Vir Das On Air India : Comedian Vir Das has spoken up on X (formerly Twitter) about his flying experience with aviation giant Air India. Das shared the sad state of affairs in the cabin of the flight and the mismanagement he had to deal with while travelling with his wife whose foot was fractured. He talked about broken seats, a confused crew and a lack of empathy for his wife, who needed a wheelchair but was not offered one despite booking it prior to travel.
Dear @airindia Please reclaim your wheelchair. I’m a lifetime loyalist. I believe you’ve got the nicest cabin crew in the sky, this post pains me to write. My wife and I book Pranaam and a wheelchair because she’s got a foot fracture that’s still healing. We’re flying to delhi.…
— Vir Das (@thevirdas) April 14, 2025
The post on X opened with Das calling himself an Air India loyalist as he proceeded to explain the disappointing journey in detail. “Dear @airindia, Please reclaim your wheelchair. I’m a lifetime loyalist. I believe you’ve got the nicest cabin crew in the sky; this post pains me to write. My wife and I book Pranaam and a wheelchair because she’s got a foot fracture that’s still healing. We’re flying to Delhi. 50 grand a seat. Broken table, broken leg rests, her seat is stuck reclined, and it won’t straighten fully. Were told the flight is ‘newly refurbished’”.
The comedian then shared that the flight was delayed and the crew was completely aloof regarding the couple’s needs. “Two hours late, we get off in Delhi, and we’re told it’s a stepladder. Again, a wheelchair and an escort were pre-booked. I ask the air hostesses at the front of the plane to assist my wife while I carry four bags. Silence and a clueless look at each other. We step off the plane to the top of the ladder. I ask an Air India male ground staff member to help us; he looks at me, shrugs, and ignores me. My wife with a fracture makes it down the stepladder. I tell an Air India staff member at the bottom near the buses what happened. He says, “Sir, kya Karein… Sorry.”
Ultimately, no one helped Das, and he had to procure a wheelchair himself. In the closing statements of the post, Das wrote, “One of your wheelchairs is on the second floor of the parking in Delhi. Do claim it. Cheers.” Air India responded to the complaint and asked for Das’ flight number while promising to look into the matter.
It wasn’t a surprise that Das spoke out so candidly about his experience, after all he has made a name for himself by being direct and unapologetic in all his work, including his comedy sets and his movies. His prowess on the microphone has gained him a huge international audience and has also won him an Emmy award. The comedian has also hosted the prestigious award show, making him the first Indian to do so.
