A regular flight turned into a public call-out. IndiGo Airlines was called out for poor management and lack of care for senior citizens by actress and host Mini Mathur after her elderly 86-year-old father was reportedly left without help from a wheelchair at Mumbai Airport. Mini shared her experience on Instagram stories, where people quickly started to pay attention to her post.
Mini did not hold back. She wrote, "Dear @indigo.6e ! I don't usually use Instagram to shame /complain But you really need to treat senior citizens better at Mumbai airport. 1) There no separate counter for wheelchair passengers to check in... 2) The rude woman at the counter refuses to check in their hand luggage (like... how do they carry cabin luggage if they can't walk) 3) Pre booked wheelchairs are NOT available either.”
The actress explained that her father had to walk almost 1 km to get to the boarding area with his carry-on luggage. He received no assistance on his way to the boarding area. Also, there weren’t any buggies available to transport him. She added that, “A brand that does not treat age with compassion can never age well.”
The discussion generated by her post drew attention to the issue of airlines accommodating older adults. In addition, many others expressed similar concerns about the types of assistance available at airports for elderly travelers. After the post went viral, it has been reported that IndiGo took prompt action to assist her father.
Mini Mathur wrote that, "I'm glad that my story made an immediate impact and that @indigo.6e swung into action to make it better for my dad. Here's hoping this will find its way to better support and respect for senior citizens across all airlines and airports in India. So.. thanks team Indigo.. Giving credit when it's due."
Mini Mathur was a presenter for MTV India. Afterwards, she was the host of Indian Idol for six seasons and competed in Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa during its first season (2007). Mini has also acted in Mind the Malhotras. As of February of this year, she has been married to filmmaker Kabir Khan for 25 years.
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