Singer Adnan Sami has criticised Mumbai airport’s Terminal 2 (T2) after an unpleasant experience with its premium passenger assistance service, Pranaam. In a lengthy post on X on 8 November, the singer alleged that staff failed to provide proper assistance, behaved rudely and did not inform him about a five-hour delay to his flight until he had already cleared the airport’s entrance security.
Sami said he had been using the Pranaam service since its early days and was among its first customers. However, he claimed that his latest experience with the service was disappointing and that he and his team were left to manage several parts of their airport journey themselves.
The singer’s complaint focused on three issues: the late communication about his flight delay, the conduct of the staff member assigned to assist his group and the response he received from the airport’s chatbot after raising the matter.
According to Sami, no staff member was waiting to receive him and his team when they arrived at airport, even though the service had earlier contacted his staff to confirm their arrival.
The bigger problem, he said, was the handling of his Air India flight, which was delayed by five hours. Sami alleged that the Pranaam team was already aware of the delay but informed them only after they had completed the entrance security check.
He said an earlier update would have allowed them to stay at home for longer instead of spending several unnecessary hours at the airport.
The singer also complained about the female staff member assigned to assist his group. He alleged that she was repeatedly using her and did not turn up when it was time to escort them from the lounge to the departure gate.
Instead, she reportedly sent a porter to accompany them. Sami claimed that even the porter did not know where the staff member was. After taking the group to the departure gate in an airport buggy, the porter had to look for her and eventually found her sitting in a corner, using her phone.
The situation became more frustrating when the group reached the crowded departure area.
Sami alleged that the staff member did not know how to guide them towards the fast-track facility for First and Business Class passengers. He claimed that the relevant section was relatively empty, but the staff member was unable to direct them properly, leaving his team to find their own way through the process.
He further alleged that when they questioned her conduct, she responded rudely instead of apologising.
Sami’s criticism extended beyond the staff and the assistance he received at the airport. He also questioned the response from Mumbai airport’s after he raised his complaint.
The singer felt that the response was generic and took issue with the chatbot addressing him informally. He questioned why an airport service could not maintain basic standards of professional communication, even in its automated replies.
“Also, if you lack the manners, then at least program some manners into your BOTS how to address clients formally. We’re on first-name basis? Really?” he wrote.
He ended his post with a Hindi remark, saying, “Kuch Tameez aur Tehzeeb seekhiyay..Hadd hai!” (Learn some manners and etiquette. This is ridiculous.)
Sami also tagged Mumbai airport’s official X account, the , Gautam Adani, the Airports Authority of India and the Ministry of Civil Aviation in his post.
Pranaam is a premium meet-and-assist service at Mumbai’s . It is designed to make the airport experience easier for passengers by offering personal assistance with different stages of their journey.
The service helps passengers with airport arrival and departure formalities, including assistance with , security and movement towards boarding gates. Depending on the service booked, passengers can also receive lounge access and assistance from dedicated staff.
Such services are particularly useful for people who want help navigating a busy airport, elderly passengers and those travelling with family.
As of the time of writing, the reports available have not included a detailed response from Mumbai airport or Pranaam addressing the singer’s specific allegations.
