Recently, on a trip to India, I had to make a choice of which airline to fly on, and Air India had a flight that the other airlines didn't have - something that departed at 1 AM. It was my only choice, where upon I asked the question ... Why does Air India suck?
I asked Google, and it came up with a brilliantly written article. Actually, the article is anything but brilliant. What I found interesting about it was that it was so poorly written, all with bad grammar, vocabulary and typical Indian English, and yet so full of emotion that I couldn't help but laugh a lot while reading it. I shared it with my brother, and since both of us have flown Air India before, and we both agree that they have sucked royally, we both had a good laugh together.
Here's the article. Read it and laugh. Unfortunately, I have to agree with this guy.
Air India SUCKS.
September 17th, 2006“At Air India we are always looking to make our services and products better.”
This is how “contact us” sector begins with Air India website. I sent them couple of emails from last three weeks and they never replied me. Needless to say Air India, the worst travel experience I ever had in my life, not only ones, many times. But still I am using them cz I have no better options to my hometown. I am sure whoever traveled in Air India, particularly in the Middle East sector will tell you thousands of nastiest stories. Here you go my experience within three months…
Scene 1. Three months back, I travelled with my wife and she was carrying. We where in a 310 aircraft, the minute we sat I felt the seat is not comfortable and it was shaking!!! I try it out again and it’s “nail may not tightened” or something, the seat was shaking! I called the cabin cru and ask her “ Did you ever traveled in a tractor? She gave me a strange look and said “NO” I told her “then try this seat and this is how you will experience when you are in a tractor” She then offers us another seat in front raw and it was ok. We thanked her and smile, happy.
Scene 2. As airplanes descend air pressure in the cabin increases makes me hectic earache. Avoid that I use to chew gum or put some cotton inside ears. I forgot to keep chewing gum with me so I request to get some cotton; cabin cru disappears with a smile and never get back. I called her again and she emerge after 7-10 minutes and I repeat “Can I have some cotton please” She said sorry I forgot would get you one. After few minutes, a male cru appeared and said “sorry sir we don’t have cotton stock in it!!!
I was like what the fuck? Cottons are the basic thing u gets like water in any aircraft and they are running out of stock? I told him “make sure there you have enough fuel for cross the Arabian Sea” bear in mind I was in a National Carrier!!!
Scene 3: I was traveled again 3 weeks back in the same flight. It was the day after London terrorist threat, so Kuwait airport raised security levels significantly and the flight where delayed by 2 hours. Due to strict security reason, Air India doesn’t allowed passengers to carry their Mobile Phones in flight. After the check-in Ai staff collect all the passengers mobile phones and sealed them in separate envelopes with the passenger name and seat number. The flight was jam-packed and all of them where carrying mobile phones, the entire process took another solid two hours. I was worried about my phone, it was my PDA and a lots of data in it with no back-ups! Since they wrote the seat number I thought they would return the phone end of the journey, but doesn’t.
I had only my handbag, so I where able to get out from the channel very first then I was looking for my phone, I ask one of the Air India staff there, and he was like “ no we have no idea about that” Then I told him the story our phones are collected by Ai and where suppose to get it back here. While we chatting I saw an Airport staff carried a “card board carton” and he kept it in front of us, it was our phones!!! They just dump all the phones in a very chaos way, and luckily I noticed my handset smiling to me on top of that bundle. So I identify the guy and collect my phone and walked away. It was time people walking out and all of them wanted to get back their mobile phones. There where no system for distributing them and the place become chaos within minutes with more than 300 passengers, shouting each other and fighting to get their mobile phones. Ai proved their irresponsibility again.
Scene 4: I arrived in India Friday evening 12th Aug. my return ticket booked on 18th Aug, which is only 6 days left. Since it’s rush season, I went to re-confirm my ticket at Air India Office next Monday. It was 2-30 P.M and the place where busy. I went to the counter for register my name; while writing down my name the elderly lady told “I am not sure you will be called today, cz it is too busy and we will be closing at 5-30”. I told her my flight is on next Friday, and tomorrow is Aug 15, which you are closed and then I have no 72 hours left for re-confirm my ticket if don’t do it today.” Then she told me “I cant help you any more, but you have to wait and see”. I tolled her I came for only 6 days and I have no time for waiting in your office for re-confirm my ticket for hours. Time for action, my blood pressure goes high and I ignore that nut lady and headed to the manager’s carbine. I was carrying a higher-class ticket and the manager understands my situation. He then took me to another cabin and re-confirm my ticket, its took him only 3minuts and I left the office giving some @#$%$@ words to that nut lady sitting in the counter. Fucking service on-board and ground.
Scene 5: The sun wasn’t raised yet; I gave a warm hug to my weeks old baby, a glance to my buddy, good bye to my parents and left home and headed to the airport at 5.30 a.m. It was raining heavily and Jagjith Singh’s “forget me not” is playing in the car. We where speeding to catch 8.30 a.m. flight since the airport is around 50 k,m far from my home.
We reached Calicut airport at 7.00 a.m. and after check-in they announce Calicut-Kuwait flight delayed by two hours. I then start reading “The Zahir” and after 30 minute, they re-announced the flight is further delayed by 8 hours, which will take of from Calicut airport at 2-30 p.m. We where waiting in the lounge and no Ai staffs where there for any further Information or assistance. There where many families with children’s and no food or other services offered from Air India till 11, we where called for breakfast in the airport restaurant which was crap and finally we boarded on flight at 1-30 and they again announced there is a technical problem so it will be again delayed. People starts screaming and finally the flight took off 3.15 p.m.
All I have to say I am extremely pissed off with AIR INDIA and hope fully no more trip with our national carrier.
Sorry for the long post guys.
No comments:
Post a Comment