Air India Mumbai-Doha flight delayed since Monday night, desperate flyers tweet Ratan Tata

Air India remained under government control for close to seven decades until it was taken over by Tata Group in January 2022.

Air India flight AI 981 from Mumbai to Doha has been delayed for more than 17 hours. It was scheduled to depart at 7:30 pm on Monday. Sources say the flight has been delayed due to technical issues with the plane and there has been a delay in arranging an alternative aircraft.

But the situation has left passengers, including families with children, irate and desperate. Many have taken to venting on Twitter and trying to get the authorities attention to resolve the situation. Some even tagged the former chairman of Tata Group Ratan Tata for help. Air India remained under government control for close to seven decades until it was taken over by Tata Group in January 2022.

"I am a respected citizen of India. I want to bring to your notice that the passenger of Air India flight AI 981 which was scheduled to depart from Mumbai Airport is being delayed more than 24 hours really disgusting nobody is answering the passengers," Twitter user Sarthak Panchal (@Sarthak70500295) wrote tagging the Ministry of Civil Aviation.

Tagging Ratan Tata and Air India on Twitter, Riyan Chougle (@riyanchougle) wrote, "There was a flight AI-981 from Doha to Mumbai on 11th June at 23:55 (after delayed), but when we reached the airport at 7 pm, we were informed of delay of 1 hour, now there is no information provided as the flight has not yet even taken off from Mumbai (sic)."

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As informed by Local @HIAQatar staff there is no information recieved yet from Mumbai for the departure of the flight.. Where are we supposed to gather the information of the flight when are we going to fly?? The delay has been more than 6 Hrs.@RNTata2000

— Riyan chougle (@riyanchougle) June 12, 2023

In a video, another passenger claimed that the Air India staff was not answering any of their questions or helping them during the delay.

@MoCA_GoI @JM_Scindia Air India flight AI 981 from Mumbai to Doha has been delayed since 1930 yesterday. We have been sitting at the airport since 13 hours+ as of right now. There is NOT A SINGLE Air India official at the airport. We are even UNABLE to exit the airport. Help pic.twitter.com/dDxiSNrhhT

— Charulata Bose (@CharulataB65159) June 13, 2023

The lack of information from the Air India staff appeared to further aggravate matters with many passengers claiming there was hardly any service being provided to the passengers despite the massive delay. Twitter user Sarthak Panchal (@Sarthak70500295) tagged Union Minister for Civil Aviation Jyotiraditya Scindia for help and said that the situation was becoming especially difficult for the elderly and the children.

@JM_Scindia . Passengers of Air India AI 981 stuck at mumbai for more then 14 hours without any proper information about the flight. No body is answering anything. Kids and elderly people are in big problem. DISGUSTING service by Air India. No proper information is been given. pic.twitter.com/QoCXvGVT2Z

— Sarthak Panchal (@Sarthak70500295) June 13, 2023

Meanwhile, Air India has not released any official statement about the situation yet.

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