Isn’t this cheating passengers? Shivraj Singh Chouhan slams Air India over 'broken seat'
Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan slammed Air India for allotting him a broken seat, prompting an apology from the airline and intervention by the Civil Aviation Ministry.
Former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister and Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan expressed strong dissatisfaction with Air India after experiencing discomfort due to a broken seat on a flight from Bhopal to Delhi. His social media post criticizing the airline sparked swift reactions from Air India and the Civil Aviation Ministry.
Isn’t this cheating passengers?
Chouhan, who was traveling on Air India flight AI436 on February 22, was assigned seat 8C, which he described as “broken and sunken in.” In his post on X, he questioned why such a seat was even allotted to passengers. “When I asked the airline staff why the seat was given to me, they said the management was already informed that it was defective and should not be sold. There are many more such seats,” he wrote.
आज मुझे भोपाल से दिल्ली आना था, पूसा में किसान मेले का उद्घाटन, कुरुक्षेत्र में प्राकृतिक खेती मिशन की बैठक और चंडीगढ़ में किसान संगठन के माननीय प्रतिनिधियों से चर्चा करनी है।
— Shivraj Singh Chouhan (@ChouhanShivraj) February 22, 2025
मैंने एयर इंडिया की फ्लाइट क्रमांक AI436 में टिकिट करवाया था, मुझे सीट क्रमांक 8C आवंटित हुई। मैं जाकर…
Despite co-passengers offering him a better seat, Chouhan refused to inconvenience others. He further criticized the airline, saying, “My impression was that Air India’s service would improve after Tata took over, but I was mistaken. Charging passengers the full amount for defective seats is unethical. Isn’t this cheating the passengers?”
Air India responds with an apology
Following Chouhan’s complaint, Air India promptly responded, apologizing for the inconvenience and assuring corrective action.
"Dear Sir, we apologise for the inconvenience caused. Please be rest assured that we are looking into this matter carefully to prevent any such occurrences in the future," the airline stated in a reply on X.
आज मुझे भोपाल से दिल्ली आना था, पूसा में किसान मेले का उद्घाटन, कुरुक्षेत्र में प्राकृतिक खेती मिशन की बैठक और चंडीगढ़ में किसान संगठन के माननीय प्रतिनिधियों से चर्चा करनी है।
— Shivraj Singh Chouhan (@ChouhanShivraj) February 22, 2025
मैंने एयर इंडिया की फ्लाइट क्रमांक AI436 में टिकिट करवाया था, मुझे सीट क्रमांक 8C आवंटित हुई। मैं जाकर…
Civil aviation ministry and DGCA step in
The incident also caught the attention of the Civil Aviation Ministry. Minister Ram Mohan Naidu personally spoke to Chouhan and directed Air India to take necessary action. "We spoke to Air India immediately on this issue and instructed them to take necessary action. From our side, DGCA will also be looking into details of the matter promptly," the Ministry stated.
Will Air India take corrective measures?
Chouhan’s criticism highlights ongoing concerns about Air India’s service quality despite its privatization under the Tata Group. With the Civil Aviation Ministry and DGCA now involved, it remains to be seen whether the airline will take concrete steps to address passenger grievances and improve its service standards.
