New Delhi [India], February 22: Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, who previously raised a concern over the discomfort he experienced during a recent Air India flight, has clarified that his remarks were not meant to be personal but were intended to benefit all travelers. Chouhan, who was in Kurukshetra, Haryana, for an inspection of a natural farming farm and other projects, addressed the media and emphasized that passengers should receive proper facilities if they are paying for services
“It’s not about me. If other passengers also face similar inconvenience, Air India’s management should be made aware so that such situations don’t arise in the future. If money is being charged, then passengers should receive the facilities they deserve,” Chouhan said.
Earlier, following the emergence of this issue, Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu acted swiftly, instructing Air India to address the complaint and personally speaking to Chouhan to resolve the matter. “We spoke to Air India immediately on this issue and instructed them to take necessary action. DGCA will also be looking into the details promptly. I have personally spoken to Shivraj ji as well,” said Naidu.
The issue first came to light when Chouhan tweeted about his unpleasant experience on Air India flight AI436. He reported that his assigned seat (8C) was “broken and sunken in,” making it uncomfortable to sit. He further expressed frustration that despite Tata taking over Air India’s management, the service had not improved. Chouhan shared on X, “When I asked the airline staff why this seat was allotted to me, they said the management had been informed earlier that this seat wasn’t good and shouldn’t have been sold. There are many such seats.”
He also criticized the airline for charging full price for such uncomfortable seats. “I don’t care about sitting discomfort, but it is unethical to make passengers sit on bad seats after charging them the full amount. Isn’t this cheating the passengers?” he questioned. Chouhan called for corrective action to ensure future passengers do not face such issues.
In response to the complaint, Air India issued an apology, assuring passengers that they were looking into the matter to prevent such occurrences in the future. Air India also offered to connect with Chouhan to discuss the issue further, stating, “Dear Sir, we apologize for the inconvenience caused. Please be rest assured that we are looking into this matter carefully.”
The incident also sparked a reaction from the Congress party, which criticized the government’s handling of aviation and railway issues. The party pointed out that while passengers regularly face inconvenience, it is only when prominent figures raise issues that action is taken.
The incident highlighted the ongoing concerns surrounding the quality of service in the aviation sector and the need for improved passenger experience.