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Indian para swimmer athlete Shams Aalam took to Twitter on Monday to share that Air India failed to provide him with timely assistance with his own wheelchair and he had to wait for over an hour.
“Dear @airindiain i landed with AI 309 5 pm at @DelhiAirport. I am a wheelchair user and I informed cabin crew that I need my wheelchair at gate. After an hour i am still waiting and not received my personal wheelchair. I need to use washroom no one supporting," Aalam wrote on Twitter.
Shams Aalam told TOI: “I was allowed to bring my wheelchair to the plane door in Melbourne. I told the crew that upon landing, I would need my own wheelchair at the door of the plane, as it is very comfortable for me. The cabin crew said he was fine.
However, when I landed in Delhi, they brought another wheelchair, one that is used at the airport.” After a nearly half-day drive, Aalam said that he wanted to go to the bathroom and needed his wheelchair, but no one helped him.
“Wheelchairs at airports are big. No one can drive them alone, you have to push them. How can I ask someone to come to the bathroom? If other countries can provide our own wheelchairs, why don't we get them from India? This is not the first time I have faced this, it has happened in the past on domestic flights,” said Aalam, who tweeted about the issue.
Air India apologized for the delay and said “we understand it took some time to deliver your personal wheelchair as it got delayed due to airport security reasons. We hope you would give us another opportunity to make things right."
Explaining its position, Air India responded: “Dear Mr. Aalam, We are sorry to note your experience. We are informing our airport team immediately to provide any assistance required."
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