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'Biased interpretation…': Air India slams viral video of woman having panic attack because she was denied boarding
Air India said passenger safety and comfort were its priorities but, as a 'responsible airline, we have to adhere to strictures laid down by the regulatory authorities'. The airline insisted they could not have delayed the flight any further as all other passengers had boarded.
Days after IndiGo was slammed for denying a disabled child and his parents boarding, Air India has come under fire after a video of a woman - who seems to have a panic attack and collapse to the ground after being denied a seat because, the airline said, she was late - was shared on social media. The incident happened at Delhi's Indira Gandhi airport and the video was shared by a man who said the woman is his aunt; her relatives have claimed she was not provided any medical assistance.
Air India has issued a statement saying its staff had called a doctor and a security personnel 'immediately' to check on the woman and criticised the media's 'biased interpretation' of the video.
"It (the video) is conveying a misleading image of Air India being apathetic towards a passenger who is seen lying near the gate. Few publications and journalists have posted the video without checking the factual veracity and details from our side. We are dismayed to see this biased interpretation…".
Air India said three passengers (one was the woman) reported for boarding after gates had closed. The airline said its staff had made repeated calls to these passengers. Air India also pointed out the woman recovered after a doctor arrived and she 'declined any medical or wheelchair assistance'.
Air India said passenger safety and comfort were its priorities but, as a 'responsible airline, we have to adhere to strictures laid down by the regulatory authorities'. The airline insisted they could not have delayed the flight any further as all other passengers had boarded.
The incident occurred at 4.45am at Terminal 3 of the Delhi airport on May 5.
The man who shared the video - Vipul Bhimani - said that he, his cousin and aunt had faced some technical issues during the security check and had reached the boarding gate at 4.27am.
He said his aunt had heart problems and was a diabetic, and that they had asked Air India staff to help them past security checks because of technical issues faced. "They strictly denied us any assistance by saying the security check-in issue is none of our business," Bhimani said.
"We called Air-India staff again to inform them we have cleared check-in and… are moving towards gate 32B but we will be late by five minutes as we were having a heart and diabetic patient with us and she can't run. My cousin reached the boarding gate within two minutes and I reached after him with my aunt," he said.
Bhimani then claimed Air India staff 'literally closed gates' despite their prior intimation and with 30 minutes left before take-off. "My cousin had his final year viva (exam) on the same day which he missed due to missing the flight… My aunt got anxious which turned into a panic attack, and she fainted there on the spot. We asked for a medical emergency but instead a staff called security and asked them to leave us at the exit gate," he said.
