Tue Nov 05 16:56:47 UTC 2024: ## Former Finance Minister Chidambaram Slams Air India for Flight Delay
**New Delhi, November 5, 2024:** Senior Congress leader P. Chidambaram took to X (formerly Twitter) today to criticize Air India for a significant delay on his Delhi-Chennai flight, AI 540. Chidambaram, a frequent Air India traveler, lamented that there has been “practically no improvement” since the airline’s transfer to private ownership under the Tata Group.
The flight, which was originally scheduled to depart at a specific time, faced a delay of over 15 minutes. Passengers were cleared for boarding at the gate but then instructed to wait at the aircraft door, leading to a lengthy wait on the aero bridge. According to Chidambaram’s tweet, passengers only began boarding 10 minutes after the scheduled departure time, with no clarity on the actual departure time.
Chidambaram, in his post, criticized Air India’s management, stating that a “competent management” could easily improve various aspects of the flying experience. He argued that the airline lacks competent managers at various levels.
Air India was previously under government ownership and faced consistent losses, relying on taxpayer funds to stay afloat. The Tata Group took control of the airline in January 2022, after 69 years of government management.
First Piper 