New Delhi: Parul Kanwar, a user on X, shared a troubling account of her 82-year-old grandmother’s ordeal at Delhi Airport after Air India allegedly failed to provide a pre-booked wheelchair. This led to the elderly woman walking before collapsing.

In her post, Parul accused the airline of negligence, recounting how her grandmother, a widow of a decorated lieutenant general, struggled despite booking a wheelchair in advance. “For our journey back from Delhi to Bangalore on March 4, 2025, we confirmed a wheelchair for my grandmother. However, upon reaching the airport, one was not provided,” Parul wrote.

With no wheelchair available, the elderly woman, assisted by a family member, walked across three parking lanes at T3 in Delhi. Once inside the airport, no further assistance was offered, Parul said. The family was left to arrange for medical help on their own. When the wheelchair finally arrived, Parul claimed the airline boarded her grandmother without conducting a proper medical check-up, despite visible injuries including a bleeding lip and wounds to her head and nose. The flight crew provided ice packs and contacted the medical team at Bengaluru airport, where the woman received two stitches upon arrival.

Parul continued, “She fell in front of the Air India premium economy counter, and no one stepped in to help. We asked for first aid, but none was provided. Air India expected a family member to go to the MI room for assistance.”

The situation worsened after the flight when her grandmother had to be admitted to the ICU for potential brain bleeds. “Today, I sit here in the ICU. She has been under observation for the past two days due to concerns about brain bleeds. My parents watch as doctors administer medication, and her left side loses strength,” Parul added, expressing the family’s distress over the ordeal.

The family has filed complaints with the DGCA and Air India, seeking accountability. In response to public outrage, Air India denied the allegations, claiming that the wheelchair and assistance were not denied at any point. The airline stated that the family arrived at the airport less than 90 minutes before departure, which was too late for the wheelchair to be provided within 15 minutes due to high demand. Air India claimed that the passenger chose to walk and fell at the airport, with the airport officials and doctor offering immediate aid.

The airline further stated that the family did not accept the doctor’s offer for additional medical attention and insisted on proceeding with the flight. Air India assured that the passenger was given all possible care during the flight, and upon arrival in Bengaluru, the family requested an escort for further medical attention, which was provided.

“We have reached out to the guest’s family and hope for her swift recovery,” an Air India spokesperson concluded.