A District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission in Karnataka directed Air India Express to refund a ₹2,000 fee and pay ₹25,000 in damages after placing a high-value bicycle on a regular luggage belt. The passenger, Sushanth N.G., booked a Chennai-Mangalore flight on July 27, 2025, paying an extra ₹2,000 for special equipment handling to protect his ₹3-lakh racing bicycle used for athletic training. Although airline staff assured him of careful transit, the passenger discovered the bicycle riding the automated baggage carousel alongside standard luggage upon landing in Mangalore.
After initial complaints yielded no resolution, the passenger filed a formal case. Air India Express admitted to collecting the fee but claimed it did not imply the item would be physically carried by hand through every step. The airline argued that special items are routinely delivered via standard belts unless oversized, adding that staff removed it quickly and that it sustained no physical damage.
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The consumer commission—led by President Somashekarappa K. Handigol and member Sharadamma H.G.—reviewed video footage showing the bicycle cycling on the conveyor belt. The bench concluded that delivering an item undamaged does not absolve an airline of failing to fulfill paid service terms. Placing the sports bicycle on a standard conveyor constituted clear negligence, deficiency of service, and unfair trade practices.
Air India Express was ordered to refund the ₹2,000 fee, pay ₹20,000 in compensation for mental agony, and provide ₹5,000 for litigation expenses. The airline faces a 6% annual interest penalty on the ₹27,000 total if unpaid within 45 days.
