Grammy winner Ricky Kej flags concerns about Air India services
airline says will take corrective steps
Grammy award winner Ricky Kej has raised concerns about Air India's services by citing two recent incidents and the airline has said that corrective steps will be taken where necessary.
In a series of posts on X on Sunday, Kej mentioned about his experience at the Delhi airport before taking an Air India flight to Bengaluru on September 14.
The incident was related to payment for excess baggage.
The musician also wrote about an incident onboard the Mumbai-San Francisco flight on September 20 wherein initially flight attendants did not respond to a passenger's repeated call for service.
When contacted, an Air India spokesperson said the airline has taken the feedback seriously and will take "corrective steps where necessary so that such incidents are not repeated".
While mentioning about the two incidents, Kej also said, "I am certain a few people will troll me, asking me why do I keep doing this to myself... travel through such a terrible airline, but I will continuously give them chances and criticize them for errors, till they improve".
While regretting the inconvenience caused, the Air India spokesperson in the statement also said such isolated incidents are not representative of the commitment of its staff towards service excellence.
(Read the entire thread) So, I thought a lot about this, waited to cool off, and decided to post calmly. Two incidents that happened recently with @AirIndia. I am certain a few people will troll me, asking me why do I keep doing this to myself.. travel through such a terrible… pic.twitter.com/juvxPJm1pQ
— Ricky Kej (@rickykej) September 29, 2024
(Second X-Tweet in thread)
— Ricky Kej (@rickykej) September 29, 2024
Incident 2:
Flight from Mumbai to SanFrancisco
20th Sept 2024
AI0179
I was flying economy @airindia, a direct flight from Mumbai to San francisco. Almost a 17 hour flight. I like to take walks on the plane every 3 hours. During 1 of my walks I was… pic.twitter.com/uMbSrcCVAz
(Third X-Tweet in thread)
— Ricky Kej (@rickykej) September 29, 2024
As mentioned, I am not giving up on @airindia or calling for any boycott. I ma going to continue flying the airline unless it turns out there are major safety issues. I will be a loyal customer and fly them, and criticize them when needed. Even as I…
(Now a 4th tweet within this thread)
— Ricky Kej (@rickykej) September 29, 2024
After this thread went viral, I have boarded an @airindia AI811 (29th Sept) from Delhi to Lucknow. Boarded at 6pm. As of 6.35pm the air-conditioner was not on. This was not only extremely uncomfortable for the passengers, but is critically…
Dear Sir, we sincerely regret the inconvenience experienced during your travel. We are thoroughly investigating the issue and will take appropriate action. Thank you for bringing this to our attention.
— Air India (@airindia) September 29, 2024
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Cong 'pocketed' Rs 150 cr per annum from Assam healthcare budget during 15 yrs of rule: Shah
Guwahati (PTI): Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday alleged that the Congress, during its previous 15 years of rule in Assam, "pocketed" Rs 150 crore per annum from the state healthcare budget.
Inaugurating and laying the foundation stone for healthcare projects worth Rs 2,092 crore in Assam, Shah said the BJP works for affordable healthcare for all sections of society and lauded Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma for bringing the state's medical facilities at par with states like Gujarat, Maharashtra and Karnataka.
"Assam's healthcare was in shambles 10 years ago as Congress worked only for the financial health of its leaders' families," he said.
Attacking Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, he said that no Indian supports his acts of "defaming" the country in his bid to oppose the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
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He lambasted the Congress for its "shirtless" protest at the recent AI summit in New Delhi and Gandhi for having 'chai-pakora' on the stairs of Parliament House.
"We were also in the opposition and staged protests against the government, but there is a right platform for it," he said.
"Parliament is a sacred seat of democracy. Its stairs should not be used for even dharnas. And Rahul Gandhi was having 'chai-pakora' there. Doesn't he know where to have his breakfast?" asked the Union minister.
Shah inaugurated the Rs 675-crore Pragjyotishpur Medical College and Hospital in Guwahati, at a programme held on its premises.
He also virtually inaugurated two cancer centres at Golaghat and Tinsukia, both under Assam Cancer Care Foundation (ACCF), constructed at a cost of Rs 135 crore each.
Shah virtually laid the foundation stone for super-speciality hospitals at Diphu Medical College and Hospital (Rs 220 crore), Jorhat Medical College and Hospital (Rs 310 crore), and Barpeta Medical College and Hospital (Rs 284 crore).
The foundation stone for a Rs 218-crore Swasthya Bhawan in Guwahati, and the Abhayapuri District Hospital (Rs 115 crore) were also laid by the Union home minister.
Shah arrived here on Saturday evening on a two-day visit to Assam, his fourth visit to the northeastern state in four months.
