Actor Tillotama Shome publicly criticized Air India on Sunday for its lack of communication regarding an 8.5-hour delay of its Mumbai-London flight. Traveling with her elderly parents, she took to X (formerly Twitter) to express her frustration about the airline’s poor accountability during this significant delay.
In her tweets, Shome detailed her experience, stating, “AI 129. @airindia flight to Heathrow. Delayed from 5:15 am to 10 am. No message, no calls from the airlines to notify passengers of the delay. All they can say is sorry. Zero accountability and no solutions offered.” She later updated her followers that the flight was further delayed to 1:30 pm, emphasizing the absence of communication from the airline and the lack of support for affected passengers, including no hotel accommodations or alternative flight options.
Shome also highlighted the plight of a fellow passenger needing urgent medical treatment in London, urging Air India not to operate flights until improvements were made in their communication and service protocols. She expressed her concerns for the passenger’s health and the overall treatment of travelers.
In response, Air India stated they had notified passengers of the delay and regretted the inconvenience. However, Shome countered that many passengers had not received any communication, mentioning that Air India staff admitted it was taking time to contact everyone.
Shome appealed to both Air India and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) for clarity on compensation for the delay, questioning the legality of the situation. After enduring an 18-hour journey, she concluded with a sense of relief upon finally reaching London but expressed trepidation about her return flight with Air India, seeking assurances of improved service.
As of now, Air India has not provided further responses to Shome’s concerns.
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