Following an altercation between a disabled passenger and the airline’s assistance workers, which resulted in a negative Instagram post by the impacted individual, Indigo Airlines is currently facing criticism. A specially-abled woman posted her ordeal online, which took place on December 5. She slammed the airline for leaving her disabled in the truest sense after the incident.
Specially-Abled Woman Slams IndiGo Airlines
Ms. Virali Modi, a paraplegic (unable to move the lower parts of the body), described the incident in a post on her Instagram. Virali described being abandoned in her seat on an Indigo flight (6E-864) from Delhi to Mumbai. The staff neglected to assure her safe return to the airport and did not offer a wheelchair for her exit, even though they were aware of her condition.
Since 2006, Virali has been paralysed from the waist down and has been dependent on a wheelchair for mobility. She was waiting for help long after everyone else had disembarked, even though she was a frequent traveller.
She had to wait for 40 minutes to get deplaned by the cabin crew. After this, she had to wait for another 30 minutes for someone to get her personal wheelchair from the aircraft.
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Lost Her Customised Cushion
The most heartbreaking words ever 💔
the negligency and disregard towards a disabled person’s comfort is mainly due to the fact that so many of us forget that we can become disabled at any moment of our lives by any catastrophe. https://t.co/a10tAVH4if pic.twitter.com/Rd4k4ld4r5— Curry • 6 days 🛫 (@gojoscurry) December 6, 2023
While she reached her car, the helper kept pushing her personal cushion. Virali had to repeatedly tell the helper that the cushion was her personal one, but all of it fell on deaf ears. It was only after she arrived home that she realised that her customised cushion had been taken away by the helper.
She called IndiGo’s customer care, who made her wait for another 55 minutes before an executive attended her call. The matter was taken very lightly by them, and they did not at all seem apologetic about it.
Virali mentioned that now she cannot sit on her wheelchair without her cushion, and that has actually left her stranded on her bed. The next morning, when her husband went to the counter, he was asked to file an FIR.
Wheelchairs are said to be available at all airport sites by Indigo, with a focus on helping travellers go from the plane to the arrivals hall and from check-in to the boarding gate. But the event highlights a big disconnect between the airline’s policy and the help that is being provided.
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Airlines Contacted Virali
Virali shamed the airlines for their negligence and attitude. She also explained to netizens that this was not just any random cushion but something that had to be customised for her comfort. Hence, this negligence has created a huge issue.
After a while, she posted an update on her Instagram story, which informed her that Mr. Pratik Arjun Sen reached out to her and took cognizance of the issue. She mentioned that the airlines are going above and beyond to get Virali a new customised cushion.
UPDATE: I’m in touch with Indigo. They’re specifically making a customisable cushion according to the specifications of my wheelchair and they’ll be delivering it either tonight or tomorrow.
— Virali Modi (@Virali01) December 6, 2023
Virali said that a person with a disability cannot navigate in India independently. She fails to understand what laws are there and why they never get implemented.
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What are your views?
Cover Image Courtesy: @viralimodi/Instagram and Wikimedia commons
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