An 82-year-old woman has been admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) after suffering a serious fall at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport, allegedly due to the non-availability of a pre-booked wheelchair from Air India. The woman, the widow of a decorated Lt General, suffered a bleeding lip, head injuries, and is currently under observation for potential brain bleeds.
Her granddaughter, Parul Kanwar, took to social media to express her outrage over the airline’s negligence. According to her post, the family had pre-booked a wheelchair for their elderly relative for a flight from Delhi to Bangalore on March 4, 2025. Despite a confirmation from the airline, no wheelchair was provided at the airport.
The family reportedly pleaded with Air India staff, the airport help desk, and even approached alternate airline staff from IndiGo, who allegedly refused to share an available wheelchair. With no assistance available, the elderly woman attempted to walk across three parking lanes at Terminal 3 with the help of a family member. She eventually collapsed near the Air India premium economy counter. Shockingly, no immediate assistance was provided, and when the family requested first aid, they were reportedly told to arrange medical help themselves.
A wheelchair was eventually provided, and she was boarded onto the flight without a proper medical checkup. Onboard, the flight crew assisted her with ice packs and arranged medical attention at Bangalore airport, where she received two stitches for her injuries. However, her condition worsened, and she has been under ICU observation for two days.
https://twitter.com/parulkanwar/status/1897747832183947329
Following widespread outrage on social media, Air India responded to Kanwar’s post, stating:
“Dear Ms. Kanwar, we are concerned to note this and wish Ms. Pasricha a speedy recovery. We’d like to connect with you over a call in this regard and request you share your contact number and a convenient time via DM.”
Kanwar replied sharply, saying:
“Done, but do not call me without due diligence and investigation on your end. Not interested in excuses.”
Air India followed up with another response:
“Dear Ms. Kanwar, we sincerely wish your grandmother a speedy recovery. We are actively working on the concern and assure you that we will share the complete details at the earliest.”
Despite the airline’s response, the incident has drawn severe criticism, raising concerns over the treatment of elderly and differently-abled passengers in Indian airports. The family has since lodged complaints with the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and Air India and is awaiting further action.
