New Delhi:
In a series of events that have left Air India facing intense scrutiny, prominent political figures have come forward to express their dissatisfaction with the airline’s service. Recently, in New Delhi, Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan shared his uncomfortable experience on a Bhopal-Delhi flight, where he was allotted a broken seat. This incident has sparked a wave of criticism, with another BJP leader, Jaiveer Shergill, labeling Air India as the “worst” airline due to its subpar service.
Chouhan’s experience on Air India flight AI436 highlighted the airline’s failure to address basic passenger comforts. Despite being informed that the seat was faulty, it was still sold to passengers. Chouhan chose not to switch seats, opting instead to complete his journey in the broken seat to emphasize the issue. He questioned the ethics of charging full fare for substandard seating, calling it “unethical” and akin to “cheating” passengers.
Jaiveer Shergill’s critique was even more scathing, stating that if there were Oscars for the worst airlines, Air India would win in every category. He cited broken seats, poor staff behavior, and inadequate ground support as reasons for his dissatisfaction. Air India responded to both complaints with apologies and promises to investigate and improve.
The backlash comes as Air India, now under Tata management, is in the process of upgrading its fleet and services. Despite significant investments, including major aircraft purchases from Airbus and Boeing, the airline still faces challenges in improving its customer experience.
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