Indian fliers complain most about rude staff

The number one bugbear for Indian air travellers is not the usual nickel and diming or lost baggage, but the behaviour of airline staff in the air and on the ground.

The surprising stat was revealed in a Civil Aviation Ministry report which monitors complaints filed and handled by its grievance system.

There were 3,524 complaints received about ‘harassment of passengers or staff crew behaviour’, which was nearly double the next biggest category of lost baggage.

Ticketing and refund issues were the third highest for complaints with more than 1,000 filed.

It is unclear which airlines’ staff were adjudged to be the rudest as there is no option ‘to segregate the grievances airline-wise’ a senior ministry official said.

The Centralized Public Grievance Redress and Monitoring system calls for ‘speedy redress and effective monitoring of grievances.’

However there has been a perceived lack of action by the ministry to ensure this.

Late last year a government committee called on the aviation ministry to do more than just ‘being a transmitter of passenger grievances to the respective airlines.’

"The ministry should ensure that the respective airline has taken necessary action to redress the grievance within a stipulated timeframe. The ministry should also penalize the airlines in case of not solving the grievances to the satisfaction of passengers," it stated.