'Broken Seats Not Exclusive to Air India': Punjab BJP Chief Slams IndiGo For Poor Seating

New Delhi: Punjab BJP Chief Sunil Jakhar on Sunday slammed IndiGo for broken seats on a Chandigarh-Delhi IndiGo flight that he boarded in January.

Jakhar, who traveled on IndiGo from Chandigarh to Delhi in January, flagged the airline's poor seating condition.

His reaction comes after Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan blasted Air India over a broken seat and cheating passengers, despite assurances of a comfortable experience during his recent flight to Delhi from Bhopal.

In his X post, Jakhar criticized the airline for its loosely placed cushions instead of properly fitted ones. He mentioned that the cabin crew was courteous and advised him to file a complaint on the website on January 27.

Also Read: DGCA Seeks Response From Air India Within 24 Hours Over Shivraj Chouhan's Broken Seat Complaint

"It seems broken seats, as pointed out by @ChouhanShivraj ji, are not exclusive to Air India. Here are some pictures from an IndiGo Chandigarh-Delhi flight on January 27, showing several seats with loosely placed cushions rather than properly fitted ones, which should conform to safety regulations. The cabin crew, though courteous as always, expressed their inability to address the issue and advised me to file a complaint on the company website," his tweet read.

He criticized both IndiGo and Air India for their "chalta hai" (casual) attitude and urged the DGCA to ensure that both airlines strictly adhere to safety norms without compromising the smooth operation of their flights.

Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu tagged IndiGo and DGCA to raise concerns about the safety of passengers.

"It's not the loose cushions or comfort of the seats I'm concerned about. I am writing so that the DGCA ensures that this 'chalta hai' attitude of these two premier airlines does not extend to their adherence to safety norms while servicing and maintaining the aircraft," he stated.

Also Read: ‘Broken Seats, Cheating Passengers’: Shivraj Singh Chouhan Slams Air India For Poor Experience

IndiGo's Response

IndiGo responded to the Punjab BJP Chief's tweet and said their seats are designed with removable cushions for easy cleaning and maintenance.

"Sir, our seats are designed with removable cushions, secured by Velcro, to facilitate easy cleaning and maintenance. On rare occasions, they may come loose and may require repositioning for better comfort."

The airline assured that safety is a top priority and that the seating design does not compromise safety requirements.

They further added: "Safety is paramount for us, and we assure you that the overall seat design ensures no compromise is made with safety requirements. Thank you for your kind understanding, and we look forward to welcoming you onboard again soon. Team IndiGo."