on June 20, 2023. The tickets cost Rs 19,647.

As concerns grew over operational issues faced by Go First, the family decided to arrange a backup plan. They booked another flight from Delhi to Mopa Airport for the same day at an additional cost of Rs 15,718.

Their fears proved correct when, on June 18, 2023, they received an email informing them that the Chandigarh-Goa flight had been cancelled.

To catch their alternative flight, the family had to travel from Chandigarh to Delhi Airport by taxi, spending another Rs 5,000.

The complainants told the commission that they immediately applied for a refund through the MakeMyTrip platform, but despite repeated requests, no refund was issued.

MakeMyTrip argued that it merely acted as a facilitator for flight bookings and could not be held responsible for the airline’s failure to refund passengers.

The company contended that bookings made through its platform are forwarded to airlines and that refunds in case of cancellations are the responsibility of the carrier.

It further submitted that Go First had entered insolvency proceedings before the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT), and, therefore, refund claims were linked to the airline’s financial situation.

According to MakeMyTrip, it would process the refund once the airline released the corresponding amount.

Go First did not appear before the commission and was proceeded against ex parte.

The ruling reinforces the principle that online travel platforms cannot escape accountability merely by describing themselves as intermediaries when consumers book and pay through their platforms.

With thousands of passengers affected by flight cancellations and airline insolvencies in recent years, the order underscores that consumers are entitled to timely refunds and cannot be left caught between airlines and booking portals over questions of liability.

Consumers facing similar grievances may contact their respective state consumer helplines (Himachal Pradesh contact: 1800-180-8087) or call the National Consumer Helpline at 1915 for assistance.