A Melbourne-based solicitor is threatening to sue Air India, saying he experienced discrimination on the carrier's inaugural flight from Melbourne to Delhi.
Indian-born Gurpal Singh called the flight experience "horrendous" and said he was treated differently to an Australian woman on the same flight.
Speaking exclusively to SBS Punjabi radio, Mr Singh said his initial excitement about the flight quickly turned to disappointment when passengers were left on the tarmac for two and a half hours prior to take-off.
"The reason was their own administrative issues," he said.
"For all this time they were not even given proper respectful food or any other support for that time," he said. "At the same time, the passengers noted that the crew and staff and officials were clapping the inauguration and they were having cakes and coffee... but the passengers just nothing."
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He added the experience didn't get any better when the flight was in the air.
"When I requested for water to the hostess, she provided me water in a paper glass. And when an Australian requested for a glass of water, she was presented with a proper bottle of water. It happened not only once."
Mr Singh said he felt the action was discrimination.
A spokesperson for Air India denied the claims saying they had only one complaint out of 200 passengers, according to a report by national newspaper the Times of India.
Executive Producer Manpreet Singh of SBS Punjabi Radio said the show received several calls when they aired the story Tuesday night, with many reporting they had also experienced poor customer service onboard Air India.
However, she said the show was contacted by another passenger who said they had been on board the same flight as Mr Singh and had not experienced any problems.
