Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Saturday criticized Air India after he was allotted a broken seat while traveling from Bhopal to Delhi. Expressing his frustration, Chouhan said the issue was not about his own discomfort but about the airline’s unethical practice of making passengers sit on faulty seats despite charging full fare.
Chouhan, who was on his way to inaugurate the Kisan Mela in Pusa and attend key meetings in Kurukshetra and Chandigarh, took to X to share his experience. He revealed that he had booked seat 8C on Air India flight AI436, only to find it broken and sunken. When he questioned the airline staff, they admitted that the management had been informed about the faulty seat in advance but still sold the ticket.
"My co-passengers requested me to switch seats, but why should I inconvenience another traveler? I completed my journey on the same seat,” Chouhan stated.
The Union Minister further criticized Air India’s management, questioning whether the Tata Group’s takeover had truly improved its services. “I had the impression that Tata’s management would enhance service quality, but I was mistaken. Isn't this cheating passengers?” he asked.
