'Denied' wheelchair by Air India, 82-year-old woman falls at Delhi airport

An infirm 82-year-old woman is in an intensive care unit (ICU) in Bengaluru after Air India’s alleged refusal to provide her a wheelchair despite a request led her to fall at the New Delhi airport.

Although the wheelchair was pre-booked, the airline did not offer it to the woman, Raj Pasricha, forcing her to walk with great difficulty with help from a family member to the Air India counter.

Before she could reach the counter, her legs gave way, and she collapsed at the Indira Gandhi International Airport’s Terminal 3 on Tuesday (March 4).

Also read: BJP’s Shergill vents his ire against Air India for experience that 'broke all records'

Boarded aircraft with injuries

The woman's granddaughter, Parul Kanwar, alleged that she was not provided first aid at the airport either.

Later, after a wheelchair finally arrived, Raj Pasricha boarded the aircraft with a bleeding lip and injuries to her head and nose. Parul said her grandmother was in the ICU for two days and the left side of her body was losing strength.

A furious Parul has posted her grandmother’s ticket on the social media. The ticket mentions a special request for a "wheelchair to aircraft door" and states that it is confirmed. "I post this because I have no choice, and because it infuriates me that there is such little value for human life and wellbeing," she wrote.

Parul said when they reached Terminal 3, her grandmother was not allotted a wheelchair even after waiting for one for as long as one hour.

Forced to walk across parking lanes

None of the other airlines too offered to help with a wheelchair. “With no other option, this old lady slowly made her way across 3 parking lanes at T3 New Delhi, on foot with assistance from a family member,” she said.

“She managed to enter the airport on foot, still no wheelchair or assistance was provided. Ultimately, her legs gave way, and she fell in front of the Air India premium economy counter. Not one person stepped in to help. We requested someone to help get first aid - no help,” Parul wrote.

Parul complained that Air India made a family member to go the medical inspection room and get medical aid. “Finally, the wheelchair arrived, and she was promptly boarded without a proper check-up with a bleeding lip and injury to her head and nose.”

Under observation at hospital

“On flight crew did help with ice packs and called ahead to Bangalore airport for medical aid where she was seen by a doctor and given two stitches," she added.

The ailing woman is under observation for potential brain bleeds. “My mother and father watch as doctors pump her with medication, and her left side loses strength. From where we stand, it's a long road ahead of pain and recovery which she did not deserve,” Parul said.

The distraught family has complained to both the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and Air India.

Also read: ‘Broken, sunken seat’: Shivraj Chouhan joins list of unhappy Air India fliers

Air India rejects allegations

Meanwhile, Air India on Saturday said wheelchair or assistance was not denied to the passenger at any point in time and that first aid was given immediately.

Issuing a detailed statement after investigating the incident, Air India on Saturday (March 8) said the family members accompanying the passenger had reported at the PRM (Person with Reduced Mobility) desk located near Air India's ticketing office less than 90 minutes before the scheduled time of departure to request for a wheelchair.

"Due to the unprecedented peak demand at that hour, a wheelchair could not be made available within the 15 minutes that the passenger's relatives spent waiting for it," the airline said, adding that the claims of having waited for an hour for the wheelchair are baseless. The airline also mentioned that Delhi airport officials and the airport doctor on duty immediately attended to her and administered first aid.