New Delhi: Comedian Vir Das on Tuesday expressed disappointment with Air India, alleging a series of failures during a recent flight to Delhi — despite having paid ₹50,000 per seat.

In a detailed post on X, Das claimed that both he and his wife faced several inconveniences on board. These included a broken table, malfunctioning leg rests, and a seat that was stuck in a reclined position. To add to the ordeal, his wife — who is recovering from a fractured foot — reportedly did not receive the wheelchair assistance they had pre-booked.

"Dear Air India, please reclaim your wheelchair. I'm a lifetime loyalist. I believe you've got the nicest cabin crew in the sky, this post pains me to write," he began.

Das noted that they were informed the aircraft was “newly refurbished,” yet the seats were faulty, and the flight was delayed by two hours. Upon arrival in Delhi, they were made to disembark via a stepladder — despite his wife’s injury.

"I ask the air hostesses at the front of the plane to assist my wife while I carry four bags. Silence and a clueless look at each other," he wrote, adding that even a male ground staff member ignored his request for help.

Das said his wife had no choice but to descend the stepladder herself. At the terminal, when he brought up the matter with another staff member, the response was a dismissive, “Sir kya karein... sorry.”

Although wheelchairs were visible at the terminal, Das claimed no staff were present to assist — possibly due to the flight’s delay. Encalm, the meet-and-greet service provider, allegedly had to inform the wheelchair team of the pre-booking, only to find them unprepared.

Air India clarifies

Meanwhile, an Air India spokesperson said: “We empathise with the guests, particularly considering the mobility challenges involved, and acknowledge that the experience did not meet expectations. Our cabin crew offered assistance, including the option to deplane using the designated ambulift in line with standard operating procedures. The delay in wheelchair assistance—while regrettable—was due to an unusually high demand for wheelchairs and available staff at the time, not a denial of service. Air India remains committed to enhancing the overall travel experience for all our guests.”