‘No damages for articles left behind in aircraft’

The commission was hearing a petition filed by S K Srivastava,who had boarded an Air India flight on February 9 from Delhi to Sydney via Singapore. Srivastava was carrying a polythene bag containing two digital cameras.

After getting off at Singapore,he found his bag missing and lodged a complaint.

When Srivastava reached Sydney a day later,he was told the lost articles could not be located. His plea to Air India to compensate for the cameras was dismissed.

Srivastava then approached a consumer forum and stated that as his articles were lost during the aircraft-cleaning operations at Singapore,the airliner was responsible for the loss. He also sought compensation for deficiency of service and litigation costs. The forum,however,dismissed his plea.

Srivastava then filed an appeal at consumer commission.

Commission president Justice Barkar Ali Zaidi,in his recent decision,held: “No rule or regulation has been cited to prove Air India is responsible for any package left in the aircraft. There was negligence on part of the passenger and he cannot shift blame to the airlines.”