Vir Das Slams Air India Over Poor Travel Experience with Injured Wife

Comedian Vir Das has publicly criticized Air India after a troubling travel experience involving his injured wife. Taking to X (formerly Twitter), Das shared the ordeal, expressing his disappointment with the airline he once loyally supported.

According to Das, he and his wife—who is currently recovering from a fractured foot—had pre-booked Air India’s Pranaam service and requested a wheelchair for their journey to Delhi. Despite paying ₹50,000 per seat, the couple faced multiple issues on what was described as a “newly refurbished” aircraft. The problems included a broken table, malfunctioning legrests, and a seat that wouldn’t recline properly.

To make matters worse, the flight was delayed by two hours. Upon arrival in Delhi, the promised assistance was missing. Instead of an aerobridge or proper support, the couple was met with a stepladder. Das noted that the cabin crew appeared confused when he asked for help, and a ground staff member allegedly shrugged off his request. As a result, his injured wife had to descend the stepladder on her own.

At the terminal, the wheelchair service they had booked was also nowhere to be found. Das claimed he had to locate a wheelchair himself and push his wife through baggage claim and all the way to the parking lot.

Ending his post in his usual sarcastic tone, Das informed the airline that one of their wheelchairs was now left on the second floor of Delhi airport’s parking area, inviting them to retrieve it. His post has since gone viral, with many netizens echoing similar grievances about the airline's services.

Air India responded with a standard message, stating, “Dear Mr. Das, we understand and empathize with the experience. Please share us the booking details via DM for us to look into this on priority.” Das responded by sharing the flight number: “AI816. Get your wheelchair bro.”

The airline followed up, saying, “We're getting this checked on priority. Please allow us some time.”

Meanwhile, social media users continued to criticize the airline. One comment read, “Thousands of similar complaints already exist. No remorse. No intent to recover. But maybe now, with a celebrity complaint, they might act.”

Another quipped, “Better to walk than fly Air India,” while one user shared a similar experience of being stranded with a toddler due to poor staff coordination and lack of clarity on travel gear rules.

This latest incident adds to the growing public scrutiny over Air India's handling of accessibility and customer service.