Air India compensates Delhi-San Francisco flight passengers with Rs 29,000 vouchers after 30-hour delay – Airlines/Aviation News

Air India has issued an official apology and extended an offer of a travel voucher valued at USD 350 to each passenger aboard the San Francisco-bound flight departing from the national capital, PTI reported.

According to a source, the flight accommodated 199 passengers. Following a delay exceeding 30 hours, the aircraft departed from the national capital at 09:55 pm on Friday and arrived in San Francisco at 12:45 pm (IST) on Saturday. The total duration of the flight was approximately 16 hours.

Apology, Compensation offered

Air India Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Klaus Goersch said in a letter to the flight’s passengers, “Please allow me to sincerely apologise, on behalf of Air India, for the extended delay in bringing you to San Francisco, which was caused by several technical delays and other operational constraints.”

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Air India has offered “travel voucher worth USD 350” as a gesture of apology. According to letter that is dated May 31, the voucher is for future travel with the airline. Passengers will also have the option to credit the amount instead of using it for travel.

In the letter, Goersch said, “We are very sorry for this lapse in our service and the inconvenience caused to you.”

Regulatory response

The Delhi-San Francisco flight initially planned for departure at approximately 3:30 pm on Thursday, experienced significant delays attributed to several factors, including technical malfunctions, non-operational air-conditioning systems, and payload-related issues.

Subsequently, on Friday, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) issued a show-cause notice to Air India concerning flight delays and apparent neglect of passenger welfare. Within the notice, the regulatory body cited two instances of notable delay involving international flights: AI 183 originating from Delhi to San Francisco on May 30 and AI 179 originating from Mumbai to San Francisco on May 24.