Dear Sir,
This is to bring to your notice
the treatment of Air India passengers.
The AirIndia flight from Udaipur
to Mumbai AI644 was delayed on 10th Feb'16, due to technical snag, this after
the aircraft started moving towards the runway with passengers onboard. Instead
of letting the passengers wait on board or just outside the aircraft, everyone
of them was deplaned, made to exit the airport & then wait in a long queue
for a new boarding pass.
When passengers questioned what
happens to our connecting flights from Mumbai, we were told that if it is
AirIndia, it will be rescheduled, but for other airliners they cannot help.
We had passengers hopping through
AirIndia to Goa, Bangalore & Hyderabad via Mumbai. We were told that incase
there is a long delay we would be provided hotel accommodation & transport
to & from the hotel.
We finally landed at Mumbai at
22.30, delayed by 4 hrs. There were no connecting flights till the next
morning. Flight attendants told that there will be AirIndia staff at the
baggage claim who will guide you to hotels.
At the baggage claim, the staff
re-directed us to a customer service desk.
Now, there were only 2 executives
at the customer service desk trying to address about 40 passengers who were
waiting for clarity on the next course of action - this included foreign
nationals, mothers with infants and aged pleople among others. Next 1 hr was
total chaos. After waiting at the counter for an hour, we were told that they
were issuing only a food coupon and no accommodation can be arranged.
So all of us were stranded at the
airport for the night. Some couldn't go out as their baggage was already
checked in. They said there is a lounge beyond the security check which can be
used on payment. I couldn't go through security check as my bag was not checked
in & the check-in counter was closed till morning.
This is sheer indifference in
attitude towards customers. If some facility cannot be given, it should be told
beforehand, so that people can make their own arrangements. Making the people
wait at the airport till midnight & then saying we are helpless is pure
unprofessional.
I'm sure private airliners would
have dealt with such contingency in a much better way.
Regards,
Sharath US
