Hyderabad: Three-time Grammy winner Ricky Kej slammed Air India for "downgrading" him from business to economy class without prior notice and refusing him a refund against the downgraded service.
The latest incident, which occurred on a flight from Mumbai to Bengaluru, prompted Kej to take to social media to express his frustration. Sharing a series of posts on X, the musician detailed his experience of how he was informed of the downgrade upon arriving at the departure gate.
"Wow.. 3rd time this is happening to me in one year. I booked and paid for a business class ticket on @airindia from Mumbai to Bengaluru. When I reach the departure gate, the staff rudely tells me that I have been downgraded (for no reason) and they cannot give me a refund. What's up with AirIndia?," he said.
Kej also named the person on the counter, who spoke with him, calling her “absolutely not helpful and impolite.” He concluded his complaint by asking Air India to introspect. "It is ok to have operational issues due to unforeseen circumstances. But to not provide quick and effective resolutions for the same is criminal.. and not befitting of a reputed brand," he wrote.
Threatening to take legal action, Kej demanded a full refund. "I think it is a very reasonable ask @airindia. Since you have downgraded me from business to economy class (without any prior notice) all that I need to know is: 1. How much of a refund I will get? 2. When will I get my refund? 3. How do I get the refund? Based on this I can decide to change my flight or board. Also, you need to give your customer Peace of mind that I will not have to run from pillar to post to get a refund. Also, I will only expect a 100pc refund, because I was not offered the service that I chose and paid for. If not, I WILL be taking legal action," he said.
The airline responded to Kej’s post by promising to address the issue. “Dear Mr. Kej, we wish to assure you that rude behaviour is not at all accepted at any of our contact points and we always strive to offer courteous and hassle-free experience to our passengers. Kindly help us with the booking details via DM to address this,” Air India wrote.
The musician complied with the request and shared his booking details over a direct message. “Sent you the details on DM. Let us see how helpful you are @airindia. It is time for you to prove you care about your paying customers,” he wrote.
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