JAL fined over beef with passenger
Japan Airlines has been hit with a fine by a “city consumer court” for serving a meal containing beef to a devout Hindu.
G.L. Aggarwal, a resident of Palam Enclave, had taken a Japan Airlines flight to San Francisco on September 13, 2004. He had specified he wanted Asian Vegetable meal and also confirmed its availability twice by calling up the airlines.
As he began tucking into his meal, Aggarwal realised that he was chewing something strange. He vomited instantly when the airhostess told him that it was a piece of beef. The unrepentant airhostess told him that she had served a beef-based non-veg meal as Asian Vegetarian meal was “out of stock”.
On reaching San Francisco he complained to Japan Airlines and US consumer protection department. Coming back to India, he dragged the airlines to the Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum. “The hurting of sentiments cannot be measured in terms of money. However, taking into consideration the deficiency of service on the part of Japan Airlines, we have to compensate in terms of money”, said the forum headed by its President K.K. Chopra. The Airlines took the plea that it was a complimentary service and no charges were taken for the meal. But the court rejected the argument saying “it is a matter of common knowledge that meals are covered in the ticket and nothing is served free”.
Thanks to Mr. Pink
Poor Mari….she’s my favorite. If I ever become a j-pop singer and part of the...
Shes definitely at the top of my hot list.
perfeckt 10:10
BAAAAAaaaaaawwww the guy will win millions for this and we have to get nearly naked and our luggage opened all the time for national travels at the airport, when we will start to sue the airlines for this?
September 30th, 2007 at 9:28 amJapan Airlines should lump it, reprimand the flight attendent, have offered the guy a decent compensation package right from the beginning and used it as a lesson to flight attendents and suppliers that *food is very important for a lot of people and no, you *can’t* just decide to substitute something without telling the customer about the problem because there are dire religious, health and, now, legal consequences.*
If it had been a kid who was highly allergic to peanuts who was given a substitute meal that contained peanuts oil or sauce, the JAL flight attendent may have faced murder charges, depending on the jurisdiction.
If it would have been like a friend of mine, who is highly allergic to seafood, who was given some substitute meal with shrimp, JAL would have had a flight attendent who would have to deal with someone going into convulsions. And if she was too stupid to consider telling my friend that she’s decided to switch meals, imagine how she’s going to act during a medical emergency.
So, to paraphrase a line from ‘My Big Fat Greek Wedding’, no, you *can’t* serve lamb to a vegetarian and you can’t serve beef to a Hindu, either.
Especially after the poor guy confirmed his mean requirments *twice* with the airline… .
September 30th, 2007 at 12:01 pmAt the very least he should have been TOLD before he was served that there was a problem – then maybe something could have been sorted out. For example, maybe he could have got a first-class vegetarian meal.
September 30th, 2007 at 7:45 pmWow wow wow.
I had a similar experience on JAL (I didn’t eat the food — it was obviously meat), but they stewardess immediately apologised profusely and let me have my pick from the various vegetable and salad options they still had available from 1st class and economy. I later received a letter of apology from JAL.
Of course, I’m a mixed gal, and not an Indian — perhaps that was the difference in our experience?
October 4th, 2007 at 11:55 am