Jet Airways crisis: Delhi HC to hear plea to ensure full refund for passengers on May 1

New Delhi, Apr 24: The Delhi High Court on Wednesday said that it would hear on May 1, the appeal filed by activist Bejon Kumar Misra who sought direction to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation and the Ministry of Civil Aviation to ensure refund or alternate travel arrangements for passengers who had booked tickets with Jet Airways airlines.

The Court observed the petition was filed for publicity, it also asked petitioner why content of PIL was published in newspapers before it came up for hearing.

The airline had last week suspended operations due to lack of funds.

The plea was filed by Advocates Shashank Deo Sudhi, Dinesh Kumar Dakoria and Bijender P Kumar.

With the grounding of debt-ridden Jet Airways, more than Rs 360 crore of passengers' hard earned money is under threat due to non-refund of the ticket value, the applicant, Bejon Kumar Misra has contended.

"It is common knowledge that more 1000 scheduled flights had been cancelled by Jet airways and the respondents are sitting ideal and leaving the common passenger to their fate...That it is submitted that as per the report available in the public domain, approximately more than ₹360 crore of the passengers/consumers hard earned money are under threat due to non-refund of the ticket value. Additionally, the passengers/consumers have to not only purchase alternative tickets at highly exorbitant cost but also go through lots of anxieties and mental agony," the plea, filed through advocates Shashank Deo Sudhi and Shashi Bhushan, said.

In March, founder Naresh Goyal was forced to cede control of the airline, after Jet Airways, saddled with huge debt, defaulted on payments to banks and aircraft lessors. A consortium of 26 lenders led by State Bank of India has invited bids from potential buyers for the cash-strapped airline. The qualified bidders will have to submit their binding bids by May 10.