Congress MP Shashi Tharoor has expressed serious reservations about the Civil Aviation Ministry’s management of passenger complaints. Tharoor questioned the government’s assertion that it has resolved 97% of the grievances. He highlighted the lack of clarity on what constitutes “addressed” and whether complaints are satisfactorily resolved or merely acknowledged.
Tharoor criticized the Ministry for not disclosing the quality or outcomes of the grievance resolutions. He emphasized the absence of information on whether passenger issues are genuinely resolved or if complaints are closed without meaningful action. Tharoor also pointed out the absence of a rapid response system for urgent complaints.
The Congress leader noted the Ministry’s failure to provide a special protocol, escalation mechanism, or time-bound benchmarks for grievances that cannot wait 72 hours. Tharoor raised doubts about the enforceability and effectiveness of the grievance redressal system, calling for greater transparency and accountability in addressing passenger concerns.
Tharoor further criticized the government for not making airline-specific complaint data public. He highlighted the lack of details on penalties imposed on airlines, regulatory actions taken, or performance targets set to enhance passenger services. Tharoor stressed the importance of complete transparency to ensure accountability for airlines and regulators.
