Around 1,000 passenger complaints received against Air India in 3 months

Around 1,000 passenger complaints have been received against Air India during the last three months related to various issues, including refund of fares, overbooking of flights, and staff behaviour, Minister of State for Civil Aviation V K Singh said on Monday.

The Tata Group on January 27 took control of Air India after winning the bid for the airline on October 8 last year.

"Ministry of Civil Aviation has been receiving grievances related to air transport, including Air India, on the various issues such as refund of fares, flight issues, staff behaviour, baggage issues, overbooking of flights, etc," Singh said in his written reply to a question in Rajya Sabha.

Around 1,000 such complaints were received against Air India during the last three months, he mentioned.

Aviation regulator DGCA on June 14 said it imposed a fine of Rs 10 lakh on Air India for denying boarding to passengers holding valid tickets and thereafter not providing mandatory compensation to them.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) had in May said that the airlines are indulging in “unfair practice” of denying boarding to passengers even when they report for their flights at the airport on time.

The regulator -- in an e-mail on May 2 -- had asked all Indian carriers to give compensation and facilities to passengers affected by such denial of boarding, failing which it would impose financial penalties on them.