‘No one shows’: Vir Das slams Air India over lack of wheelchair for injured wife despite Rs 50,000 fare

Comedian Vir Das has criticised Air India over a distressing travel experience, alleging poor service despite paying Rs 50,000 per seat on a recent flight to Delhi.

In a detailed post on X on Tuesday, Das said he and his wife, who has a fractured foot, faced multiple issues on board.

According to the post, they got a broken table, broken leg rests, and a seat that stuck in a reclined position, even though the aircraft was reportedly ‘newly refurbished’.

Das also alleged that despite pre-booking wheelchair assistance for his wife, the service was not provided.

“We step off the plane to the top of the ladder. I ask an Air India male ground staff member to help us, looks at me, shrugs, and ignores,” he wrote, adding that his injured wife had to get down the stepladder without help.

He further claimed that upon reaching the terminal, ground staff were unaware of the pre-booked wheelchair service, and that he ultimately had to push his wife in a wheelchair himself, and then all the way to the parking area.

“Encalm lets Air India know this is happening. No one shows. Anyway. One of your wheelchairs is on the second floor of the parking in Delhi. Do claim it,” Das said.

Dear @airindia Please reclaim your wheelchair. I’m a lifetime loyalist. I believe you’ve got the nicest cabin crew in the sky, this post pains me to write. My wife and I book Pranaam and a wheelchair because she’s got a foot fracture that’s still healing. We’re flying to delhi.…

— Vir Das (@thevirdas) April 14, 2025

Meanwhile, Air India issued a statement and said they “understand and empathise” with his experience and were investigating the matter “on priority”.

“We have noted with concern a social media post by Mr Das about wheelchair not being provided to his co-passenger while travelling from Mumbai to Delhi on AI816 on 14 April 2025. We empathise with the guests, especially given the mobility concern involved, and recognise that this experience fell short of expectations. The operating cabin crew offered to assist the guest, including deplaning by using the 'ambulift' assigned to the aircraft as per SOP, but the delay—not denial—in providing wheelchair assistance was due to unusually high demand for wheelchairs and staff at that time. Air India remains committed to improving the end-to-end travel experience for all its guests,” the statement read.