NEW DELHI: An 82-year-old woman is in intensive care unit (ICU), being monitored for possible brain bleeds, after a fall at Delhi airport allegedly due to the non-availability of a wheelchair that had been pre-booked with Air India.
Despite securing a wheelchair in advance, the elderly woman—widow of a decorated Lieutenant General—was left waiting for an hour, according to her family. With no assistance provided, she attempted to walk with the support of a relative but collapsed near an airline counter.
Poll
Do Airlines Need Stricter Rules for Wheelchair Assistance for Elderly Passengers?
Her granddaughter, Paraul Kanwar, alleged that no first aid was administered at the airport and that, after eventually being provided with a wheelchair, her grandmother was allowed to board the flight with a bleeding lip and head injuries. The family now says she has been in the ICU for two days, with the left side of her body showing signs of weakness.
Taking to social media platform X, Kanwar expressed her anger, writing, “You treated my grandmother so poorly, and with such little regard. You should be ashamed.”
Detailing the ordeal, she recounted how the family had booked the wheelchair well in advance for the Delhi-to-Bangalore flight on March 4. However, upon arrival at the airport, no wheelchair was allocated, despite repeated requests to Air India staff, the airport help desk, and even alternative airline staff.
“With no other option, this old lady slowly made her way across three parking lanes at T3 New Delhi, on foot with assistance from a family member. She managed to enter the airport on foot, still no wheelchair or assistance was provided. Ultimately, her legs gave way, and she fell – she fell in front of the Air India premium economy counter. Not one person stepped in to help,” she wrote.
The granddaughter also alleged that even after the fall, no first aid was provided, and the family was expected to seek medical assistance themselves. A wheelchair arrived only after the incident, and the elderly woman was subsequently boarded onto the flight. The crew provided ice packs and arranged medical aid upon landing in Bangalore, where she received two stitches.
“Today, I sit here typing this from the ICU. She has been here two days under observation for potential brain bleeds. My mother and father watch as doctors pump her with medication, and her left side loses strength. From where we stand, it’s a long road ahead of pain and recovery which she did not deserve,” Kanwar added.
The family has lodged complaints with the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and Air India and is awaiting further action.
Air India issue’s statement
“There are allegations on media platforms that an elderly lady suffered grievous injuries at the Delhi airport on account of Air India. While we fully empathise with the lady and wish her a swift recovery, we would like to state the following based on our investigation:
The said passenger, travelling with her family members, had arrived at the departure terminal much later than the recommended 2 hours before departure.
Family members/relatives accompanying the passenger had reported at the PRM(Person with Reduced Mobility) desk located near Air India’s ticketing office less than 90 minutes before the scheduled time of departure to request for a wheelchair.
Due to the unprecedented peak demand at that hour, a wheelchair could not be made available within the 15 minutes that the passenger’s relatives spent waiting for it. The claims of the passenger having waited for an hour for the wheelchair are baseless.
On their own accord, the passenger decided to walk along with those accompanying her. She unfortunately suffered a fall in the airport premises. Upon noticing the incident, officials of the Delhi Airport, as well as the airport doctor on duty immediately attended to her and administered first aid.
We understand that the doctor’s offer for additional medical attention was not accepted and the guest’s family members insisted on continuing their travel to Bengaluru. Through this process, Air India staff were courteous, escorted them from immediate check-in through to priority security check and boarding. The passenger was also provided all possible care during the flight from Delhi to Bengaluru.
Upon reaching Bengaluru, as requested by the family members, the guest was escorted by our staff for further medical attention in the Bengaluru Airport premises, and later also escorted until the drop-off point.
At no point was the wheelchair or any assistance denied to the passenger. Air India’s staff cooperated with the guests through their journey. We have reached out to the guest’s family and pray for her wellbeing,” said Air India spokesperson.