IndiGo Airlines has come under criticism after allegedly failing to provide a wheelchair to 83-year-old Sanatan Rath at Delhi Airport on March 5. Rath, who was traveling from Bhubaneswar to Delhi on IndiGo flight 6E 5061, had requested a wheelchair while booking her ticket. However, according to her son-in-law, Dr. Bishnu Prasad Panigrahi, the airline did not arrange one upon her arrival, forcing her to walk to their vehicle outside the airport. Panigrahi took to social media to express his frustration, accusing the airline of lacking customer empathy, especially for senior citizens.
Responding to the allegations, IndiGo stated that wheelchair requests must be made at least 48 hours before departure and acknowledged that no such request was linked to Rath’s booking. The airline apologized for the inconvenience and assured that they had now added a wheelchair for her future travels. They also pledged to ensure a smoother experience for her in both Delhi and Bhubaneswar. IndiGo’s response, however, did little to quell the backlash, as many criticized the airline’s handling of elderly passengers’ needs.
The incident follows a similar controversy involving Air India, where an 82-year-old woman was reportedly injured at Delhi Airport after the airline failed to provide a pre-booked wheelchair, causing her to collapse. Her granddaughter, Parul Kanwar, shared on social media how the elderly woman, the widow of a decorated lieutenant general, was forced to walk across multiple parking lanes before reaching the airport. The back-to-back incidents have sparked a debate over airlines’ treatment of senior citizens and their commitment to providing necessary assistance.
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