Over 300 passengers suffer as Air India flies Delhi-Mumbai without AC

Local Press Co 5-point Snippet

1. Recently, an Air India plane from Delhi to Mumbai, flew without any air conditioning leading to an uncomfortable experience for everyone aboard. Exasperated flyers even accused the airplane staff of being rude and oblivious to their issues.

2. Flight 317 was already four hours behind schedule, when its passengers boarded the Boeing 747 past 4 am. Soon, several of the 300 plus passengers realized the air conditioning system on the plane wasn’t working and many demanded to get off the plane. However, the aircraft’s pilot asked his crew to shut the gates and prevent anyone from leaving.

3. As a result, passengers had to put through suffocation and excessive heat in the congested environment aboard the aircraft. A couple from Noida, who were travelling with their four-month-old baby complained several times to the air-hostess how their baby was restless due to the claustrophobic atmosphere aboard the flight. But, she gave them a curt reply claiming the crew was equipped in case their baby fell unconscious. Another passenger complained how the crew did not even provide water to any of the travelers.

4. The criticism against AI staff comes mere two days after the airline’s managing director Ashwani Lohani sent a letter to all its employees to make sure all passengers have a good experience.

5. While the airline hasn’t made any apologies for the incident, several people who have traveled with Air India have stated the failure of air conditioning systems is a frequent problem.