In a video that is viral on social media, officials of Air India appear unmoved by passengers who are seen pleading, shouting and even begging after they were not allowed to board a flight, allegedly because they showed up five minutes late for check-in.
“Once you are late, you are late. You lose the flight. Nothing is free,” an official of the national carrier is heard telling passengers who allegedly arrived 55 minutes before their flight at Mumbai’s international terminal. Air India’s website says check-ins stop 60 minutes before an international flight.
Angry passengers are seen telling the staff that they had received wrong information from a travel website’s message.
The officials do not react to the arguments and pleading. One woman is in tears, saying her mother is seriously unwell. “Please help me,” she says repeatedly.
The exchange took place on the morning of February 14 and was filmed by a passenger, who uploaded the clip on Facebook. It has over six lakh views and 29k shares so far.
