Air India Apologizes with $350 Vouchers for Passengers After 30-Hour Flight Delay
Air India has issued an apology voucher worth $350 (approximately Rs 29,203) to each passenger affected by a flight from Delhi to San Francisco that was delayed for more than 30 hours. The flight duration was around 16 hours, and the airline cited several “technical and other operational constraints” as the cause of the delay.
Air India has issued an apology voucher worth $350 (approximately Rs 29,203) to each passenger affected by a flight from Delhi to San Francisco that was delayed for more than 30 hours. The flight duration was around 16 hours, and the airline cited several “technical and other operational constraints” as the cause of the delay.
In a letter addressed to the passengers, Air India Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Klaus Goersch expressed sincere apologies for the extended delay. “Please allow me to sincerely apologise, on behalf of Air India, for the extended delay in bringing you to San Francisco, which was caused by several technical delays and other operational constraints,” Mr. Goersch stated.
As a gesture of goodwill, the airline offered a travel voucher worth $350 for future travel with Air India. The letter, dated May 31, also mentioned that passengers could choose to credit the amount instead of using it for travel.
The cheapest one-way Air India ticket from Delhi to San Francisco, if booked for the following day, costs around Rs 98,000. The flight, originally scheduled to take off at around 3:30 pm on Thursday, was rescheduled multiple times and finally departed from Delhi at 9:55 pm on Friday, landing in San Francisco at 12:45 pm on Saturday.
During the delay, many of the more than 200 passengers documented their ordeal at the airport and shared it on social media. Several passengers reportedly fell ill due to the severe heat wave in Delhi. “We are very sorry for this lapse in our service and the inconvenience caused to you,” Mr. Goersch added in the letter.
Union Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia commented on the incident, stating that making passengers wait for hours, whether on a plane or at the terminal, is “unacceptable.” Speaking to NDTV, he said, “If the flight delay extends beyond a period of time, then you must cancel the flight and reschedule and thereby alleviate the sufferings of passengers.”
On Friday, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) issued a show cause notice to Air India regarding the flight delays and the airline’s failure to adequately care for the passengers. The notice specifically mentioned the inordinate delay of two international flights: AI 183 from Delhi to San Francisco on May 30 and AI 179 from Mumbai to San Francisco on May 24.
Sources By Agencies
About The Author
