Air India Reviews 

I had a very disappointing experience flying with Air India on Saturday, May 16th, from New Delhi to Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport.

First, the seats were in terrible condition — old, damaged, and honestly felt like they came from a junkyard. The cabin overall did not feel clean or well maintained.

Shortly after takeoff, the passenger sitting next to me vomited all over me and onto the seats. Unfortunately, the cabin crew handled the situation very poorly. Even after the passenger tried to clean the mess, the seat was still dirty and smelled terrible. Shockingly, the crew asked me to sit back on that contaminated seat. I refused, so they temporarily moved me elsewhere, but before landing they again asked me to return to the same dirty seat covered in vomit.

This is completely unacceptable for an international airline. No passenger should ever be forced to sit on a seat contaminated with vomit.

To make things worse, after arriving in Paris, I became seriously ill and ended up hospitalized. this experience was extremely distressing and unhygienic.

Very disappointing experience overall. I strongly recommend avoiding Air India if you expect basic hygiene, comfort, and proper customer care.

I got scared reading all this feedback, but my flights were all very well: on time, safe and professional. On a long-haul flight London to Delhi the Economy Premium experience was superb, I totally recommend. On a short flight Delhi to Male Premium Economy does not make any sense: same seats and same food. The staff were very professional and helpful. The choice of food a bit limited - only Indian dishes.

Just avoid this airline, crew has a suave way of lying, prebooked a vegan meal ,they gave me vegetarian, when I told the crew she brazened it out by saying it's the same as vegan. To add to that air craft was unclean,their a350 IFE was dysfunctional.
Toilets were a horrid mess, floor of the cabin was dirty. Avoid them at all costs.

I had an extremely disappointing experience flying with Air India recently.

My flight to San Francisco was delayed multiple times, leading to over 10+ hours of waiting at the airport with little to no proactive communication or support from the airline. The exhaustion and inconvenience caused by this experience were immense, especially during such a long international journey.

The problems did not end there. For my return journey, the flight was changed in a way that now requires me to arrange an additional visa something that was never part of my original booking. Despite this major disruption, I have struggled to get proper support. The customer service numbers are either unreachable, the chat support has extremely long queues, and email responses are delayed and unhelpful.

What is most frustrating is the lack of accountability and customer empathy throughout the process. Delays can happen, but how an airline handles passengers during those situations matters. At the very least, there should have been compensation, travel support, flexibility, or meaningful assistance provided.

Overall, this experience has been stressful, exhausting, and deeply disappointing for an international traveler.

Air India – Extremely poor experience with communication and refund process

My experience with Air India has been highly frustrating and unacceptable.

From the beginning of my case, I was met with unhelpful and unfriendly staff, often receiving inconsistent or outright misleading information. This lack of proper communication and internal coordination led to additional unnecessary costs that could have been avoided if accurate information had been provided.

The biggest issue, however, is the handling of my refund and compensation. The refund request has remained unresolved for a long time with no clear status or meaningful updates. Despite compensation being confirmed, it has still not been paid out. Repeated attempts to obtain clarification have resulted in vague responses or no response at all.

Overall, the service feels disorganized, unprofessional, and extremely stressful for the customer. At a minimum, I expect clear communication, adherence to confirmed compensation, and basic customer support standards – none of which have been delivered in my case.

If I could give then 0 star I would! Plane was faling apart form Inside, food ran out on flight, they had no space for carry on bags and no media systems worked.

We booked flights with Air India for our Aussie trip and they were horrible to deal with... they made multiple changes to our booking (some without telling us) and only accept modifications to the booking over the phone. The phone service has been terrible. Once, they hung up on me before making the changes, and multiple times, they told me that they couldn't handle the changes because I needed to speak directly with the case handler. They then said they would arrange a callback, which we never received. They also gave us misinformation about visas, and told us that we would have trouble getting visas, when we wouldn't. Their online systems seem really outdated. We chose them because they were the cheapest option, but after this experience, we would much rather pay a higher fee given the number of hours we have wasted speaking with them on the phone. The booking process was terrible, and the staff are very unhelpful because they are restricted to the processes and systems they use.

I won't recommend air india to any one. It's a useless airline. I booked my vaction Trip from Chicago to Bali. Now they cancelled the booking and rebook me ona flight to Bali from SFO. How can I reach SFO. I live in Chicago. This is really frustrating. How can they change the originating destination? How can they decide that Now I will fly from SFO. Honestly, They do not deserve any star...They sucks big time

We were a group of 4 travelling from Wrocław to Manila with a connection in Amsterdam, flying Air India for the long-haul legs. What followed was one of the worst travel experiences I have ever had.

**Reservation cancelled without consent – twice**
Two hours before our Amsterdam–Delhi departure, Air India unilaterally cancelled the reservations of two members of our group and issued entirely new bookings – without asking us, without notifying us properly, and despite the fact that all four tickets were purchased together at the same time. The result: two of us flew to Delhi on an almost empty Dreamliner while the other two were left behind and eventually put on an overcrowded flight. We arrived in Delhi separately, stressed, and with no explanation from the airline.

On the way back, the exact same thing happened. During our 12-hour flight, Air India cancelled our reservations again and rebooked us on different dates. We only found out when we were already boarding our final connection. Naturally, none of our luggage made it.

**Lost baggage – and a two-month nightmare**
My bag was lost in Amsterdam – a direct consequence of Air India tampering with our booking. To make matters worse, when I filed a lost baggage report, I was not given a PIR number as required. I then had to travel to an airport on a different island to retrieve my bag, because Air India made no effort to deliver it to my address – which is legally required under applicable regulations.

I have now been fighting for compensation for nearly two months. The airline's response has been to stall, deflect, and offer token gestures clearly designed to avoid paying out. This is their fault, their responsibility, and their legal obligation – and they are doing everything possible to avoid it.

**The aircraft and crew – a mixed picture**
To be fair, not everything was terrible. The Delhi–Manila and Manila–Delhi segments were genuinely good: friendly and professional cabin crew, and a newer aircraft that had not yet been run into the ground. I want to acknowledge that honestly.

The Amsterdam–Delhi Dreamliner, however, was in a shocking state. The toilets were broken, the touchscreen entertainment systems were barely functional, and the overall condition of the cabin was unacceptable for a long-haul flight. Cabin crew on that leg were mediocre at best.

**Bottom line**
Air India cancelled our reservations twice on the same trip without our knowledge or consent, lost my luggage, failed to meet basic legal obligations, and has spent two months avoiding accountability. The operational chaos this airline creates mid-journey – while passengers are literally in the air and cannot check their phones – is dangerous and deeply irresponsible.

If Air India offered round-the-world flights for $20, I still would not book them.

I booked Air India flight with my debit card for my 70 years old uncle. When I took him to airport for check in he was told that his ticket was suspended and we were advised to see someone in their ticketing office on airport. When we went to ticketing office we were told that airline needs pictures of my debit card to keep it in their record. I asked them once the payment was made and successfully approved by my bankcosmic consciousness and airline as well, then what was the point to keep the copies of my debit card? The English lady on the ticketing counter understood my point and explained to airline management on the phone that sending them pictures of someone's bank card by whatsapp is not safe but the person on the other side was adamantly said to her to send them the pictures of my debit card by whatsapp to reinstate my uncle's ticket otherwise he cannot fly. I had no option but to give her my bank card, who took pictures of my bank card and sent to her management by whatsapp. It seems total nonsense of Air India if they made such rule to occupy someone's bank card. They did not mention this at any stage when I was booking and paying for my uncle's ticket on Air India's website. Had I booked my uncle's ticket through an agency or third party website I wouldn't have gone through all this. Now, I am feeling that not only my debit card is at risk of any possible misuse but also my details will be in the possession of many people who work for air India. This is highly destressing and discouraging people to buy tickets from Air Indi's website.

I travelled with Air India on flight AI156 from Amsterdam to Delhi on 31 January 2026. Both of my checked bags failed to arrive. What followed was one of the most exhausting and frustrating experiences I have ever had with any airline.

One bag arrived after 5 days. The second took 21 days and ultimately had to be forwarded to my home in Berlin - I had long since left India by then. The bag contained my wedding outfit for a ceremony I had travelled specifically to attend.

The Lost Baggage Counter in Delhi was a disaster. I had to show up in person just to get any action. The supervisor on duty gave me a wrong email address for follow-ups - seemingly on purpose. Staff hung up mid-call, ignored WhatsApp messages and emails, and asked for the same documents over and over again. The office had cockroaches.

The Care team was no better. Nearly every reply was a copy-paste standard response. Weeks passed between emails.

I travelled to India for a joyful occasion. Air India managed to overshadow the entire trip. Avoid if you can.

We booked a holiday to Thailand with Tui, the flight was with Air India. The Flight was cancelled on day of the flight, luckily it was a package trip, we were re-booked on another airline a few hours before. The flight was with a different airline Eva air which was great. On our return flight with Air India they informed us that the time of the return flight had been rescheduled which would have meant we would miss our connecting flight. Air India gave us the option to rebook another flight, the only flight available was for two days after our original flight. AIir India took no responsibility for the fact that we would need a further two days accommodation, we were left out of pocket with no help from Air India. When we did manage to get on the air india flight the service was very poor. I travel regularly and This is the worst airline, I have ever had the misfortune to fly with. Air India needs a serious overhaul to come up to just basic standards. I would never fly with the again. Also they don't pay flight delay compensation.

I don't write many reviews and if I do only positive but seriously this airline is about money and service is shocking. They genuinely don't carry if you die. I have flown with several airlines and crew are human and can make mistakes but the last few times I have flown with air india was seriously shocking. Staff are not trained for basic understanding of allergies which can be life threatening. I won't go into detail but those that genuinely are disabled and or have serious allergies should not fly with airlines line air india.

Was stuck in Goa trying to get a flight back to UK and Air India offered a flight from GOX to Delhi Indira International Airport.
First flight from GOX to Delhi booked seat with 3rd seat on isle blocked. On this flight a man sat in the isle seat he said it was his booked seat. No refund offered by Air India. This is a scam.
Second flight delayed 3 hours 25 and arrived in UK 5 hours lay due rescheduled flight path. No help, no information, nothing. Customer service non existent as per usual from Air India.
They even said it was only 51 minutes late! Ticked said arrive UK 11:30am, actual time of arrival 16:10pm.
Don't waste your money on this 5th rate excuse for an airline@

In my 30 years of flying, I have never seen anything like this. My sister-in-law is traveling today from Ahmedabad, India, to Canada. Air India did not issue all of her boarding passes in Ahmedabad, which caused her a lot of trouble. She almost missed her next flight, arriving at the gate with only five minutes to spare. Generally Ticketing and check bag counter issue all pass and label to get bag at last stop.

If I could give less than 1 star I would!
Absolutely horrendous airline. Flight got delayed by 24 hours then left me stranded in Delhi airport for 18 hours with no where to stay.
Food it awful, my seat was broken. Staff are so unbelievably rude.
Tried to ring customer service they told me it was none of their business. Spoke not a world of English.
They spoke to me in Indian the entire flight.
Absolutely horrendous experience
DO NOT FLY

Food poisoning for breakfast!!!! Long haul flight was vomiting first time in 1000+ flights I have taken

Broken seat I paid for extra!!!

Compensation was 1500

Terrible experience

Do not recommend.

I’m Appalling airline run by imbeciles and useless and rude staff. A failure of their aircraft has led to my daughter and her friends being stuck in Delhi due to an airline failure and a faulty plane that had to make and emergency landing. They were told by customer service staff where they sleep tonight is not her business that is up to them. What an appalling airline, appalling and staff, of course what else would you expect from such a poor grade airline.

DO NOT TRAVEL

To Air India Management,

​I am writing to expose the absolute nightmare my 70-year-old parents experienced while traveling to the UK on May 4th. This was, without a doubt, the worst airline experience of our lives, caused entirely by the staggering ignorance of your staff.

​My parents arrived at the airport fully prepared, carrying their UK eVisa and share code, which we had printed the day before their flight. The official printed document clearly stated that the share code was valid until August 2nd.

​Instead of assisting them, your staff made an absurd and entirely made-up demand: they insisted the share code had to be printed on the exact day of travel rather than the day before. There is absolutely no such rule. Common sense should tell anyone that a government document valid until August 2nd does not magically expire overnight.

​Because of your team's inability to read a simple date, I had to sort out this mess at 3:00 AM. Your staff's sheer incompetence completely ruined my sleep and forced me to intervene in the middle of the night just to protect my parents from your own employees.

​When we escalated this to the manager, hoping for some basic logic, the manager was highly unsupportive and completely refused to listen, even when I pointed out the official August 2nd validity date printed right in front of them.

​The impact of your team's failures was severe:
​Deep Distress for Senior Citizens: My elderly parents, who rely on a smooth process, were left confused, helpless, and completely stressed out.

​Lasting Fear: Your staff's ridiculous demands terrified them. They spent the entire rest of their journey living in fear, anxious that they would face similar harassment at every other checkpoint.

​Unnecessary Disruption: Your made-up rules forced me out of bed at 3 AM to do the job your staff and management failed to do.
​It is shameful that an international airline employs staff and managers with such a lack of basic reading skills, common sense, and empathy for senior citizens.

​I will never book another flight with Air India again. You are the worst airline with the most unhelpful staff I have ever encountered, and I will be making sure everyone I know hears about how you treat your elderly passengers.

I am a Gold Frequent Flyer (formerly Platinum) and a consistent Business Class traveler with Air India. My recent experience flying from Mumbai to Melbourne (AI311) has been a masterclass in how to alienate loyal customers.

Upon arrival in Melbourne on April 17, I discovered my brand-new 30-inch spinner suitcase was destroyed (two wheels completely missing) and two other new bags sustained severe structural gouges. I have timestamped "before" photos from Mumbai proving they were in factory-new condition at check-in.

Despite my status and the clear evidence provided (Case ID: 39680739), Air India’s response has been insulting. They offered a mere INR 2,000 ($36 AUD) e-voucher as compensation. A quality replacement for a 30-inch bag in Australia costs upwards of $400 AUD. Their offer doesn't even cover 5% of the total $700 damage.

To make matters worse, their regional email addresses bounce back, their Australian phone lines are "invalid," and they are now threatening to close my case while I am still trying to reach a human who understands the Montreal Convention.

As a Master Mariner and retired businessman, I value integrity and professional service. Air India has shown neither. I am now escalating this to the Australian Aviation Consumer Ombudsperson and Consumer Affairs Victoria.

Air India, do better. Loyal Business Class passengers deserve more than a scripted brush-off.