The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has sought a response from Air India after Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan criticised the airline’s service quality, alleging he was assigned a “broken and sunken seat” on flight AI436 from Bhopal to Delhi.
In a social media post on Saturday, Chouhan expressed disappointment, calling it “unethical” for the airline to assign defective seats to passengers while charging full fare. “My impression was that Air India’s service would improve after Tata took over, but it turned out to be my misconception,” he tweeted.
“I don’t mind discomfort in sitting, but it is unethical to make passengers sit on bad and uncomfortable seats after charging them the full fare. Isn’t this cheating the passengers?” he added.
Aviation Minister, DGCA, MoCA step in
Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu personally spoke to Shivraj Singh Chouhan, assuring swift action. He has instructed the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to conduct an investigation and suggest appropriate corrective measures. The DGCA has officially requested Air India to explain the incident.
Naidu confirmed, “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 the matter promptly. I have personally spoken to Shivraj ji as well.”
The Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) also engaged directly with Air India’s CEO and Managing Director Campbell Wilson, urging the airline to prioritise the matter. “We have advised Air India’s CEO to handle the matter on top priority,” a MoCA spokesperson stated.
Air India’s apology and investigation
In response, an Air India spokesperson issued an apology, saying, “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 the standard of service we strive to provide to our guests, and we are conducting a thorough investigation into the matter to ensure that such incidents are not repeated.”
What happened?
Chouhan detailed his experience on social media, revealing that he had booked seat 8C on flight AI436 and found it to be broken and sunken upon sitting. Despite the discomfort, he chose not to inconvenience other passengers by switching seats.
“When I asked the airline staff why such a seat was assigned to me, they told me that the management had been informed earlier that the seat was not in good condition and that its ticket should not have been sold. This is not the only seat like this; there are many others,” Chouhan stated.
He further questioned Air India’s management, asking, “Will Air India take steps to ensure that no passenger faces such inconvenience in the future, or will it continue to take advantage of passengers’ compulsion to reach their destinations quickly?”
Air India’s ongoing retrofit program
Air India has recently launched a retrofit program aimed at upgrading its legacy aircraft. This includes complete replacement of all seats and refurbished cabin interiors. The retrofit of narrow-body aircraft is expected to be mostly completed by mid-year, while work on wide-body aircraft will begin shortly and is slated for completion next year. The program has faced delays due to global supply chain issues.
The incident has sparked discussions about airline accountability and the quality of services provided, especially in light of Air India’s ongoing efforts to modernise its fleet and improve customer experience under Tata Group’s ownership.