An 82-year-old woman was reportedly injured at Delhi Airport after Air India allegedly failed to provide a pre-booked wheelchair, forcing her to walk and eventually collapse. The passenger’s granddaughter, Parul Kanwar, took to social media platform X to accuse the airline of negligence and detail the hardships faced by her grandmother, the widow of a decorated lieutenant general.
Kanwar claimed that despite booking a wheelchair well in advance for their March 4th flight from Delhi to Bengaluru, no assistance was provided. The elderly woman had to walk across three parking lanes with family support before entering the terminal—still without a wheelchair.
“She fell in front of the Air India premium economy counter. Not one person stepped in to help,” Kanwar wrote. Medical assistance was only arranged by the family after no staff offered help. When a wheelchair finally arrived, the woman was allegedly boarded without a proper medical checkup, despite visible injuries like a bleeding lip and wounds on her head and nose.
During the flight, the crew provided ice packs and alerted Bengaluru airport’s medical team. Upon arrival, the woman received two stitches and was later admitted to the ICU due to concerns over potential brain bleeds. “It’s a long road ahead of pain and recovery, which she did not deserve,” Kanwar said.
Air India issued a statement denying the allegations. The airline claimed the family arrived at the terminal less than 90 minutes before departure, and high demand delayed wheelchair availability. They asserted the woman chose to walk and was offered immediate first aid after her fall.
The airline insisted their staff provided care throughout the journey and facilitated medical attention upon reaching Bengaluru. “At no point was the wheelchair or any assistance denied,” an Air India spokesperson stated, adding that they’ve reached out to the family and wished the passenger a swift recovery.
The family has filed complaints with India’s aviation regulator DGCA and Air India, demanding accountability as public outrage grows over the incident.
