Jet Airways fined Rs1.4 lakhs for death of pets

New Delhi: Jet Airways has been penalised by a Delhi consumer forum to the tune of Rs1.44 lakh, which it will have to pay as compensation to a passenger for causing the death of two of his pugs, a fancied breed of dogs.

The two dogs had boarded Jet flight 9W 370 from Mumbai to Delhi in May 2009 and were found to be dead on arrival at the IGI airport two hours later. Airlines officials informed the owner, Rajendra Tandon, who was also travelling by the same flight, that the dogs had died due to "lack of oxygen".

The New Delhi district consumer forum held the pilot responsible for the deaths as he had failed to switch on the air-conditioning in the live animal compartment. It directed the airline to pay the cost of the two pugs, Rs1.20 lakh, along with an interest of 9% from the date of death, Rs15,000 for mental agony and another Rs5,000 as litigation charges.

"The death of the pugs is a great material and emotional setback to the consumer. Jet Airways must compensate the loss," said the consumer forum bench. "It was the duty of the airlines to maintain adequate air pressure in the compartment where the pugs were kept," it observed.

Rajendra Tandon, a resident of Gulmohar Park in south Delhi, said he wanted the defaulters convicted as he was not interested in monetary compensation. He said he would file an FIR against the airline and give away the compensation to charity.