‘Indigo, shame on you!’: Wheelchair-bound Mumbai woman blasts airline for forgetting her after landing

Virali Modi, a Mumbai-based activist and motivational speaker, recently claimed that she faced a distressing situation onboard an IndiGo flight from Delhi to Mumbai. Despite informing the airline about her disability and dependence on a wheelchair, she was allegedly left forgotten after landing and had to wait for assistance to disembark. Modi, who has been paralysed from the waist down since 2006, shared her ordeal on social media.

In a post on December 6, Modi wrote that she was forgotten by the cabin crew after the flight touched down. While other passengers disembarked, she said she was left unattended and eventually had to alert the cleaning staff for assistance. Even then, she was forced to wait for a further 40 minutes for an aisle wheelchair to arrive.

“Indigo Airlines does NOT care about their passengers with disabilities. I’ve been paralysed from the waist down since 2006 and I use a wheelchair for mobility. I flew from Delhi to Mumbai on 5th December, 2023 on flight number 6E-864. After everyone deplaned, the cabin crew forgot that I was on the flight.

The cabin crew were chatting to the captain or someone in a similar uniform. The cleaning crew had come on board and I had to inform them. That’s when the cabin crew rushed to arrange an aisle wheelchair,” she wrote on X.

Modi's ordeal was far from over. She claimed that the call button, which could have summoned assistance, was out of her reach, and that despite prior knowledge of her need for a wheelchair at the gate, the airline did not supply one. 

 The helper who finally showed up, was negligent, pushing the aisle chair without considering her stiff legs and failed to facilitate the prompt availability of her personal wheelchair at the baggage claim. This led to an extended delay of another 30 minutes, she said.

“I had to wait a total for 40 minutes to deplane after everyone else had exited the flight. I couldn’t alert the cabin crew because the call button was out of reach, like on all of their flights. I had even informed that I wanted my wheelchair at the gate and they failed to mention that as well,” she wrote.

“A helper from Indigo had come to assist me and he was negligent as well. My legs were stiff but he kept on pushing the aisle chair. As soon as I arrived to the baggage claim, my wheelchair was nowhere to be seen. My fellow passengers had already collected their luggage and were leaving the airport,” Virali further added.

The matter became more personal when Virali found out that her wheelchair cushion, which is custom-made to support her spine and avoid sores after long periods of sitting, was stolen. This loss was especially painful because it occurred just after International Day of Persons with Disabilities on December 3, emphasising the irony of her flight experience.

“When I arrived home, that’s when I realised that my cushion was nowhere to be found. That cushion is specifically made for me and my spine for the utmost comfort since I use a wheelchair full time,” she wrote on X.

Adding to the ordeal, Modi reported being on hold with IndiGo's customer service for over 55 minutes before reaching a representative. The response she received was underwhelming, with the airline simply offering to send an email acknowledging the issue. There was no apology offered for the distress caused, and no concrete resolution proposed.

Modi expressed particular disappointment at the airline's lack of remorse or effort to address her concerns. She received no proactive attempt to rectify the situation.

“First, you steal my dignity, then you steal my independence, and now you’re stealing my peace of mind. Indigo Airlines, shame on you! You’re money hungry! Everyone knows the first row is the most comfortable for wheelchair users and/or people with actual physical problems,” she wrote on X.

“Instead of accommodating our needs, you’d rather sell those seats to make a profit. Whenever I’m boarding, I’m always made to sit in the aisle. Since I cannot walk or even stand, my co-passengers have to crawl over me. Often times their asses or their crotches are in my face,” Modi added.

Meanwhile, IndiGo issued a statement regarding the incident. "With regard to the incident involving a passenger requiring wheelchair assistance on flight 6E 864 from Delhi to Mumbai, we sincerely apologise for the inconvenience faced. Our team is in touch with the customer, and we are in the process of providing her with a replacement cushion on priority," the airline said in the statement.

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