Air India’s Troubles On India-US Routes: A Passenger’s Nightmare

A recent delay occurred on AI 183 flying from Delhi to San Francisco. Originally set to depart yesterday afternoon, the flight is now scheduled to leave at 1500 hours today according to Air India’s website. This incident follows closely after another delay of 18 hours on its Mumbai-San Francisco route just days ago.

As images surfaced showing passengers, including individuals of various ages and families with children, sitting in the aerobridge area and on the ground, concerns regarding handling Irregular Operations (IRROPS) came into focus.

Is there room for improvement from the airline’s side? Are the airport operations teams sufficiently empowered to make prompt decisions regarding passenger management in such situations?

FlightRadar24’s data analysis reveals that Air India‘s San Francisco flights have not experienced a single on-time departure in the past week. Instead, they have faced frequent delays and occasional cancellations.

What happens with the schedule?

Airlines aim for quick aircraft departures, but ground services may resist deplaning passengers without medical reasons, causing delays as seen in recent reports. These delays, especially on long-haul flights like to San Francisco, can lead to crew duty limit issues and challenges in arranging last-minute accommodation for hundreds of passengers due to security and immigration protocols.

Overall, there are issues either with coordination or in promptly identifying the problem and assessing the time required for resolution. While this approach may seem reasonable from an operational standpoint, it creates a nightmarish experience for both passengers and those managing passenger affairs.

What should the passengers do?

For passengers with onward connections in the US or India, booking onward flights on the same PNR with Air India or its partners is recommended. This way, the airline takes responsibility for ensuring your journey continues smoothly, handling rebooking in case of delays. While delays are inconvenient, missing a separately booked flight could be costlier.

Air India dominates the India-US routes with its largest presence in San Francisco, offering 18 weekly departures from Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Delhi. However, frequent delays and downgrades from premium to economy class have sparked complaints on social media, particularly regarding flights to San Francisco.