Horrible standards of Customer Service that I have personally seen on Air India. I am just adding few anecdotes. I would only fly Air India if I had no other choice like going to Bhavnagar or Allahabad which are serviced only by Air India ATRs. They are using Tax Payer’s money to survive.
Personally seen instances at Air India
- Seat adjustment was broken
As they say, keep your seat upright, tie your seatbelt and put your feet on ground during taking off in their security demonstration
Well, the seat is broken and can’t be kept upright. - Backrest missing
Passenger complains about seat not having backrest available at the seat on Mumbai-Indore flight. Air hostess response that you can only get on Air India flight “Sir, on the last flight, previous passenger on the same seat and didn’t complain. Why do you have a problem” - Happens with my cousin
My cousin complains about stale meal given to him on the flight. There was elderly air hostess who replied “Son, just be happy that they are serving you meal. Don’t fuss and finish your food.”
So finally as I am sitting at Plaza Premium Lounge at Delhi’s IGI Airport terminal 3. I happen to sit next to Air India’s pilot and ask him about dire conditions of Aircrafts and why they are not being maintained.
The pilot informed me the following reasons:-
- The procedure to file a complaint is long and nobody wants to do extra work.
- Nobody wants to claim a problem that would require money. As soon as you say something require money, it goes to tail-end as nobody wants to spend money fixing things. They could use the money somewhere.
- Only reason staff joins Air India is a job security. They know that it is difficult to get fired from state-run aircraft despite bad review or low-performance rating.
- Air India roster planning is not centralized and they always scramble at last minute to find a replacement if some crew can’t fly.
