89-year-old Kaushikbhai Dadubhai Patel has just returned to London after visiting his hometown Nadiad in India. He alleges that Air India’s staff at Ahmedabad repeatedly hassled him. He wasn’t allowed to board with an oxygen concentrator on the flight and also had to incur extra expense in a change of dates and travel back and forth to get medical clearance to board the flight again.
Speaking to Asian Voice Kaushikbhai said, “On 1st March I reached Ahmedabad airport but I was denied to board with an oxygen concentrator. They told rudely that the London staff doesn't know anything. Then my sister, who is a qualified midwife, said to take full responsibility for me but denied it. Then the Air India staff asked local doctor’s letter. They denied the letter of the UK doctor. Not only that, they cancelled the ticket and ask to purchase a new ticket.”
"I booked return tickets of London-Ahmedabad-London for £820. The flight from London on 27 December was 9 hours late and it took another 10 hours to complete the journey. The return ticket was on 26 January but I wanted to extend my stay up to 1 March. I was told clearly at the time of booking that I can change or extend the date once. So, I went to the Vadodara Air India office but they charged me £206 for extending the date,” he added.
Kaushikbhai had to visit Nadiad, where he got a medical certificate from a local doctor. He then went to Ahmedabad again on 3rd March.
He said, “They said to fill out one more form and get it signed by the doctor. After going to Nadiad again and coming back to Ahmedabad, I got the answer – Now Mumbai’s doctor’s concern will be taken. Finally, approval from Mumbai came on 8th March. The next day purchased a new ticket for March 12 for £1085. It was a height of humiliation, in the afternoon of 11, I got a call from Air India that there is no extra oxygen in the plane, you cannot travel. I said I have a machine. They said, no now you have to travel on March 15.”
Kaushikbhai told us, "I was repeatedly insulted, pushed, I paid extra for the ticket, doctor's fees, everything had to be done at my expense. Air India has not provided any facility. When I returned to London Airport on 15 March, the wheelchair arrived within 3 hours.”
Kaushikbhai's daughter Bina Patel is reportedly going to lodge a complaint to the Civil Aviation Authority.
Responding to Asian Voice for a clarification, Air India. Ahmedabad team replied, “the Passenger has reported directly on the counter on 1 March 2022 with old medical reports as per London doctor, which is not valid as per rules if it is beyond 7 days, that too especially when a passenger is having a medical condition and require oxygen on board, we had to refer to the case to our Medical Department.
“As per our Medical dept. the oxygen bottles were required onboard for Mr Patel’s safety which was arranged during his travel on 15th March 22. Any inconvenience caused is deeply regretted our Ahmedabad team has considered Mr Patel’s health and safety as first priority during his travel from Ahmedabad to London on the AI flight.”
