Air India has denied actor Lisa Ray’s allegations that the airline refused a medical waiver for her ailing father, calling her claims “unfounded.” The airline issued a statement on Thursday, a day after Ray took to X (formerly Twitter) to criticise the carrier’s handling of her request.

Ray had alleged that Air India denied a waiver despite her submission of medical documents proving her 92-year-old father’s ill health. In her post, she wrote, “Here we go again @airindia. My father is 92, unwell, and I have to cancel travel due to his ailing condition. Submitted a doctor’s letter and the waiver was denied? How is that possible? Where is the empathy from an airline that is claiming to care about passengers?”

Responding to the accusations, an Air India spokesperson clarified that Ray had not initially contacted the airline but had instead reached out to her travel agent, through whom she had booked the ticket. “While fully empathizing with the passenger, we would like to present the following clarifications,” the statement read.

The airline maintained that it had offered Ray several alternatives after she approached them, including a free date change or an option to use the ticket within a year for future travel. However, Ray declined these offers and instead requested a full refund, which the airline did not grant.

Air India further asserted that her father was not listed as a co-passenger on her booking. “The claim that Air India did not display empathy for her unwell father is unfounded, as the passenger herself mentioned that she is booked to fly Air India with two other co-passengers, who do not include her father,” the statement read.

The airline also urged the media to avoid spreading misinformation. “We urge the media to restrain itself from maligning the reputation of the airline without corroborating facts. Air India flies millions of passengers, and such misleading news reports belie the airline’s commitment to customer centricity and empathy,” it added.

Ray, meanwhile, shared a screenshot of Air India’s response to her complaint, continuing to express her disappointment over the matter. The controversy has sparked mixed reactions on social media, with users debating the airline’s policies on medical emergencies and customer service.