Latest news with #UrvashiPrasad
Indian Express
29-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
Ex-NITI Aayog official slams Air India over damaged business-class seat: ‘Hope the rest of the plane is working'
A former director at NITI Aayog recently took to social media to voice her displeasure with Air India after a disappointing business-class experience. Posting two images from her Air India AI2996 flight, Urvashi Prasad highlighted a visibly damaged business class seat – a panel had come off. Alongside the pictures, she wrote, 'Broken seats in business class in Air India flight AI 2996 Bombay to Delhi … can only hope the rest of the plane is working.' Check out the post: Broken seats in business class in @airindia flight AI2996 Bombay to only hope the rest of the plane is working.. — Urvashi Prasad (@urvashi01) April 27, 2025 The post caught the airline's attention. Responding publicly, Air India said, 'Dear Ms Prasad, we're concerned to note this. Your feedback is important to us, and we'll make sure it gets addressed promptly.' This isn't an isolated incident. In recent months, Air India has faced a steady stream of complaints – from everyday travellers to celebrities – many of whom have taken to social media to share their frustrations. Television actor Urvashi Dholakia, known for winning Bigg Boss Season 6, recently criticised the airline after her checked baggage was damaged on a flight from London to Mumbai. She had paid extra charges for the luggage and, in a video post, demanded a refund for what she called mishandling by the airline. Tensions also boiled over at Delhi airport just days ago when a delayed Air India flight to Mumbai left passengers stranded. A passenger, apparently enraged by the delay, slapped a member of the airline's staff. While Air India has said it is working to address service issues, it has also appealed to the media to avoid damaging the airline's image without confirming the facts.
Gulf News
28-04-2025
- Business
- Gulf News
'Hope rest of plane works': Air India passenger expresses concern over broken Business Class seat
Dubai: A single tweet can ignite widespread conversation, and that's exactly what happened when Urvashi Prasad, a former director at NITI Aayog, shared her frustrating experience flying business class on Air India. Their reputation took another blow when she posted pictures of her broken seat during her Bombay to Delhi flight, raising eyebrows and concerns among frequent flyers. According to Prasad, her business class seat was not only uncomfortable but also minus a crucial panel that had come loose. She accompanied her tweet with the images, writing, 'Broken seats in business class on Air India flight AI 2996 from Bombay to Delhi… can only hope the rest of the plane is working.' This mix of disappointment and wit resonated with many users who have experienced similar issues. The response online was immediate and varied. Some users jumped in to share their own horror stories, with one replying, 'I had a broken seat on my last flight too! What is going on with Air India?' Others took a lighter approach, jokingly suggesting that perhaps the plane was 'just trying to give a more 'authentic' travel experience.' Not to be left out, Air India responded quickly, acknowledging Prasad's experience. 'Dear Ms. Prasad, we're concerned to note this. Your feedback is important to us, and we'll make sure it gets addressed promptly,' they tweeted back, attempting to regain some trust amidst the storm of complaints. This incident opens the door to a larger issue within the aviation industry, particularly for Air India, which has recently seen a spike in customer complaints. According to DGCA reports, passenger grievances have surged by an alarming 57 per cent in the last financial year. Both Air India and SpiceJet have been at the forefront of these complaints, highlighting ongoing dissatisfaction with service quality. Comment sections on these posts were filled with opinions. One user remarked, 'It's disheartening to see such service from a major airline. They must step up their game!' Another user, however, offered a note of caution, suggesting that social media can sometimes overblow these incidents, stating, 'Every airline has rough patches, but it's important to share constructive feedback.' As Air India faces scrutiny, they have urged the press and passengers to avoid unfairly tarnishing their reputation without solid evidence. Nevertheless, user reactions continue to shed light on the challenges airlines face in meeting customer expectations.
Time of India
28-04-2025
- Time of India
'Hope rest of the aircraft is working': Former NITI Aayog member fumes over broken business class seats on Air India Mumbai-Delhi flight
NEW DELHI: Urvashi Prasad , a prominent public health advocate and former NITI Aayog official, has raised serious concerns about aircraft maintenance after finding broken seats in the business class of an Air India Mumbai-Delhi flight on Sunday. Urvashi, a former lateral entrant to NITI Aayog who also served on the Government of India's Covid Management Core Team , took to social media platform X (formerly Twitter) to share her experience aboard flight AI2996 . You Can Also Check: Mumbai AQI | Weather in Mumbai | Bank Holidays in Mumbai | Public Holidays in Mumbai Prasad, who is also a Stage 4 cancer survivor, highlighted the poor condition of her seat on what was reportedly a Vistara aircraft operated under the Air India banner. 'Broken seats in business class in @airindia flight AI2996 Bombay to Delhi... can only hope the rest of the plane is working,' she wrote, posting a photos of the damaged seat. Air India's customer support responded online, assuring her that her feedback would be addressed. However, Prasad pushed back on the response, noting that the issue goes beyond a surface-level fix. 'It's not just about addressing through quick fixes like tape, which is what was done eventually. Your aircrafts shouldn't be falling apart like this,' she wrote in a follow-up post. In a subsequent tweet, she clarified that the aircraft in question was a Vistara plane. 'This is about bare minimum maintenance being done at least,' she added.
News18
28-04-2025
- Business
- News18
‘Hope Rest Of Plane Works': Air India Passenger Complains Of Broken Business Class Seat
Last Updated: In the photo, a rectangular panel had come off the business class seat that she had booked. A former NITI Aayog official has complained to Air India, expressing dissatisfaction about an unpleasant experience while flying business class in an aircraft of the Tata Group-owned airline. Urvashi Prasad, a former NITI Aayog director, shared two photos on X, showing a broken seat which she claimed was from her Air India AI2996 Bombay to Delhi flight. In the photo, a rectangular panel had come off the business class seat that she had booked. 'Broken seats in business class in Air India flight AI 2996 Bombay to Delhi… can only hope the rest of the plane is working," Prasad, the only lateral entrant to work with three successive vice chairpersons at the NITI Aayog, said in the post on X. Broken seats in business class in @airindia flight AI2996 Bombay to only hope the rest of the plane is working.. — Urvashi Prasad (@urvashi01) April 27, 2025 Responding to her post, Air India said that they will look into the matter. 'Dear Ms Prasad, we're concerned to note this. Your feedback is important to us, and we'll make sure it gets addressed promptly," the airline replied. Air India has faced frequent passenger complaints about service deficiencies, while also urging the press to refrain from maligning the reputation of the airline without corroborating facts. First Published: April 28, 2025, 09:53 IST
NDTV
27-04-2025
- Business
- NDTV
"Hope Rest Of Plane Works": Woman On Air India's Broken Business Class Seat
New Delhi: A former official of the government think tank NITI Aayog has complained to Air India about an unpleasant experience while flying business class in an aircraft of the Tata Group-owned airline. Urvashi Prasad, who says she was a director at the NITI Aayog vice chairman's office, posted two photos on X showing what she identified as a part of a broken seat. A rectangular panel had come off the business class seat that she had booked. "Broken seats in business class in Air India flight AI 2996 Bombay to Delhi... can only hope the rest of the plane is working," Ms Prasad, the only lateral entrant to work with three successive vice chairpersons at the NITI Aayog, said in the post on X. Broken seats in business class in @airindia flight AI2996 Bombay to only hope the rest of the plane is working.. — Urvashi Prasad (@urvashi01) April 27, 2025 Taking note of the post, Air India responded to her saying it will look into the matter. "Dear Ms Prasad, we're concerned to note this. Your feedback is important to us, and we'll make sure it gets addressed promptly," Air India said. While passengers have frequently posted complaints against what they claimed were deficiency in Air India services, the airline had also asked the press to restrain from maligning the reputation of the airline without corroborating facts. Last month, Air India responded to allegations by actor Lisa Ray that the airline did not show empathy for her unwell father as "unfounded". Air India said it flies millions of passengers and "such misleading news reports belie the airline's resolve to customer centricity and empathy."
