Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan Criticizes Air India Over Faulty Seat

Highlights

Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan slammed Air India after being assigned a broken seat on a flight from Bhopal to Delhi. He called the experience "cheating passengers," prompting an apology from the airline.

Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has voiced strong criticism against Air India after encountering a broken seat on his recent flight from Bhopal to New Delhi. Calling the experience an act of "cheating passengers," Chouhan expressed his disappointment in a social media post, highlighting that he had pre-booked seat 8C but found it “broken and sunken.”

Upon questioning the airline staff, Chouhan was informed that the management was already aware of the issue, and the seat should not have been assigned to any passenger. He further claimed that several other seats on the aircraft were also defective. Despite co-passengers offering to switch seats with him, Chouhan chose to endure the discomfort for the duration of the 1.5-hour flight.

Expressing his dissatisfaction, Chouhan remarked that he had expected better service from Air India after its acquisition by the Tata Group in 2022 but found the reality disappointing. He emphasized that charging passengers full fare while providing defective seating was unfair.

In response, Air India issued an apology, assuring that the issue was under review to prevent future occurrences. While the airline has expanded its services under Tata's management, concerns remain regarding delays and outdated seating on certain aircraft.