Woman suffers panic attack after Air India denies boarding

A woman passenger suffered a panic attack at the Delhi airport after Air India allegedly denied boarding. The incident was caught on camera, and her family said no immediate medical assistance was provided. Air India denied the allegation.

The video shot by another passenger shows a middle-aged woman lying on the floor and breathing heavily. The nephew of the woman claimed on Instagram that they had already informed the airline staff about arriving late.

He said his aunt is a heart and diabetes patient and cannot run. The staff "literally closed the gates on us and other passengers like us". He added that the plane was not yet to fly 30 minutes after the incident.

The airline has issued an official statement saying the video is misleading. Air India said medical assistance was immediately requested and the woman started feeling better when the doctor arrived on the spot. "She declined any medical or wheelchair assistance."

The relative of the woman said she got anxiety which turned into a panic attack and fainted. We asked for medical assistance, but the staff called security and asked them to leave us at the exit gate, said the nephew.

In the video, three Air India employees are seen behind a counter as the woman is suffering from a panic attack. The relatives of the woman are heard asking for water and medical assistance. One of the relatives, upset over not getting any response from the staff, is heard saying "I hope something similar happens to your mother".

Air India's statement said they always accord top priority to passenger safety and comfort. "However, as a responsible airline, we have to adhere to rules laid down by the regulatory authorities". It added that the staff could not delay the flight when all the passengers had boarded on time.