Air India Complaints & Reviews

Dear Sir,

I have been victim of very very poor service delivered by Air India. after everything happened i had informed to Airindia and did complaint to Air india General manager Mr. Sanjeev Kumar.

after a month later (when i submitted the compaint), i recieved a apology letter from air india official and they closed the matter themself. however i was never satisfied with their reply and sent another email to get my money back which Air india has robbed from me through their foul mean. I kept on sending emails but Air India is in a sound sleep. they really didnt bother about responding the email and pacify a claimant. however this kind of poor service cannot be accepted and i therefore request your organisation to get hold of Air india as one side they have made the terrible mistake which turned into nightmare for me on top of that dont even bothered to answer my emails.

Below, I have given all the detail and complaint which I forwarded to Air india to sort out but unfortunately it seems that Air india doesn't want to sort this out unless external pressure. if you organisation required any other information from myself please do not hesitate to contact me thorugh email which i have provided on your system.




Shri Sanjeev Kumar
General Manager (TS)
Air India

Subject: Poor organisation that has caused hassle to a customer

Dear Sir,

I am writing to you in connection with my recent flight (UK to India) on Air India. I regret to tell you that I have never seen such a bad organisation like Air India. I took a return ticket (“Heathrow – Amritsar”, “Amritsar – Delhi – Heathrow” e-ticket ref. J8HW5). I bought this return ticket from Air India website. Below, I have explained the hassle that your Air line (Air India) has caused me:

I was told that it is a return ticket for Heathrow-London/ Amritsar and on my return the flight will come via Delhi. On 26th Apr’09 when I went to Amritsar airport to get my flight, Air India personal told me a different story that up to Delhi I have to travel as a domestic passenger and I have to again go through the security check, check-in everything. And this was very first time I have ever seen such a poor service like this. I was expecting a comfortable journey on my return, however it turned out into a nightmare for me.

After having 7 hour stay at Delhi airport (hanging around, killing the time) when I went for re-check at Air India counter, the officials at the counter demanded for extra money (Airport Tax). I asked the reason for extra fee, as I got the on-line ticket and paid for it well in advance (any extra amount that I was supposed to pay should have been deducted while I was booking the ticket online), there seems no reason for me to pay an extra amount. The gentleman replied in “typical Indian tone” that “it was a responsibility of your travel agent to get proper fair including all taxes and Air India can not do anything in this and you have to pay extra money”. No doubt the gentleman (Airline Supervisor/organiser on behalf of Air India Airline) was dim-witted as I had explained to him that I purchased the ticket through Air India website rather than through travel agent (showed him E-ticket), and I had not been contacted by Air India for extra payment. On top of that, it is the responsibility of Air India to inform me if this is the case (where I have to pay extra @ airport while taking my return flight although this would still be illogical from the Airline perspective as I had a return ticket). I had no prior information that I have to pay extra money like this (no emails, phone call was made to make me aware about such situation). It took 45 more minutes for me to apprise Air India Airline supervisor @ Airport that I was not aware of this and also I didn’t had any money in my pocket to pay the extra fee and requested to help me. The supervisor reply was still the same that “we cannot do anything and you have to pay or you miss the flight, and asked me to arrange from somewhere”. As I have no money into my pocket but I had my debit card with me and I was ready to pay by my debit card but in 21st century when world is looking to go beyond *Moon and Mars* Air India Airline still not have facility to accept debit or credit card but just Cash. Because it was a card from United Kingdom bank and for security reasons I was only able to pay by my card as I can’t withdraw any money outside United Kingdom.
In the meantime while when I was requesting @ the counter and trying to sort out my problem, an another passenger came out of line and abused me because it took 5-6 minutes @ check in counter (how disgusting was it , yes it was). He had no right to speak to me like this as he should tell his problem to airline if there was any, but still all this happened because of poor management of Air India Airline.

When Air India Airline didn’t show anything which is known as a customer service I have to be a beggar and borrowed money from another kind passenger who was coming to London Heathrow on the same flight.

It is neither written anywhere nor have I informed by airline to pay extra @ the time of check in. Then why Air India demanded more money and put me in trouble.

Finally, when I managed to arrange money and went to Air India office to pay money (unnecessary requested money), the official was having his “Tea and Pakora” and whispering that public is not letting him eat his “Pakora”. 1st he was having food @ the time of his duty and secondly he was whispering. If he was on break then why he was still having the charge and if he wasn’t on break how come he was having “Tea and Pakora” @ the time of his duty and on top of that whispering that why public is asking him to do anything. This was the level of service which is being delivered by Air India Air line which I had witnessed.


It is sad and unfortunate to see such officials at the International Airport, bringing disrepute to our country known for its hospitality, humbelness, and treating customer/guest as a God. It is also giving a reflection to the visitors/foregienrs about the poor customer service provided by an airline carrying the name of INDIA. It is the word of praise that can get you more customers and also vice versa. I hope such incident will not be repeated in near future with any domectic or International customer of the Airlines. I demand for Air India apology, any extra money which Air India has taken through unfair means and also I should be compensated for such terrible service and unpleasant journey.

In anticipation of an appropriate reply at the earliest possible convinience
Regrads

I have booked a return ticket on Air India from SanFranscisco-Singapore Mumbai

Electronic Ticket Number:[protected]
PNR Number: AI/J1FXC

Name: Kannan Govindan

Date of Journey: 28JUL 2009

Date of Return: 12AUG 2009

I have cancelled this ticket on 15th July 2009. Today it is Sep 19 2009. Air India yet to refund my money. Despite my repeated calls, the Air india doesnt even give me a update on this. I would like to know whether Air India processed this cancellation if so i wanted to know the transaction details. If not, then i need to know the status of the refund as it has been already 9 weeks of time.

Dear Sir,

I was to travel from New York to Mangalore. I had an AIR flight from New York to Mumbai and from Mumbai to Mangalore through Kingfisher.The flight number was AI140 schedulded on 12 SEP 21:30.
The Air India officials at New York confirmed to me that it was through check in and i can collect baggage at my final destination Mangalore. I had my own doubts about it so i confirmed with another officials too. But when i was booking my domestic ticket for Kingfished on arrival to Mumbai they said that i had collect the baggage from International Airport. I contacted the AIR India Officials and they said the same. However none of the officials helped me even though the fault was that of AIR INDIA. I contaced the Manager at 1A terminial in domestic airport and i had to wake him up as he was sleeping. He too was of little help. Then i collected the luggage with difficulty by convincing the cops. It was an nightmare experience as i made to next flight just in time. Neither did any of the AIR India officals apologised nor did they help in anyway.

Dear Sir,

I had a made a booking to fly from BKK to MAA and return, and my PNR number was HNB5Q.

The out bound was on 27th Aug,2009 and the return was on 06th Sep,2009. I had travelled the outbound to BKK on the said date and due to some circumstances I could not make the return on the 6th Sep, so on the 2nd Sep I mad the booking cancel and changed the date to 7th Sep, and was told that I had been waitlisted, on the 5th Sep, I again confirme the customer care and was told that the ticket was confirmed and I need to pay the Date change fees of Rs.500 at the time of check in.

On the 7th when I tried to check in at the BKK airport, the counter informed me that the Booking was not updaed on their system of Thai Airways as the flight was operated by Thai, at the same time since the flight was at 09:20 PM I had come to airport at 06:30 PM, and there were no personal at the AIR INDIA counters too, my repeated trial to contact the local office at BKK failed and there was no help from the AIR INDIA Chennai Airport OFFICE. I was given a proof of my iteneary by the Thai Dear Sir,



I had a made a booking to fly from BKK to MAA and return, and my PNR number was HNB5Q.



The out bound was on 27th Aug,2009 and the return was on 06th Sep,2009. I had travelled the outbound to BKK on the said date and due to some circumstances I could not make the return on the 6th Sep, so on the 2nd Sep I mad the booking cancel and changed the date to 7th Sep, and was told that I had been wait listed, on the 5th Sep, I again confirm the customer care and was told that the ticket was confirmed and I need to pay the Date change fees of Rs.500 at the time of check in.



On the 7th when I tried to check in at the BKK airport, the counter informed me that the Booking was not updated on their system of Thai Airways as the flight was operated by Thai, at the same time since the flight was at 09:20 PM I had come to airport at 06:30 PM, and there were no personal at the AIR INDIA counters too, my repeated trial to contact the local office at BKK failed and there was no help from the AIR INDIA Chennai Airport OFFICE. I was given a proof of my itinerary by the Thai Air officials that the ticket was expired on the 6th, whereas on the AIR INDIA site it showed as 7th.



Since I was denied to board the plane then, I had no option to stay back and had to purchase a new ticket which cost me THB 13,015.



SO I had to pay a lot money out to travel, so my request to you would be to help me out in any possible way.



Will await your esteemed reply as soon as possible.



I have all the tickets with me and also the itinerary as given by Thai showing that the ticket not valid after 6th Sep.



Please let me know ASAP.



Regards,

Santhosh Shinde

This is with reference to the in-flight on board experience when I traveled thru' Air India AI 348 from New Delhi to Shanghai on 18th Aug 2009. We had made the bookings thru Thomas Cook, and had made special meal & Bassinet seat requests done telephonically on 16th Aug 2009

I had an Infant of 2 months travelling with me, on calling up the toll free no. - [protected] of AirIndia from Indore, India, I was told that we are not allowed to carry any baby food in the cabin baggage and all the requisite things needed to feed the baby would be served on board and I need to place a request for these upfront. Hence I had requested for Lactogen 1, Boiled Water and skimmed milk to be served since the baby was completely prescribed by the Doctor to be fed formula milk only.

On the 18th Aug 2009, when I asked the crew for the baby feed, they said they have not been served the same from the caterers. However, the meal request was placed and very much there on the charts(passenger lists) that the crew carried inflight. I was such a horryifying experience on board. The baby was not fed for the entire journey of 5 hrs and 48 mins. Also there was a delay in flight departure from New Delhi. The infant had major trouble travelling and was crying bitterly for food. The crew sounded helpless and were shunning away from their responsibility of representing the airline and said it was not their mistake as the caterers didnt supply. At the time of landing also, the crew did not bother to arrange for the feed at the Airport.

It was a nightmare as a mother for me to pacify the baby. I could not believe how an airline could be so callous and casual about their approach towards hospitality that too with infants. It was one outrageous experience I have ever had and the baby could not sustain the hunger for such a long time. I was not able to eat food myself. I have a few questions for which I need answers.
How could an error of this nature happen?
Are you really taking care of you customers on board?
Are you all really serious about the special request that they make?
Is it worth charging so much when you dont serve what is desired?
Dont you check the inventory of caterers before the flight takes off.
How is an infant supposed to sustain 6 hrs of long distance journey without feed?
Is the crew responsible enough to own their/airlines/caterers mistakes?
I want the airline to repay me back the air fare and adequately compensate for the losses of health, sore throat of the baby due to constant crying and the trauma which I underwent as a parent, not being able to help my child.

Travel Details - (Eticket enclosed for reference)

Flight No - AI 348
Class - Economy
Seat No 6A, 6B and 7A
Name of Passenger - Mrs Prachi Dashora Pendse (Self Mother of the infant)
Name of Infant Passenger - Master Vishrav Pendse
Destination - Pudong, Shanghai
Boarding from - New Delhi, India
Crew Incharge - Ms. P Kumar
Date of Travel - 18 Aug 2009, Tuesday.

I had filled in a feedback form in the flight and handed it over to the crew making a mention of my complaint. However the airlines has made no reverts so far.

Looking forward to a revert from your end.

Kindly let know, the email ids of customer service head and the general manager, I would wish to mark a copy to him for the same

Regards
Prachi Dashora Pendse
Cell - +86-[protected]

My neighbour, who also happens to be one of the landlords, keeps stray dogs inside the building in the passage outside our doors and also on the staircase. She places food and water in the passage for them to feed on. This causes quite a nuisance to us as the entire area stinks, I get ticks crawling on the walls of my appartment sometimes and most people get scared to enter the building and so often we do not get our mail from couriers or my messages from my company as the couriers/ despatch riders are scared of coming home.

I have requested her several times but to no avail and when i shoo the dogs out, or pour some eucalyptus oil in the passage to neutralise the stink, she starts yelling and saying that as she's is the landlord, she can do whatever she likes in the common areas such as passages and staitcases. I have tolerated her nonsense for well over a year and now it's getting worse. Can you please help? Surely there must be a law that if you have a dog it should me kept in your own house and not outside someone else's? How can I get her to remove these dogs from the passage and staircase?

Hi,

I booked a ticket thro Air india website from Singapore to India. While booking the ticket it prompted to create an account. Since it is only account creation I entered my name and other details. I indent to book a ticket fort my brother bu the ticket got generated in my name. Now I want to change the passenger name. Air india call center customer executive and Chennai city office executives asy it is not possible to change the name of the passenger if booked online. Why is this so?. They are asking me to cancel the ticket. I will loose huge amount for cancellation. Is there any way to change the passenger name?

Madam

I had sent my complaint to email address given to me by the helpline executive as they informed me that there is no system of registereing the complint at helpline nos. I had sent the complaint as given below. However, I am yet to get a reply. Please suggest me the name and address of the officer who is responsible for overseeing customer complaint so that I can file an application under RTI act to find out the result of my email.

Gopal Gusain
Mobile no [protected]

I travelled on IC 863 on 16.7.2009 from Delhi to Mumbai at seat 18F.
However, to my surprise I was informed by the flight attendant that due to shortage, I can not be served meals. This makes non availability of promised service to me for which I have paid. Please reimburse me the cost immediately but not later than 28.7.2009 failing which I shall have no option but to move to consumer forum. This may also please be treated as my notice in this regard.

However, I have not received any reply in this regard so far. Can you look into the matter? I need to resolve the matter at the earliest. Please also treat this as my final notice to you under consumer protection act.

Gopal Gusain

If we book ticket Air ticker in http://www.airindiaexpress.in using credit card, we have to give the front and back side of the credit card. Which is against the RBIs "Customer's confidentiallity". This may lead to fradulant usage of the credit card. This should be stopped with the immediate effect.

Refer the http://www.airindiaexpress.in/airindiaexpress/home.asp for credit policy of Air India

I had Purchased a return Ticket for my Mother in law from Ahmedabad- Mumbai- Atlana to back to Mumbai-Ahmedabad.
She had Air India ticket for Mumbai to Ahmedbad. When My MIL arrived Mumbai on June-13-2009 and show the Itinery at AirIndia counter in Mumbai to get a Boarding pass.
Here is the conversation:
(My MIL is aged and can speak only Gujarati; and un/fortunetly the agent was gujarati)
Air India agent: Are you travelling alone?
My MIL said: yes.
Agent: Show me yr Itinery.
My MIL show the Itinery.
Agent: You don't have reservation. We can't issue you a Boarding pass.
My MIL: Ben, you must be sleeping. Wake up and read the itinery properly.
Agent: I can't see yr record in my Computer.
My MIL: Your computer must have broken. Fix it. I am not gonna leave without Boarding pass.

They argued a lot.
Agent offer to provide the train ticket. My MIL refuses.
After 30 min long conversation at Midnight, Agent ask other guy to get the photocopy of the Itinery.
When the other guy came back with photocopy, Agent check again in computer and issued the Bording pass.

How Ridiculous??? How come photocopy of the Itinery shows her record in her computer?
These must have overbooked the flight and try to get rid of some passebger like this or so.

I have never ever seen or heard before this kind of strange experience in my life.

God Bless Air India!!!

I live in new jersey. Came to delhi via Mumbai on 22/05/09. I was carrying two liquor bottles from new york, purchased them from new york airport worth $80, was withe me till Mumbai. In Mumbai, while security check they took the bottles from us and said that we'll get the bottles on the luggage belt in Delhi as I had my transfer flight from mumbai. But it never reached here, I am so pissed. They did that complaint and all, they said Air India will call me directly but nothing has come up still. Is this the way????

The Air India website has put several phone numbers in the list on its website but when you call it either guides you to some automated already known information or hangs up with a bizarre noise or engaged tone.
Secondly the flight status option is just nothing else but the flight schedule. So no information can be known of what is happening. I consider it as a very careful way of being careless.

I was travelling from Bangalore to London on 25th May 09. I was travelling by AI-9505 from BLR to DEL and by AI-111 from DEL to LHR.

I got the boarding pass for both the flights in BLR. When I landed in DEL, the Air India customer support executive took my boarding pass and put a seal "NOT VALID FOR TRAVEL" and asked me to take seperate boarding pass at international airport. When I approached the Air India desk for boarding pass, he asked me to pay 1300 Rs UDF. As I did not have much time left for my flight, I had to pay and get the boarding pass. I feel cheated.

My transit time was just 2 hours in delhi. But I paid 1300 Rs in UDF. Please help to get the money back and to stop this practice in DEL airport by Air India counter.

Flight No From To Departure Time Arrival Time
AI-9505 BLR DEL 25/5/09 9:30 25/5/09 12:00
AI-111 DEL LHR 25/5/09 14:00 25/5/09 19:05

Dear Sir,
I live in Bangur Avenue.I've shifted my residence from 14/D to 31/C Bangur Avenue on 10.05.2009 and applied to Telephone Dept on 11.05.2009, Salt Lake Exchange assured me that they will change it by 15.05.2009. But till today 26.05.2009, nothing has happened. My case Number is BAR/LP-H9/NOR/09-10/0035.
Bangur telephone exchange is not taking it seriously and instead of having Work Order they are not working.
Please do the needful.

A ticket was booked online on 18 May 2009 at 18:10 hrs (IST) for IC 555 from Chennai to Singapore on 23 May 2009 at 00:50 hrs. During this transaction, the amount of Rs 8329 has been debited from my account but the PNR was not generated.Due to availability shortage, I immediately booked a new ticket for the journey. I request to you to refund the amount for the ticket that was booked earlier for which the PNR number was not generated

The date of Travel 14th April, 2009 night from Bangalore to Mumbai by Air India flight
The date of Travel 15th April, 2009 by AI 191 from Mumbai to Frankfurt and by AI 127
from Frankfurt to Chicago.

1. The provision of food stuffs without proper intervals and time schedule. There was a time gap of 4 to 6 hours between the break fast and dinner in the flight.
2. It is an International flight but the announcements in English is brief and not clear. The announcement in Hidhi is lengthier. (In the flight not only Indians but customers from other countries were also travelling.
3. Step motherly treatment for the passengers / customers to those who doesnot know Hindhi language, while the fare for the travel is equal for all customers
4.At Frnakfurt the flight AI 191 was landed in the ground and the stairs put on the ground not arranged to get in to the bay (tunnel bay way) The senior citizen like me were asked to walk to carry our hand baggage with out giving wheel chair assistance, to get into a bus to go to the train station and there also no assistance (wheel chair provision) was arranged by the Air India Staff.
Please note that I had travelled by Lufthansa and British Airways from India to USA, wherein best services and food, and snacks, drinks were provided at proper intervals. Hospitality and customer treatment were quite exemplary.
5. Conduct a special input training to staff and try to improve the service
6. Provide proper snacks, drinks and food to the passengers / customers, and avoid consumer disputes and unnecessary payment of compensation. The compensation payment by the company is also Public Money,

Dear Sir,

I Purchased Air India Ticket to travel to San Francisco, CA from Airticketing Agent Named Skyline Aviation Services, Hyderabad. But the ticket is not used. Applied for Refund the same by the agent.
My Ticket Ref. is 098 [protected] dated 19th Feb 08 and Booking Ref is 2TISTV.
Submitted the Requisation for the refund on 10th March 09.

Please Take Necessary Action To refund the same.

WE WERE TRAVELLING FROM SINGAPORE TO MUMBAI ON 31.3.2009.

WE BEING STAFF OF AIR INDIA WERE SHOCKED TO SEE THE DISGUSTING BEHAVIOUR OF THE STAFF OF AIR INDIA AT THE COUNTER OF SINGAPORE AIRPORT.

THE COUNTER STAFF BEHAVES IN A VERY INDIFFERENT MANNER AND TREATS THE OTHER STAFF MEMBERS TRAVELLING TO SINGAPORE LIKE BEGGARS.

THIS IS TOTALLING DISGUSTING. STRONG ACTION SHOULD BE TAKEN AGAINST THEM.

This is to inform you that I had faced gross negligence and threat to my life by AIR INDIA on my flight from Delhi to New York.I took a flight AI 101 from Delhi on the 27th January 2009.I am a frequent flier but have never heard or faced such incompetence on part of any airline in the world.I have put forward a complaint to Air India but they are just not taking any action.I have put below the emails sent by the airline to me for your reference and also what exactly I had gone through.

I had requested for a sea food meal which I did receive.The prawns seemed a bit smelly but I didn't bother.After one hour of having this meal I started to have severe pain in my stomach.I started to have loose stomach and had to go to the toilet twice.I called on your crew to ask for some medicine as the pain had become severe and also I started shivering.They were very helpful and called in a doctor from one of the passengers.The doctor suggested food poisoning and told me to be on ORS.The next few hours were a pain as I went four times to the toilet.The pain was excruciating.I requested the crew to arrange for a doctor on the JFK airport, I was told that they would pass on a message for a doctor but to my dismay when I landed the ground staff there told me to get the immigration done after which they would call the police to get an ambulance to take me to a nearby hospital.His attitude was of sheer inconsideration.I decided to take some pain killers I had in my checked in Baggage and took the flight to Miami and get myself check at a doctor there.

The doctor in Miami told me that I was suffering from Food Poisoning, told me to rest and prescribed me antibiotics medicine.I was on a Business trip and had to go through suffering, pain and agony because poisoned food served by your airline.The airline should take responsibility
for the Food being served to its customers.

We were subjected to great mental agony and inconvenience due to sudden change of IC 0505 from Bangalore to Delhi on 6th January 2009 to IC 439.In our ticket booked on 5th December, the departure time was 9.30 am and arrival at Delhi was 12.00 noon with out any stops.

When we checked the internet on 5th January to know if there is any change in flight schedule our flight IC 0505 was not seen in the flight schedule. We tried to contact the toll free number of Air India but no one answered the call. I send a letter by e mail to Air India in the address, [protected]@indian-airlines.info to know about our flight status but no reply has been received upto now. We feel this as most unfortunate and irresponsible behavior in the part of Air India. According to our experiences the services and behaviour of low cost private air lines are much better than Air India..

When we reached airport we came to know that the flight No. is changed to IC 439 and the flight has now one stop at Chennai contrary to the ticket issued to us. Moreover the scheduled arrival at Delhi was changed to 13.45. This flight actually landed in Delhi at 14.45. It departed from Bangalore at 10.45 am instead of 9.30 am. We had an important meeting at Delhi at 14.30 and also missed the Jan Shatabdhi Express in which we were planning to go to Karnal- the place of our residence. Hence we had to take a taxi and pay Rs. 2500 as taxi fare to Karnal.

To add to all these, the behaviour of airhostess in the flight gave the feeling as if they are not trained in the fundamentals of hospitality. Passengers who requested for pillows were not provided and those who went and collected only could get it. Is this the way to treat the passengers? Really pathetic services, behaviour and the quality of food served were substandard.

You are requested to look into this matter and give us the necessary compensation by paying us Rs.2500 which we had to spend on taxi and an amount of Rs.50000/- for the mental agony and inconvenience caused to us within 15 days of the receipt of this mail. If necessary action is not taken we will be moving the matter to consumer court.

Thanking you,
Jancy Gupta