Air India has been hit with a $36,000 fine and blamed for the death of an 80-year-old man stemming from a wheelchair delay upon arrival at Mumbai Airport.
Air India Passenger Decides To Walk After Wheelchair Delay, Suffers Cardiac Arrest, Dies
On February 12, 2024, Babu Patel and his wife Narmadaben arrived in Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in Mumbai (BOM) after a 13.5-hour flight from New York (JFK) on Air India. The couple had both requested wheelchair assistance upon arrival.
But “due to heavy demand” for wheelchairs, there was a delay in getting both of them a wheelchair. Mrs. Patel was placed in one, but Mr. Patel, hereafter Patel, was told it would take some time for his chair to arrive since so many on the flight had requested wheelchairs.
Patel allegedly decided he did not want to wait and walked alongside his wife toward immigration. Along the way, he collapsed, suffering a cardiac arrest. He was rushed to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Now, the Indian Directorate General of Civil Aviation has faulted Air India for “not taking action against erring employees” and also for failing to take corrective steps to ensure an accident like this does not happen again. Air India has also been fined Rs3m (about $36,000).
Tough Case?
Patel’s death is a tragedy. It is a sad way to go and there is reason to believe that the exertion expended in walking from the aircraft to the immigration desks triggered the cardiac episode.
It’s not a surprise that on a flight to/from India, many passengers request wheelchair assistance (that’s a different issue). Furthermore, if the wheelchair was pre-ordered, the delay exposes an unacceptable inefficiency since Air India offers this service as part of its flight package.
But I’m also not sure Air India should faulted for the man being impatient. If you know you need a wheelchair…and it certainly sounds like Patel did here…then I’m not sure you can fairly blame Air India if you refuse to wait and decide to walk yourself.
CONCLUSION
Air India has been fined about $36,000 by regulators after an 80-year-old passenger died while attempting to walk to immigration himself when his wheelchair was delayed. This amount does not include any civil lawsuit or settlement between Air India and the Patel family.
While I think that there are few valid excuses, if any, for Air India to keep passengers waiting who have pre-ordered wheelchairs, I also think there is a certain assumption of risk if you decide to walk when you know your body cannot handle it.
Should have given him a cheeseburger while he waited.
Was in a hurry to tell his family about all their relatives he met running 7-11’s in America.
He was in a hurry to take a sh#t in the river.
I’m here all week, 2 drink minimum.
Bad night at the bathhouse? Come on, man.
You’re surprised at his comment?
Yea, you called it, Aaron wanted $20 for what he usually does for free. The good news is he made $600 and can buy an upgrade on his next flight.
I approve this
@Chi
Members of a klan flock together, I suppose.
Stop projecting your secret lust on to me, you vile deplorable excuse for a human being.
I just like seeing you get ridiculed Aaron. It makes me laugh. I imagine though you’re probably used to the sound of laughter at your expense.
Only from disgusting hateful deplorable online trolls like you, Chi.
“It’s not a surprise that on a flight to/from India, many passengers request wheelchair assistance (that’s a different issue).“
It’s actually a highly relevant, and in this case, causative issue which shouldn’t be brushed off.
There’s a disproportionately high number of folks “gaming” the wheelchair system on these flights and on ME3 flights with connecting traffic to/from the Indian subcontinent. They figure they get through security quicker, get on the plane quicker, get some sort of status boost by being carted around by someone else, etc. But then there’s people who legitimately need wheelchairs. The airline has no way of separating the “legitimate needs” from the “discretionary user” crowd. So the system becomes clogged and unfortunately, the victims are those who actually needed the help. Long and short: This issue IS the cause of the death. Pretending that it isn’t will only bring more unnecessary suffering.
I don’t blame the deceased for trying to walk one bit. This is India. If an airline or airport employee relays to you that no help is coming, that’s credible (heck, it’s also credible at MIA but you get my point).
Exactly. Indians are well known for gaming the wheelchair system. Have you seen a flight arriving from India in London? Almost the entire flight needs wheelchair and guess why? So they have preference at immigration. It is terrible that people take advantage of that. BTW, is Air India responsible for wheelchairs or the airport management? I never seen a Delta or AA wheelchair but it is always someone from the airport that have those.
“Indians are well known for gaming the wheelchair system”
Based on what?
Did you read my post? Based on me flying to London twice a month for 4 years in a row and arriving together with planes coming from India. Have you seen planes arriving from India where almost the entire plane needs wheelchairs? And at least one family member needs a wheelchair so the other 10 members follow the wheelchair through immigration. Oh and BTW, my best friend is from India and he confirmed that.
Don’t be lazy and just search the web. There are tons of articles confirming this.
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/sunday-times/the-great-indian-wheelchair-jugaad/amp_articleshow/62675585.cms
It’s always convenient that you seem to have traveled to just about everywhere in the world on every airline in the world and have friends from every ethnicity to somehow relate your anecdotal evidence to whatever Matthew is posting about…thank God this time there was an article you found on Google to back it up, even if the article doesn’t offer more than opinions as well lol
@Aaron: I don’t live in my basement like you so yes I have traveled most of the world.
Stupid to assume 1) I live in a basement and 2) people who live in basement’s don’t travel. As if the type of dwelling people live in determines how much they travel. But sure, keep telling yourself you travel all over the world.
Under DGCA regulations, the airport operator is responsible for providing wheelchairs at Indian airports and not the airline. However, the airline operator is responsible to “ensure” that this service is provided. That provision is what Air India is charged with violating (ie. not ensuring that the airport operator was able to fulfil the requirements adequately).
Terrible that such an event can happen … much sympathy for the passenger and his wife .
Airlines carry too many passengers , and have too little customer service ; e-mails are not sufficient .
I have found that speaking with the manager at the check-in counter will help obtain the assistance I need . If a problem arises , speaking to the purser or senior flight attendant will help .
Yet again lesson learned. Take care of your health. If you have to wait then wait. Taking unnecessary risks is stupid and will cause your life.
Air India offered a service that was not fulfilled,( guessing that others have encountered this issue) and Patel’s death likely focused attention on the problem. The fine, then, is appropriate to assure future passengers are accommodated. A wrongful death lawsuit is likely not to be successful as Patel was aware of health issues and made a decision against medical advice.
Condolences to the the Patel family
Passengers on flights to/from India are 300% more likely to request wheelchairs (and this furthermore tends to originate with passengers booking via travel agencies than those booking direct) than those on comparable longhaul flights for example (to/from the UK as a comparison point). This despite the fact that the average age of passengers to/from India is actually slightly lower.
This either means that the system is being abused, or that people traveling to/from India are three times more likely to have mobility issues. Given that the general population in India doesn’t have anywhere near as high a proportion of mobility challenged persons, either Indians with disabilities travel significantly more than elsewhere in the world or there is something skewed in the India-specific demand for mobility assistance.
On this particular flight, supposedly 201 of the 233 passengers had requested for wheelchair service and only 132 wheelchairs were available. The other passengers were asked to wait until more wheelchairs became available but some chose to proceed themselves rather than wait. Unfortunately one of these passengers was involved in the fatal incident.
@Sean M … Logical and rational . Evidence that airlines are carrying way too many passengers for proper customer service and/or possible evacuation .
after that long flight he prob got a blood clot and walking caused it to go tohis heart or lungs causing his demise. Taking an aspirin and wearing those anti-thrombotic stockings really helps..
@dee … +1 .