Neelam Kothari faints mid-flight, slams airline; netizens call her "drama queen"

Of late, the aviation industry has been facing massive criticism over delayed flights, missing baggage, rescheduling issues, stale food, and more. For over 15 days, IndiGo has been under fire for mass cancellations stretching across days and hours.

Amid the IndiGo fiasco, Etihad Airways has now become the latest airline to come under scrutiny for prolonged delays and a lack of customer support.

Bollywood actor Neelam Kothari has publicly called out Etihad after a distressing experience on her recent Toronto–Mumbai flight. Taking to social media, Neelam alleged how her journey turned into a prolonged delay and a serious medical emergency onboard, with little to no support from the airline's cabin crew.

Unacceptable: Neelam Kothari shares in-flight experience

In her post, she wrote, "Dear @etihad, I am extremely disappointed with the treatment I received on my recent flight from Toronto to Mumbai. Not only was my flight delayed by over 9 hours, but I also fell seriously ill on board, fainting after a meal. Despite a fellow passenger helping me back to my seat, I received no follow-up care or even a single check-in from your crew. I've tried contacting your customer service with no response. This level of neglect is unacceptable. Please address this matter urgently."

Netizens react

Several users commented under her post, sharing similar experiences with Etihad Airways. While many slammed her and called her out for trying to gain headlines and being overdramatic.

One user wrote, "Seems like a you problem. But let me try to get something out of it."

Another commented, "You're absolutely right. Once on board, the crew's responsibility is to take care of passengers, especially in a medical situation. Neglecting a passenger's well-being is unacceptable, and speaking up about it is necessary."

A third user echoed similar sentiments, criticising the lack of care from the cabin crew in such situations.

Work Front

Neelam Kothari began her acting career with Jawaani in 1984 and went on to become a familiar face in popular films such as Love 86, Khudgarz, Hatya, and Hum Saath-Saath Hain. She stepped away from films in the early 2000s and transitioned into jewelry design. After nearly two decades, she returned to the spotlight with Fabulous Lives of Bollywood Wives and has since also appeared in shows like Masaba Masaba and Made in Heaven 2.