AI generated image used for representative purpose
NEW DELHI: A district consumer commission in
Kerala has directed a travel agency to refund Rs 82,500 to a customer after finding deficiency in service and unfair trade practice over its failure to conduct a
Bali tour or return the money for several years. The commission also awarded Rs 25,000 for mental agony, inconvenience and hardship and Rs 5,000 towards litigation costs. The order was passed on August 31, 2026.
Why did the customer approach the commission?According to the commission order, the customer booked a three-night, four-day Bali tour package with Kerala Travel Zone after seeing its advertisements on social media. He paid Rs 60,000 on December 23, 2019, followed by Rs 22,500 on December 26, taking the total payment to Rs 82,500.
The proposed tour could not be conducted because of the Covid-19 pandemic. The customer said that after international travel resumed, he repeatedly approached the travel agency either to conduct the tour or refund his money.
According to him, the agency kept postponing the journey and eventually informed him that the tour would be conducted on December 28, 2022. The journey was later rescheduled to April 10, 2023, but the tour was not conducted even then.
The customer subsequently sent a lawyer notice demanding a refund of Rs 82,500 along with compensation.
“Instead of adopting either course, the opposite parties repeatedly postponed the journey and continued to retain the complainant's money for several years without rendering any service whatsoever. It directed the travel agency and its proprietor to jointly and severally refund Rs 82,500 with 9 percent annual interest from the date of filing of the complaint until realization. The total payout comes to Rs 1,12,500, apart from the interest on the refund.
The amounts have to be paid within 45 days of receipt of the order.
