Air India Faces Turbulence, Even as Reforms Shrink Losses

Air India is grappling with legacy operational inefficiencies, fragmented systems, and inconsistent service delivery

- Abhishek Sharma

ON 24 APRIL 2025, Harjinder Singh Dhami, President, Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, took to the social media site X (formerly Twitter) to condemn the misconduct of Air India staff at Delhi International Airport with the Head Granthi of Sachkhand Sri Harmandar Sahib, Singh Sahib Giani Raghbir Singh. He described the behaviour of Air India staff of flight number AI183 (New Delhi to San Francisco), towards a highly respected and religiously significant figure of the Sikh community, as deeply disappointing.

“This incident is not just a case of misbehaviour towards an individual, but an act of disrespect towards the Sikh faith and its revered personality. An immediate investigation into this incident should be conducted by the Union Civil Aviation Minister, Shri @RamMNK and @MoCA_GoI and strict action must be taken against the employees responsible for the misconduct. It is essential to ensure that India's national airline never treats any passenger in such a manner that brings shame to the country,” he added.

The incident occurred at a time when grievances of travellers on airlines in India are particularly at a pitch. The annual consumer complaints data of the Union Ministry of Civil Aviation for 2024-25, shows over 49,000 passenger complaints recorded across domestic airlines, which is 17 per cent higher than in the previous year. Air India, now part of the Tata Group but still regarded as India’s flagship carrier, accounted for a significant share of these complaints, many related to staff behaviour, flight delays and baggage mishandling. While the airline has undertaken several internal reforms, including crew sensitisation and passenger service protocols, several incidents raise questions about the efficacy of these measures and the broader cultural sensitivity training of the airline staff, particularly when dealing with individuals of religious and cultural importance.