Airlines are liable to compensate its passengers for delays caused due to bad weather even though there may be no deficiency of service on their part, a city consumer forum has held.

A Delhi District Consumer Court gave this ruling while directing Oman Aviation Services to pay Rs 25,000 to a lawyer and his wife, who had to wait at Delhi Airport for 10 hours in December 2005 as their flight was delayed due to fog and low visibility.

"After going through the material on the record, we find that though there is no deficiency of service on the part of Oman Aviation Services, yet long waiting at the airport caused tiredness and inconvenience to the passengers, who felt frustrated and harassed.