SpiceJet flight Goa to Hyderabad cancelled but no refund

Question

I booked four SpiceJet tickets for my return journey Goa to Hyderabad for 15th Dec 2014. That day at 9:45 AM I got an SMS "flight cancelled and call us for reschedule". Everybody knows that SpiceJet people never pick up and talk to customers. So I couldn't reschedule. I booked a bus and came back to Hyderabad along with my family, travelling the whole night with lots of pain with my little kids. SpiceJet spoiled our vacation joy.

Now on the SpiceJet site they don't mention anything about a refund.

Do I get my ticket money refunded?
Do I need to do any thing for that?
Will they automatically process a full refund to my card/account?
Can I put a case in a consumer forum for the inconvenience/pain caused?

Answer 1

In general, if your flight is cancelled by the airline through no fault of your hown, you're always supposed to have two options:

1. Accepting their alternative arrangements, or
2. Getting your money back in full.

They are not liable to cover any costs for arrangements you make completely on your own, eg. the bus. They do also not owe you anything for "hassle caused" etc, although most full-service carriers would cover any extra costs incurred (meals, accommodation) and possibly offer you some credit on top, and in some countries (notably in the EU) there are legal requirements for this too.

However, in this specific case, since SpiceJet is teetering on the edge of collapse, you're going to have a very tough time getting your money back from the airline no matter what you do. If you paid for the flights by credit card, contact your credit card company/bank immediately and dispute the charge, since you have not received the services you paid for. If you paid by any other means... you're likely out of luck, or at best, in for a long wait. Notify the airline in writing that you want your money back, and join the long queue of creditors: according to the news, SpiceJet has unpaid debts of over $300 million USD already.