Recently, the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission in Palakkad has ordered AirAsia India Limited to pay ₹90,750 to a farmer after holding the airline responsible for a service failure that led to damage to a rare plant following a delayed flight. Read on to know more.
AirAsia To Pay ₹90k To Farmer After Jackfruit Damage
The Commission concluded that the airline was responsible for both financial loss and mental distress suffered by the farmer. The order stated that it is clear that the complainant has suffered financial loss and mental agony due to the deficiency in service on the part of the opposite party and is bound to compensate the complainant for that.
As per the complaint reported by Moneycontrol, the farmer had travelled from Kochi to Indonesia via Kuala Lumpur in August 2025 to purchase a hybrid jackfruit sapling for his farm. While returning, his AirAsia flight from Medan-Kualanamu to Kuala Lumpur was delayed by a few hours, resulting in him missing his onward Kochi connection even after having a layover of more than three hours.
He claimed that upon reaching Kuala Lumpur, he approached airline staff seeking alternative boarding options and even expressed willingness to pay additional charges due to the fragile nature of the sapling he was carrying. However, he was reportedly informed that the next flight to Kochi, which was available, was after three days. The complainant later argued that this was misleading, as he was able to get a seat on another AirAsia flight on the same day, on his own.
AirAsia To Cover Flight Tickets, Compensation & Legal Costs
As per reports, the delay and lack of assistance resulted in the sapling being damaged beyond normal, ruining the purpose of the trip and causing financial losses, along with additional travel and accommodation expenses. Despite being issued a notice, AirAsia did not appear before the Commission or file a response, leading to ex parte proceedings. After examining official evidence like tickets and travel records, the Commission held that the delay and failure to assist caused a deficiency in service. It further directed the airline to refund ₹30,750 towards ticket fare and pay ₹25,000 towards travel and accommodation expenses. In addition to this, the airline will also provide ₹25,000 as compensation for failure in service, along with ₹10,000 towards litigation costs.
The Commission further ordered that the payment be made within 45 days, failing which an interest rate of ₹500 per month would apply until full settlement.
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What country owns AirAsia?
AirAsia is a multinational airline group headquartered and primarily owned in Malaysia.