Air India Reviews 

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about visas, and told us that we would have trouble getting visas, when we wouldn't. Their online systems seem really outdated.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.

I flew with Air India from San Francisco to Delhi on April 18, 2026, and returned from Delhi to San Francisco on April 26, 2026. This was, without exaggeration, one of the most frustrating and physically exhausting travel experiences I’ve had.

On my outbound journey (SFO → DEL), I was informed **less than 24 hours before departure** that my already long 17-hour flight would be extended to **22.5 hours**. No meaningful explanation, no apology that matched the scale of disruption, and certainly no effort to mitigate the impact on passengers.

The return journey was even worse. While heading to the airport in Delhi, I was notified of a **1-hour delay**. Once at the airport, that delay kept creeping up—another 2 hours, then a couple more. What was originally scheduled as a **2:55 AM departure didn’t leave until 8:00 AM**. Instead of transparent communication, passengers were strung along with incremental updates that made it impossible to plan or even rest properly.

As a result, I spent the entire night at the airport trying to sleep on uncomfortable seating, which led to significant back pain and a completely exhausting experience before an ultra-long-haul flight. There was no meaningful assistance, no proper accommodation offered, and no sense that the airline took responsibility for the situation.

Delays can happen—but the way they are handled matters. In this case, the lack of clear communication, last-minute schedule changes, and complete disregard for passenger comfort made the experience unacceptable.

I will be actively avoiding Air India in the future and strongly recommend others think twice before booking, especially for long-haul international travel where reliability and communication are critical.

its just vile every part of the service from sales to operations and staff attitudes are appalling - plane is dirty and extremly unhygienic - will never go to india as a result.

I think everyone needs to realise that an ongoing war is in the middle east and we need the middle east to get to europe so air india helped us a lot I was going from rome to delhi ai 122 although the screen was not working,food was good flight was pleasent,enough legroom although it was late nothing too bad except screen not working

Very poor customer service especially the staff at checkin today. No clear communication. Very bad passenger interaction. This leads to ineffective communication which makes travel diffIcult.

I am genuinely appalled and disgusted by my experience with Air India
I had just evacuated from Dubai due to an active conflict, leaving in extremely urgent and distressing circumstances with only the essential belongings I could carry. I was travelling with three suitcases containing everything I currently need, with no certainty about when I would be able to return home.
Despite clearly explaining this situation, I was met with complete indifference at the airport. I was literally laughed at by staff, and it was obvious that no one cared about the circumstances, I was simply told to pay. In the end, I was charged £250 for excess luggage, with no discretion or empathy whatsoever.
What makes this even worse is the complete lack of customer service afterwards. I have emailed multiple contacts over the past two months and have not received a single response. Their live chat function doesn’t work, leaving no way to get support or even an acknowledgment. It feels like they are happy to take your money and then simply don’t care.
To be treated this way after fleeing a crisis is shocking. It felt like profit was prioritised over humanity at every step.
Based on this experience, I would strongly advise others to avoid like the plague. If this is how Air India treats people in genuinely difficult situations, it raises serious concerns about their values and customer care.
An incredibly disappointing and upsetting experience.

THE WORST AUR LINE I EVER BEEN THROUGH!!!! 😡😡😡😡
My Plain came 1,5 days later and nothing worked out well.
To get an German person, was not easy, to get informed everything was horrible.
They informed me 2 h before the flight goes, that it’s flight 1 day later.
And to get an answer per email….. there like 2 months later, I’m sorry we can’t do anything. Bye ! 😡