When you pay extra for certain services by an airline, it is quite disappointing if the carrier does not carry through on those promised services. Something similar happened with Vir Das, the famous comedian and actor, after which he took to his social media to express his frustration with Air India. With a broken table and a missing wheelchair for his injured wife, here’s what happened.
Vir Das Receives Broken Table & No Wheelchair On Air India
As revealed by the Indian comedian and actor on social media, Vir Das paid ₹50,000 per seat for an Air India flight. Yes, he had even pre-booked a wheelchair for his wife as she had fractured her foot. However, on reaching their destination, Delhi, the staff looked at him cluelessly upon being asked about the wheelchair required. And when they asked the staff for assistance, they were ignored! As a result, she had to climb down the aircraft stepladder with an injured foot. However, their flight from Mumbai to Delhi was hardly smooth!
Also Read: Starbucks Baristas Slam Company For Change In Dress Code; Here’s Why
The Flight Was Far From Smooth
He further detailed in his post how despite paying the amount of ₹50,000 per seat, he ended up with a broken table, broken legs, and the seat was stuck in the recliner position. Counting himself as an Air Indian loyalist, he mentioned how he disliked calling out the airline.
In their reply to the thread, the airline mentioned how they understood and empathised with his experience and asked for booking details through DM so that they could look into this matter on a priority basis. Coming to the thread, people showed sympathy for his plight. Showing their displeasure, some recounted their own stories with the airline. Some even went as far as to mention how the service has declined over the years and it’s not the same, while some even ended up blaming him for flying with the airline.
In fact, the airline also shared a statement: “We have noted with concern a social media post by Mr Das about a wheelchair not being provided to his co-passenger while travelling from Mumbai to Delhi on AI816 on 14 April 2025. We empathize with the guests, especially given the mobility concern involved, and recognize that this experience fell short of expectations. The operating cabin crew offered to assist the guest, including deplaning by using the ‘ambulift’ assigned to the aircraft as per SOP, but the delay—not denial—in providing wheelchair assistance was due to unusually high demand for wheelchairs and staff at that time. Air India remains committed to improving the end-to-end travel experience for all its guests.”
So, how has your experience been with Air India? Do let us know in the comments.
Cover Image Courtesy: Wikimedia Commons