Air India Complaints & Reviews

Dear Customer Service,
I had booked my original ticket number 098 [protected] PNR Number: JGL27B Frankfurt – Delhi – Frankfurt for 2 PAX Mrs. Shellika Seth and Ms. Aalisha Seth. Subsequently I had put an online bid on the 16th of July for upgrade of the return segment on the 2nd of August which was accepted for EUR 580 for each passenger and I was charged EUR 1060.00.
However, at the last minute on the 1st of August I had to change the date of travel, due to a family condition as my mother’s health had deteriorated, and called up the call center. The agent told us that since we had already been upgraded we can only change the ticket in the same class i.e. business class and will have to play the fare difference and the online upgrade price will not be taken into account. I was also informed that I could contact the web customer service to request for the refund of the online upgrade bid price for the original ticket.
Now I am in a situation that I have paid Eur 580 per passenger to upgrade one-way flight and then I have been charged fare difference of INR 44, 444+7310 per passenger to change the date and this on top of the original ticket price of EUR 830.68 per passenger for an economy return flight.
I have contacted several departments through emails to request for a refund of the upgrade bid price and have received a negative response on 18th August 2022 citing point no.8 of the “Air India Online Upgrade Terms & Conditions" which mentions that the online upgrade price will not be refunded.
While I understand and acknowledge the T&C but since I had to change the date of travel, either the upgrade price should have been considered while calculating the fare difference or any excess / duplicate charges levied upon me should be refunded.
I respectfully urge you to please look into this matter and help me to get justice through appropriate refund.
Many thanks
Respectfully yours
Shellika Seth

I flew back from India on 29th October 2022 from Ahmedabad to Heathrow London. AI171 arrival 7.30am.

I am vegan and therefore choose the vegan option on your food menu.

When I received my food, the air hostess said, 'hello ma, we have your vegan food here', however when I opened the tray, it was all vegetarian. I said to her this is vegetarian and not vegan, she said, sorry this is all we have.

I am very disappointed that Air India gives all their customer food options and yet they do not provide the special dietary requirements then why do Air India offer this option. I don't think they know what a vegan diet is.

My Flight was 9 hours and 20 minutes, and I did not eat or drink anything on the flight.

This service was absolutely disgraceful, and I would like a full refund of my ticket or request a first class/ business class ticket when I fly again.

When me and my husband flew to India on 30th September 2022, neither of our TV were working.

Kind regards

I have not received refund from Air India for Return Ticket from London Heathrow to Kolkata and back (Reference R5LWKQ) bought originally on 10/11/2021. The original date of journey was 19/2/22. The date of journey was changed to 11/6/22 and the change was paid for on 20/01/2022. However, the ticket to be cancelled as I was unable to travel on 11/6/22 for personal reasons. After numerous unsuccessful attempts to contact Air India to change the date of travel, I had to ask for a refund as I travelled via an alternative carrier. Air India subsequently informed me on 11/9/22 by email that a refund is going to be issued. But to date, I have not received the refund.

Hi,

Below are my family travel details from HYD-Riyadh.

AI-941, Dated 27/10/22.

PNR:NALEFM.
TKT NOS: 098-[protected], 95, 96, 97.
TOTAL-4 PAX.

My family was denied boarding because they were not carrying hard copies of insurance.my wide explained check in staff that based on one year insurance submission only we were able to get one year multiple Saudi visit visa.
Staff was rude, arrogant & misbehave with my wife & my 3 children who were travelling for an immediate entrance exam in Riyadh.
Air India must be aware of the policy that it is mandatory to submit insurance for family visit visa in Saudi embassy.
Why were we asked for hardcopy submission of insurance which makes no sense.
Air India must re imburse all the charges of my flight & must terminate the staff who were at check in counter & the duty manager of Air India was not available to adress our concern at the airport.

संदर्भ संख्या / Reference Number : WB-IDEL[protected]
स्थान / Location : Delhi
फीडबैक प्रकार / Feedback Type : Enquiry
श्रेणी / Category : Delay / Cancellations
उप श्रेणी / Sub Category : Delay/Cancellation
उड़ान प्रकार / Flight Type : INT
उड़ान संख्या / Flight No. : AI104
यात्रा तिथि / Date of Travel. : 12/Jan/2022
टिकट संख्या / Ticket No. : [protected]
विषय वस्तु / Content : Hello, I called on January 7th 2022 and cancelled my flight to Delhi that was scheduled for January 12th 2022. I have not received my $740.00 refund. The refund was supposed to arrive on January 20th at the latest. Can you please forward it to me as soon as possible? Thank you.
स्थिति / Status : Acknowledged
रिपोर्टिंग तिथि / Reporting Date : 01/Feb/2022 08:13

I have called Air India Support at least seven times since January, and I have talked to a representative each time.

First they said the refund was on the way within 7-21 business days. I called after those days had passed. They said the refund was delayed. They told me again I would receive a refund within 10-14 business days and that I would receive an email or phone call within 4 hours. No one contacted me.

I called throughout the year and the same process has happened each time, where I am told "Your refund is coming." and it doesn't.

I called again today, same explanation. They didn't call or email me within the four hour window they said they would.

I called another time today. I was told my refund will arrive October 24th 2022. She hung up on me when I asked for a manager to be certain.

I called again. Hussein told me my refund will arrive within 4-5 business days.

This refund should have arrived on January 20th 2022 at the latest. It is nine months later from that date. This must be resolved immediately.

guest complaint # 17845512

I have tried booking flight tickets from Air india. But i haven't received any confirmation email/booking reference from Air india. I have used UPI transaction. After payment i have received "something went wrong with payment transaction". But the payment was successful and money deducted from my account. I need the full refund amount....

I had booked Air India flight from SFO to BLR for my family via 2 bookings, 1 for myself and another one for my spouse and daughter. The onward flight was scheduled on 9th JUL 2022, i canceled the tickets and was asked to wait for 7 -21 working days for the refund.

i have been following up since 1st July 2022 and created tons of feedback for refund requests, 50+ emails to [protected]@airindia.com, 100+ calls to their customer care and still not received the refund for my daughters ticket.

My ticket was refunded on 23-Sep-2022 & my Spouse ticket was refunded on 29-Aug-2022,
I have still not received the refund for my daughters ticket till date.

Air India is a FRAUD company and basically earning bank interest by holding thousands of $ which they owe as refund to customers like me.

Air India keeps parroting they have initiated the refund for my daughters ticket on 24-Sep-2022, but i have still not received the refund.

We booked an Air India ticket on 13th April 2022 for three passengers through Air India website.
Following E-tickets were issued as a part of this transaction:
Mrs Kavita Singh :[protected]
Mr. Rudra SINGH :[protected]
Miss Sophia Isha Singh :[protected]
A payment of 1977. 51 Euros was paid for this transaction. However, 2 days later I found my account was debited twice due to server error. Since I have made many calls to Air India back office on French contact number [protected] and every time, I was assured that refund will be made next week. However, after almost 5 months I didn't get any refund.
Normally, this type of erroneous payments should be refunded immediately. But Air India has no responsibility to pay this amount even after 5 months.

Hi Team,

Can someone give me an update on this. I have been chasing you since last 1 month. Every time when I call, I will get new case ID.

Request you to please refund my money asap.

Thanks & Regards
Kushal Ahuja
+[protected]

Please see the below evidence where you team started that refund would process in 7-14 days. it's been more than a month now.

[protected] Forwarded message[protected]
From: Air India
Date: Fri, 16 Sep, 2022, 7:01 AM
Subject: Re: Cancellation of My ticket VGEJXW
To: [protected]@gmail.com

Dear Ashok,

Greetings from Air India!

We acknowledge the receipt of your mail, we apologize for the inconvenience caused and the unintentional delay in responding to you.

As per your ticket details, your booking is done through the Air India website.

This is for your kind information that the refund has been initiated from the Air India side. You will receive your refund amount within 07-14 working days in the original mode of payment. We request you kindly check with your bank regarding the same.

Assuring you of our best attention at all times.

Regards,

Abhilasha

Air India ?Contact Us Team

[protected] Original Message[protected]
From: Air India [[protected]@airindia.com]
Sent: 12/9/2022 12:50 am
To: [protected]@gmail.com
Subject: Re: Cancellation of My ticket VGEJXW

Dear Ashok,

Greetings from Air India!

We acknowledge the receipt of your mail, we apologize for the inconvenience caused and unintentional delay in responding to you.

As per your given ticket details[protected], your booking is done through Air India website.

So, to process the refund of your booking, we have forwarded your details to the concern department. The concern team will check and process the refund.

Assuring you of our best attention at all times.

Regards,
Rohini
Air India ?Contact Us Team

I have tried to book ticket on Air india website on 13th september.
PNR Generated Ticket Not Confirmed.
Called customer care on 18th and came to know that the ticket got cancelled and refund will be done.
followed up and a case booked with number 17487161
a mail has been sent and reply received to give details as below.
later neither message nor mail communication from AIr india.
on 29th again i called customer care and they generated a case with another number 17568523.

United Airlines have been keeping me stranded on my flight credits from past year. On multiple request they have extended the date for using credit but are not allowing me to use those.

I had a flight from BOM-SFO on 11/17/2021 which costed me INR 64844 which is around $787 today (~$840 last year). Due to travel ban in effect, there were issues and I wasnt able to travel and as per the policy o[censored]nited, I recieved my credits to be used on United Airlines.

Being a resident in California, I tried using these credits to fly with United Airlines within USA and they did not allow me with the rule "The Credit is from the international fare and needs to be used between the same destinations. If I use it for national destinations in USA the value will be lowered by $300 as some random fee." This conversation happened in May 2022.

Now when I plan to travel between BOM and SFO where I see the fare pricing INR 68, 883 and also $986 and when I try to use my credits, I am unable to use it. Additionally when spoken with customer care today, they say "The fare you see online is for the new purchase fare. If you want to use the existing united credits, you have to buy ticket at different fare which is now INR 300, 000+ or $4879+" This was very unreasonable service and a kind of fraud.

With inflation technically my invested credit should double the value but the United Airlines are diminishing it to 10% and not allowing me any how to use my full value of travel credit. Despite of having eligible credit refund policy in place.

Reference: Booked through Make my trip India PNR No: KLQSQG E ticket no: 098-[protected] Date of Journey: 24 Oct 2022 from Chennai to Singapore & back by Air India.
Name of the Passenger: Balasubramanian Chandra Sek Bharathi

I had booked the above ticket for the journey from Chennai to Singapore and back for me and my wife. My name is "Balasubramanian Chandra Sekara Bharathi as it appears in Passport. As per Make my trip booking site Air India restricts given name to 27 Alphabets. Hence my name appears as " Balasubramanian Chandra Sek Bharathi ". Realizing this discrepancy Immediately raised a complaint to Make my trip (complaint no[protected] and air India (case id[protected] through their customer care no. Both the agencies are now saying that i have to cancel the ticket and rebook it. As i have booked the cheapest nonrefundable ticket i have been put to a financial loss for no fault of mine.
This has put me to enormous amount of mental and physical stress in addition to financial stress.
As a senior citizen my effort to explain my predicament to both Make my trip and Air India executives of the two agencies has been futile so far.

AIR INDIA despite numerous complaints never get in touch with me to reimburse or find adequate compensation for flights they cancelled.

I had a terrible travelling experience on AI150 from LHR to COK on 6th October 2022. The seats were not adjustable, the front table was dirty, and the entertainment always showed no content available. The senior Air hostess was good but the male staff had a terrible attitude. He wouldn't give blankets to even elderly commuters and guessed their age by their appearance and judged it. Everyone needs a blanket when asked for, not age specific requirements. I feel this flight just takes their customers for granted. The food was great but the drinks trolley came around only once. Moreover every flight has a potential to cause pressure variation causing ear infections in children under 3years, but AI recommend that children should be held upright and not fed. AI is the face of Indian tourism and if the travel is bad the patrons would believe that the whole Indian tourism is bad. The engineers also must ensure that the entertainment functions. The entire air bus seemed inappropriate for international conveyance.

I shakti kapoor along with my wife took the above flight. my seat no. was 29H . The flight took off at 12;15pm within half n hour being airborne it was known that 2 toilest out of 8 were working in the economy class hence 300 odd passengers were to use only those two toilets only. after another two hours of flight it was announced by the captain that the aircraft was returning back to tronto airport for repairing all the toilets we reached tronto airport at 5;45pm. it was announced that the flight will resume at 11;45pm. at 11;15pm all passengers were asked to take a new boarding pass obv. their was scramble and everybody got boarding pass by 11;45pm. then the flight did not start as scheduled and nothing was told as the reason as to why, obv. the passengers got restless and starting making the enquires no answer was given for 1hr. then at 1;00am a lady came and announced that the flight could start if 38 young passengers along with thier children opt out from the flight and will be given 1000 dollars within a week when after half and hour and so 38 passengers came forward it was told that 50 passengers should opt out from the flight obv. there were loud resentment from the passengers. after much pressure from the passenger the boarding started at 2;00am the flight started from tronto airport to delhi airport. in the meanwhile a few passengers wanted to use the toilets but told that they could use the toilets when the aircraft was airboared. after half n hour when the aircraft airboard passengers wanted to use the toilets but were told that only two toilets were working. naturally everybody was reghast and surprised even then the passengers managed with only those two toilets only obv. there was line infront of those two toilets in the meantime the food was serevd which was stale and intenticle which was given in the morning. i may mention here that after few hrs again food was served which was in the same condition as it was given before in the morning. now when one and half hour was left to land delhi it was announced that the two toilets which were working had also atopped working therefore closed. i need not explain the fate of the passengers especially the old and children, however the toilets used the crew was open which saw long lines o[censored]sers infront. ultimately we landed at delhi airport and after few formalities reached the belt for collecting luggage as normal thier was scramble of passengers who were eagerly waiting for the arrival of the luggage. Astoundingly it was announced after couples of minutes that the luggage of all the passengers who came by that flight was not brought. Naturally the mouths remained open and surprised. nothing was told in this respect when flight started from tronto. The rest is obv. that everybody had to fill forms regarding the details of the luggage they had booked in the flight. we were told on 29.09.22 that everybody will be deliverd his or her luggage next day be it delhi or any place outside delhi. i recieved my luggage on 3.10.22 after making many calls. in the meantime i had to purchase undergarments for use from the market. the flight of 13hrs was completed in 30hrs. it was a nightmare. the harrasment suffered by the passengers is untellable. could you please explain all the reasons for the happenings as explained above and the punishment given to the delinquents officials. hope to get an early reply. there was no transprency in telling the facts to the passengers kindly explain.

Sir,
I was booking a flight ticket from Air India online website on 28 July 2022 from Imphal to Delhi and payment through Phone pay UPI but payment is Rs 5313/- already deducted from my sbi bank account number is [protected] flight ticket not yet received to me. Transaction ID attached for your reference.

So already two months not refund to my account till date. Please refund my amount as soon as possible.

Thank you sir..

UTR ID NO[protected]
Transaction ID-T2207280900544962425572

This is in regard to a formal complaint against the Air India flight.
Flight No – AI188, From Toronto (Canada) to Delhi (India) dated 29th Sept 2022

The flight condition was pathetic and the services offered were really disappointing. I have never had such experience in any of my other flights. It really shows that Air India doesn’t care about passenger anymore and only fooling people by charging huge amount for the ticket. Below are couple of observation made.

1. The tray table was broken and have stain of foods. It was not properly cleaned, and the feel was, you are eating on roadside.
2. In flight entertainment was also not working, came to know that 60% of it were not working since long.
3. Sitting chair was also not comfortable as there was gap between the back rest and the cushion, which was easily noticeable.
4. Last but not the least, I ordered chicken for meal, and I was given the mushroom inside it. And no body cared to inform me. I am allergic to mushroom, when complaint, came to know that no instruction was given to the hosts as what the food items contain.

I was surprised to hear during the initial phase of the flight from a crew member that the flight is very old and most of the tray table is like that. Me along with couple of other passenger were really worried about out safe journey.
If the flight is old, what we really felt from inside, then AIR INDIA is playing with the risk of passengers. I booked the aisle seat by giving extra amount and I regretted both my decision, first flying with Air India and then paying extra for a seat that doesn’t worth it. I will definitely recommend my friend not to take risk to book a flight with Air India.

I am attaching the snaps taken during my flight. I want a satisfactory solution to the problem stated. I want a reimbursement of the amount paid for booking the flight.

I booked a ticket through Trip.com. Order number: L7J3CG
Abu Dhabi-Chennai (Madras)
Fri 2 Jul 2021-Thu 12 Aug 2021
Booking reference: MKL7IJ
Amount Paid: 4244 AED
I could not travel due to COVID reasons. I am yet to get my refund. Trip.com is saying their request is pending from Air India. If I call Air India they are telling contact the travel agent. I am fed up following up with Trip.com since they do not give me any proper answer except they tell me that they have escalated to the concerned department. It is now more than 1 year and 2 months. I do not get a proper reply or a refund from both Air India and Trip.com

I have cancelled an air india flight ticket booked through MMT from delhi to dubai which was on 30th august 2022.
Name of passenger - Alka
PNR-6WDFMS
DOB-25/6/1992
I havent got my money back after cancellation yet.
Kindly look into the issue, and help to solve asap.

I book my ticket hyderabad to dubai on 27september 2022 around 12.58pm using with phone pay upi through adirindia website the fare amount deducted from my account and credited to air india bill desk but ticket not booked, and I haven't received any message are mail of booking confirmation pls kindly find the attachment of transaction payment.