Comedian Vir Das recently roasted a major airline for a series of blunders, including leaving his wife stranded without a wheelchair—despite her sporting a fractured foot.
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Das took it to Air India, highlighting several issues with the service he received despite paying Rs 50,000 (around $600 USD) for his seat. In a post on X, he detailed encountering a broken table, damaged leg rests, and a seat permanently stuck in a reclined position. He also alleged that his wife, who had a fractured foot, was not provided a wheelchair, even though the service had been pre-booked.
“Dear Air India, please reclaim your wheelchair. I’m a lifetime loyalist. I believe you’ve got the nicest cabin crew in the sky, this post pains me to write,” Das wrote.Â
“Broken table, broken leg rests, her seat is stuck reclined, won’t straighten fully. [We] were told the flight is ‘newly refurbished’. Two hours late, we get off in Delhi and we’re told it’s a stepladder. Again, wheelchair and Encalm [meet-and-greet services at airports] pre-booked,” he added in the post.
“I ask the air hostesses at the front of the plane to assist my wife while I carry four bags. Silence and a clueless look at each other. We step off the plane to the top of the ladder. I ask an Air India male ground staff member to help us, looks at me, shrugs, and ignores me,” Das further detailed in the X thread.
He added that his wife, who had a fracture, was forced to climb down using a stepladder.
Airline Attempts to Explain Why Comedian’s Wife Wasn’t Met with Wheelchair Upon Landing
Air India responded to the comedian’s post, explaining that the cabin crew had offered help to the passenger, including the option to deplane using the aircraft’s ambulift. The airline described the issue as a “delay, not denial” of wheelchair assistance, attributing it to an unusually high demand for wheelchairs and staff at that time.
“We empathize with the guests, especially given the mobility concern involved, and recognize that this experience fell short of expectations,” the airline added.
“AI816. Get your wheelchair, bro,” the comedian shot back at one of Air India’s replies.
Vir Das is an Indian entertainer known for being a comedian, actor, and musician. He began his journey in stand-up comedy before transitioning to Hindi cinema, where he appeared in notable films such as Badmaash Company, Delhi Belly, and Go Goa Gone in memorable supporting roles. In 2017, he gained international recognition with his Netflix special Abroad Understanding.