Air India passenger slaps staff member over delayed flight
What's the story
Air India is under fire amid an incident of a passenger slapping a crew member for an over seven-hour delay on a Delhi-Mumbai flight.
The incident at Delhi airport was recorded in a now-viral video. The flight, scheduled to leave at 11:00pm took off at 6:30am the next day.
Passengers were reportedly kept in the dark about the reason for such a long delay through the night.
Passenger outburst
Passengers express frustration over lack of communication
Content creator Garima Raonta, who posted the video on Instagram, emphasized the trauma of passengers during this ordeal.
Children were crying, elderly passengers were exhausted, and many had urgent work in Mumbai.
"What we got in return? A half-hearted apology and a juice box," Raonta lamented.
"Yes, a juice box. That's what our time, stress and health were worth to them."
Staff confrontation
Heated exchange between passengers and airline staff
Amid the delays, many passengers argued with airline staff.
One was seen hitting a crew member and pleading to understand his situation. "Mere baap ki tabiyat kharab hai. Hamari problem samjho na (My father's health is not good. Understand our problems)," he pleaded.
Another was seen confronting an Air India staffer who was allegedly laughing during the scuffle. "Hass mat samjha na (Don't you dare laugh at our situation)."
Boarding disruption
Boarding process halted midway, says Raonta
Raonta also stated that Air India started but then suddenly halted boarding.
She alleged that after half the passengers had boarded, another delay was announced, leaving others confused.
She further alleged that the boarding gate was locked after partial boarding and blamed the disruption on a missing pilot.
This only added to the frustration faced by passengers during this incident.
Online backlash
Social media users criticize Air India over incident
The incident has drawn criticism of Air India on social media.
"What choice do Indians have in flying? Air India and Indigo.....who cares about customer service when it's a duopoly.....both are equally bad," said one user.
Another shared a horrific experience with the airline: "One of the worst airline experiences I've ever had. I was stuck on an international flight for six hours inside the plane without any explanation."