Air India Apologizes To Union minister’s broken Shiv Raj Singh Chohan For Broken Seat

Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan strongly criticized Air India after experiencing discomfort due to what he described as a “broken and sunken” aircraft seat. The incident occurred while he was traveling from Bhopal to Delhi on his India flight AI436.

Chouhan, who previously served as the Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, took to X (formerly known as Twitter) to express his dissatisfaction with the condition of the seat assigned to him. He explained that he had been allotted seat number 8C, but upon reaching his designated place and sitting down, he found the seat to be in a severely damaged state. He mentioned that it was broken and had sunk, making it extremely uncomfortable for him to sit properly throughout the journey.

When Chouhan raised his concerns with the flight crew regarding the defective seat, he was reportedly informed that the airline’s management was already aware of the issue. The crew acknowledged that such seats should not have been assigned to passengers, yet the issue persisted. According to Chouhan, he was not the only passenger affected, as several other seats on the flight were also in a similarly deteriorated condition.

The minister expressed his disappointment publicly, stating that he had expected better service from Air India, especially after its acquisition by the Tata Group. He remarked that he had assumed there would be significant improvements in the airline’s quality and passenger experience under the new management, but his expectations were not met.

Following Chouhan’s public complaint, Air India promptly responded with an apology. The airline assured him that the issue was being taken seriously and that necessary steps would be implemented to prevent similar situations in the future. Their official response stated: “Please be rest assured that we are looking into this matter carefully to prevent any such occurrences in the future. We would appreciate the opportunity to speak with you, kindly DM us a convenient time to connect.”

Despite the apology, Chouhan remained unconvinced, emphasizing that passengers should not have to endure such poor conditions while traveling with a reputed airline. He stressed the importance of maintaining high standards of service and ensuring passenger comfort. The incident has sparked renewed discussions about the quality of service offered by Air India, with several passengers sharing their own experiences of subpar conditions on social media.

This incident has once again highlighted the challenges faced by the airline industry, particularly regarding the maintenance of aircraft and the overall passenger experience. With Air India striving to rebrand itself under Tata’s ownership, such episodes serve as reminders of the areas that require immediate attention and improvement. As travelers continue to expect world-class services, the airline will have to work diligently to rebuild trust and ensure customer satisfaction.