Air India — Issue refund for Boarding denied at the airport

Address: Gurgaon

I am reaching out to you on behalf of my husband, Gaurav Kwatra, and my mother-in-law, Sunita Kwatra who are in Kochi for my mother-in-law’s medical treatment.

On 14 June 2024, they were scheduled to fly with Air India from New Delhi to Kochi (PNR 5CGKVN). The purpose of their trip was my mother-in-law's medical treatment.

Due to my mother-in-law's osteoporosis and her tendency to fall while walking, she required a wheelchair. My husband had arranged for a wheelchair, but unfortunately, the wheelchair attendant arrived 20 minutes late.

Despite my husband and mother-in-law arriving at the airport on time, they were denied boarding by Air India staff member, Anjali Solanki, due to the delay in obtaining the wheelchair even though the flight was also delayed by 27 minutes. It is disheartening to see my elderly mother-in-law, who struggles to walk, subjected to harassment during the early morning hours (around 4 AM)at the airport.

Furthermore, the Air India staff showed no courtesy in providing compensation in the form of flight tickets for the same day.

Is it not cruel to treat a patient in such a manner? Our priority was my mother-in-law's medical treatment, which is why we booked a flight with Indigo for the following day to Kochi(15 June 2024). Subsequently, I submitted a refund request to Air India, and Yatra has provided the following breakdown.

Ticket Cost:- 19398
Airline Penalty (Per Passenger Per Sector)- 9132
Yatra Service Fee (Per Passenger Per Sector)- 400
Promotional Discount will be deducted - 930
Total cancellation charges - 19994
Refund amount: - NIL

I would like to emphasize that if the full amount of the ticket is not refunded, I will be forced to take legal action against Air India for the mistreatment and harassment of a senior citizen who can barely walk.

Please find attached the flight tickets for my husband and mother-in-law, as well as the hospital admission receipt for my mother-in-law, who was admitted to the hospital in Kochi on 16 June instead of 15 June due to the disturbance caused by Air India staff.

We should not be held responsible for the inhumane behavior displayed by Air India.

I kindly request you to review the attached documents and take appropriate action and issue a full refund.