A high-rolling entrepreneur who purchased a first-class seat on Air India for over $6,000 was shocked to find the cabin in a state of disrepair. Anip Patel had booked the seat for a 15-hour nonstop flight from Chicago to Delhi, India. Upon boarding the plane, Patel discovered ripped furnishings, grime around his seat, and a broken-down in-flight entertainment system. He shared his experience in a TikTok video titled “worst airplane ever,” which garnered over 2.6 million views.
In the video, Patel showcased his shambolic first-class accommodations, which included ripped and scuffed seats, compartments, a cold towel, and dirt and mold covering various surfaces. There was also hair in the socket and duct-taped furnishings resembling a youth hostel at 30,000 feet. Patel expressed his disappointment at the condition of the cabin, describing it as “next-level” wear and tear. Despite a promising food menu, Patel claimed that they were out of 30% of the items, and the remaining dishes were average except for the soup, which he found delicious.
Furthermore, Patel noted that there was no Wi-Fi available on the flight, and the entertainment system was not functioning despite multiple reset attempts by the crew. As a result, Patel was left with no entertainment options and had to spend the entire 15-hour flight staring into space. He described the experience as a nightmare and took the first-class freebies, including pajamas, as some form of consolation. TikTok viewers sympathized with Patel, with one commenter calling Air India “garbage” and another expressing anxiety about the state of the economy class.
Following the viral video, Air India reportedly refunded Patel in full for his subpar flight experience. Patel stated that he did not file a complaint with the airline directly, but they reached out to him after seeing the video on social media. They refunded the entire cost of his ticket, indicating that they made things right. The situation serves as a cautionary tale about the importance of maintaining high standards for premium services, as customers expect a certain level of quality when paying a premium price for luxury accommodations.
