The Ministry of Civil Aviation is preparing a major upgrade of its AirSewa grievance platform and plans to integrate artificial intelligence into the functioning of the Passenger Assistance Control Room (PACR) to improve the speed and efficiency of passenger complaint resolution.
The initiative comes as India's aviation sector continues to expand and authorities face growing volumes of passenger grievances linked to flight disruptions, delays and service issues.
Speaking at a briefing in New Delhi on Wednesday, Civil Aviation Secretary Samir Kumar Sinha said the ministry is working on a more robust and seamless platform that could be rolled out within the next 90 to 100 days. According to reporting by Press Trust of India (PTI), a new version of the AirSewa portal is currently under development.
AirSewa, available through both a portal and mobile application, serves as the ministry's primary platform for addressing passenger complaints.
Sinha said the focus is on improving the overall complaint-resolution process and ensuring grievances are handled in the shortest possible time.
"Today, it is not that we are working in silos. It is one platform (PACR). Everybody is working together to address the grievances," Sinha said, according to PTI.
He added that the ministry's priority is to resolve passenger complaints in a bona fide and timely manner, reflecting the consumer-facing nature of civil aviation services.
The ministry is also exploring the use of artificial intelligence within PACR to strengthen grievance redressal mechanisms.
According to officials cited by PTI, PACR currently receives an average of 300 to 400 complaints every day. During periods of heightened disruption, complaint volumes can rise significantly.
One official said daily grievances exceeded 500 complaints during the recent West Asia crisis, when flight operations faced disruptions.
While specific details of the AI deployment have not yet been disclosed, the technology is expected to support faster processing and handling of passenger issues as complaint volumes increase.
PACR was established in December 2025 following widespread operational disruptions at IndiGo, India's largest airline.
The facility functions as a collaborative platform bringing together representatives from:
• Airlines
• Airports
• Airports Authority of India (AAI)
• Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA)
• Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS)
The objective is to ensure coordinated responses to passenger complaints and operational disruptions across the aviation ecosystem.
According to ministry data cited by PTI, PACR has resolved more than 73,000 passenger grievances since December 10, 2025, achieving a 98 per cent success rate.
Sinha described PACR as a permanent setup and said it remains central to the ministry's passenger grievance strategy.
The ministry has also put in place additional preparedness measures during periods when aviation disruptions are more likely.
Officials said PACR undertakes special monitoring and response planning during the winter fog season and other anticipated disruption periods.
Passenger complaints reach the control room through multiple channels, including:
• Social media platforms
• Telephone calls
• Emails
• The AirSewa portal
The multi-channel approach is intended to ensure passengers can access assistance regardless of how they choose to report an issue.
The planned upgrade comes as India continues to rank among the world's fastest-growing domestic aviation markets.
According to ministry data, domestic airlines carried more than 5.75 crore passengers between January and April 2026, highlighting the scale of demand being managed by airlines, airports and regulators.
As passenger volumes continue to grow, the ministry's push to modernise AirSewa and deploy AI within PACR signals a broader effort to strengthen customer service infrastructure and improve responsiveness during both routine operations and periods of disruption.
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