DELHI- Tata Group-owned Air India (AI) passenger traveling from Toronto (YYZ) to Delhi (DEL) was offered just $50 compensation after paying $2,350 for a business class seat with non-functional features.
The traveler, Rutesh Panchal, documented the issue during his 14-hour journey on the Boeing 777 service on December 30, 2024.
Air India Broken Business Seat
After reporting the problem to Air India’s grievance department upon arrival at Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL), the passenger was offered only 4,000 INR (approximately $50) as goodwill compensation.
Despite multiple follow-up attempts and video evidence of the malfunctioning control panel, no further resolution was provided.
The incident occurred on a direct Air India flight from Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ) to Delhi (DEL), where the passenger had specifically booked business class to rest during the 14-hour journey.
Upon boarding, Mr. Panchal discovered that his seat functions were completely inoperable, with a loose control panel that failed to respond when buttons were pressed.
Flight attendants acknowledged the malfunction after attempting to resolve the issue but informed the passenger that no seat reassignment was possible due to the flight being fully booked. This left Mr. Panchal without the premium seating features he had paid for throughout the entire long-haul journey.
Inadequate Compensation
After contacting Air India’s grievance department and explaining that he had paid approximately 200,000 INR (roughly $2,350) for the business class ticket, Mr. Panchal was offered just 4,000 INR ($50) as a “goodwill gesture” – representing only about 2% of the ticket value.
The passenger provided video evidence showing the malfunctioning control panel and loose equipment, but reported that Air India representatives stated they “can’t do anything anymore” regarding additional compensation.
Despite multiple follow-up attempts via phone and email, no further resolution was offered.
Similar Incidents
An 84-year-old Air India passenger encountered a significant service disruption when informed their confirmed business class seats on a direct Delhi to Vancouver flight were “not working” on April 13, 2025.
The elderly traveler and family, who specifically paid premium fares for direct business class travel, were initially offered only economy seats or removal from the flight. After protesting this limited accommodation, the family was rerouted through London Heathrow, significantly extending their journey time and creating additional hardship for the senior passenger requiring wheelchair assistance.
“They gave us two options: either accept economy class seats or be offloaded from the flight entirely,” said Soma Maitra, describing the family’s experience at Delhi Airport Terminal 3. This approach revealed apparent gaps in Air India’s service recovery protocols for handling disruptions affecting premium cabin passengers.
The rerouting transformed what should have been a direct arrival in Vancouver at 7:00 AM into a complex journey arriving at 3:30 PM, requiring multiple airport transfers and aircraft changes – a particularly challenging situation for an 84-year-old requiring mobility assistance.
Maitra referenced “oversold flights” combined with “old aircraft issues,” suggesting Air India may be selling premium cabins without adequate contingency plans for maintenance issues. This creates particularly difficult situations for passengers with special needs who select specific flight options based on their requirements.
This incident follows a pattern of service complaints on Air India’s long-haul routes. Evidence shared by passenger accused crew members of utilizing business class seats while paying passengers receive downgrades, particularly on the Delhi to Chicago O’Hare route.
Multiple reports document a troubling practice on flight AI126 where business class passengers encounter prepared “technical issue” forms at boarding gates claiming seats “won’t recline” and requesting passenger approval for reassignment to economy with compensation. One passenger who investigated her supposedly broken business seat found only a minor tray table issue before observing crew members sleeping in the deliberately cleared business rows during the flight.
Featured Image by Vimanspotter | Utkarsh Thakkar
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