Pained Indian airline passenger bags Rs1 lakh compensation

A Delhi court has asked an airline to pay Rs one lakh in compensation to a passenger who was knocked unconscious when a bag from an overhead bin on the aircraft fell on his head.

A certain Mr Makhija was travelling from Bhopal to Kolkata via Delhi by Indian Airlines in July 2007. His Bhopal-Delhi flight was delayed by seven hours, and he got his second flight to Kolkata only the next day.

While the flight was landing at Kolkata, the overhead bin opened and a bag fell on Makhija's head knocking him unconscious immediately.

When he regained consciousness, Makhija found himself in the medical room of Dum Dum Airport, Kolkata. He was taken to a private clinic after he regained consciousness. The initial cost of treatment that he incurred was Rs45,000.

Makhija said that during his stay in the medical room, no Indian Airlines' officer offered him any support. He also missed all the meetings for which he was travelling to Kolkata. Makhija told the court that said he still suffers from temporary memory lapses and headaches as a result of the accident.