A Consumer commission has dismissed a complaint against Brussels Airlines filed by a passenger who was denied boarding after refusing to pay excess baggage charges and subsequently missing the check-in deadline. An airline cannot be held guilty of “deficiency in service” for enforcing a standard contractual condition, said the Additional District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, Mumbai Suburban, in an order passed on Tuesday.

Flight dispute

The Versova resident had booked economy-class tickets for himself and his two children to travel from Mumbai to Manchester via Brussels on September 12, 2017. As his luggage exceeded the free baggage allowance, the airline’s ground staff asked him to pay excess baggage charges. He refused and instead chose to rearrange his luggage. By the time he returned for the check-in, the deadline had passed. He later travelled on another airline and approached the consumer commission seeking compensation.