Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan Slams Air India Over Broken Seat in Flight

Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has expressed his frustration over a broken seat assigned to him on an Air India flight. The incident occurred on a flight from Bhopal to Delhi, where Chouhan questioned the airline’s service quality after being given a faulty seat.

Shivraj Questions Air India’s Service Standards

Chouhan took to social media platform X to voice his concerns. He stated that he had booked a ticket on Air India flight AI436 and was assigned seat number 8C. Upon sitting, he found the seat broken and uncomfortable. He criticized the airline for allocating defective seats to passengers.

“When I asked the airline staff why a broken seat was assigned, they admitted that management had been informed about the issue but still allowed the seat to be sold. This is not an isolated case; several seats on the flight were in poor condition,” he wrote.

Chouhan further mentioned that fellow passengers offered him their seats, but he chose to complete the journey in his assigned seat rather than inconvenience others. He urged Air India to take corrective measures to ensure that no passenger has to endure such discomfort in the future.

Political Reactions Follow

Chouhan’s post sparked political reactions. Former National President of Youth Congress, Srinivas BV, criticized him, pointing out that his government failed to provide adequate facilities for millions of devotees traveling to the Kumbh Mela. “People had to stand in crowded trains, but that did not concern him. However, a broken seat in a flight became an issue,” he remarked.

Samajwadi Party spokesperson Yash Bhartiya also commented on the situation, stating that many air travelers face similar issues but not everyone has the platform to raise their concerns on social media. He later deleted his post.

Will Air India Take Action?

In his closing remarks, Chouhan questioned whether Air India management would take steps to prevent such inconveniences for future passengers or continue to exploit travelers who have no choice but to endure such conditions.

The incident has once again raised concerns over Air India’s service quality and the treatment of passengers, especially in light of its ongoing transition under new ownership.