Delayed, not denied: Air India responds after Vir Das calls out wheelchair failure

On April 14, 2025, comedian-actor Vir Das took to X (formerly Twitter) to share a deeply frustrating experience on Air India flight AI816 from Mumbai to Delhi. Travelling with his wife, who had a foot fracture, Das had pre-booked wheelchair assistance and opted for the airline’s premium Pranaam service. Yet, despite paying ₹50,000 per seat, he claimed multiple service failures marred the experience.

"Dear Air India please reclaim your wheelchair. I'm a lifetime loyalist. I believe you've got the nicest cabin crew in the sky, this post pains me to write," he said. Das went on to detail how the wheelchair didn’t arrive, the cabin crew seemed clueless, and the seat was broken on what he was told was a "newly refurbished" aircraft. His wife’s seat was “stuck reclined” and leg rests were broken. Even after landing, assistance was missing, forcing Das to push a wheelchair himself through the terminal.

Air India’s response: “Delay, not denial”

In a statement issued after the post went viral, an Air India spokesperson said, "We have noted with concern a social media post by Mr Das about wheelchair not being provided to his co-passenger... We empathize with the guests... and recognize that this experience fell short of expectations."

The airline clarified that the wheelchair was not denied but delayed, citing an unusually high demand for wheelchairs and staff shortage at the time. The crew, it said, offered use of the standard “ambulift” in line with safety procedures.

Where did the system fail?

Das also mentioned Encalm, a private company providing Atithya assistance at Indian airports, saying their staff were equally confused about the booking. “We get to the terminal, encalm people inform wheelchair staff that we had pre-booked a chair. He's clueless. There's wheelchairs everywhere. No staff because the flight is late,” he wrote.

He added, “I ask the air hostesses at the front of the plane to assist my wife while I carry four bags. Silence and a clueless look at each other… I grab a chair and wheel her to baggage claim, then out of the airport to the parking.”