The Delhi airport viral video on Air India staff may leave you doubtful but these 2 are real
If you are on Instagram, you might've seen a video of a woman suffering from a "panic attack" at the Delhi Airport going viral on social media. In the video from May 5, which has been viewed over a million times now, it can be seen that the woman had collapsed on the floor right in front of the boarding gate, and her family members are requesting medical help.
THE VIRAL VIDEO:
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On May 5, three passengers were supposed to board Air India flight AI 823 from Delhi to Vadodara, Gujarat. The passengers claimed that they faced some technical issues during the check-in process due to which they got late for the boarding.
The delay in check-in resulted in a delay in boarding, due to which the staff denied entry to these three passengers. Vipul Bhimani, who shared the video on Instagram, claimed that his cousin was supposed to take an LLB final year viva the same day, which is why they were on their way to Vadodara. Bhimani's aunt had a panic attack when they were denied boarding.
Bhimani and his cousin asked the Air India staff for medical help, which took 30 minutes to arrive, as per their claims.
After the video went viral, Air India issued a statement. "After seeing one of them lying on the floor near the gate, a Doctor & a CISF personnel were called immediately by our staff to help her, but the passenger started feeling better when the doctor arrived on the spot & declined any medical or wheelchair assistance. Air India always accords top priority to passenger safety and comfort. However, as a responsible airline, we have to adhere to strictures laid down by the regulatory authorities and in any case, we could not delay the flight especially when all passengers had boarded on-time."
While claims and counter-claims have been made on this video, here are two other incidents where the airline was clearly at fault. Take a look:
1. INDIGO DENIED ENTRY TO A SPECIAL CHILD
On May 7, an adolescent with special needs was in distress at Ranchi airport. As his parents tried to calm him, someone from the Indigo staff turned up and warned them that the child cannot board the flight like this.
To help the child feel better, his parents gave him medicines and food.
But the Indigo staff still denied entry saying that he was a risk to fellow passengers.
On the other hand, the fellow passengers said that they had no issues with the child.
Moreover, doctors, who were supposed to board the same flight, agreed to provide medical assistance to the child in case of any emergency during the flight.
But the Indigo staff continued to say, “This child is uncontrollable. He is in a state of panic.” Eventually, the flight took off without them.
Jyotiraditya Scindia, Union Minister for Civil Aviation also tweeted on the matter.
2. DISABLED WOMAN DENIED ENTRY
In 2019, Shen Chengqing, a 22-year-old disabled woman on a wheelchair was denied entry because she was travelling alone.
The staff at Hong Kong airport said that she would not be able to take the three-hour flight as she couldn’t walk and was alone.
Shen Chengqing told South China Morning Post, “I felt very anxious and angry at the time. I don’t understand why this could happen in Hong Kong. If there are safety concerns, there should be better facilities to ensure my safety, instead of not allowing me on a plane. I do not need help with eating or using the bathroom. All I need is assistance to move my wheelchair.”
“I thought taking flights from Hong Kong would be reliable. I did not expect this,"
While airports are mostly safe zones and promise adequate assistance for people with special needs, there are incidents which leave a bitter taste in the mouth.