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By Kam Rathee, Presiding & CEO, Rathee & Associates, Toronto

Mr. Ratan Tata must be ruing in his grave that he let his heart overrule his mind in the TATA takeover of Air India. Buying a pig in a poke can only result in buyer’s remorse, heartbreak, misery, and hardship—not just for the buyer, but more so for its clients and customers. Perhaps he misjudged the competence of the Air India management, who have for decades been slurping at the public trough.

Here is a live case of Air India fleecing an innocent customer of Rs. 4,27,224 (over Rs. 4 lakhs or $6,881.00 CAD) for a dead product: an inoperable business class seat, served with a dose of high-handed attitude. This is notwithstanding the fact that the passenger was a 91-year-old woman, causing emotional and mental distress to her and her family. Cases for punitive, exemplary, and compensatory damages—or even a class-action suit—are the only remedy for such nefarious behavior. Selling a seat knowing it is non-functional is a clear case of cheating, skyway robbery, and public looting. But first, a lesson for the public.

My wife and I were scheduled to return home to Toronto on May 3, 2025, with business class bookings on flight AI 189 from Delhi. We decided to bring my wife’s 91-year-old mother along—perhaps for her last vacation to Canada—and what could be more convenient than having her on the same flight? She was booked on the same flight, and we selected seats 10D, 10E, and 10F for ease of care and management.

Just after boarding, an Air India ground agent approached my wife and informed her that seat 10F (assigned to her mother) was dysfunctional. The agent had her sign a disclaimer, promising a 35% refund upon submitting an online application. I was not aware of this conversation, and when I later requested the head purser to change the seat, he stated that there were no spare seats available and that, since the disclaimer had been signed, he could do nothing.

Things worsened from there. In an attempt to give some comfort to my wife’s mother, I swapped my seat (10D) with hers (10F). One can only imagine the horror of enduring an 18-hour flight on a broken seat, with no entertainment system and no comfort. A prison cell might offer more relief—or even a ride on Air.

What became apparent during this airborne torture is that Air India:

• Has no empathy for its customers. As long as the airline keeps its nose and image clean, passengers can go to hell.

• Is driven purely by profit—selling a non-functional seat to an elderly woman, fully aware of its condition, is a premeditated act and arguably criminal.

• Operates in silos, with zero coordination between ground and air staff. Passing the buck is their motto.

• Has no onboard system for redressing passenger complaints.

• Encourages an attitude among staff that reeks of elitism and entitlement.

• Fails at basic service delivery—even after two business class trips this year, my enrollment in the Maharaja Club remains unprocessed. Not that I intend to fly with them again.

I’m sure these words will fall on the usual deaf ears at Air India. But let this article serve as a public notice. Air India, govern yourself accordingly.