Doctor alleges humiliation by Vietnam Airlines staff over business class seats
Delhi: A doctor has alleged that he and his family were subjected to humiliation and discrimination by airline staff after being questioned about whether they genuinely belonged in the business class section of a Vietnam Airlines flight.
The matter came to light after Dr Abhay Daga shared a detailed account of the incident on the social media platform 'X', describing it as an experience of “blatant discrimination and humiliation” during his journey with family from Hanoi to Delhi on May 11.
According to Dr Daga, he and his family of 3 flew Business Class on flight VN981 from Hanoi (HAN) to Delhi (DEL) on 11 May 2026. Instead of a premium experience, the ground staff subjected them to blatant discrimination and humiliation.
According to the doctor, at the aerobridge, the staff blocked the doctor and his family, looked at them with utter disrespect, and stated, “This is Business Class,” implying they didn't belong there. The doctor added, “When I replied, ‘Yes, I know,’ he had the audacity to mock me, snapping back with ‘Really?’ and ‘Are you sure?”
In his post, the doctor further added, “His one job was to check our boarding passes. Instead, he chose to profile and insult us in front of my young child. When confronted, he refused to apologize and arrogantly doubled down: “We need to make sure which passenger belongs where.” The doctor stated that he had travelled to 36 countries; Vietnam was his 37th. He has never experienced such vile treatment from any airline. Even his child actually had to ask why the staff was speaking to them with such disrespect.
Asking them to be accountable for such behaviour, the doctor added, “Your employee is an embarrassment to your national carrier. I expect Vietnam Airlines to launch an immediate investigation into this discriminatory conduct and issue a formal apology. Racism and humiliation have no place in aviation. DO BETTER.”
The post soon triggered widespread reactions on social media, with several users describing the alleged behaviour as discriminatory, class-driven, and offensive. Many commenters said the most troubling aspect was not the questioning alone, but the presumption that an Indian family did not belong in business class unless they could justify their presence.
