'Will Air India management take steps...?': Shivraj Singh Chouhan slams airline over ‘broken seat’

Airlines often face criticism from passengers due to broken seats, delayed flights, and a host of other reasons. However, on Saturday, Air India faced the wrath of Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan for alloting him a broken seat.

The minister slammed Tata Group-owned Air India for giving him a 'broken' seat on a flight from Bhopal to Delhi and asked “isn't this cheating the passengers?”

The senior BJP leader stated that he was under the impression that Air India’s' service would have improved after Tata took over,' but the reality was otherwise.

Shivraj Singh Chouhan further questioned if Air India's management would take any steps.

Shivraj Singh Chouhan's complaint about Air India

Shivraj Singh Chouhan posted on X that when he inquired with the airline staff about the broken seat assigned to him, they informed him that the management had been previously notified about the seat's condition and that it should not have been sold.

“I had booked a ticket on Air India flight number AI436, I was allotted seat number 8C. When I went and sat on the seat, I found it was broken and sunk. It was uncomfortable to sit,” Shivraj Singh Chouhan wrote in Hindi.

Air India's response

Air India quickly apologised for the "inconvenience" caused to the Minister and said it “would prevent any such occurrences in the future.”

“We would appreciate the opportunity to speak with you, kindly DM us a convenient time to connect,” the Tata group owned airline added.

Indian-American CEO slams Air India

Shivraj Singh Chouhan slamming Air India for a ‘broken seat' is not a first in the series of passengers' grievances against the Tata group owned airline.

Last year, in September, the CEO of CaPatel Investments, Anip Patel criticised Air India's business class service, describing it as a nightmare with worn-out conditions and poor food availability. He claimed that he had paid $6,300 (roughly over ₹5 lakh) for a disappointing experience, including tangled headphones and unclean cabins.

Air India under the Tatas

In October 2021, the Tata Group won the bid for Air India and officially took charge of the airline in January 2022. While privatisation brought hope of a revival for the beleaguered airline, one area where Air India has lacked it is aircraft revamp and induction. The airline which inducted former Delta and Etihad planes had announced the induction of three B777s from Singapore Airlines, which has not happened till date.