New Delhi, 9 April - Air India, the national carrier of India, has found itself embroiled in a fresh controversy involving its long-haul Delhi to Chicago flight, a route spanning 12,080 kilometers and known as one of the airline’s flagship international services. Recent reports have surfaced detailing a disturbing practice where crew members allegedly occupied business class seats for rest during the flight, while paying passengers who had booked those premium seats were downgraded to economy class. This incident, which has sparked widespread criticism, occurred on flight AI126, raising serious questions about the airline’s operational protocols and customer service standards, especially following its highly publicized privatization under the Tata Group in 2022.
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The issue came to light when multiple passengers reported being informed at the departure gate in Delhi that their business class seats were unavailable due to “technical issues,” a term that has become a frequent explanation for such occurrences on this route. In many cases, passengers were told that their seats had problems such as non-reclining mechanisms, and they were handed pre-printed downgrade forms specific to flight AI126. These forms, marked with the flight number, suggest that this was not a one-off event but part of a recurring pattern. Passengers were then reassigned to economy class, often with little explanation beyond the initial technical justification, and in some instances, they received inadequate compensation for the downgrade. What makes this situation particularly egregious is what passengers observed during the flight. After takeoff, several noted that entire rows of business class seats—previously deemed “unusable”—were occupied by crew members who appeared to be resting. One passenger, who had been downgraded due to an alleged issue with her seat’s tray table, later inspected the seat and found the problem to be minor and easily fixable. Her observation that crew members were using these seats for sleep, covering themselves with blankets, corroborated similar accounts from other travelers on the same route. This has led to speculation that the airline may be intentionally reallocating premium seats to accommodate crew rest, a practice that undermines the trust of passengers who pay significantly higher fares for the business class experience.
Air India operates the Delhi-Chicago route with Boeing 777-300ER aircraft, which are equipped with dedicated crew rest facilities located above the main cabin. These facilities are designed to ensure that crew members can take mandated rest breaks during long-haul flights without impacting passenger seating. The apparent underutilization of these designated areas in favor of business class seats points to a potential lapse in operational discipline or resource management. Despite the airline’s efforts to modernize its fleet and improve service following privatization, incidents like this highlight persistent challenges in aligning its practices with international standards. The backlash from affected passengers has been significant, with many expressing frustration over the lack of transparency and accountability. For an airline striving to reclaim its position as a competitive player in the global aviation market, such reports are a setback. Air India has not officially commented on the specific allegations of crew misuse of business class seats, but the recurring nature of these complaints suggests a systemic issue that requires urgent attention. The pre-printed downgrade forms, in particular, indicate that the airline may be aware of the problem yet has not implemented effective solutions.
This controversy comes at a time when India’s aviation sector is experiencing rapid growth, with increasing demand for premium travel options on long-haul routes. Air India, once a symbol of national pride, has struggled with a reputation for inconsistent service, aging infrastructure, and operational inefficiencies. The Tata Group’s takeover was intended to mark a new era of professionalism and customer focus, with investments in new aircraft and cabin upgrades. However, the Delhi-Chicago flight incident underscores that fleet modernization alone is insufficient without addressing deeper cultural and procedural shortcomings within the organization. For passengers on the Delhi-Chicago route, the experience of being downgraded while watching crew members occupy their seats is a stark reminder of these unresolved issues. The 14-hour journey is already a taxing one, and the expectation of comfort in business class is a key factor in ticket purchases. When that expectation is unmet—not due to unavoidable mechanical failures but due to apparent mismanagement—it erodes confidence in the airline. As Air India continues its transformation, it must prioritize not only its physical assets but also the trust of its customers, ensuring that such incidents become a thing of the past rather than a defining feature of its present.