Three-time Grammy Award-winning composer Ricky Kej has once again taken to social media to criticise Air India for poor customer service. In a post on X, Kej detailed two recent incidents involving the airline, marking the fifth time in a year that he has faced problems with Air India.
In his post, Kej expressed frustration over a nearly hour-long delay he experienced while trying to pay for excess baggage during a recent trip. Despite the ongoing issues, the musician affirmed his commitment to flying with the airline, stating, "I will continuously give them chances and criticise them for errors, till they improve."
Incident One: Delhi to Bengaluru
Kej detailed the first incident, which took place on September 14 while flying from Delhi to Bengaluru. After arriving at the Air India check-in counter, Kej said he had to get the attention of a distracted staff member. He admitted his baggage was overweight by six kilograms and immediately offered to pay the fee, but was directed to a counter that was a considerable distance away.
Upon reaching the designated counter, Kej encountered further delays when the staff refused to process his payment via UPI (Unified Payments Interface), a popular payment method in India. After multiple back-and-forth interactions, a wireless payment machine was finally brought to the check-in counter, and the payment was processed. Kej called the ordeal a "systemic issue" and criticized the airline for what he described as poor customer care.
Incident Two: Mumbai to San Francisco
The second incident occurred on a flight from Mumbai to San Francisco on September 20. Kej said a flight attendant repeatedly turned off a service call light activated by a passenger, without addressing the passenger’s request. Despite witnessing the attendant's actions, Kej refrained from intervening until the call light was turned off for a third time. He finally confronted the flight attendant, who responded reluctantly. Kej labeled this behaviour as evidence of "apathy" and claimed it exemplified the airline’s broader service issues.
Air India's Response
In response to the criticism, Air India issued a statement expressing regret over the incident. "We hold ourselves to the highest standards of customer service," said a spokesperson. The airline assured that it is taking the feedback seriously and will implement corrective measures to prevent such incidents from recurring. "We regret the inconvenience caused to the customer and appreciate his support to the ongoing transformation of the airline," the statement added.
Kej's Continued Support
Despite these experiences, Kej said that he is not calling for a boycott of Air India. "I am 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 criticise them when needed," he posted. He reiterated his hope for the airline's success, acknowledging the importance of Air India's ongoing transformation.
This is not the first time Kej has publicly criticised the airline. Last month, he accused Air India of downgrading him from business class and refusing to offer a refund. Air India has since responded to his complaints, saying that it is investigating the issue and will take appropriate action.