Denied wheelchair, 82-year-old woman lands in ICU; Air India reacts
An 82-year-old woman, Raj Pasricha, was allegedly denied a pre-booked wheelchair by Air India officials at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport, leading to a severe fall.
Elderly Woman Suffers Fall at Delhi Airport
New Delhi: An 82-year-old woman, Raj Pasricha, was allegedly denied a pre-booked wheelchair by Air India officials at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport, leading to a severe fall. She is currently under observation in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of a Bengaluru hospital.
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Granddaughter’s Social Media Outcry
Pasricha’s granddaughter, Parul Kanwar, took to social media platform X (formerly Twitter) to express her outrage. She revealed that her grandmother had been in the ICU for two days, experiencing weakness on the left side of her body.
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“I post this because I have no choice and because it infuriates me that there is such little value for human life and wellbeing. Air India, you treated my grandmother so poorly, and with such little regard. You should be ashamed,” Kanwar wrote.
The Incident: Lack of Assistance and First Aid
According to Kanwar, the elderly woman had to wait for nearly an hour at Terminal 3 before walking a significant distance due to the unavailability of a wheelchair. She fell near an airline counter, sustaining injuries to her head, nose, and a bleeding lip.
Shockingly, no airport personnel assisted her immediately. Kanwar claimed that despite their requests for first aid, no help was offered, and even another airline, Indigo, refused to share an available wheelchair.
Eventually, after suffering the fall, Pasricha was provided with a wheelchair and allowed to board her flight without a proper medical checkup. The cabin crew administered ice packs and informed Bengaluru airport for medical assistance upon arrival.
Air India Responds, Denies Allegations
Air India released an official statement denying the claims, stating that the elderly passenger had arrived at the airport later than the recommended two-hour pre-departure time.
The airline also refuted the claim that she waited for an hour, stating that “due to peak demand at that hour, a wheelchair could not be made available within 15 minutes.”
Calling the fall “unfortunate,” Air India insisted that an airport doctor had provided first aid, but the passenger declined additional medical attention.
“At no point was the wheelchair or any assistance denied to the passenger. Air India’s staff cooperated with the guests through their journey,” the airline’s statement read.
Public Reaction and Airline Accountability
This incident has sparked outrage on social media, with many calling for better treatment of elderly and disabled passengers. The issue raises concerns about accessibility and the responsibility of airlines to ensure passenger safety.
As the debate continues, many are urging airlines to implement stricter policies to prevent such incidents in the future.
