Fork out 5,000 or miss flight, airline tells 9-year-old, 17-year-old sisters

Time of India

a day ago

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Kolkata: A Kolkata-Ahmedabad flight turned into a nightmare for two sisters, Mahira (9) and Manyata (17), after airline ground staff asked them to pay Rs 5,000 in cash for the 'unaccompanied minor fees' for the nine-year-old girl or risk missing the flight.
The airline claimed the 17-year-old couldn't qualify as an adult as she was yet to be 18.
They were scheduled to board Akasa Airlines flight QP 1926 to Ahmedabad, where their mother awaited them. However, the journey took a traumatic turn at the airline's check-in counter.
There were two cousins of the young girls who were flying on a separate airline but were checking in around the same time and had offered to pay the money through UPI.
However, the airline staff demanded the money in cash, claiming the counter was closed and that no QR code could be generated. The kids finally managed to pool in funds and pay up, after which they were allowed to board.
In India, some airlines charge an 'unaccompanied minor fee' for children aged between five and 12 years on the date of travel for certain assistance services from the airline crew. A parent or guardian is required to complete a signed 'unaccompanied minor form' at the point of check-in.
The form must include the name and contact numbers of the parent or guardian (above the age of 18) who will meet the unaccompanied minor at the point of arrival.
In this case, the family said no documentation or written policy was provided to support this claim. At the Ahmedabad airport, there was reportedly no ID verification of the receiving parent, further contradicting the rationale for the fee, the family alleged.
TOI reached out to Akasa, who was yet to send a response till late on Friday. "They were simply told to pay or miss the flight," said the girls' mother, Shalini Dugar. "There was no explanation, no breakdown of charges, and no receipt till the time my elder daughter insisted."
According to the family, the two, along with their cousins—both aged 21—were returning from a vacation in Nepal. They came to Kolkata by train and stayed at their grandmother's place for a night.
They were to board the flight back home to Ahmedabad on Wednesday, where Shalini was supposed to pick them up.
"At the time of booking, we were never told about the unaccompanied minor fee. In fact, kids above 12 years are shown as adults on the booking page. They previously flew to Bagdogra from Ahmedabad with the same airline on April 26, where no fee was sought. When the kids told them they didn't have additional money, they refused to issue a boarding pass.
The cousins, who had finished check-in, intervened and attempted to resolve the issue by offering UPI payment.
But the airline refused, claiming a QR code couldn't be generated," said Pearl Choradia, the girls' aunt.
Under duress, the kids finally paid the money by pooling in funds, after which a boarding pass was issued for Mahira. "We have no problem in paying the fee if it's legitimate and announced in advance at the time of booking.
But we demand an explanation, apology, refund, and disciplinary action against the staff who caused emotional distress and trauma to my daughters," said Shalini, who lost her husband a year and a half ago.
Family members said because of the family circumstances, the children gathered the courage to travel without their mother. "It was a decision born out of necessity and resilience. However, the traumatic experience they faced has left them deeply shaken," Choradia added.
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