CHANDIGARH: The District Consumer Disputes redressel forum directed Zinga Travels Services, in sector 27, to pay Rs 50,000 for failing to organise a trip to Europe for a couple in 2016 despite being paid in advance. In 2017, when they finally sent them to Paris, agency failed to provide them with all the services. They were further asked to refund Rs 1.71 lakh paid by the complainants. Kamal Gupta and his wife, residents of Zirakpur, stated that they had planned to go on tour to Europe and availed the services of the travel agency for arranging the tour for 9 nights and 10 days costing Rs 1.45 Lakhs per person. They paid an amount of Rs 1 Lakh to them through a cheque on April 22, 2016 to initiate the process of Visa and other formalities. Subsequently, on April 26, 2016, they paid Rs 50,000 and submitted the original passports to avoid any delay. However, despite all these formalities, the agency failed to send the complainants on their Europe tour in May.Finally, on June 16, 2017 the agency provided them flight tickets, insurance during flight, hotel booking voucher and itinerary list. The Complainants alleged that after they reached Paris on June 17, 2017, agency started refusing the services as assured by them. They said that they were not provided the meal vouchers, local site seen passes, transfer tickets, city and intercity and even no information was given about the guide.On being asked by the complainant, the agency assured that they would hand over all other necessary/required documents in Paris's Hotel at the time of check in, but the agency failed to provide the same and forced them to run from pillar to post which caused great mental torture rather than enjoyment of Europe Tour.At the end of the day, they asked the agency for making arrangements for them to come back to India, but they refused to the same. The complainants had to book the flight back to India at their own expenses on June 21, 2017.In thier reply on filled complaint, the agency stated that the complainants were having wavering mind and they kept on changing their demands/ plans due to which whole confusion was caused. Further the complainants did not pay the entire amount for the tour as agreed between the parties.Notwithstanding this, the complainants were duly provided with all the requisite documents/ passes/ tickets as per the requirement and on the settled schedule between the parties. They alleged that complainants have levelled false and frivolous allegations against them and after enjoying holidays, got their return tickets booked to India that too without informing them.Forum after hearing both sites stated that, “we find that the complainants have suffered great mental torture and harassment in addition to financial loss.” Forum further held that the agency failed to adduce any documentary evidence to substantiate the fact that they had made adequate and proper arrangements for the complainants during their trip like all fares, inter country transfer, local sight-seeing, all meals, hotel expenses and boarding charges etc. including a guide at Paris”It was stated that the act of agency for not providing the adequate facilities to the complainants for their Europe trip, as promised, despite charging the amount of Rs 2.85 lakh, certainly and definitely amounts to deficiency in service and their indulgence into unfair trade practice.They were then directed to pay compensation and refund the money paid for days for which they did not stay. They were also directed to pay Rs 10,000 as litigation cost.

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