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1.4 634 Reviews

Air India Complaints Summary

60 Resolved
572 Unresolved
Our verdict: If considering services from Air India with a critical resolution rate, extra caution is advised. Examine detailed customer feedback to understand the severity and nature of unresolved issues. Be prepared for the possibility of unsatisfactory responses and have contingency plans, including seeking assistance from consumer advocacy groups if necessary.
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V
5:35 am EDT

Air India customer service rude

Relevant details for United to investigate:

1) On a Mileage Plus issued ticket, does the passenger
have a right to expect the initial carrier to check the bags to final destination?
2) Is the carrier in the right regarding asking the passenger to PROVE
United baggage policy OR all STAR alliance partners expected to know the STAR alliance partner policies
3) Does United feel comfortable leaving their Mileage Plus passengers at the mercy of airlines with such
bad customer service as Air India?
Lastly

4) Knowing the answer to 3 as yes, does United intend to follow up with Air India at the appropriate levels to
alleviate the misery of their passengers having the misfortune on relying on Air India (obviously, their flights
always have available space given their behaviour)?

Thank you

Complete complaint text

My daughters Kavita and Kanchana were each traveling a single ticket each issued by Mileage Plus (Frequent flyer tickets) from United connecting from AI 101 from Mumbai to Delhi to Zurich. Here is the information and complaint details.

Working Flight AI 101 on July 28, 2015 at or around 7:30 PM to 9 PM. Including the supervisor on duty, who was especially extra arrogant and rude.

Also, the customer service crew on AI 101 flight from Mumbai to Delhi on the same day (July 28, 2015 departure 9:30 Pm).

Text of complaint submitted online to Air india vigilance and DGCA as well:
Here is a summary of our complaints:

Relevant details:
My sister (Kavita) and I were traveling a single ticket issued by Mileage Plus (Frequent flyer tickets) from United connecting from AI 101 to OS 34 (Vienna) and onto OS 561 to Zurich. We reached the check in desk well in time, however, the ground staff were rude and unhelpful. This behavior extended to the regular staff and the supervisor (who was actually worse). The main issue was that they wouldn't check the bags directly to Zurich, though the primary attraction of a Star Alliance ticket issued by any airline is that bags are SUPPOSED to be checked through to the final destination. United confirms this.

The galling part of the behavior of the supervisor comes from this statement made by a supervisor: "This is a United ticket, show us the baggage rules which require us to check the bags through." This, to a couple of 20yr olds traveling alone for the first time (without their family). Firstly, the Star Alliance rules must have been clear to ground staff; secondly, this is no way to talk to any passenger (experienced or otherwise).

Please advise how you expect to handle this. We plan to follow up with United/Chase Mileage Plus/Star Alliance regarding this behavior.

The behavior continued on the plane, as if it was well known to the flight crew about the issues on the ground. Entertainment system was not working; steward/esses didnt do anything to help; had to demand to be given a custome review card - handed to them in disgust with the order to fill in then and there. Atrocious behavior from a flag ship carrier from India, towards Indians, albeit born overseas. Pathetic. I know that some NRIs traveling in India exhibit behaviors which are not exactly exemplary, but, having a mother working in customer service, we are well aware of the demands placed on customer service agents and almost always polite.

So, we have no idea what prompted the specific staff working the AI 101 flight on July 28, 2015 @ 7.30 PM in CST International Airport to behave this way. And, would also like you to know and address, as appropriate, this kind of extremely aggressive behavior by notifying the crew to extra discourteous toward these same passengers. (Unless, of course, this sort of behaviour comes naturally as a result of the airline culture fostered by the Air India work environment, which, is what we hear from ex-passengers of Air India, who swear to never fly India's flagship airline ever again.)

Thank you.

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8:12 am EDT

Air India Bags not found. Airline people have no clue after 24 hours

I recently came from Chicago to Delhi (AI126) on 12th July, 2015. We were waiting for our check-in bags at conveyor belt and saw few crew members checking the baggage tag numbers.One of crew member came and told that our bags haven't arrived and this has happened as the earlier fight didn't provide the checked-in bags. We got different statements from different crew members.Below were the ones.
1) Mistake by connecting flights
2) Load was too much so they intentionally left bags.
3) Someone at Chicago forgot to load bags.
They gave us a contact number for international baggage claim for which I am calling them but no body is picking the call. Lady picked call once and disconnected while saying that she don't have information and since then not picking the call. Customer service is worse in Air India. Don't know why we pay so much money for direct flights and end up being treated like beggars. Compare their services with other airlines and you would never come with Air India.
While writing this complaint, I am still dialing their phone from last 2 hours but no one is bothered to at least respond to calls or email.

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7:34 pm EDT

Air India denied boarding

I had a united award ticket for a flight from jfk to del by air india. When i went to JFK, air india cooly said the ticket is not there in their system and i should talk to united. I called united, and united said everything is confirmed on both sides. Further they requested to talk to the air india ticket agent - the air india ticketing agent's response was "its not our issue, so you talk to them yourself"! ... when i told united agent this response, they decided to call air india customer service - after some ten minute wait, united said the air india customer service says its not a problem and it should be fine now - it was not to be. finally after much begging the air india airport agent agreed to talk to the united rep. they haggled for 20 minutes, and finally the united guy gave up and told me he will rebook me on the next day's flight (same flight). by this time, me having learned the lesson, flatly refused an air india award ticket - finally united agreed to put me on a flight operated by united from ewr.

lesson learned. i am surprised they let air india into star alliance - woe to star alliance people for letting such worse airline into what is otherwise a great airline network. as an indian, i feel ashamed india has to put up with a career that is in such sorry state - recently a friend's bag got torn and partly burned and the ai baggage people refused to own up any mistake...

travel at your own risk!

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6:33 pm EDT

Air India Negligence of air india and harassment

Shivani Saxena & Mayank Bhatnagar
V/s
Air India
Issue: Negligence of Air India and missed the connecting flight which result the appellant had to paid additional expense to purchase the new tickets and harassment

That applicant purchased the two air India tickets Dated on Dec 25 2014 from New Delhi Indira Gandhi International Airport to Toronto Pearson International Airport; the flight was a connecting flight as per Air India ties with Air Canada. The appellant paid the full amount INR Rs 152742.00 of tickets by credit card to air India confirmation number Y49JG Flight itinerary AI115 DEL-LHR & Air India Flight 7309 LHR-YYZ
That appellant took the air India flight with his wife dated on Dec 30 2014 as per above mentioned schedule from New Delhi to Heathrow Airport London and further he had to take the connecting flight form Heathrow to Pearson Toronto. According to ticket itinerary this flight supposed to be arrived at time 11:05 am dated on (Dec 30, 2015) but this flight arrived at time 2:10 pm date (Dec 30 2015) total 4 hours late at Heathrow Airport London due to this delay appellant missed the further connecting flight.

That applicant used the all alternatives to contact with Air India staff for further assistance and compensatory help but no one air India member was present at Heathrow airport to accommodate and for further assistance to the applicant and his wife there to listen him during that time appellant also went to the British immigration help desk and British authority gave him the 24 hours ultimatum to out from Heathrow Airport.
That applicant retried to keep in touch with the Air India staff and they did not given him any positive reply about the next available flight and any accommodations.
That applicant had only two options either he purchase the fresh tickets from Heathrow London to Pearson Toronto or to let the British immigration authority to deport his wife and send back to India which could be more painful and suffering for both the applicant and his wife. So that the appellant purchased the new tickets from Heathrow London to Toronto and paid the additional amount $17000.00 to air Canada.
That appellant re connected to the Air India for Compensation and refunds and the Air India also accepted that that appellant suffered due to Air India’s lack of Coordination and staff shortage at that moment and air India authority assures they put their refund and compensation application under consideration. But that appellant still has been struggling from last 5 months to get the refund and compensation.
Summary of attached documents: 1- Email replies By Air Indian Authority’s, 2- air India ticket Itinerates and payment detail, 3- itinerary of re purchased ticket and detail of additional expense paid by the appellant due to air India’s negligence.
So that after considering above facts an issues please help to grant the expense and compensation to the appellant he shall be very thank full to you for this act of kindness.

Mayank Bhatnager

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3:23 am EDT
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Air India flight cancelled

Never never do fly with air india. They sucks, whole company, customer service.
There is no concept called customer service, people working in this company are the worst kind of creature you can ever have.

My wife was travelling alone after her father passed away and top of this the horrendous service by air india.
1. Flight got cancelled
2. For 4 / 5 hours, they even didn't know what is going on
3. Took 9 hours to provide over night accommodation
4. After 24 hours they managed to catch flight
5. Guess what, there is no baggage,

How bad these air india can be, they must be banned from flying.
Take them down immediately.

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3:27 am EDT
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Air India refusal to board flight

One of the worst air line ever seen its a shame to be called a national carrier.
dad was travelling from Ahmedabad to Mumbai on 7/5/15 9.15pm flight, (NAVIN SONI) he had done web check in plus did not have any luggage, he reached the counter at 8. 35 pm for a 9.15 flight with no luggage still he was not allowed to board the plane saying that he was 5 min late. they did not even bother to check his status that he is 62 yrs age came running fully gassping for breath. and 5 min time can be considered as it was not that the doors were closed and we very rude in stating that we cannot do anything as ur late by 5 min
is this the way u treat ur customers for just 5 min late or its seems they had over booked the flight with charging more to other clients.
would never suggest anyone specially elders to book an air india flight.
I can prove so many instances were passangers reach just 15 min prior but still they are allowed.
I feel there was something wrong in the management there or the flight was over booked and ull wanted just reasons.
Would like to lodge an officila complain for the same.
Let me know the procedure for the same.

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RAJIB MALLICK
, IN
Apr 17, 2011 11:51 am EDT

Checked In done by air india at 11.30 am & boarding was done at 14.30 but flight couldn't take off due to none availibilt of pilot & now all passenger's in aircraft, is expected to take off at 5.30pm. I want to register complaint for the same & seek compensation.
Flight detail- AI 012, Rajib mallick
rajibmallick1234@gmail.com

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p.s. bhatti
, IN
Apr 30, 2009 5:29 am EDT

the air india flight from jfk newyork was to start at 17-05 0n 29-04-09. but on line information is that it has not started as yet.it is 14 .49 in india on 30-04 09.and there is no information why it has been delayed. is it the national carrier of india? i think the track record of pia is better than ai. is any body listening? should i expect a reply? i doubt very much. god bless india!

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BRAR/BEANT /SINGH/
, IN
Jan 03, 2015 10:57 pm EST
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Air India Came from london to Delhi arrived on January 1st 2015. My Luggage is Lost in Delhi & its Complaint is registered whose Complaint No. is DELAI65464/G1DEC14/2227GMT Colour/Type RD22XXX and tag Number is AC187759/ If I Want to Call U nobody answer My Call.

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KAMALJIT KAUR
Shrewsbury, GB
Nov 03, 2014 11:26 am EST

HELLO DEAR.i am not happy at all bcz i paid £340 to change my seat from mon 3/11/114/ to 1/11/14 but flight was delyed what point me paid money i could not come on time it was a emerjancy.please can you refund my money paid extra..thank you.

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SUMIT BAKSHI
, IN
Sep 25, 2012 5:35 am EDT

I have boarded Air India Flight AI142 from Paris on 24thSept. 2012, but my luggage was missing. My file reference is DELAI43845/25SEP12/0501GMT. kindly trace my luggage and inform me on my mobile [protected]/[protected] at the earliest.
SUMIT BAKSHI

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sandy1785
, DE
Jun 16, 2011 11:23 pm EDT

Loss of items in the check in baggage...around 500 Euro.
Dont go for Air india ...In air india, You can see the world class worst service...

I am really felt very bad about the AIR INDIA .

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lost luggage , Air India
yonkers , US
Feb 04, 2010 10:57 pm EST

I checked in 2 luggages while I was boarding at JFK airport, One of my check in luggege was not found while I arrived at the HYd airport, Air line staff was not helpful at the AIrport...Still waiting for my Luggage
-

B
B
BRAR/BEANT /SINGH/
, IN
Jan 03, 2015 10:59 pm EST
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Not answer My Call

A
A
apremji
,
Jun 18, 2009 6:31 pm EDT

I pray this is a one-way ticket.

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Manoj Tadhani
Peachtree City, US
Jun 18, 2009 6:29 pm EDT

Mr Bhatti,

It's problem from Air India nad not from India. Why do u curse India?

God Bless you!

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8:53 am EDT
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Air India lost jacket

We called AirIndia four times from Delhi on 23 March about our lost jacket. After being cut off, told to call another number, after waiting told we had to call yet another number, we reached third number old to be advised to call yet another number!
We decided to write an email instead, which we did on 23 March, receiving an auto reply saying Air India would reply. When we heard nothing more we had to write 3 more emails before we got a response some 10 days later, asking us to provide e ticket number which we did despite fact we had provide info previously.
Bottom line was are concerned that we had to fly back to JFK some 14 days later without our jacket.
Several days later we were advised that jacket was not in Dehli Customs warehouse for our pickup. Our home base is New York. We are no longer in India and there is no one there to pickup our jacket. Had we been notified in the 14 days from 23 March when we notified you of the loss to 4 April when we were still in India, we could have picked it up there.
Every other airline we know of would have either shipped this jacket back to our home or made it convenient for us to pick it up at our local airport, we are asking Air India to do the same.
Air India handled our air carriage both ways so we thought they would be aware of our home.
Our request that they please do the right thing now and transfer our jacket either to JFK airport in New York USA or directly to our home at has so far been ignored deptie fact we copied in their CEO Rohit Nandan on our emails
This is not the way to run a customer service oriented

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1:26 pm EDT

Air India financial loss due to behavior of counter manager of air india

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Sent Mail
rude behave by air india counter manager and denial to check in baggage

AJAZ AHMED
to lalit.dgca
2 days agoDetails
I had à knightmare flight when I had to travel by AI 806 from Mumbai to Delhi on 27/03/15 alongwith 2 ladies and 3 kids under pnr J7155 and reached at 7 am on the counter for the 8 am flight..as the inefficient air India counter employees were taking too much time. When my turn and another person namely muzamil after me came for baggage check in, they closed the counter and behaved rudely...the manager also behaved rudely..I was given boarding pass but my baggage was not loaded and I incurred a loss due to bad behaviour of air India staff..i seek loss compensation. The arrogant behaviour of air India employees is the reason for their loss...their behavior resulted in loss of over Rs.10000 to me..i seek damage claim
Seek ur intervention plz
Regards
Ajaz

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2:39 am EST

Air India Non credit of mileage points

I travelled on Delhi-Seoul (Incheon) and Seoul (Incheon)-Hongkong during 25 Oct 14 and 01 Nov 14 respectively on Korean Air on tickets provided by Air India. The copies of Boarding cards and eticket were forwarded to ICLP through email on 14 November 2014 for crediting the mileage points in my AIR INDIA frequent flyer account No [protected]. Mileage points for Journey performed above dates has NOT been reflected in my account till date. Reminders were issued on 10 December 2014 and 04 February 2015. No communication regarding the same has been received till date. Request credit the same.

My email id - [protected]@rediffmail.com

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Update by Ivyrana1
Feb 23, 2015 2:50 am EST

I submitted an online complaint. The details and the final facts are as under. Earlier mail be treated as cancelled.

I travelled on Delhi-Seoul(Incheon) and Seoul(Incheon)-Hongkong during 26 Oct 14 and 02 Nov 14 respectively on Korean Air on tickets provided by Air India. The copies of Boarding cards and eticket were forwarded to ICLP through email on 14 November 2014 for crediting the mileage points in my AIR INDIA frequent flyer account No [protected]. Mileage points for Journey performed above dates has NOT been reflected in my account till date. Reminders were issued on 10 December 2014 and 04 February 2015. No communication regarding the same has been received till date. Request credit the same.

My email id - Ivyrana1@rediffmail.com

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3:17 pm EST

Air India checked in luggage

On February 8, 2015, I was travelling from Chennai (India) to Hong Kong (China) with a transfer in New Delhi. My airline carrier, Air India do not have customer service representatives at the New Delhi airport, however, they have private contractors who attend to Air India passengers thru the airline gates. Any passenger concerns can only be discussed online or if you are lucky on the phone (only in the USA). Two of my expensive tool kits were retained by the airport check-in security at the New Delhi airport, however, the airport check-in security at the New Delhi airport said that they could give my two tool kits to the Air India (airline carrier) personnel so that they can carry my tool kits as checked in baggage and I could retrieve my tool kits a my Chicago destination. When I requested the Air India personnel (acting contractors) to send someone to the security to collect my tool kits to have them treated as checked-in baggage, the Air India (acting contractor) asked me to wait at the security check in until someone from Air India comes over there to collect the tool kits. I waited for nearly two hours at the security-check in but no one arrived at the security check-in. Finally, when it was almost time to close boarding, I left the security check-in spot and went to the gate where I requested help. The Air India (contract workers) processing personnel told me that they do not work for Air India and they only process passengers at the gate and told me they could do nothing to help me retrieve the expensive tool kits from the security check-in. It is important to note that both my tool kits did not contain any sharp objects like knife or needle. Due to callous and indifferent behavior by the Air India contractors at the New Delhi Airport, I lost both my expensive tool kits worth USD 150.00. Phone complaints with the Air India representatives in the USA has not yielded any result. I request that Air India own up their responsibility for making me wait for two hours and have me loose my personal belongs with the security check-in. To add salt to the wound, two of my other checked in baggage (with Air India) arrived a couple of days after I reached my destination Chicago causing me huge inconvenience. I demand that Air India adequately compensate for the lost tool kits and the delayed baggage.

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3:07 am EST

Air India baggage missing

I was travelling from new delhi to indore. After reaching indore my bag was found missing. I was waiting for 2 hrs near the conveyor belt for my suitcase but it was not found following which officials at the indore airport filed the irregularity report.
Reference no: idrai10305 - manashkumar

Such a pathetic customer service they provide.

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1:50 am EST

Air India stranded passengers

After 11 years we decided to go to see my family in India and it was a BIG MISTAKE to choose to fly with AIR INDIA. Attached is the complaint form 65 passengers (Mostly US Citizens). We all were stranded between Ahmadabad and New Delhi fr January 18 2015 to January 20th 2015. The Air India employees at both the Airports are pathetic and need training in customer service.

Air India Employees are liars.There is no accountability or responsibility They get their salary without doing any work. If they don't get their salary on time, then they go on strike and get paid anyways. It is a shame, especially since Air India is government sponsored! How can we trust this government-ran company?

We had so much trouble coming back from India. As passengers, we completely understand that weather does play a role when traveling, however these employees at both airports were unprofessional liars. Someone MUST read the attached petition to this e-mail and give us a refund for our tickets please.

One more thing: aboard flight AI-127 from Delhi to Chicago, I asked for a coffee and the flight attendant told me that the caterers forgot to load the coffee on board, and so they did not have coffee. ***Reminder our flight was a 14 hour journey!

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9:43 am EST
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Air India flights were delayed from 4 flights to 8 flight within 7 days

Air India Expedia

I sent complaint email to Expedia and Air India on 6th January. I haven’t got anything except forwarding email from Expedia to Country Manager of Air India. The content is just about ask some staff to investigate. It almost for a month now but I still hear nothing.

I suggest you guys to consider again if you would like to book anything via Expedia OR Air India. hehe grin emoticon

https://thanishuang.wordpress.com/…/air-india-for-the-firs…/

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10:39 am EST

Air India terrible service

Where to begin...
My husband and I set out on our first holiday to india 12 days ago flying return with air india. Our first flight was to delhi which connected to our second flight down to our destination in sunny goa. To start with the flight was delayed by three hours this has been my first long haul flight therefore I am not used to such delays as flights in europe as they don't tend to give you much grief. Anyway we landed in delhi 9 hours later.. The flight was pleasant, i'll give them that, however when we reached delhi my husband's main luggage was nowhere to be seen. We originally had seven hours between connecting flights in which we decided maybe we could look around delhi and relax. Turns out those hours were precious as we needed to somehow find my husbands lost bag and allow for the three hour delay. After about an hour to spare we finally boarded our flight to goa in hope they'd send the bag over to our accommodation and that it hadn't been stolen. Again, I can't complain about the flight itself and luckily the bag turned up in goa airport once we had arrived without notice even though my husband's phone number was clearly given on the baggage handle.

After a fantastic holiday it was time to board our first flight back to delhi 12 days later. This is where it got a hell of a lot worse. The staff don't seem to care or show any respect for their customers - particularly women which really surprises me. We all boarded plane one and sat there stationary for two hours until they discovered there was a problem with the breaks and we were all to get off and get our luggage back. This procedure was extremely unorganised.. There was an angry mob of passengers surrounding just one air india official desperate for answers and information about what we were to do about having missed our connections. Again.. The attitude of all staff was unacceptable and made us all feel very uneasy.
8 hours later we boarded our delayed flight to delhi having queued up like cattle to check our bags in again on to the same plane as before. The system was atrocious.. No barriers to organise queues, people arguing tired and irate.. Pushing in. The process was slow.. We were a queuing for at least an hour and the person at the desk had to re-enter all our ticket information individually and not just that, they could barely type and used the index finger which I guess was the reason for the speed of it all.
We reached delhi on time.. Only to then discover that we couldn't get our connecting flight to england until the following day. So there we all were changing tickets and sorting out complimentary hotel stays with a number of incredibly rude staff who didn't seem to care in the slightest. One of the women we had met had missed her virgin flight to london and had been informed she could too have a hotel stay for their # up. This turned out to be a complete lie, the manager was called and the poor lady who was also pregnant tried to fight her side but even he didn't care. We managed to look after her ourselves as no one working for air india seemed capable of this. The woman was so desperate to get home and she was offered a direct flight to london for £1000 which she accepted and paid for. To our horror.. This turned out to be a hoax... The flight was due to stop through china first and was none refundable. Eventually she gave up and stayed with us and hopefully got back the following day having paid for yet a third flight. Whether she will get her £1000 back is debatable.. From what i've seen it looks unlikely.
Anyway.. We arrived at the hotel which was a complete dump. The place was freezing, there was no bar or hot water for a shower. The only way to get a drink after our horrendous day was to ask some weird shady young man who worked there to go to the shop. The prices of the drinks were double so he was clearly pocketing half the money himself. We were given a free meal.. Curry again in an empty dining room which looked like it was made up for some awful wedding. What topped it off was the reheated curry for breakfast from the night before... Obviously we all left as early as possible and got back to the airport for a macdonalds. So there we were feeling quite happy that we may actually get on a plane to england soon.. But no. Another three hour delay.
No sympathy from any staff.. Nothing.
I'm not one to moan but the experience with air india has been truly outrageous and they continue to get away with this as they're so big around the world. I've heard numerous bad publicity since this experience and we shall never ever be using them again and hope to spread the word across the uk if not further. Don't bother with them they're a very selfish company who deserve very little.

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1:29 pm EST
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The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.

Air India Complaint - malpractice, emotional torture and financial loss

My terrible experience affair with Air India (Start alliance) continues!

After Air India became a Star alliance partner, for some weird reason based on my years of travelling with star alliance airlines, I assumed that Air India has turned around its operations to qualify the elite status and booked several individual and family travel in recent few months, much to my disappointment of reliving the past.
Starting from the most recent, I was trying to book a flight using points online on air India, payment page expired before I got the OTP, ticket was not booked but my miles were deducted. I called call center and talked for more than hour but of no help. they used rest of my miles and asked me to buy additional miles to book tickets which I did, however I was advised my family will physically have to go to local office to get the tickets and PNR was generated (Z0GFV). This was Sunday so next morning my family went to the local office in Kanpur but they told us, cannot help and need to go to Lucknow to get the tickets which is about 2.30 hours away. since we had a flight in 10 hours, we rushed to Lucknow, upon reaching there we were told that PNR expired and they cannot book the tickets because Kanpur office never informed them, though we have tried calling them number of times. We asked to buy a paid ticket so that we can at least get to Delhi, but they said they have sold everything on the flight. Family had to take a train, I have written to them about the glitch on Sunday, called call centers and requested every individual we talked, but they have been arrogant and unresponsive.
Prior to this last month, I took 5 flights on air India between November 25th and Dec 4th, was stuck on a plane, boarded waiting to fly for two hours on Delhi airport because they did not have a staff and reached 2 hours late. On Kochi and lucknow airport they refused to acknowledge my Star Gold status via premier 1k United and PPS Singapore airlines, no priority seating, boarding or lounge access or priority baggage was provided as they said, the staff was not aware or ready for servicing star gold yet. On Mumbai and Delhi, even they do not provide any priority baggage or boarding. I wrote to start alliance and they said Air India will respond, which I do not expect. There is lot to this ongoing ordeal.

I am determine to be heard via social media to ensure my fellow passengers are aware and air India adequately responds to me and treat fellow passengers with respect in future. please help me to spread the message. I will post it on every possible social media forum. Thanks for your help.

Regards
Rohit Narang
Flying returns - [protected]
United Premier 1K - BN050817
Krisflyer PPS - [protected]

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8:47 am EST
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Air India poor services & behaviour of crew

travelled by AI 126 from Chicago to New Delhi on 23rd Nov’14 (PNR No YEFGE, Seat No 49 K) which turned out to be one of the worst ever flight experience I had. (Aircraft, 777 Boeing with name Chattisgarh)

1. Right from the beginning of the flight ….entertainment system of most of the seats, reading light on my seat and a toilet in that segment was non functional. In addition, table was broken and rested on my lap when opened, seat reclining system did not hold….etc…etc. Non functional entertainment system especially on long flights has become order of the day with AI.

I am surprised that what kind of maintenance and checks are carried out for such long haul flights. It was just like travelling in an ordinary bus with everything rattling. I think AI maintenance is just not supposed to check engine & airframe, inside cabin also needs equal maintenance.

2. Inspite of being ONGC having a corporate tie-up with AI thru Balmer Lawrie and I being a Silver card holder of Flying returns, no effort was made by crew to relocate me to other better seat.

3. Level of cleanliness and hygiene in the cabin and toilets was pathetic even for long haul international flight like this. No wonder, one of our senior minister rightly called economy class as “Cattle class” as he must have experienced the standards and hospitality of Air India in economy section. I was ashamed to listen to comments of few Americans on this flight about standards of hygiene aboard that flight.

4. To make the matter worse, this flight had one of the worst set of flight attendants who did not respond to the repeated calls and surprisingly most of them walked past ignoring call lights until they were signaled and called for simple things like water. Most of the passengers had to help themselves to get water while cabin crew just relaxed. Head of the cabin crew was available to speak to me only after 8 hrs of flight that too after I walked to first class section from my seat to apprise her of the problems in rear section of the aircraft.

5. When I asked feedback form, it was given after repeated reminders and realizing that I was unhappy with services, I saw crew member who collected it tear it & threw it with thrash….that is why Air India is oblivious of response of passengers. Feedback system needs to be overhauled with numbers printed on forms so that responses filled in any flight can be accounted for and cabin crew are compelled to submit each response form.

Air India crew is famous for being callous to needs of passengers without realizing that they get salary from money paid by these passengers whom they treat so badly…maybe because of job security. AI flights to Gulf are a glaring example how passengers who are mostly labourers are ill treated and mocked at by your crew. I suggest senior level board member should travel in disguise in few flights of AI in economy to know bare truth about things mentioned above.

I suggest that Air India which is already in bad shape and before it loses it’s market further, strict action be taken on cabin crew members of this flight to set an example for others so that they strive to improve the services.

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Air India misbehaviour counter staff

A very Embarrassing experience...
On 18/11/2014 while i was in at the check-in counter at Mangalore Airport for a flight to Mumbai and then a connecting flight to Jeddah
I had a handbag which was weighing around 11 kgs, the lady (Ms. Susheela) at the counter in a rude voice told me that she cannot allow me to carry this as handbag. I requested her that it is very important for me to carry this as handbaggage and I told her that this is same bag with more weight I carried when I traveled a month back when I traveled from Jeddah to Mangalore. She said that she don’t know that she will not allow to carry this as handbag. I told her that I want to talk to her supervisor or Manager, she was very worked up and with anger went and after sometime brought with her a duty manager. I could understand that they have teamed up. I spoke to the manager and I told him that it is very important for me carry this bag as handbag (after I removed the blazer it was weighing only 10.1 kgs) . I told him it is overweight by only 3 kgs. He was very polite but adamant and was not willing to listen. Subsequently I removed few more items from the bag and I went to the another lady who was very nice and polite and called me to her and accepted and gave my boarding pass. I thanked her for her concern and customer centric approach and while I was asking her the name of the adamant lady who first attended to me, the adamant lady who was seated in the next counter overheard this and was furious and called the security personnel and complained him that I was asking her name . The security personnel (air India staff) who started abusing me and told me that why I needed her name, I told him that I want to write to the air india about my experience . he started telling me that I can’t ask anybodys’s name and he started yelling in front of all staff and he was asking me what I am going to write he said that I can write whatever/whoever I want (he was meaning that he doesn’t care) realizing that he is ill mannered and doesn’t have or not trained in basic courtesy to talk to passengers . As I was walking towards the security check he was yelling that he will call the police. In fact I was the one who wanted to lodge a complaint against his misbehavior but I could not afford to lose the flight as there was important meeting for me attend next day in Jeddah.
Few points to note.
1. First of all it was nowhere mentioned in the ticket that only 7 kgs were allowed as handbag. As I traveled for the past 11 years in various airlines and various countries never was I stopped to carry the handbag since it was 2 or 3 kgs more, generally other airlines it is usually online check-in and my handbag was small and was designed to be carried as handbag.
2. And this bag I could not afford to lose while transferring the baggages from domestic to international airlines as I mentioned earlier that I had a very important meeting to attend.
As I had a experience earlier in another airlines that my luggage was misplaced (while changing flight )in Bahrain while I was traveling to Paris and it was embarrassing to attend a conference in casuals.
3. In the domestic flight from Mangalore to Mumbai half the seats were vacant and in the international flight from Mumbai to Jeddah there were only 38 passengers though it was a jumbo jet carrying 400+ seating capacity what a waste of fuel and national loss!, This low turn out was clearly reflecting the attitude of the Air India staff whose attitude keeps passengers away though the infrastructure and planes are very good.
4. As Air India is national carrier I dream to see Air india to be rated as the best airlines in the international segment which will also boost our country’s image and people prefer it as the first choice. While now I feel (I may be wrong ) that air india is chosen as last option it is chosen only when you don’t find tickets in other airlines and this is also the perception of my colleagues and friends abroad.
5. When compared to other airlines staff it appears that the staff in Air India have low morale and no motivation and lack of customer centric approach. It looks their performance are not monitored and lack of structured training.

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Ruth and Kevin
Orange, US
Nov 21, 2014 2:00 pm EST

Telling you "no" is not the same as being rude. If it is overweight by three pounds it is still overweight. You cannot go around asking people's names, makes you look like a stalker. Sounds to me like you were the ill mannered one when you got no for an answer. If you behave yourself no one would have to call the police or security on you. You are the one with role moral and you have a lot of growing up to do.

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Air India delay in baggage

My luggage not delivered after arrival of flight no ai 130 at mumbai (Bom). I approached unclaimed baggage area and filled up necessary document. Ai representative provided me pir form (Attached)
Customer name: shevade/jayesh
Flight no.: ai130
Date of arrival: 15-nov-2014
Time of arrival: 5:00 am

Tn: ai 757350
E-ticket no: [protected]

Even after 4 days baggage not with me.
Today I have to purchasing for my business meetings.
As baggage is delayed more than 48 hours, I am entitled to compensation, obviously.
I asked air india to provide compensation asap.
There is answer to mail. Desk operator says contact only on email address ('bom. [protected]@airindia.in').

I am expecting fair compensation for this baggage delay.

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Air India booked tickets with denial to issue it

Dear Officer
Dear Officer
I have booked this JLR5T & Chd pnr Z1K57 pnr are in Z class and total cost informed is Rs192908/-
now I wish to get it issued it. timelimit is till tomorrow 8th Nov 2014 Now Air India staff is denying for issuance of same
I have voice recording of Air India Staff who has booked the above pnrs with rates incl of all taxes. I can email same
Aslo informed to Star Alliance about it.
Kind Regards
Sujay Shah
[protected]@gmail.com

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Air India misplaced baggage

I was on the AI 659 flight from Bombay to Goa.
My luggage was checked in by your desk staff not only on another flight: AI 658 to Delhi,
But also on another person: some Mr. Kowalski/ Jarosla.
How can such a mistake occur when my boarding pass says the correct name?

The ground staff at Goa airport, specially Ms. Maria and her supervisor, were rude and inconsiderate. When, at 12 in the night, I was stressed and could not locate my boarding pass, they tried to pin the fault on ME! “You don’t have your boarding pass, so its your mistake!” was the attitude. On top of it, they even said that I, a mere student, had to spend 300 Rs. on a cab and collect the luggage from the airport myself.
They were rude and uncooperative, and not at all reassuring.

Fortunately I have my boarding pass in my hand, and told them the details. They keep calling me every 10 minutes saying: “Its not there ma’am”.
I have already given them the bag specifications. It is a soft bag, company name DELSEY. I have supplied the baggage contents to them as well!

I have attached a picture of the boarding pass and baggage tag.

This is all that I had to go through:

1.Bag on wrong flight
2.Bag checked in to wrong person
3.Rude staff, who tried to blame ME for MY bag not being there!
4.Bag has still not been traced. Probably taken home by the Passenger above!
5. Loss of 7 notebooks, 3 books, and clothes, some brand new, easily worth 10, 000 Rs.

Give me ONE good reason why I should not SUE your airline!

I want my bag back. It is your responsibility to deliver it at my doorstep. Please make sure you do the same.
Or I will sue.

Anuja Lele
BITS Pilani KK Birla Goa Campus
Sancoale
Goa

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