Wanted to bring to your notice the incident which happened with my wife and child.
Third Rated Behaviour of Air India Staff
It was the 25th of February (Wednesday) 2015 when I left home at 7:30am for the Mumbai Domestic Airport with my daughter. My Air India flight Number AI 669 to Bhubaneswar was scheduled at 10:25 am and I wanted to reach well on time.
On my way to the Domestic Airport, there was not a single signal which we went through at one go. There was a long queue of vehicles at the signals. My husband struggled hard to make it on time to the Airport and finally it was 9:30am when we reached at the Air India A1 departure terminal.
With my daughter on my arms, and the 3 heavy luggage bags, I went inside and in search of an Air India counter. I then saw a person at the web-check in counter calling the passengers. I clarified if I can join the line with normal ticket and he agreed. I joined the line. It was my turn after 2 more in the queue. The person at the counter helped with the luggage and I produced the tickets at the counter to generate my boarding passes. It was 9:40 am by that time and the person at the counter told me that my flight has been closed long back and that I had to run to counter no.13 for the formalities and my luggage was also put down.
Without wasting a moment, I rushed to Counter No.13 with my daughter in my arms and those 3 heavy luggage bags on the trolley. As I reached the counter, there was a queue there too. So, I went ahead to the Air India attendant, Mr. Keshavan at the counter and requested him to process my boarding passes first for the flight to Bhubaneswar. The reaction what I received was that you can leave now, the flight has been closed without even looking at my face. I then requested, literally begged him and he did not even turn his face to listen to my words. He behaved as if he was too busy with the other passenger in the queue. I waited for him to get over with the other passenger. Once, he was done I again approached him for a request, but he simply got up from his seat and walked passed me. While walking away, turning his back, he waved his hand and told me talk to the senior standing there.
With a hope I started searching for the senior whom Mr.Keshavan tried to point. There was a security officer at the counter who led me to the senior. But, again, the reaction was that he simply walked passed me without even looking at what I have to say. I followed him with continuous Pleads, but to no vail.
Then, Mr. Keshavan was again back at his desk. The security officer looking at my critical situation, tried hard to convince him too. But, he did not even react to that. These reactions had left me with tears. Looking at my situation, there were many fellow-passengers who tried to help. Even, some tried to shoot videos of the instance. But, to the video shoots, Mr. Kehavan gave a wicked smile as if he does not care. The security officer there then led me to the head staff inside. Again, with the luggage and my daughter in my arms, I rushed with some new hope to the head staffs of Air India.
There were two ladies, Mrs Archana and Mrs Sunita at the desk, who seemed to be even more harsh than the other two. They simply got up from their desks and told we cannot do anything. Sunita also told me this that, “It has already been conveyed to me that you have been crying at the counter, just stop this nonsense and leave.” And they too left me alone their and left.
To all this, I called my husband and returned back home with a heavy heart of my cancellation and all this harassments had made me believe to it that there is no more humanity left in the people’s heart.
I was suffering from mental agony and the financial loss that I had to bear was not even considered.
All the time, when I was continuously pleading for help from the Air India staff, instead of consoling me for the instance, what I received was just harsh words and ignorance. The staff did not even try to console/help/support me in any manner where they could help me with some other option available. Being a customer service organization, where every business is dependent on the customer response, these people cared a damn about the customer satisfaction. Rather, my mental agony at the situation was termed to be nuisance and I was told to be playing tantrums.
This is how AI has cheated customers by offering tickets at low cost and then closed the counter before time.I am very sure they must have sold seats to multiple customers.
We get to see regular complaints of AI staff in various news channel and news paper but these people don’t change.We can make out that they don’t care for their jobs and they know that in India they can do anything being a government organization,because our government and politicians are weak to take any decisions .
They forget that their salaries are being paid by our taxes.This is the differerance between private airlines & AI because they care for their customers. From future I would always prefer to travel by private airline though I have to pay a premium for the tickets.
As I had to rush to Orissa on urgency I had to immediately book tickets in Go Air.The total expenditure for 2 tickets came to 9300/- .
I am going to sue AI people in the consumer forum for the monetory loss and mental trauma.I would take up the issue with high level officials and see to that Kesavan/Sunita/Archana face the consequnces.
Its high time we kick these old idoits from the race of AI staff.
Here, I would like to question a few things:
1. What if a person loses a life of his/her relative and books an immediate flight to this native and rushes to the counter to receive such equivalent harsh reactions and un-supportive members.
2. How can the Airlines then expect co-operation from the passengers in case of flight delays from their end?
3. Would it have been the same reaction to some politician or some high rank official?
4. Would it have been the same reaction, if it was some staff’s relative at my place?
5. What if it was some bollywood star?
6. Is no humanity left in the Airline staffs who are there to provide customer help and support and not mental torture?
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