Bengaluru man sues Air India over damaged bag, wins Rs 17,000. Airline had initially offered Rs 500

On September 8, 2024, the passenger--who is also a member of Air India’s frequent flyer programme--travelled from Delhi to Bengaluru and found a large dent on his checked‑in trolley bag. (AI-generated image)

A Bengaluru resident has won a compensation of Rs 17,000 after a consumer commission found Air India negligent for returning his checked‑in trolley bag with a significant dent and failing to register his complaint at the airport. The case, reported by The Times of India, details how the incident unfolded and how the passenger pursued the matter for more than a year.

Saurabh Raperia, a 28‑year‑old resident of Old Airport Road and a member of Air India’s frequent flyer programme, travelled from Delhi to Bengaluru on September 8, 2024, with a fragile tag placed on his checked‑in trolley bag. Upon retrieving his luggage at Kempegowda International Airport, he found a large dent. When he approached the airline’s baggage service counter to file a complaint, staff allegedly refused to accept it or issue a Property Irregularity Report (PIR), instructing him instead to raise the matter via email.

Air India offers Rs 500, then Rs 1,000

Raperia posted the incident on X the same day, prompting Air India to request his ticket details and baggage information. He informed the airline that no complaint number existed because staff had refused to register one.

On September 9, 2024, he emailed the airline seeking compensation. Two days later, Air India offered Rs 500, later revising it to Rs 1,000 after he rejected the amount as inadequate. He insisted that the airline either replace the trolley with one of similar quality or pay him Rs 13,425.

Legal notice and consumer forum ruling

With repeated follow‑ups yielding no resolution, Raperia issued a legal notice on September 23, 2024. Receiving no response, he filed a complaint before the consumer commission on December 10, 2024. Air India denied negligence and sought dismissal of the complaint.

After reviewing the documents, the commission ruled that by offering compensation, the airline had implicitly acknowledged that the damage occurred while the bag was in its custody. It held the airline liable and ordered it to pay Rs 17,000, including compensation and litigation costs.