Aug 07, 2002 05:05 PM
5135 Views
(Updated Dec 15, 2002 12:58 PM)
Air India sucks.
In Hindustani language... the Airline that touts the Maharaja as a symbol of its hospitality is 'maha bogus'.
Even if you are a customer who does not expect luxury from his airline but only considers it a means to go from point A to point B, you would find Air India a big disappointment.
Recently, I was scheduled to fly by Air India from Delhi to Dubai to take up a new job. A copy of my visa was with me.
When I reached the counter, two hours in advance, I was asked to produce a certificate from my company in Dubai that they would send someone to pick me at the airport. No mention of this silly rule was made to me when I had gone a day earlier to collect my ticket from Air India's city office.
I was unable to contact the company in Dubai on such short notice to send me a certificate. I asked Air India staff if I could get it faxed in. They refused. I asked them to confirm with their Dubai office if they have received such information. They refused.... and insisted that unless this fact shows up in THEIR computer terminal, they would not ALLOW me to board the plane.
And all this while, I was spending my money making international calls to my Dubai office, who were in turn in contact with Air India's Dubai office, who somehow took too long sending the message these guys back at Delhi airport wanted to see in their monitor.
I was sent by one counter executive to their supervisor to enquire what I could do. And imagine what he said to me:
''English padhna aatee hai? Yeh dekho (pointing at his monitor)... look at the monitor if you can read English... see we have received no instructions that you will be picked up by the company that is sponsoring you in Dubai... so you can't fly.''
All I want to know is.... if you have such strict and insensitive rules, why don't you let your passenger know about them before it is too late.
There was not one single thing that these people did to help me in this situation, or assure me that I could fly.
They only provided me with problems. I was left alone to search for solutions. And they were very very RUDE to top it all... the Supervisor at the Air India check-in counter of IGI Airport being the most uncivilized.
I would not like to see any of their faces again in my life. Nor would I recommend that you do.
They behave just like like public-sector 'babus' you find drowning people in red tape. The sad thing is that while typically 'babus' are found in run-down government buildings, these jokers are making a mockery of India on the international travel circuit.
And then, they have a Maharaja as their logo... the joke's on us, the customers.... who only too late find out that it is the Air India staff who is the Maharaja... the flier is his 'Praja', his subject....
Additional note (December 2002): After this review (my first on mouthshut) was written, some very valuable comments were posted in response by my fellow Mouthshut writers. If you have time, please do go through the comments section.
Some people have pointed out that I suffered due to my sponsoring company's lack of responsibility and my lack of knowledge. But does that mean I should be treated shoddily at the Air India counter and told to go home? I welcome your comments.
By the way, Air India as of writing this note is recommended by only 32% of this site's members.
