“Cheating Passengers”: Shivraj Chouhan Slams Air India Over “Broken” Seat

Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Saturday slammed Tata Group-owned Air India for allotting him a “damaged” seat on a flight from Bhopal to Delhi. In a submit on X, the Minister alleged that when he requested the airline workers why the seat allotted to him was damaged, they informed him that the administration had been knowledgeable earlier that it was not in good situation and its ticket shouldn’t be bought.

The airline apologised for the “inconvenience” brought on to the Minister and stated it was trying into the matter.

Mr Chouhan, a senior Bharatiya Janata Social gathering (BJP) chief, stated he was travelling to the nationwide capital to inaugurate the “Kisan Mela”, and was scheduled to carry a gathering of the Pure Farming Mission in Kurukshetra and meet the protesting farmers in Chandigarh.

“I had booked a ticket on Air India flight quantity AI436, I used to be allotted seat quantity 8C. I went and sat on the seat, the seat was damaged and caved in. It was uncomfortable to sit down,” the previous Madhya Pradesh chief minister 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

There was not only one such seat however many extra, Mr Chouhan claimed.

“My co-passengers requested me to vary my seat and sit on a greater seat however why ought to I hassle one other pal for my sake? I made a decision that I might full my journey by sitting on this similar seat,” he stated.

A flight journey from Bhopal to Delhi often takes about 1 and a half hours.

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“My impression was that Air India’s service would have improved after Tata took over the administration, nevertheless it turned out to be my false impression,” he stated, referring to the Air India-Vistara merger final yr.

He additionally stated he “would not care” about discomfort in sitting nevertheless it was “unethical” to make passengers sit on dangerous and uncomfortable seats after charging them the complete quantity.

“Is not this dishonest the passengers,” Mr Chouhan requested.

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“Will the Air India administration take steps to make sure that no passenger faces such inconvenience in future or will it proceed to make the most of the passengers’ compulsion to succeed in their vacation spot early,” he wrote.

Air India, in response to his submit, stated it was trying into this matter “rigorously to forestall any such occurrences sooner or later”.

“We might respect the chance to talk with you, kindly DM us a handy time to attach,” it added.

Congress used the Minister’s criticism to take a dig on the Centre over points within the aviation and railway sectors.

Quoting Mr Chouhan’s tweet, the get together’s official X deal with wrote, “Passengers are troubled in trains, passengers are distressed on planes. Individuals maintain complaining and maintain making movies, however there isn’t any motion. Now, since Shivraj ji has confronted an issue and is tweeting — perhaps motion shall be taken on this.”