Air India — Seat refusal despite valid booking

Address:

Mumbai City, Maharashtra

I had booked an Air India flight AI 50 vide ticket no 098-[protected] and PNR YEBWS. The flight was scheduled to depart at 20:50 from Mumbai for Hyderabad. In the e-ticket sent via email, I had been allocated a seat no 5A. Upon reaching the airport, I was told that the flight is overbooked and there was no seat for me. My ticket was perfectly valid and paid in full. In spite of that, I was refused a seat. The staff was highly uncooperative and they did not listen to any requests for an alternate flight immediately. Instead, they gave me a flight departing at 23:50 hrs. Being a single lady traveler, travelling this late did not seem safe but the requests went unheeded. I was not provided with any food coupons or any other meal offers due to increased delay. I am being forced to take a midnight flight inspite having a legitimate booking and thus undertaking a safety risk travelling at late in the night. This is not acceptable. The airline should be penalised and the staff should be cooperative atleast while taking care of security of passengers.