82-year-old woman in ICU after falling at Delhi airport due to wheelchair denial by Air India

Elderly passenger suffers injuries after wheelchair request goes unfulfilled

An 82-year-old woman, currently in the ICU under observation for potential brain bleeds, sustained serious injuries after falling at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport. The fall occurred after she was allegedly denied a pre-booked wheelchair by Air India.

Despite waiting for over an hour for the wheelchair, the elderly woman, Raj Pasricha, the widow of a decorated Lieutenant General, had to walk a significant distance with the support of a family member. Unfortunately, her legs gave way near an Air India counter, causing her to fall and suffer injuries.

Family alleges negligence and lack of medical assistance

Ms. Pasricha’s granddaughter, Parul Kanwar, alleged that no first aid was provided following the fall. When a wheelchair finally arrived, the elderly woman was boarded onto the flight with a bleeding lip and head injuries, without a proper medical evaluation.

“She was seen by a doctor only after reaching Bengaluru airport, where she received two stitches,” Ms. Kanwar stated in her social media post.

She further revealed that her grandmother has been in the ICU for two days, with the left side of her body losing strength, raising concerns about long-term health complications.

Wheelchair request was confirmed, yet not provided

Ms. Kanwar shared details of their flight booking—Air India flight AI2600 from Delhi to Bengaluru on Tuesday—which explicitly included a confirmed request for a wheelchair to the aircraft door.

Despite this, the family had to repeatedly request assistance from Air India staff, the airport help desk, and even other airline personnel, but no wheelchair was arranged.

“With no other option, my grandmother slowly walked across three parking lanes at Terminal 3, assisted by a family member. She finally entered the airport on foot, yet still received no wheelchair or help,” Ms. Kanwar wrote.

When she fell near the Air India premium economy counter, she was left unattended, with no airline staff stepping in to assist. The family’s requests for first aid were ignored, and instead, they were asked to go to the Medical Inspection (MI) room to arrange medical aid themselves.

Air India responds, family awaits action

Following Ms. Kanwar’s social media post, Air India responded, stating that they were “concerned” and wished Ms. Pasricha a speedy recovery.

“We are actively working on the concern and assure you that we will share the complete details at the earliest,” Air India said in a follow-up post.

However, Ms. Kanwar remained unconvinced, rejecting the airline’s attempt to connect via call, stating that she expected a proper investigation before any response.

Long road to recovery for the elderly woman

As Ms. Pasricha remains under ICU observation, her family fears a long and painful recovery ahead. Ms. Kanwar expressed her frustration over the lack of accountability, emphasizing the lack of value for human life and well-being in such cases.

The family has filed complaints with the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and Air India and is awaiting action against the airline.

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