Lagatar24 Desk
New Delhi: The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has sought a response from Air India after Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan criticized the airline on social media for assigning him a “broken and sunken” seat during his flight from Bhopal to Delhi on AI436. The minister described the experience as “unethical”, questioning the airline’s service quality under Tata’s management.
Minister’s Complaint on Air India’s Service
Chouhan, in a post on X (formerly Twitter), expressed disappointment, stating, “My impression was that Air India’s service would improve after Tata took over, but it turned out to be my misconception.” He further added, “I don’t mind discomfort, but selling tickets for broken and uncomfortable seats is unethical. Isn’t this cheating passengers?”
He revealed that upon questioning the airline crew, he was informed that the management was already aware of the poor condition of the seat and had been advised against selling the ticket. “This is not the only seat like this; there are many others,” he remarked. Despite co-passengers offering him a seat exchange, Chouhan decided to complete his journey on the same broken seat.
DGCA and Aviation Ministry’s Response
Following Chouhan’s remarks, the DGCA initiated an inquiry, seeking clarification from Air India. Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu confirmed that the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) and Air India’s CEO Campbell Wilson have been informed of the issue. “We instructed Air India to take necessary action, and DGCA is also looking into the matter. I personally spoke to Shivraj Ji,” Naidu stated.
Air India’s Apology and Response
In response, an Air India spokesperson issued a formal apology: “Air India deeply regrets the inconvenience caused to Hon’ble Union Minister Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan Ji on his flight from Bhopal to Delhi. This does not reflect our standard of service, and we are conducting a thorough investigation to ensure such incidents are not repeated.”
The airline also mentioned its ongoing retrofit program for its legacy aircraft, which involves replacing all seats and refurbishing cabin interiors. The retrofit for narrow-body aircraft is expected to be completed by mid-year, while wide-body aircraft upgrades will be finished by next year. However, delays have occurred due to global supply chain issues.
Chouhan, in his closing remarks, questioned Air India’s commitment to passenger comfort, asking, “Will the airline ensure that no passenger faces such inconvenience again, or will it continue taking advantage of passengers’ urgency to travel?”
