February 24, 2023

PTI Fact Check: Social media post on Air India offering discount to senior citizens shared with misleading claim

New Delhi, Feb 24 (Abhinav Gupta / Pratyush Ranjan PTI Fact Check): A Facebook user shared a link to the ‘Senior Citizen Concession’ section on Air India’s website and claimed that the Ministry of Civil Aviation had announced a 50 per cent concession on the airline tickets for senior citizens aged 60 years and above. In its investigation, the PTI Fact Check Desk found that the airline offered only a “25 per cent discount” on basic flight fares on “select classes in the Economy cabin”. The social media post was shared with a misleading claim. 

Claim

A Facebook user shared the link to the ‘Senior Citizen Concession’ section on Air India’s official website and claimed that the Ministry of Civil Aviation had announced a 50 per cent discount on Air India flight tickets for senior citizens aged 60 and above. The user also claimed that the offer was available for all senior citizens of Indian nationality, including NRIs and OCI holders, on tickets for domestic destinations. 

“Congratulations, all Senior Citizens. Great News, The Aviation Ministry passed the airfare brought forward to Modi. All senior citizens of Indian nationality, Including NRIs & OCI holders, over 60 years of age, get Air India Flight tickets at half the price for travel within INDIA. Please inform Senior Citizens belonging to your families and friends,” read the Facebook post dated Feb 20. 

Here are the links to the post and its archive post, and below is a screenshot of the same: