David Warner Blasts Air India Over Flight Delay, Says ‘Why Board Passengers Without a Pilot?’


New Delhi: Australian cricketer David Warner lashed out at Air India after being stranded on a flight without a pilot for hours. Taking to social media platform X (formerly Twitter), Warner questioned the airline’s mismanagement, saying:

🗣️ “@AirIndia, we are sitting inside the plane for hours without a pilot. Why do you board passengers when you know there’s no one to fly the aircraft?”

His tweet quickly went viral, sparking a flood of passenger complaints about Air India’s service delays.

Air India Faces Backlash from Passengers & Politicians

Warner is not the only high-profile figure frustrated with the airline. Just a day before, NCP (SP) MP Supriya Sule slammed Air India for flight AI0508 being delayed by 1 hour and 19 minutes.

📢 “This is becoming a frequent issue for passengers. It is unacceptable. I urge the Hon’ble Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu to enforce strict rules to hold airlines accountable.” – Supriya Sule

Even Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan recently criticized the airline over uncomfortable seating in business class.

Air India’s Response: Operational Issues to Blame

Air India defended itself, citing operational challenges as the reason behind repeated delays. However, this is not the first time the airline has faced criticism for:

✈️ Last-minute flight cancellations & delays
✈️ Poor in-flight services
✈️ Uncomfortable seating & baggage mishandling

Despite frequent apologies and promises to improve, Air India continues to face passenger dissatisfaction.

The Big Question: Can Air India Fix Its Reputation?

With repeated complaints from passengers, politicians, and celebrities, the airline’s credibility is under scrutiny.

🔹 Should Air India introduce stricter accountability measures?
🔹 Will this backlash push authorities to improve flight services?