On February 22, 2025, Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan expressed dissatisfaction with Air India after being assigned a 'broken and sunken' seat on flight AI436 from Bhopal to Delhi. Chouhan detailed his discomfort on social media, questioning the airline's ethics in allocating such seats to passengers. In response, Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu directed Air India to take immediate corrective measures and initiated an inquiry through the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). Air India has issued an apology and is conducting a thorough investigation to prevent future occurrences.
Subsequent reports suggest that the seat in question may not have been broken but featured a 'lean cushion' design, which can give a sunken feeling. This design choice, aimed at reducing aircraft weight and fuel consumption, has raised concerns about passenger comfort.
The DGCA has sought a detailed report from Air India regarding the incident to address the minister's concerns and ensure passenger comfort is prioritized in future operations.