Airlines provide wheelchair assistance at airports to assist passengers with mobility or medical issues, typically to senior citizens. However, recently, an 83-year-old woman had to walk from the airport to the vehicle because she was denied a wheelchair.
Susama Rath, 83, was denied a wheelchair at the Delhi airport on March. The elderly woman was travelling from Bhubaneswar to Delhi via an Indigo flight.
The incident came to light when Bishnu Prasad Panigrahi, son-in-law of the Rath, took to X and posted, “Indigo flight 6E 5061 Bhubaneswar to Delhi on 5th March, Mrs Susama Rath 83 yrs wife of Late Prof (Dr) Sanatan Rath, my mother in law, had requested for a wheelchair while booking. Unfortunately, the haughty Indigo did not help her with a wheelchair when she landed in Delhi. She had to walk all the out to our vehicle. Air India and Indigo now have a monopoly, they are no longer customer-friendly. At least for senior citizens, some empathy should be visible. Shameful attitude”.
Notably, a few days back, another incident happened where Air India allegedly denied a wheelchair to a senior citizen. While walking, the elderly woman fell and injured her eye. The granddaughter of the old woman posted on X, “For our travel back from Delhi to Bangalore on 4th March 2025, we booked a wheelchair for my 82-year-old grandmother well in advance - confirmed by the airline. Upon reaching the airport, she was not allocated one”.
These incidents show that the airlines offer services, like wheelchair facilities for the needy but actually getting a wheelchair is not as easy as it seems.
In Rath’s case, according to Panigrahi, a wheelchair was booked but the airline did not provide it. However, as per Indigo, it has not been booked.
Also, the airline apologised and offered help by adding a wheelchair for the old lady for future travel. In response to Panigrahi’s message, Indigo posted on X, “A wheelchair needs to be pre-booked at least 48 hrs prior to the departure; however, no wheelchair was added to the booking. Further, we'd like to confirm that we have added a wheelchair for today's travel & we will ensure a smooth experience for Ms Rath in Delhi as well as in Bhubaneshwar. Please feel free to DM us for any further assistance”.
What Are The Wheelchair Booking Rules Of Airlines?
According to Indigo’s website, wheelchairs should be pre-booked at least 48 hours before departure. “We request you to book a wheelchair at least forty-eight (48) hours prior to departure. In order to ensure that you have a hassle-free experience, we recommend that you reach the airport at least two (2) hours prior to departure and inform our reservation team. Our airport (check/reservation) staff may ask you some questions to determine the level of assistance required”, it reads.
Air India also has the same 48-hour rule for pre-booking a wheelchair. According to its website, “Let us know the nature of assistance required during embarkation, disembarkation, and inflight at least 48 hours before the scheduled departure time so that we can make the necessary arrangements. Share specific requirements concerning handling and carriage of a passenger in a wheelchair. Let us know if the traveller requires wheelchair assistance up to the aircraft steps, entrance, or the seat”.
While airlines have conditions for booking a wheelchair, the staff is also expected to be more considerate in handling such situations and provide a quick resolution to the issue to avoid inconvenience and injuries to the passengers.
