In a tragic incident, a senior citizen, who was not provided with a wheelchair at Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, collapsed at the immigration counter and died earlier this week. The incident occurred on Monday when the 80-year-old man arrived from New York on an Air India flight with his wife.
The octogenarian, an Indian-origin man with a US passport, had reportedly pre-booked the wheelchair facility for him and his wife. However, due to wheelchair shortage, only one assistant showed up for the couple, according to a report by Times Of India.
Quoting sources, the report said that while the man’s wife sat in the wheelchair, he decided to follow her on foot.
“He must have walked about 1.5 km to reach the immigration area where he suddenly collapsed due to a heart attack. He was taken to the Mumbai airport medical facility and from there rushed to Nanavati hospital,” TOI reported quoting sources.
The elderly couple had travelled from New York to Mumbai in economy class on Air India flight AI-116, which was scheduled to land at 11.30 am on Monday but was delayed till 2.10 pm.
As per the report, there were 32 wheelchair passengers on this flight, but only 15 wheelchairs with accompanying staff were waiting on the ground to assist them.
Quoting a ground staffer on condition of anonymity, the TOI reported that airlines often find that aged couples aren’t comfortable parting with their spouse and travelling alone from the aircraft to the airport terminal.
“Those with mobility issues, hearing problems prefer to stay with each other when moving from the aircraft through the terminal building,” the staffer said.
Issuing clarification on the matter, an Air India spokesperson called it an “unfortunate incident” and said one of our guests flying from New York to Mumbai on February 12 fell ill while proceeding to clear immigration with his wife.
“Due to heavy demand for wheelchairs, we had requested the passenger to wait till he was also provided with wheelchair assistance but he opted to walk along with his spouse. As advised by the airport doctor attending to him after taking ill, the passenger was immediately rushed to the hospital, where he was declared to have passed away,” the statement said.
The airline stressed that it has a “clearly laid down policy to offer wheelchair assistance to every passenger who requisitions for it during reservations”, adding that Air India is in “constant touch with the family members of the bereaved, extending necessary assistance”.
