Political analyst Yogendra Yadav has complained of a harrowing experience while checking into an Air India flight to Kathmandu. The Swaraj Abhiyan founder detailed his experience in a post on X, following which the airline apologised and assured to get back to him.

“I hate to put my personal travails on a public platform. But today’s experience with @airindia is worth recording, for it may be of use to others. Do others have similar recent experience with Air India?” Mr Yadav wrote.

I hate to put my personal travails on a public platform. But today’s experience with @airindia is worth recording, for it may be of use to others. Do others have similar recent experience with Air India?

This is what my wife and I went through (flight AI 213):
Change in time of…

— Yogendra Yadav (@_YogendraYadav) November 11, 2024

“This is what my wife and I went through (flight AI 213): Change in time of flight by 4 hrs (notified four days ahead) Downgrading of our class of travel (no intimation, no offer of refund) No web checking despite repeated attempts (“your booking is ineligible for web checking”) Airport check in: Made to run to three different counters for no fault of ours,” he added.

He said a “very rude” customer service executive made them run around and refused to allot seats before a counter supervisor stepped in. “When I wanted to complain, I was first told that there is no complaints book (which they found when I insisted) and could not give an email ID for complaints. I am not listing minor issues like discrepancy between Gate announced and actual gate of boarding, poor management of lines, faulty announcements etc.”

“I should mention that floor supervisor did offer a polite apology. All in all a very sad experience,” Mr Yadav said.

Dear Mr. Yadav, we sincerely apologize for the inconvenience caused. We’re addressing this on priority and will get back to you at the earliest.

— Air India (@airindia) November 11, 2024

Over an hour after the post, Air India’s official X handle responded, “Dear Mr. Yadav, we sincerely apologize for the inconvenience caused. We’re addressing this on priority and will get back to you at the earliest.” In the comments section, many X users narrated their own flight nightmares with Air India. The flag carrier airline, now owned by Tata Group, is in the middle of a merger with Vistara.

Earlier, musician Ricky Kej and actor Tilottama Shome had complained of a poor travel experience with Air India.