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

Bhopal/Hyderabad, Feb 22 (Maxim News): Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan criticized Air India after being allotted a “broken and sunken” seat during a flight from Bhopal to Delhi. The minister described the incident as an “unethical practice”, accusing the airline of charging full fares while providing passengers with defective seating.

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Chouhan shared his unpleasant experience on X (formerly Twitter), prompting Air India to issue a public apology and assure him that the matter was under investigation.

The incident took place on Air India Flight A1436, which the minister had boarded to attend multiple engagements, including the inauguration of a farmers’ fair in Pusa, participation in a Natural Farming Mission meeting in Kurukshetra, and discussions with farmer organization representatives in Chandigarh.

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Chouhan, who was assigned seat 8C, revealed that upon sitting down, he discovered the seat was broken and had sunken, making it extremely uncomfortable for the journey.

When he raised the issue with the crew, Chouhan was informed that the airline management was already aware of the defective seat and that it should not have been assigned to any passenger. The minister also claimed that several other seats on the flight were in a similar condition.

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Despite offers from fellow passengers to swap seats for his comfort, Chouhan chose to complete his journey on the same seat, stating he did not want to inconvenience others.

Shivraj Singh Chouhan Express Disappointment

Expressing disappointment with the airline, Chouhan remarked that he had expected better service standards after Air India’s takeover by the Tata Group, but the experience proved otherwise. “Charging passengers full fare for defective and uncomfortable seats is unethical. Isn’t this a form of deception?” he questioned.

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Chouhan also challenged Air India’s management to take corrective measures, asking, “Will the airline ensure no passenger faces such discomfort in the future, or will it continue to exploit passengers’ urgency to reach their destinations?”

In response, Air India issued an apology on X: “Dear Sir, we apologize for the inconvenience caused. Please be 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 provide a convenient time to connect.” (Maxim News)

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