On Camera, Woman Has Panic Attack After Denied Boarding, Air India Reacts

A woman passenger suffered a panic attack after she was allegedly denied boarding by the staff of Air India for being late. In a video, shot on the mobile phone of a fellow passenger, the middle-aged woman was seen lying on the floor, breathing heavily, near the boarding gates of the Delhi airport. The relatives of the woman, who were travelling with her, alleged that she was not provided any immediate medical assistance. Air India, however, has denied the charge.

The airline, in an official statement, has called the video "misleading", and said a "doctor and a CISF personnel were called immediately" by the staff.

In an Instagram post, the nephew of the woman claimed that they had already informed the airline staff that they will be late by five minutes as his aunt is a "heart and diabetes patient and can't run" because of her condition.

"They literally closed gates for us and other passengers like us even if we intimated (plane was yet to fly after 30min)," he added.

He said his aunt "got anxiety which turned into a panic attack and she fainted. We asked for a medical emergency but a "staff called security and asked them to leave us at the exit gate".

In the video, three staffers can be seen behind a counter, even as the relatives of the woman were heard asking them for medical assistance and some water. "I hope something similar happens to your mother. Then you will know," the relative of the woman, upset after not getting any response from the staff, was heard saying.

Air India, meanwhile, claimed the "passenger started feeling better when the doctor arrived on the spot and declined any medical or wheelchair assistance."

It also said that it always accords top priority to passenger safety and comfort. However, as a responsible airline, we have to adhere to rules laid down by the regulatory authorities and, in any case, we could not delay the flight especially when all passengers had boarded on time."

This comes close on the heels of IndiGo Airlines facing heat for not allowing a child with special needs to board a flight with his family at the Ranchi airport. The airline had claimed the child posed a threat to other passengers' safety.