4 min readNew DelhiJul 16, 2026 10:20 AM IST
First published on: Jul 16, 2026 at 10:20 AM IST
The Kolkata District Consumer Commission has held a travel agency guilty of deficiency in service after it failed to provide a tourist with the vehicle promised for a Sikkim trip and refused to refund the advance payment.
A bench of president Manoj Kumar Rai and member Ashok Guha Roy Bera ordered Global Tour and Trek to refund the complainant Rs 20,000 with 9 per cent interest and pay Rs 10,000 as litigation costs.
“Based on the unrebutted testimony of the complainant and the documents on record, we found that the opposite parties failed to provide the promised car after the complainant reached Siliguri Junction railway station. It also found that, despite repeated requests, they did not refund the Rs 20,000 advance. The commission therefore holds them guilty of deficiency in service,” it said on July 3.
The order added that from the documents and evidence, it is proved that the complainant had transferred an advance amount of Rs 20,000 out of the total payment of Rs 90,000.
‘Kept waiting for 2 hours’
According to the complaint, two consumers had booked a Sikkim and North Bengal tour package with M/s Global Tour and Trek for Rs 90,000 and paid Rs 20,000 as an advance. After reaching Siliguri Junction railway station on May 23, 2024, the travel agency neither sent the promised vehicle nor shared the driver’s details, despite making the tourists wait for nearly two hours.
Having no other alternative, the complainants were compelled to cancel their booking and make arrangements for the trip on their own. The complainants claimed that they had to wait at the station for two hours with their family and children, adding to their mental stress.
They demanded compensation of Rs 1 lakh for deficiency of service, besides Rs 1 lakh for causing mental harassment and agony. The complainants also sought Rs 30,000 for legal expenses and other incidental costs. The commission served notices to the agency, but it neither appeared before the panel nor filed a written reply, triggering ex parte (unilateral) proceedings.
‘Booking and payment proven’
Based on the complainant’s unchallenged testimony, the commission found that he had booked a family tour to Sikkim and North Bengal from May 23 to May 31, 2024, with the agency for a package price of Rs 90,000. Since the complainants availed the services of the agency by paying an advance of Rs 20,000, it is proved that the complainants are consumers and the opposite parties are service providers.
The commission directed the travel agency to refund the Rs 20,000 advance with 9 per cent annual interest from May 7, 2024, until realisation. It also awarded Rs 10,000 as litigation costs and ordered compliance within 45 days, failing which the order could be enforced according to law.
Takeaway
This judgment reinforces that travel operators are accountable for delivering promised services. It confirms that failing to provide booked transport and refusing to refund advance payments amounts to a deficiency in service. The ruling also shows that businesses ignoring consumer complaints and legal proceedings can face ex parte orders with refunds, interest, and costs.
Consumers facing similar grievances may contact the consumer helpline in their respective states (West Bengal: 033-2252-0448) or dial the National Consumer Helpline at 1915 for assistance.
After the complaint and others reached Siliguri Junction railway station, the travel agency neither sent the promised vehicle nor shared the driver’s details. (AI-generated image) 
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