Pune Author Vows To 'Never Fly Again' With Air India, Prefers Bullock Cart; Airline Responds

Aditya Kondawar, a Pune-based author and Vice President of the startup 'Complete Circle,' recently experienced a trip from Bengaluru to Pune that has left him vowing never to fly with Air India again. Kondawar took to social media platform X to share his ordeal, stating that he would rather take a bullock cart than ever board another Air India flight.

A Troubling Journey

Kondawar's grievances began with the delayed departure of his flight IX 974 from Bengaluru to Pune, which was scheduled to take off at 9:50 PM but did not depart until around 12:15-12:20 AM. In his post, he detailed the issues he faced, noting the foul odor and the dirty, stained seats on the Air India Express flight.

"I have immense respect for the Tata group and their leaders. I expect perfection from them always, and this is a disaster, honestly speaking," Kondawar wrote. He added that after enduring a long day, walking through a large factory, and multiple management interactions, he finally reached home at 3 AM, exhausted and frustrated.

Air India's Response

In response to Kondawar’s post, Air India Express issued an apology for the inconvenience caused. "Please note that the incoming flight was delayed due to reasons beyond our control. We will look into the issue raised regarding your aircraft experience and will fix it immediately," the airline said.

Kondawar, however, was not convinced by their response, stating, "I am sure you guys will keep losing many customers if you keep this up."

Public Reactions and Further Complaints

Kondawar's post sparked a wave of reactions from other users who shared their own negative experiences with Air India. One user commented, "They won't mend ways. It has become worse after the takeover. Earlier, it was only making losses. Now the service level has become pathetic."

Another passenger recounted his "worst vacation start" with Air India in May, citing delays and mismanagement on a Hyderabad to Delhi flight. Air India responded to these complaints, asking for booking details to investigate further.

One user named Vishal described his experience as even worse, with a flight to Goa being delayed by over four hours, followed by an additional three-hour wait due to a bag found on a back seat. He mentioned that baggage clearance took more than an hour, wasting an entire day. Air India Express responded, acknowledging the disappointment and asking for booking details.

Two other users also shared their 'horrible' experiences, to which Air India Express responded, reiterating that such experiences are not what they want for their customers and promising to address the issues.

A Call for Better Service

Despite Air India Express's attempts to address and apologize for the issues, Kondawar remains resolute in his decision to avoid the airline in the future. His post has highlighted ongoing concerns about Air India's service quality, prompting the airline to publicly commit to improvements.

As Air India Express continues to respond to customer feedback, the hope is that they will implement necessary changes to improve their service and regain the trust of their passengers. For now, Kondawar's vow serves as a reminder to all airlines of the importance of maintaining high service standards and addressing customer concerns promptly and effectively.