New Delhi, Jan. 5 (PTI): Thai Airways has been asked to pay Rs 1.25 lakh as compensation to a person and his family who were told that they could not board their return flight from Bangkok as their tickets, bought from an agent, were not confirmed.

“When a person goes on an excursion trip, he always plans the itinerary in such a manner that he does not face any inconvenience and thus makes sure that the tickets are confirmed,” said Justice J.D. Kapoor, president of the state consumer commission.

Kapoor held the airlines responsible for causing hardship to its passengers in an alien land.

The commission rejected Thai Airways’ contention that its sub-agent had wrongly termed the tickets as “confirmed” and that the travellers had no direct dealings with it.

“Whenever airlines evolve the system of sale of tickets through their agents... the endorsement made by them on tickets as ‘OK’ or ‘confirmed’ is an endorsement made on behalf of the airlines, and the airlines is liable directly as well as vicariously for every act of omission or commission of its agent or sub-agent,” it said.

Shyam Sunder, a resident of Naraina Vihar in south-west Delhi had gone on a holiday to Bangkok with three family members in 1997.

He booked “confirmed” tickets from Delhi to Bangkok and back through a Delhi-based sub-agent, M/S Peagasus Travels Ltd. Sunder had paid Rs 1 lakh for the tickets.

But when he and his family were about to board the return flight from Bangkok, they were told by officials of Thai Airways that their tickets were not confirmed. They had to buy fresh tickets after borrowing money from a friend.