Flier claims its website gives false information; airline refutes allegation.
A blog by Devesh Agarwal, an aviation enthusiast, has gone viral. Agarwal has alleged that IndiGo airline has been misleading the public with its advertisement about offering extra leg space in some specific rows of its aircraft.
Not convinced with the explanation provided on the airline’s website, Agarwal verified the claim by travelling from Bangalore to Mumbai on November 22.
However, the airline spokesperson denied the allegations and said that the airline charges extra fares for the window and aisle seats of the second row, only if it’s pre-booked.
Also, the airline does not charge extra for the entire row as is directed by the aviation regulations in the country, the spokesperson added.
“The only advantage of the second and third rows is that they let the passenger embark and disembark quickly. The website clearly states ‘extra leg room and/or speedy embarking and disembarking’. However, if the advertisement has been interpreted wrongly by some passengers, then we will make corrective measures,” said the spokesperson.
The airline is now in the process of rectifying the website.
A Bangalore-based exporter, Agarwal, in his blog, had written on Wednesday that he realised something was wrong two weeks ago while booking an IndiGo airline flight to Delhi.
He said he was offered a premium seat at an extra charge of Rs500. Premium seats were all seats in the first row, 12 and 13 (the emergency rows) and the window and aisle seats in the second and third rows.
“On its website, IndiGo advertises these ‘premium seats’ by offering ‘extra leg space’ along with a graphic. As a frequent flier, I was sure this is inaccurate information,” said Agarwal in the blog.
When Agarwal received no satisfactory response, he booked himself on a flight from Bangalore to Mumbai.
Agarwal said, “I had booked a seat in the first row, but because the flight was empty I went and checked the second and third rows. My doubt was confirmed. The two rows don’t offer any extra leg room for the aisle seats.”
Cheating or case of misinterpretation?
A Bangalore-based exporter, Devesh Agarwal said he confirmed his doubt about the extra leg room by sitting in the aircraft second and third rows’ aisle seats himself as the flight was nearly empty.
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