In Pics: Horrid state of Air India long haul flight causes ordeal to Business class flyers

Malfunctioning seats, filthy floors, tattered seat covers, and broken headboards - Taking to Twitter, ANI Editor Smita Prakash posted about how one of her relatives who was travelling from San Francisco, USA (SFO) to New Delhi (DEL) booked a business class seat on an Air India flight but the experience wasn't the kind that was expected.

The passengers aboard raised complaints over the broken seats after which they were downgraded to economy class despite paying the full fare of business class, she added. After this two of the passengers chose to offboard and the airline initially refused to provide them any refund. She also tweeted several pictures of unclean floors and dysfunctional seats. 

Air India Flight Clearly Not Up To Scratch In Pictures

Smita Prakash said her cousin flew Air India on the long distance San Francisco-Delhi route. "Paid business class full fare, 11 seats broken in business, so she & 9 others downgraded to the economy, 2 chose to off-board, no refund. Last row, non-reclining, also malfunctioning seats, filthy floor, endless horror."

Smita Prakash added, the unexpected service didn't stop there as later during her cousin's Delhi to Bengaluru flight, Air India again downgraded her seats and refused to give any explanation. The airline stated that they do not have any seats and advised her that she is free to cancel the flight but won't get any refund. 

Later, Smita Prakash in yet another tweet informed that on Monday morning, Vistara Airlines, which is also owned by the Tata Group, honoured her cousin with a business class ticket and she had a good experience with the carrier on her Delhi-Bangalore sector.

( In pics: Horrid state of Air India Flight on board | Picture Courtsey: Smita Prakash-Twitter)

Tata Group takeover Air India 

After a competitive bidding process, the government sold Air India to a subsidiary of the Tata Group for Rs 18,000 crore on October 8, 2021. It was learned that about Rs 2,700 crores will be paid to the government and the rest will be Air India's debt that the new entity will take. Earlier, while speaking on winning the bid for Air India, Ratan Tata had said that J R D Tata, the founder of the airline would have been overjoyed if he were alive today. 

Now the Tata Group has a big pie in the Indian aviation sector as it owns three Airlines. The three airlines include Air India, AirAsia India, and Vistara. Air India Express and 50% of Air India SATS is also part of the deal for Air India's purchase by the Tata Group. 

On October 14, the Singapore Airlines has confirmed that it is in talks with Tata Group over a potential merger of Vistara airline, a joint venture between the two companies, and Air India. Tata has a 51 per cent stake in Vistara, while SIA holds 49 per cent.

(Image: @smitaprakash-Twitter)