'Hope rest of plane works': Air India passenger expresses concern over broken Business Class seat

Dubai: A single tweet can ignite widespread conversation, and that’s exactly what happened when Urvashi Prasad, a former director at NITI Aayog, shared her frustrating experience flying business class on Air India. Their reputation took another blow when she posted pictures of her broken seat during her Bombay to Delhi flight, raising eyebrows and concerns among frequent flyers.

According to Prasad, her business class seat was not only uncomfortable but also minus a crucial panel that had come loose. She accompanied her tweet with the images, writing, “Broken seats in business class on Air India flight AI 2996 from Bombay to Delhi… can only hope the rest of the plane is working.” This mix of disappointment and wit resonated with many users who have experienced similar issues.

The response online was immediate and varied. Some users jumped in to share their own horror stories, with one replying, “I had a broken seat on my last flight too! What is going on with Air India?” Others took a lighter approach, jokingly suggesting that perhaps the plane was “just trying to give a more ‘authentic’ travel experience.”

Not to be left out, Air India responded quickly, acknowledging Prasad’s experience. “Dear Ms. Prasad, we’re concerned to note this. Your feedback is important to us, and we’ll make sure it gets addressed promptly,” they tweeted back, attempting to regain some trust amidst the storm of complaints.

This incident opens the door to a larger issue within the aviation industry, particularly for Air India, which has recently seen a spike in customer complaints.

According to DGCA reports, passenger grievances have surged by an alarming 57 per cent in the last financial year. Both Air India and SpiceJet have been at the forefront of these complaints, highlighting ongoing dissatisfaction with service quality.

Comment sections on these posts were filled with opinions. One user remarked, “It’s disheartening to see such service from a major airline. They must step up their game!” Another user, however, offered a note of caution, suggesting that social media can sometimes overblow these incidents, stating, “Every airline has rough patches, but it’s important to share constructive feedback.”

As Air India faces scrutiny, they have urged the press and passengers to avoid unfairly tarnishing their reputation without solid evidence. Nevertheless, user reactions continue to shed light on the challenges airlines face in meeting customer expectations.