Renowned cricket commentator Harsha Bhogle recently took to social media to express his disappointment with IndiGo Airlines after an elderly couple faced inconvenience during their flight. Bhogle’s post quickly gained attention, raising concerns about the airline’s treatment of elderly passengers.
On Saturday, Bhogle shared on his official X (formerly Twitter) account that an elderly couple, who had paid for seats in row 4 of an IndiGo flight to avoid excessive walking, were unexpectedly moved to row 19 without any explanation. The commentator highlighted the physical challenge, particularly for the gentleman who would have struggled to walk the extra distance through the narrow aisle.
Bhogle expressed frustration over the situation, emphasizing that it was only after a few passengers intervened and pointed out the unfairness that the couple’s original seats were restored.
“The gentleman was going to struggle to walk till row 19 in a narrow passage. But who cares,” Bhogle tweeted, underscoring the lack of consideration for the couple’s needs.
Concerns Raised by Harsha Bhogle
In his posts, Bhogle also conveyed the elderly woman’s complaints about how such occurrences are frequent with IndiGo, making travel stressful for senior citizens. He added that the woman expressed regret over the airline’s near-monopoly, which leaves passengers with limited alternatives. Bhogle criticized the airline’s insensitivity, urging IndiGo to better train its ground staff to prioritize the comfort and well-being of passengers, particularly the elderly.
“With success comes responsibility,”
Bhogle noted, stressing that IndiGo, as a successful Indian enterprise, should ensure that it does not institutionalize such an uncaring attitude.
Another example of #IndigoFirstPassengerLast. An elderly couple on my flight had paid for seats in row 4 so they wouldn’t have to walk much. Without an explanation, #Indigo changed it to seat 19. The gentleman was going to struggle to walk till row 19 in a narrow passage. But who…
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) August 24, 2024
IndiGo’s Response
IndiGo swiftly responded to Bhogle’s criticism with an apology, acknowledging the mistake and expressing regret for the confusion that caused the inconvenience. In their official statement, the airline thanked Bhogle for bringing the issue to their attention and assured that their crew had acted promptly to resolve the matter, ensuring that the couple traveled in their originally assigned seats. IndiGo also mentioned that they had personally reached out to the affected customers to address their concerns and reiterated their commitment to improving their service.
“We sincerely regret the confusion that caused inconvenience to the customers. Our crew quickly intervened, ensuring they traveled comfortably in their originally assigned seats,” IndiGo stated in their response. They added, “We truly appreciate your understanding and look forward to serving you again soon.”
Mr Bhogle, thank you for bringing this to our attention and taking the time to speak with us. We sincerely regret the confusion that caused inconvenience to the customers. Our crew quickly intervened, ensuring they travelled comfortably in their originally assigned seats. 1/2
— IndiGo (@IndiGo6E) August 24, 2024
We’ve also reached out to the customers to address this personally. We truly appreciate your understanding and look forward to serving you again soon. 2/2 ~Satyendra
— IndiGo (@IndiGo6E) August 24, 2024
Broader Implications
The incident has sparked a broader discussion about the treatment of elderly passengers in the airline industry, particularly in India. Bhogle’s post highlights the importance of customer service in the aviation sector, especially for vulnerable groups like senior citizens. As airlines continue to grow and succeed, ensuring that their services are inclusive and considerate of all passengers’ needs is crucial.
The airline industry, particularly in a rapidly developing country like India, faces the challenge of balancing growth with the responsibility of maintaining high service standards. Bhogle’s public criticism and the subsequent response from IndiGo underscore the need for ongoing improvements in customer service and sensitivity training for airline staff.
While IndiGo’s prompt response and apology may help mitigate the immediate fallout, the incident serves as a reminder of the importance of passenger care and the need for airlines to be vigilant in maintaining high service standards. As Harsha Bhogle pointed out, success brings responsibility, and ensuring that all passengers, especially the elderly, are treated with care and respect should be a priority for airlines.
The broader implications of this incident highlight the need for the airline industry to continuously evaluate and improve its service quality, particularly in how it addresses the needs of senior citizens.
