New Delhi [India]: Punjab BJP chief Sunil Jakhar has raised concerns over broken seats on a Chandigarh-Delhi IndiGo flight, sharing photos from his travel experience in January.
Jakhar’s remarks come just a day after Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan reported a similar issue with a defective seat on an Air India flight from Bhopal to Delhi.
Jakhar’s Concerns Over Airline Safety Standards
Taking to X (formerly Twitter), Jakhar stated that while the cabin crew was courteous, they advised him to file a complaint on IndiGo’s website when he brought up the issue during his flight on January 27.
“It seems broken seats, as pointed out by @ChouhanShivrajji, are not exclusive to Air India. Here are some pictures from an IndiGo Chandigarh-Delhi flight on January 27, showing many seats with loosely placed cushions instead of properly fitted ones conforming to safety regulations,” Jakhar posted.
“The cabin crew, though courteous as always, expressed their inability to do anything and advised me to complain on the company website,” he added.
Jakhar emphasized that he was raising the issue to ensure that the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) takes strict action to prevent a ‘chalta hai’ attitude in airline safety and maintenance practices.
IndiGo Responds to Jakhar’s Allegations
IndiGo responded to Jakhar’s post, clarifying that aircraft seats are designed with removable cushions secured by Velcro to allow for easy cleaning and maintenance.
“Sir, our seats are designed with removable cushions, secured by Velcro, to facilitate easy cleaning and maintenance. On rare occasions, they may come loose and require repositioning for better comfort,” IndiGo replied on X.
The airline further assured that safety remains its top priority and that the seat design complies with all required safety regulations.
“Safety is paramount for us, and we assure you that the overall seat design ensures no compromise is made with safety requirements. Thank you for your kind understanding, and we look forward to welcoming you onboard again soon,” IndiGo added.
Jakhar’s concerns add to the growing conversation around airline safety standards and passenger comfort in India, especially in light of similar complaints against Air India.