Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan criticized Air India after he was assigned a “broken” seat on flight AI436 from Bhopal to Delhi. He noted that several other seats were also in poor condition, despite having been informed that the seat should not have been sold. Air India apologized and promised a thorough investigation. Chouhan expressed disappointment in the airline’s service post-Tata takeover and questioned their ethics for charging full fares while providing inadequate seating. The Civil Aviation Ministry has directed Air India to address these issues, while the Congress party used his criticism to highlight broader issues in transportation.
New Delhi:
On Saturday, Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan criticized Air India, which is owned by the Tata Group, for assigning him a “broken” seat on his flight from Bhopal to Delhi. The minister claimed that when he inquired with airline staff about the defective seat, he was informed that management had already been made aware of its condition and that it should not have been sold.
The airline expressed regret for the “inconvenience” experienced by Mr. Chouhan and promised a comprehensive investigation to prevent future occurrences. Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu also acknowledged his cabinet colleague’s grievance and has instructed the airline to take appropriate measures.
In a post on X, Mr. Chouhan shared that he was en route to the national capital for the opening of the “Kisan Mela,” in addition to attending a meeting of the Natural Farming Mission in Kurukshetra and engaging with protesting farmers in Chandigarh.
“I had booked a ticket for Air India flight number AI436, and I was given seat number 8C. Upon sitting down, I discovered the seat was broken and sunk. It was quite uncomfortable,” he wrote in Hindi.
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।
मैंने एयर इंडिया की फ्लाइट क्रमांक AI436 में टिकिट करवाया था, मुझे सीट क्रमांक 8C आवंटित हुई। मैं जाकर…
— Shivraj Singh Chouhan (@ChouhanShivraj) February 22, 2025
Mr. Chouhan, a former chief minister of Madhya Pradesh, further alleged that multiple other seats were in a similar state.
“My fellow passengers suggested I switch seats for a more comfortable one, but I did not want to inconvenience another person for my comfort. Thus, I decided to continue my journey on the same seat,” he stated.
A flight from Bhopal to Delhi typically takes about one-and-a-half hours.
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“I thought Air India’s service would improve under Tata Group management, but I realized that was a misconception,” he noted, referring to the acquisition of the national airline in 2022.
He mentioned that although he “doesn’t care” about discomfort, it is “unethical” to expect passengers to sit in defective seats while paying full fare.
“Isn’t this deceiving the passengers?” Mr. Chouhan questioned.
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“Will the Air India management implement measures to ensure that passengers do not experience such inconveniences in the future, or will they continue to exploit passengers’ urgent need to reach their destinations?” he added.
Later, speaking to reporters, Mr. Chouhan remarked: “When something is amiss, you can either stay silent or speak up. I felt that this issue extended beyond just me. If other passengers have faced similar issues, the management needs to be aware to prevent future occurrences.”
In response to his tweet, Air India initially stated that it was “carefully looking into the matter to prevent any such incidents from happening again.”
Later, the airline issued a statement saying: “Air India deeply regrets the inconvenience caused… This does not reflect the standard of service we aim to deliver to our guests, and we are conducting a thorough investigation to ensure that such incidents are not repeated.”
The Civil Aviation Ministry also intervened, indicating that Mr. Naidu had spoken with Mr. Chouhan regarding the issue. “We immediately contacted Air India about this matter and directed them to take necessary steps. Our side, the DGCA will also be investigating the details promptly. I have also personally discussed this with Shivraj ji,” the statement said.
“This underscores the civil aviation minister’s dedication to addressing passenger concerns swiftly and ensuring that regulatory bodies remain vigilant in overseeing airline operations,” it concluded.
The Congress party took the opportunity to criticize the Centre concerning issues in the aviation and railway sectors.
Quoting Mr. Chouhan’s tweet, the party wrote on its official X account: “Passengers are troubled in trains, passengers are distressed on planes. People keep complaining and recording videos, yet no action is taken. Now that Shivraj ji has encountered a problem and tweeted about it — perhaps action will finally be taken.”