Airlines miss deadline to appoint ombudsman

Deadline was August 1 but carriers say it was not mandatory

NEW DELHI: The government’s missive to all carriers to name an ombudsman by Aug 1 to address grievances of air passengers has been given a miss. No airline — including the National Aviation Company of India, which runs Air India — has heeded to the government’s request, despite being given two months to do so, a senior civil aviation ministry source said. The ombudsman was proposed as authority that will provide a forum for passengers to lodge their complaints and to act as an arbitrator for settlement of disputes between them and the airlines.

“As of now, there is no agency where an air passengers can lodge complaints. They have to go to consumer disputes forums or the courts,” he said.

“But once the carriers appoint their ombudsman, the grievances of passengers are expected to be addressed much faster. It would be an obligation on the part of carriers and send a signal that they care for their passengers.” Spokespersons for various carriers said the government had only made a proposal and that it was not a mandatory on their part to appoint an ombudsman.

Civil aviation secretary Ashok Chawla made the suggestion for an ombudsman at a meeting with all carriers early June, and Aug 1 was set as the deadline. He had proposed an ombudsman till such time the government was able to notify a watchdog on the lines of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India.

The regulator would look in to issues like aeronautical charges, user development fee and airfares.