Air india services: The resentment among the passengers over the services of Air India is increasing rapidly. This dissatisfaction has deepened after the fierce accident of flight AI171 in Ahmedabad on 12 June. A survey conducted by Localcircles recently has revealed worrying figures about the quality, maintenance, safety and passenger facilities of Air India. The survey was prepared on the basis of the experiences of the passengers, in which thousands of citizens across the country participated and raised serious questions on the operation of Air India.
79 percent passengers expressed displeasure over the quality of flights
79 percent of the passengers involved in the survey admitted that the status and maintenance of Air India aircraft is very poor. This figure was 55 percent in the year 2024, which makes it clear that there has been a huge decline in passenger experiences in a year.
AI171 accident further increased passengers’ concerns
On June 12, Air India flight AI171, which was Boeing 787 Dreamliner, crashed in Ahmedabad. In this accident, only one passenger out of 242 survived, while 34 other people on the ground also died. This incident raises deep questions on the security system of Air India and the fears of passengers have become even deeper.
15,000 passengers participated in the survey
About 15,000 passengers from more than 307 districts of the country participated in this survey. Of these, 63 percent were male and 37 percent were women. Among the participants, 44 percent were from Tier-1 cities, 26 percent of Tier-2 and 30 percent from Tier-3, 4, 5 and rural areas. The survey was based on the widespread experiences of the passengers.
Complaints at many levels from baggage handling to customer service
In the survey, 48 percent of the passengers said that they faced problems in handling their luggage, while in 2024 the number was 38 percent. 36 percent of the passengers described the flight’s entertainment system as poor, which was 24 percent last year. 31 percent passengers expressed dissatisfaction with the Customer Service of Air India, while in 2024 the figure was 24 percent. Similarly, 31 percent of the passengers questioned the quality of food, which also proved to be negative.
Light improvement recorded in some areas
While complaints increased, improvement was also recorded in some cases. Complaints about the time of flights running on time have come down from 69 percent to 46 percent. The dissatisfaction with the behavior of the staff has also come down from 38 percent to 31 percent. Apart from this, there was also a slight improvement in transparency in flight related information.
DGCA action, three senior officials suspended
In view of the seriousness of the flight AI171 accident, DGCA has started investigation. On 22 June, three senior officials have been suspended for negligence in crew rostering. The DGCA has warned that if such serious negligences have been repeated in future, the license of the airline can be canceled.
Demand for high level committee made from government
Many passengers participating in the survey suggested that the government should set up a high-level committee in collaboration with DGCA and Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA). Its purpose should be to find an effective solution to the complaints of the passengers and to improve service standards in the airline area.