Actor and comedian Vir Das recently found himself in the middle of social media criticism after he shared a tweet praising Air India’s service just days after the tragic crash of Flight AI171 in Ahmedabad. While his tweet was intended as a personal note of appreciation for the airline’s crew, it sparked backlash online, prompting the comedian to clarify—and eventually delete—his posts.

In his original tweet, Vir wrote, “I flew Air India home from London. It was all great. The crew, happy to report, still the kindest in the sky. @airindia.” The post didn’t go down well with some users, one of whom called it a “lame PR stunt” and accused the airline of trying to save face amid tragedy.

Responding to the outrage, Vir posted a follow-up tweet explaining the roots of his support. “I should clarify. I support the airline because I have very biased history with them. My grandfather worked for Air India. It is an airline with problems, I know. I have flown every circuit and every seat class through my career,” he said.

Vir went on to highlight what makes the Air India crew special to him. “As someone who is three world tours in and has flown every airline in every country—make no mistake… no crew will judge you less, welcome you more, and it’s a shame that no one acknowledges their loss too in a tragedy. That warrants my support.”

This is not the first time Vir has expressed solidarity with Air India. Shortly after the AI171 crash on June 12, he posted, “It’s a tragic day for so many families… I just wanted to add my support for the crew. I’ve flown Air India all my life. It is not an airline without problems but without fail, I know them to be the best crew in the sky.”

The devastating crash claimed 241 lives out of the 242 people onboard, including former Gujarat CM Vijay Rupani. The aircraft crashed into a hostel complex in Ahmedabad shortly after takeoff.