Air India has issued an apology after Indian para swimmer Mohammad Shams Aalam Shaikh tweeted about being made to wait 90 minutes for his wheelchair at the Delhi airport.
Citing airport 'security reasons' as the cause for the delay, Air India tweeted to Aalam saying, '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.'
Shams, a para swimmer who represented India at the 2018 Asian Para Games, had on Monday tweeted his grievance after the delay at the Delhi airport.
“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,” he had writted.
The airline also made a statement saying Shams was provided with a wheelchair to disembark, however it took time for them to provide him with his own wheelchair.
'Shams Aalam was provided with an aisle wheelchair as per procedure from the aircraft by Air India as soon as the flight landed at Delhi. His personal wheelchair arrived at the belt in a while after due security clearance,' the statement read.
'He was escorted by airport handling personnel throughout. The inconvenience caused by the delay (beyond our control) in the arrival of his wheelchair is regretted,' it added.
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