Extra compensation for Honeymoon couple

Hyderabad, February 22: A Hyderabadi couple got Rs.5000 extra compensation along with Rs.2 lakh package for cancellation of their honeymoon to Switzerland.A district consumer forum here has directed an online travel agency to pay Rs.2.5 lakh to a couple as compensation for failing to schedule their visa interview on time, which in turn resulted in the cancellation of their Shashi Kumar P and his wife Deepti intended to travel to Switzerland and approached Ms. Yatra Online Pvt.Ltd for arranging their trip.They opted for Rs.2 lakh package. The package was all inclusive of the cost of visa processing, air tickets, hotel accommodation and sightseeing in Switzerland."We clearly told the agency that visa interview should be scheduled before May 28, 2015, as we were getting married on that day", said Kumar in his deposition, adding that yet the agency slotted visa interview a day after their wedding. Subsequently, the travel agency rescheduled their visa interview to June 1, 2015."We were shocked to hear from the embassy officials that the tickets reserved for 6 am on June 2 were invalid for processing of their application as it would take 24 hours to provide visa", Kumar said.The defendant (Yatra) said that it had informed the petitioners beforehand that embassy would grant visa only on June 2, 2015, and that they had to reschedule the tickets."In the peculiar facts and circumstances of the case, having considered principles of equity, natural justice, we are of the opinion that the agency was undoubtedly negligent and is liable to compensate the couple", the bench said.Apart from compensation, Rs.5000 was awarded to couple towards the legal cost.