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A woman has shared what she called "nothing short of a nightmare" when an Air India flight delay of 18 hours left her stranded in Italy's Milan. Due to the long delay and the subsequent hassle in booking another flight and retrieving her checked-in luggage, she said she missed a key part of her sister's wedding, and lost Rs 50,000 that she paid for a business class upgrade.
"The only reassuring person during this ordeal was Air India's manager in Milan, Preeti Singh, who promised my luggage would be sent and assured me of a refund for the Rs 50,000 I paid for the upgrade," Shivani Bazaz, a journalist based in Delhi, said in a post on X today.
"But it has been over a month, and despite countless follow-ups, I am yet to receive the refund. The delay in addressing this has shattered my trust in Air India, an airline I chose in good faith over other options," Ms Bazaz said.
She said her "nightmare" started on November 5 while traveling from Milan to Delhi. She said the reason why she shared her ordeal with the public was a small effort to hope that "no passenger should have to go through this, especially during such an important time in their life."
"... It is important because if someone like me who has access to people inside Air India has to go through this, I can't even imagine what regular passengers have to deal with on a daily basis," Ms Bazaz said.
Ms Bazaz said what was most upsetting was "the lack of accountability and empathy shown by Air India."
"I'm sharing this because I hope Air India will take this seriously, expedite my refund and improve their processes so others don't face such harrowing experiences," she said.
I was stranded at the airport overnight with:
•No lounge access
•No proper communication
•No accommodation or food provided
It was a cold night and there were children and old people suffering in a deserted airport. This is a clear violation of passenger rights.
— Shivani Bazaz (@shivanibazaz) December 22, 2024
Air India's official X handles responded to her posts.
"Dear Ms. Bazaz, we truly apologize for the inconvenience you've experienced. Kindly share your booking details via DM. We will get this reviewed on priority," Air India said.