Air India has gorgeous new planes and is trying to reinvigorate its brand. But they also have planes whose interiors are in terrible shape. And they fly some of those on their longest routes, like the 7,500-mile Chicago to Delhi route.
And the sorry condition of their aircraft turns out to be an opportunity, it seems, for cabin crew to bogart business and first class seats for themselves instead of working – at least according to passenger reports.
One customer shares being greeted at the gate prior to boarding and told that “there was a technical issue with her seat” in business class, “it wouldn’t recline” and she could take “2 economy seats instead.”
She said she’d prefer to keep the broken business class seat and take a partial refund, but that wasn’t an option. They kept pressing her to take the economy seats. And they gave her a form for the seat reassignment.
The passenger took her original business class seat and found only a broken tray table. Her seat opponent had taken a downgrade from first class to business class because of a broken seat, also. There were two rows of business class that had been cleared out, apart from the dedicated crew rest seats in the cabin that are surrounded by curtains.
A few hours in, several of the crew/attendants get in the seats, cover themselves with blankets, and go to sleep (photo 1).
Then on her flight back home there were no issues with her seat but she watched them run the exact same play on the woman in front of her in line with the form, technical issue, etc – she tells her and multiple of the passengers get to talking about it and corroborate similar happening to them on other flights. Same situation occurs with rows of empty business seats that the crew takes over midway through the flight.
What’s most striking to me is that there’s a broken seat form with the flight number pre-printed on it. Clearly this is used all the time on this flight, the only one Air India has out of Chicago. (The form is also fairly makeshift and says “that thee is a technical issue.” That looks like a typo I would make!
Before the pandemic Air India was on the verge of collapse as a state-owned enterprise. Cabin interiors had fallen into disrepair. Executives stole from the airline and crew upgraded their friends and failed to provide service. They had become a financial albatross for the government, and an airline for passengers to avoid.
It took years for the airline to get its tech house in order to join Star Alliance, after merging with Indian Airlines. It has the market and global platform though, and now the airline has been privatized.
They’ve placed one of the largest aircraft orders in history to refresh their fleet and prepare for growth as flag carrier in a country destined to be larger than China.
And they’re upgrading their cabins:
But there’s a lot of work to do – on the capital investment side, and on the corporate culture and employee expectations piece of the business.
These passengers have only themselves to blame. Their first and only mistake was booking a ticket on Air India in the first place.
it’s a long flight so why not.
I refuse to fly air India until they fix business class seats or replace them. I was offered 3 economy class seats for my business class seat on Delhi Chicago flight. When I went to inspect those seats, the seat handle came out in my hands with wires dangling from them. What a joke. I told them that they need to fix my seat, refund my fare or put me on another flight with working seats. This airline is a disaster
Wow the optics of this is awful, I’m with you — the preprinted flight number, oof!
And nice self deprecating humor 🙂 Good shoutout to the grammar and spelling police here!
It’d be swell if Air India could actually update all of its cabin interiors, but I remain skeptical. Sure, they’ve started operating some of those brand new a350s to NYC, but they could swap those for the old 773s, and your recourse is limited. Those products are most certainly *NOT* the same. Yikes.
Wonder if staff look for the passengers least likely to push back and move them. Seems super shady with the preprinted “form” that someone made at home.
PS – good job on the typo joke.
This would be Infuriating. It’s been 20 years since I last flew Air India. Despite purported improvements it’ll be 20 more before I step foot on one their planes again.
I made the mistake of flying Air India from DC to Bangkok in February. Never again. While the plane was old, broken, delayed so I missed my connection in Delhi, and did not have my luggage when i finally got to BKK 24 hours after schedule, the worst part of the experience was dealing with the staff. They simply don’t care and have an arrogant attitude for literally no reason. Rude and condescending is no way for a customer service agent to act. They even laughed at us in Delhi as though we were a joke. I’ll pay triple and fly twice as long before I put my life in the hands of Air India ever again.
Yeah, complain ,or complain; choose what a passenger will do.
“Oh, they forced me to sit in a broken seat for 8 hours:”
“It was a broken seat but the crew could rest there ( I want what the crew gets!)”
There is no winning with the permanently unhappy people.
I decided to use Air India only because it was bought by Tata. So I expected better customer experience. To my utter disappointment, that was not the case.
I flew Air India, on business class, with my family from Toronto Pearson Airport to Kochi, via New Delhi. The flight delay was a usual event for both the outward inward journeys. That aside, the aircraft was pretty ole, bad seats and even worse service. Younger flight staff seemed totally untrained running around like headless chicken!
On our return journey, we were told in New Delhi, at the time of boarding the flight that two of the three business class seats were damaged and not functional. My wife as reassigned and our son was moved to economy. While there was still one vacant business class seat available, and one vacant first class seat, the airline forced the economy seat on us. Later it emerged that the vacant business class seat was left vacant for the convenience of the family an Air India staff! As for the vacant first class seat, it was left vacant to allow for the family member of an Air India staff to allow her daughter sitting in the economy to spend time in first class cabin with the mother!
I have not seen or experienced such incompetence and utter disrespect for a customer anywhere else.
That will remain my last ever use of Air India.
Imagine that. A pre-printed form for the ONLY FLIGHT they operate out if there. How dare they be that efficient!
When we travel India, we use a magic hidden button on their web site, which is called “Wing Class”, we always book this, you get to travel outside the aircraft, clean fresh air, you intestines empty in mid air.
This is the way to travel.
@Wilson definitely a mistake.
As someone who travels to the same spot occasionally from North America, I would never pick Air India. There are these reasons you mentioned, but my main driver is the connection in Delhi or Mumbai, which is a nightmare.
I would stick with ME carriers or Singapore Airlines. Unless I’m going to Bangalore then there are a few options via Europe.
Because certain aircraft used for Ultra-Long Haul (ULH) flights lack crew bunks, specific Business Class seats are blocked from sale from the outset to accommodate mandatory crew rest. Consequently, publishing an article criticizing this practice without understanding these underlying operational and logistical necessities could significantly tarnish the brand’s reputation. While the need for change is acknowledged, implementing such adjustments, especially those dependent on aircraft modifications like new seats and cabin upholstery, is not a quick process, particularly given current global issues affecting manufacturers like Boeing. Furthermore, guests who are inconvenienced by this situation are often required to sign an indemnity form and may receive compensation or a partial refund.
We had the same problem on January 12 th flight from Delhi to IAD – Wadhington Dulles. After we. Boarded , we found Budiness class seat does work- no recline. They argued and could get any alternatives. After our refusal, they offered to reimburse. After 2 months, I am still waiting, they do not reply. Very very bad, will not travel by AI
Air India will be Air India. While it may no longer prioritize Indian government officials taking the prime seats, the airline employees still do what they have long done for airline employees (and sometimes still for their family and friends).
The Tata’s run a tighter ship with their hotels than with the airline. But they are working with a legacy culture in the acquired company.
@Zeus Dsouza — Nice try, but your/the airline’s (false or exaggerated) claim of ‘defamation or libel’ would likely fail in the USA (and probably India, too) on the basis that this ‘reporting’ is true and/or Gary’s opinion on that truth (the airline is indeed taking seats from paying passengers, downgrading them, etc.). So, you’d better believe what Air India is doing is bad for their reputation. Maybe instead of defending the indefensible, you should tell your employer (I presume) to fix their freaking planes.
@Ram — You get burned like that once; you never go back. I ‘won’t get fooled again.’
I’d rather stay home than be paid to take a flight on Air India, no matter the seat.
I have a friend from India, and he told me to never go there. I swear, it was like that scene from Seinfeld played out in my real life.
My first thought was why in the world book on Air India? It was my last thought, as well.
@zeus Desousa you said “…specific Business Class seats are blocked from sale from the outset to accommodate mandatory crew rest.”
If that were the case it wouldn’t be an issue, would it? The issue is people DID PURCHASE the seats. They were then lied to about the condition of the seats and forced to move to a less desirable seat.
Seems to me, they’re tarnishing their own reputation.
Gary, you forgot to include your customary jab at American Airlines in this article.
If there’s only one AI flight out of Chicago, it makes perfect sense to pre-print the crappy form with the flight number. It’s not like it’s going to change, is it? There’s certainly nothing to read into it, including that it’s “used all the time on this flight”.
The 777-300ERs have crew rest facilities above the cabin. Why not use those?
After working as an expat for an airline in India, and living in the Delhi Taj Palace Hotel, I’d like to add something positive to this thread . . . most of those I worked with and the staff at the hotel. that’s it. To quote my former wife when she arrived in Delhi on the AA ORD-DEL flight, “you must love your job more than me to put up with this s— !” She wasn’t referring to the flight.
I’ve flown to SFO and EWR from India by AI business class and the flights were pleasant, so while I sympathize with the complaints posted, I am not sure this is a universal problem, but certainly needs to be addressed. It would be nice to be able to give constructive feedback to AI and to have that acknowledged, rather than the generic qualtrix forms. There is still work to be done at the service level 1) Business class checkin at Mumbai was chaotic 2) Meal timings are not well thought out so meals are offered in accordance with local IST
Western airlines, media , corrupted politicians with vested interests are systematically involved in ruining ,prospering Indian enterprises.many of these accusations may be exaggerated
and not true. Who is going to investigate and sue the culprits?
Many similar successful attempts with various Indian local
Prosperous airlines which eventually closed down
Using Air India as wet lease repatriation airline for deporting illegal alien criminals would be considered cruel and unusual and the international human rights court would step in with an emergency injunction.
IIRC, as per Indian laws, if a passenger has to be downgraded from the class they originally booked, the airline carrier has to issue a full refund and fly the passenger to the destination for free.
Air India still has the old guard running the show, they will never change given their typical sarkari (easy going laid back self centred approach to work) culture. I have flow AI several times as in those days we used to get accommodated at the airline managed CENTAUR hotels if we had a connection ,ion on their domestic Indian airlines. Flights & food were okay, their FIRSt class then was indeed Maharaja – great food and service. However most of their ground staff were arrogant entitled creeps,
Shameful service Air India!
Such staff should be sacked!
All these passengers are entitled to a refund.
Looks like Air India needs replacement of not only aircrafts but also some of its staff.
Not in line with what JRD and Ratan Tata would have expected. Air India Management wake-up! These are your prime sector business class customers complaining!!!
Looks like it is time Tatas close this airline and salvage it.
@ Zeus Desiuza – what total BS.
If there blocking of passenger-bookable seats for mandatory crew rest, they should NOT BE PASSENGER-BOOKABLE, OR ASSIGNED.
There is NO REASON to allow a customer to book them to begin with, only to LIE to them at the airport about them being broken.
JUST BLOCK THEM from the start. What sort of sh*tsh0w is Air India running?
@Tony Q — Let’s distinguish: India, as a country, is worth visiting, and Indians, as people, are wonderful, deserving of both dignity and praise; however, Air India, as an airline, may not be the best way to get there for some, especially if you want a reliable, lie-flat, business class seat–I believe that was the focus of Gary’s post. Of course, there are no ‘guarantees’ with any airline, but Air India is notorious for ‘bad’ seat swaps. I hope they can fix this because it would be nice to have another reliable option in the air travel market.
@Liz — Why book Air India? Well, maybe you are be captivated by the idea of an affordable business class ticket, but then you get duped by a broken seat (or one given to crew). Unless and until Air India upgrades all these ancient aircraft/cabins, I won’t trust them again for long-haul.
@MattB — Other than that recent American Airlines flight from JFK-DEL (AA292) which was diverted to Rome in February 2025, I’d much prefer AA or UA over AI for nonstop, long-haul from the US to India. So, no, this is the rare case where AA actually looks ‘better.’ Bah!
@One Trippe — You’ve had quite the experiences, that’s for sure! I’ve been several times in the last decade, mostly northern India (Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan), and while the pollution is still a serious issue (the air quality, oof), the infrastructure has dramatically improved (wow, actual highways!). I guess it’s all a matter of perspective and expectation-setting.
@Sankalp Nimbhorkar — That might be the case if departing from India, but this flight originated in Chicago, and the USA does not have such protections; basically, the best we got is ‘take it, or leave it’ as-in ‘a refund, or a rebooking,’ not both a full refund and free flight, though, under such circumstances, where the airline is clearly at-fault, that would be ‘nice’ and may seem appropriate. We really do need better passenger rights legislation in the USA, like EU261 or Canada’s APPR. I’ve advocated for this every chance I get on here and elsewhere.
@ElizaMay — You’re absolutely right. Dishonesty is a major part of the problem here. It’s not just frequent aircraft/seat swaps, or broken seats, it’s using the *pretext* of those incidents to downgrade a paying passenger to a lesser class of service, then to delay partial refunds, etc.
To this doug person please quit making the same comment over and over again they are expressing facts, experiences, and feelings. Who the hell are you to stand up for air indie if they didn’t want that to happen they can have a coder upgrade the website to not sell those seats seem like it’s cheaper for them to homemake forms. They should not have someone coming into a trip thinking one thing not to get what they planned and paid for its bad business policies and bad for their customers. I commend everyone who came forward with their concerns, higher management can’t fix what they don’t know is broke!! So yeah a preprinted form for seats people paid for even if it’s their only flight is in a nice way for me to state it unacceptable
This IS NOT unusual for long flights on planes without a crew rest facility on the aircraft. The problem arises when those carriers allow passengers to book those seats the airline KNOWS are designated for REQUIRED crew rest.
I was also traveling business on an Air India flight from Toronto to Delhi. When i collected my boarding pass i immediately noticed the seat change. When i questioned i was told the seats selected were not in service. When i boarded the plane i saw different passengers occupying those seats.
Cold food was served and we were told that none of the food warmers were working in business and first class cabins, what a shame.
Staff put curtains up and closed off all middle seats for themselves tp sleep during the flight.
Ovetall was not a very good experience. I am scheduled to go back in few days and not sure what to expect on next flight.
Why doesn’t the crew use the crew rest area in the back of the plane? There are stairs which go up to a bunk area for the crew specifically in 777.
We flew business class with AI from Melbourne to Delhi and noticed the same thing – one third of business class was being used by the crew. Also they took over one of the 2 toilets and were constantly using them as changerooms. For so.e reason the crew found the need to change from uniforms to normal clothes almost on the hour and then rest in a lay down seat that was supposed to be non operational
Who is stupid ? You or Air india? Choose other airline and be happy.
To all the people commenting all this crass, (including the writer) you’ve no idea what are the rules and regulations. Some business class seats are released for flight attendants to rest on ultra long haul flights and it’s a mandate if there is any issue in the bunk bed.
How can people even think or even imagine that flight attendants would do something like that. People has lost their minds to an extent that they’ll do or say anything to gain attention. This is wildly hilarious and also an eye opener yet again on how people are and how they mis-use social media or misinform the world without even thinking a blink.
Highly disappointed in a crowd like that. Not acceptable
Certain seats are assigned for crew on long haul and ultra long haul flights and only if these people are educated enough about aviation. One set of crew goes for rest after take off. Anyway!! Who am I explaining, bunch of loons