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Air India Express said that the cabin AC may feel less effective during boarding and taxiing due to open doors and limited power supply for operational reasons.
Some passengers were seen sitting on the plane without t-shirts.
Chaotic scenes unfolded on an Air India Express flight after the air conditioning system allegedly stopped working mid-air. Tusharkant Rout, who claims to have experienced the situation first-hand, vented his frustration via a LinkedIn post, which went viral in no time. As shared by him, the flight (IX-1128), destined for Bhubaneshwar, took off from the Delhi airport at around 3:55 PM on May 11. As shared by him, the flyers had to deal with “unbearable” heat during the journey due to the AC failure. He also claimed that one of his fellow passengers could not handle the extreme discomfort and fell seriously ill.
Rout also attached a photo to his post, where people were seen sitting on the plane without t-shirts. Some of them were using newspapers and magazines to fan themselves. Passengers were also captured offering water to each other.
“Air India Express flight(IX-1128); serious and critical situation. The flight departs from DEL (New Delhi) to BBI (Bhubaneswar) at 3.55 PM today. But a very bad thing is Air Conditioner (AC) is not working, and passengers are faced with unbearably hot conditions in this flight; one of the passengers’ health is very serious,” Rout wrote on LinkedIn.
“Many passengers raised many complaints after that situation was handled for two hours, and during this time flight was going to land at the Bhubaneswar airport. I am requesting the Air India Express airline team to please take this situation as a priority and a serious matter, so that this type of situation never happens in future,” he added.
The airlines responded to the post and commented, “We’re sorry for the delay and any discomfort you experienced during your flight, Tusharkant. The cabin AC may feel less effective during boarding and taxiing due to open doors and limited power supply for operational reasons, but it becomes fully functional after takeoff.”
Many users criticised Air India Express and demanded better service. “Was the inspection not done before takeoff, or was the checklist filled randomly?” asked a person. “From next time, passengers may carry their own portable fans,” quipped another.
A user suggested, “Sometimes, boycotting becomes necessary to make a company recognise that it has acted irresponsibly. Cost-saving measures should not come at the expense of someone’s well-being or safety – there are situations where taking a stand is the only way to drive accountability.”
The post has already garnered more than 2,800 reactions on LinkedIn.
- Location :
Delhi, India, India
- First Published: