Bureaucrat Says British Airways Downgraded Seat Due To Overbooking. Airline Responds

Bureaucrat Ashwini Bhide travelling on a British Airways flight claimed she was downgraded from premium economy at check-in on the false pretext of overbooking.

Ms Bhide is a 1995 batch Indian Administrative Service officer of the Maharashtra cadre, who is known for her work on the Aqua Line of the Mumbai Metro.

Are you cheating or following discriminatory/racist policies @British_Airways ? How come u downgrade a premium economy passenger at check-in counter on false pretext of overbooking without even paying price difference forget about compensation? I’m told this is a common…

— Ashwini Bhide (@AshwiniBhide) January 12, 2024

“Are you cheating or following discriminatory/racist policies British Airways? How come you downgrade a premium economy passenger at the check-in counter on the false pretext of overbooking without even paying price difference forget about compensation? I’m told this is a common practice by BA,” she wrote on X, tagging Mumbai airport, aviation regulator DGCA, and Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia.

Responding to her post, the airline said: “We’re sorry to hear what happened and apologise for the inconvenience caused this has caused.”

Several users reacted to her post and called out the airline for their practices. “I was too downgraded from business class to crappy premium economy and am still awaiting the fare difference. I was flying from Mumbai to London,” wrote one user.

“I have flown BA once, they are lousy and racist. Staff is disrespectful and lacks basic courtesies. Decided never to fly them again. We Indians should simply move to Air India and Vistara when flying internationally,” wrote another.

A third backed the bureaucrat’s claim and said downgrading customers over overbooking was common practice for airlines. “Apparently it is a common practice. Same with Air France too… You have to have a valid ticket and be white too…” he wrote.