Gulf Air Ordered to Pay Compensation to Former Tamil Nadu MLA Denied Boarding at Moscow Airport

The Chennai North District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission has directed Gulf Air Airlines to pay compensation to former Tamil Nadu MLA Nizamudeen, who was not allowed to board a flight at Moscow airport because his passport did not have a surname.

The Commission has ordered the airline to pay around ₹1.4 lakh as compensation with 9% interest per year from the date of travel. In addition, Gulf Air must refund ₹29,689, the cost of the ticket, and pay ₹10,000 towards legal expenses.

What Happened

Nizamudeen, a resident of Periamet in Chennai, was travelling from Moscow to Dubai via Bahrain on February 9, 2023, when he was stopped at the airport. The reason? His passport contained only a single name — Nizamudeen — and no surname.

He explained that he had already travelled from India to Moscow using the same passport without any problem. However, Gulf Air’s ground staff in Moscow refused to let him board.

According to his complaint, the airline staff were “inconsiderate” and made him wait for nearly one and a half hours. Because of this, he missed an important meeting scheduled in Dubai the next day and went through significant stress and hardship.

Commission’s Findings

The Commission, headed by D. Gopinath along with members V. Ramamurthy and Kavitha Kannan, found that Gulf Air failed to follow updated travel rules.

These rules allow passengers who have a single name on their passport to travel if their family name appears elsewhere in the travel document. The Commission ruled that this guideline was not properly followed in Nizamudeen’s case.

The Final Order

The Commission ordered Gulf Air to:

Refund ₹29,689 (ticket cost)

Pay ₹1 lakh as compensation for poor service, financial loss, mental agony, and inconvenience

Pay ₹10,000 towards legal costs

Pay 9% annual interest on the compensation amount until it is settled

Gulf Air has been given two months to make the payments.

A Reminder for Airlines

This case highlights how airlines must carefully follow passenger identification rules and treat customers with respect and fairness. Even a small issue like a missing surname can cause major trouble for travelers — but it’s also the airline’s responsibility to act in line with the latest regulations and show understanding toward passengers.