Over time, notable developments have occurred in the aviation business, which is fundamental to worldwide connections. Nonetheless, in spite of technical advancements and optimized processes, a critical facet continues to be scrutinized: customer service. For elderly passengers, in particular, the quality of service they receive can significantly impact their travel experience, making it essential for airlines to prioritize and refine their approach to meet the unique needs of this demographic.
This issue was highlighted recently by cricket commentator Harsha Bhogle, who took to X to express his disappointment with IndiGo. He recounted an instance in which an elderly couple had difficulty finding their seats. Posting it, the post immediately went viral. Ultimately, IndiGo responded.
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Harsha Bhogle’s post about IndiGo’s handling elderly people went viral
Harsha Bhogle, a cricket analyst, recently used X to voice his dissatisfaction with IndiGo. He described in his tweet how an elderly couple who had paid for front-row tickets were inexplicably relocated to row 19. Concerning the airline’s handling of its customers, Bhogle pointed out that the old guy had difficulty making his way to the back of the aircraft. In his post, Harsha wrote,
Another example of #IndigoFirstPassengerLast. An elderly couple on my flight had paid for seats in row 4 so they wouldn’t have to walk much. Without an explanation, #Indigo changed it to seat 19. The gentleman was going to struggle to walk till row 19 in a narrow passage. But who cares. A few people had to make a noise, point out the immorality and only then, thanks to the pleasant cabin crew were the original seats restored. But, and this is the point, they had to make a noise otherwise Indigo was going to get them to walk till 19, and check after boarding was complete, if they could be assigned 4, which meant they would have to walk back.
He added,
The elderly lady was meekly complaining about how this is a common occurrence and how it is stressful for people their age to travel #Indigo. “I wish they didn’t have a monopoly” she said. Such a pity. I am sure @IndiGo6E, you can sensitise your ground staff to put the passenger first occasionally. It was so disappointing to see how casually they were moving elderly passengers. With success comes responsibility. As someone who is proud of a successful Indian enterprise, I hope you can be more sensitive and not institutionalise this uncaring attitude.
Another example of #IndigoFirstPassengerLast. An elderly couple on my flight had paid for seats in row 4 so they wouldn’t have to walk much. Without an explanation, #Indigo changed it to seat 19. The gentleman was going to struggle to walk till row 19 in a narrow passage. But who…
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) August 24, 2024
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How IndiGo reacted to Harsha Bhogle’s post?
Amid receiving harch criticism, IndiGo recognized the issue, stating,
Mr Bhogle, thank you for bringing this to our attention and taking the time to speak with us. We sincerely regret the confusion that caused inconvenience to the customers. Our crew quickly intervened, ensuring they travelled comfortably in their originally assigned seats. ½
IndiGo added,
We’ve also reached out to the customers to address this personally. We truly appreciate your understanding and look forward to serving you again soon. 2/2 ~Satyendra
We’ve also reached out to the customers to address this personally. We truly appreciate your understanding and look forward to serving you again soon. 2/2 ~Satyendra
— IndiGo (@IndiGo6E) August 24, 2024
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People heavily criticised IndiGo for having such kind of services
Since it was posted on August 24, the post has received over six thousand likes and over five lakh views, and the numbers keep rising. In the comments area, a number of individuals shared their thoughts. Have a look at some of the comments:
In Business no one cares. They must have sold off the front row seats for 100-200 extra bucks. Thulla Airlines.
— Rajat Agarwala (@RjtAg222) August 24, 2024
Indigo is auto rickshaw in air. Can’t complain much. If anyone is really paying for preferred seats, better go with air india or vistara. Been travelling a lot with AI, they are worth the little premium on the fares.
— Yash (@boi_doingthings) August 24, 2024
Sadly, Indigo is a forced necessity for many.
They are good in on time performance…..sadly their motto appears to be nothing else matters!!!
— Anshoo Gaur ☮️ (@anshoogaur) August 24, 2024
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That’s why, once upon a time, I pledged to myself that I’d take out some extra bucks from my pocket, but I’ll never fly with “cheap Indigo”. I wrote this to their manager too.
– a frequent flyer.— Premnath Dalai (@PremnathDalai) August 24, 2024
Why am I not surprised. I unfortunately have had a string of miserable experiences with @IndiGo6E
Starting for avoiding serving food quoting a lame reason on a domestic flight in 2009, threatening my teenage daughter to tears & switching off AC on an international flight have…— Venuchirps (@IndVenugopal) August 25, 2024
The incident highlights how urgently airlines must improve their customer service, especially when it comes to recognizing the special difficulties experienced by older customers and making sure their comfort and dignity are always given priority.
What do you think about this incident? Do share your thoughts with us in the comment section of this article.
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