Airtel - Excessive and unreasonable charges on my Airtel Postpaid Mobile bill

I am B. Venkata Ratnam, a long standing customer of Airtel. I have had an Airtel Connection for almost all ** years. Presently I am having a post paid connection on my mobile number **********.

Recently I was in the USA from **.**.**** to **.**.****. On **.**.****, I purchased an International Roaming pack valid for ** days. The package was activated on **.**.****. Prior to that no IR services are active on my mobile number. I have received the confirmation at *.** PM and at *.** pm that my purchase order of Rs **** IR world pass is complete through a Whatsapp message received from Airtel IR Care. I enquired about any IR pack availability for * weeks in the same whatsapp chat at *.** pm. I have received a message from them asking me to click on https://i.airtel.in/Airtel-Whatsapp. Upon clicking the link, I have again received the message regarding the available IR packs i.e. *day pack for Rs.***, ** days pack for Rs.****/- and ** days pack for Rs. ****/-. And I was not given any clue, as to how I can convey my requirement. I waited till *.** PM on that day, thinking that some Customer Care executive may approach me. But none have approached me. As my expected stay in the USA will be upto *th April ****. I wanted to extend the validity of my ** days IR pack to ** days IR pack and hence requested for activation of ** days IR pack at *.** PM on **.**.****. The relative message is also recorded in the whatsapp chat with Airtel IR Care. Subsequently, I have not received any message from Airtel.

Then, I enquired with the customer care executive through the link https://i.airtel.in/Airtel-Whatsapp provided in the Whatsapp chat with Airtel IR Care. Then I received a message from Airtel Cares, asking me to confirm the country, type of roaming etc, which I have obliged. But it appears Airtel Cares had only some pre-recorded queries relating to whether I need to know more about the IR packs or whether I am facing difficulty connecting to the international network. But both of these queries are not my issues and hence, in the absence of any more available queries, I disconnected the chat.

Then, in the absence of any confirmation for my request to activate the Rs ****/- ** days IR pack, I presumed that only Rs. ****/- **days IR pack was active on my mobile. Subsequently I have used the **days IR package active on my mobile till **.**.****. On **.**.****, I received a SMS message which read: "Your Rs.****/- IR pack for ** days will expire today. If you will be staying for a longer duration, we suggest you to purchase an IR pack again. For more information on packs, call (toll free)/Whatsapp on +************ or visit Airtel Thanks App https://i.airtel.in/ir-New". As I didn`t want to have any more IR packs on my mobile, I did not respond to that message.

Subsequently, on **.**.**** I noticed some SMS messages (from **.**.**** to **.**.****) which read:"Important alert! You do not have any International roaming pack active on your Airtel Mobile ********** & your usage for today has reached Rs.***. As a good will gesture, we have credited - *. Calls - *** min Incoming + Outgoing (India + Local). *. Data - ***MB, *. SMS - **, at just Rs. *** for today i.e. **.**.****. You can use it at no extra cost. Discounted rates will be applied once these benefits are over. To purchase an International roaming pack, click https://i.airtel.in/ir-New. For details, call(International toll free)/Whatsapp +************."

I was shocked to see the messages and immediately lodged a complaint **-************* on *st April ****, where I have categorically stated that I have opted only for a ** days IR pack valid upto **.**.**** and post expiry of the same I have not opted for any one day IR pack. I also stated in the complaint that the charges that are being charged daily be reversed.

This complaint **-************* was closed unilaterally by Airtel on **.**.**** without providing any resolution. In the absence of any advise to me on this complaint, I considered that Airtel has reversed the daily IR Pack charges from **.**.**** and restored the status of my mobile phone to the status prior to the activation of the IR pack. But to my surprise on *th April ****, I received my bill for Rs. **,***.** which included my monthly plan charges of Rs.*** + ** days IR pack charges of Rs. *,***/+ Rs. ***/- + Rs. ****/-Extra charges(Daily IR pack charges for * days @ Rs. *** per day) and taxes of Rs. *,***.**.

Immediately I have lodged a complaint bearing ticket id: **-************* again narrating the above events and requested them to reverse the charges. But the complaint was closed in two days without providing any resolution or advise to me. I continued to show my displeasure through the SMS messages and raised the following complaints: on **.**.**** ticket id: **-*************, which was closed on **.**.****. on **.**.**** ticket id: **-************* closed on **.**.****, Meanwhile, on **.**.**** I received a SMS message which read as: "Hello! A waiver of Rs. ****.** has been provided on your Airtel Mobile bill. Check your due amount and view plan details anytime on Airtel Thanks App. Click www.airtel.in/*/wnd to download now." But no details were provided. But I was demanding a waiver of Rs. *,***/- + relevant taxes of ****.** being the extra charged to me by continuing the activation of the one day IR packages on my mobile. In this regard, please also refer to my complaint no: **-************* on *st April ****.

In the absence of any resolution to my grievance, I have again raised the complaint on **.**.**** ticket id: **-*************. A customer care executive called me on **.**.**** and enquired about the dispute. He listened to me and advised me that he has noted the issue and will escalate to the higher authorities and assured a resolution within ** hours. I requested him to permit me to pay my actual charges through online payment i.e,. an amount of Rs. *** + Rs. **** + taxes, by keeping aside the disputed amount, pending the resolution. But he advised me that I may receive the resolution soon. On **st April ****, I again received a call from the customer care executive, who informed me that they cannot do anything in this matter and advised me to pay the bill without any further delay to avoid disconnection. But on **.**.**** at **,** AM I received again a call from the customer care executive(From Mobile no: **********), who advised me that the issue has been escalated to the higher authorities and the resolution will be expected within two days. But in the evening at *.** PM on **.**.**** the complaint no: **-************* was closed and received a SMS message which read as" Hi, your complaint No. **-************* raised for your Airtel Number ********** has been closed. If you are dissatisfied with the provided resolution, please contact *** or appellate to raise an appeal" .


In the entire episode, no meaningful resolution was provided to me.

When certain terms are having a material impact to the customer, at the time of confirming the purchase order or activating the IR pack, it should have been reiterated to the customer. But unfortunately, I was not alerted that the IR services to be deactivated, even after I lodged my first complaint on *st April ****. Further, on **.**.****, when I wanted to convert my ** days IR pack of Rs. *,*** into ** days IR pack of Rs. *,***/-, no response was received from either Airtel IR Care or Airtel Care. After noticing the messages, I have lodged my first complaint on *st April ****, where in I have categorically mentioned that I have opted for ** days IR pack which is valid upto **.**.**** and I have never made any request to you to activate one day IR packs or keep active the IR services. It would have been prudent on the part of Airtel to reiterate Terms and conditions that impact me materially. Though I was interacting with the Airtel through Airtel IR Care, Airtel Care and through my complaints, I was never informed about the Condition that is impacting me materially. If my request for activating the ** days IR pack and cancelling the ** days IR pack materialised, this entire episode would have been avoided. It is very unfortunate that all the complaints lodged by me were closed for the first instant after ** hours, probably to showcase that all the complaints were resolved in a reasonable time. But never bothered to advise the customer about how the complaint has been resolved.

Later, I escalated the issue to the Nodal officer on **th april ****, who expressed regret on **th april **** for the inconvenience caused to me in this regard and further assured me that steps will be initiated to see that such situations doesnt arise in future. However, the nodal officer failed to heed to our concerns. In the entire episode, I am experiencing a financial burden in the form of extra charges (Daily pack charges for * days). I have already told the Nodal Officer, that I am not convinced to pay the additional charges levied in my account by way of daily IR pack charges and requested her to reverse the additional charges to enable me to pay the bill. She expressed her inability.

But surprisingly, i have received a call from another customer care executive, who advised me that my complaint is still open and i will be receiving the resolution within ** hours, which i have never received till date.

This issue has been going on now, and they have also started charging late fee on my account.

My claim is that Airtel must reverse the * day daily IR charges amounting to Rs **** + the late fee charged so far + the relevant taxes.

Further, I would also like Airtel to apologize and also seek compensation for the mental agony I have been put through for weeks now.