In a heartbreaking incident at Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, an 80-year-old Air India passenger collapsed and died at the immigration counter due to a heart attack. The incident occurred on Monday, when the elderly man, accompanied by his wife, arrived from New York on an Air India flight.

According to reports, the elderly man, who was of Indian origin holding a US passport, had pre-booked wheelchair assistance for himself and his wife while purchasing their Air India tickets. However, due to a shortage of wheelchairs, only one assistant from the airline was available to assist the couple.

While the man’s wife occupied the wheelchair, he decided to walk alongside her, covering a distance of approximately 1.5 kilometers to reach the immigration area. Tragically, he collapsed at the immigration counter due to a heart attack and was immediately rushed to the Mumbai airport medical facility and later to Nanavati hospital, where he was declared deceased.

The Air India flight, AI-116, had 32 wheelchair passengers on board, but only 15 wheelchairs with accompanying staff were available upon landing to assist them. An anonymous ground staffer revealed that aged couples often prefer to stay together when moving through the terminal, citing mobility and hearing issues.

Responding to the incident, an Air India spokesperson termed it “unfortunate” and explained that despite advising the passenger to wait for wheelchair assistance, he chose to walk with his spouse. The airline expressed condolences and stated that it is providing necessary assistance to the family.

However, Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport distanced itself from the incident, asserting that it was solely Air India’s responsibility to handle such matters.