Para-athlete Suvarna Raj, a representative of the country in global events, made allegations of mistreatment against the IndiGo airline crew on February 3 (Saturday). She claimed that she had requested a personal wheelchair at the aircraft door, but the staff did not respond appropriately. Suvarna stated that she experienced mistreatment by IndiGo crew members during her flight from New Delhi to Chennai. IndiGo airline issued a statement of apology in response to allegations that it failed to meet the requirements of its passengers, particularly para-athlete Suvarna Raj. 

The airline in an official statement said, “We reaffirm our commitment to being an inclusive airline and are dedicated to addressing this matter promptly. We are in touch with Suvarna Raj and conducting a thorough investigation into the matter. We remain dedicated to upholding the highest standards of customer experience and apologise for the inconvenience caused to Suvarna Raj,” as per ANI.

We reaffirm our commitment to being an inclusive airline and are dedicated to addressing this matter promptly. We are in touch with Suvarna Raj and conducting a thorough investigation into the matter. We remain dedicated to upholding the highest standards of customer experience… pic.twitter.com/l3DccU1MFR

— ANI (@ANI) February 3, 2024

‘Did Not Get A Wheelchair At The Aircraft Door’

The statement was issued in response to Indian para-athlete Suvarna Raj’s allegations of mistreatment by IndiGo’s crew members during her flight from Delhi to Chennai. “The airlines have been courting infamy with such incidents time and time again. Whenever I board a flight, I make it a point to request the crew members for a personal wheelchair at the aircraft door. I did it a thousand times before. However, on numerous occasions, I did not get a wheelchair at the aircraft door. Why? Whenever I asked for my wheelchair at the aircraft door, the crew would say, ‘Yes ma’am’. However, there was no wheelchair except the one in the cabin,” Suvarna told ANI.

Suvarna Raj alleged that despite repeatedly requesting her personal wheelchair at the aircraft door, the crew ignored her. She expressed frustration, highlighting that the airline’s managers later informed her of a policy for wheelchair assistance at the aircraft door, questioning why she wasn’t provided with one as per the policy.

“I told them 10 times that I wanted my personal wheelchair at the aircraft door, but no matter how many times I asked them, they seemed to turn a deaf ear. Yesterday, the three managers came and told me that there is a policy of providing wheelchairs at the aircraft door. Then why wasn’t I provided with one?”

She claimed that the personal wheelchair, which cost Rs 3 lakh, was damaged by the airline crew.

“My wheelchair was damaged. It cost me Rs 3 lakh. Indigo should pay for the damage to my wheelchair and I want it to be restored to its old state. If the airlines have a policy to provide wheelchairs to differently-abled patients, why do they break protocol time and time again? The government should take strict action and check why such incidents are happening so often,” Suvarna said.