#AI is honoured with the words of appreciation from #Noble Laureate #AmartyaSen for travel on #AI111. Hope to see you on board again. pic.twitter.com/NyNl1loa9i



— Air India (@airindiain) January 10, 2017

NEW DELHI: Days after flight data firm FlightStats called Air India the third-worst airline in the world, the latter tweeted a note from Nobel laureate Amartya Sen praising the ' Maharaja ' for its "wonderful service".It appears Sen traveled this year from New Delhi to London Heathrow on AI111."Many thanks indeed for wonderful service and great care! I'm most grateful - and also very impressed. Best wishes and warm regards," said Sen's note, according to a picture of it tweeted by Air India.It's likely Air India (AI) tried to redeem itself after being named third worst in terms of on-time performance."We totally disagree with the report published by FlightStats about AI," Air India's spokesperson Dhananjay Kumar was quoted as saying in a statement.Then, AI tried to indicate the FlightStats report may be fabricated."Initially it seems that the report is fabricated, so AI management will investigate the report till the end," the statement said.Other airlines on the ten-worst carriers list included Air China, Hong Kong Airlines and Philippine Airlines.However, it wasn't all doom and gloom for Indian airline companies. IndiGo was recognised as one of the leading 'On-Time Performers' in the Asia-Pacific region by FlightStats in its 2017 awards. The airline is in fact in the august company of top players like Japan Airlines, Virgin Australia, Qantas, Air New Zealand, Singapore Airlines , Cathay Pacific, Jetstar and India's Jet Airways "We are happy to be recognised amongst the leading Asia-Pacific carriers," Aditya Ghosh, President and Whole Time Director, IndiGo, was quoted as saying in a statement.