A high-ranking member of India’s police force and his wife were awarded over $2,000 in court after their Singapore Airlines business-class seats only manually reclined and did not do so automatically during their under-five-hour trip from Hyderabad, India to Singapore in May 2023. They described the physical suffering and mental agony they endured due to the malfunctioning seats and feeling like they were being treated like economy class passengers, despite paying for business class tickets. Singapore Airlines confirmed the faulty recline ability in their seats and mentioned that their crew assisted the couple by manually reclining the seats when needed, as the flight was full and they couldn’t be moved to another part of the cabin.
The couple had a layover in Singapore on their way to Perth, Australia, and turned down an offer of 10,000 frequent flyer miles, choosing to pursue legal action instead. They paid around $800 per seat and were awarded $2,400 in court in April. This incident is not the first of its kind, as a passenger previously sued Emirates for $3,300 over a broken seat recliner and general untidiness during a flight from Oslo to Dubai. The passenger, a 20-year-old flyer, described his business-class seat as grubby and absolutely disgusting after paying $2,166 for his ticket.
While the airline did not experience any issues on their connecting flight to Australia, the incident highlights the growing trend of passengers in business class seeking compensation for discomfort during flights. The focus on luxury and comfort in business-class seats has led to passengers having high expectations and demanding a certain level of service and comfort. As airlines compete to attract high-paying passengers, incidents like these are becoming more common, with airlines having to respond to the demands and expectations of their business-class customers.
The case of Gupta and his wife winning compensation for their manually reclining seats on Singapore Airlines sheds light on the rising trend of passengers in business class experiencing discomfort and seeking legal action as a result. These incidents highlight the gap between the expectations of business-class passengers and the actual service provided by airlines, as well as the increasing importance of comfort and luxury in the aviation industry. As high-paying customers demand more from airlines, the industry will have to adapt and respond to ensure that business-class passengers are provided with the level of service and comfort they expect during their flights.
Airlines like Singapore Airlines and Emirates are now facing legal action from business-class passengers over issues such as broken seat recliners and general untidiness. This highlights the changing landscape of air travel, with passengers becoming more vocal about their dissatisfaction and seeking compensation for their discomfort. The incident involving Gupta and his wife is just one example of the growing trend of passengers in business class standing up for their rights and seeking redress for issues they encounter during flights. It remains to be seen how airlines will respond to these legal challenges and whether changes will be made to ensure that business-class passengers are treated with the level of luxury and comfort they expect.
