Apr 04, 2010 07:15 PM
2392 Views
As a Gold card member I am allowed to be at counter 30 minutes before the departure time. I was well in time say 35 minutes before departure. The dark complexioned lady refused to check-in with dirty looks when the other staff was astonished at her behaviour. They also requested her to do so, but it seems she was in her bad moods and immediately closed the flight and refused me to check-in on the pretext. Ultimately I was assisted by another staff member to a comfortable seat as I was gasping for my breath, reason being that I had to run quite a distance at Hyderabad airport, it being under finishing stage and taxi was parked at a far off distance.
I was then assisted for booking at another flight after paying the penalty charges of 750/-. So far so good. There after when I came back to Delhi and approached the management for this lapse, Gaurav Rathore, Assistant Vice President, Quality and Guest Commitment wrote the following reply :
Dear Dr. Prakash,
Thank you for your email of 20 January apprising us of your recent experience with Kingfisher Airlines when you travelled between Delhi and Hyderabad on 18 January. I appreciate your loyalty as Gold Tier member of King Club and note that you have frequently flown with us so that you could experience the high standards of our service and hospitality; thank you for your patronage. I am however concerned to learn of your disappointment when on checking in for your flight at Delhi Airport you had to be reissued a boarding pass despite having availed of our web check-in facility. I am aware that guests who have web checked in need to get their boarding passes stamped at the check-in counter, which is a CISF requirement; please accept my regrets for any inconvenience caused in this regard.
I note you had a disappointing experience on your return flight as well, when you were unable to board your flight IT 803 from Hyderabad as you arrived late at the Check-in Desk. I appreciate your chagrin as you felt the staff at Hyderabad Airport failed to provide you with appropriate assistance in the given situation.
Dr. Prakash , you would be aware that check-in staff has a set of pre-flight procedures that has to be strictly
followed several minutes in advance; this includes security checks by CISF or police personnel at Airports, random secondary checks by the airline operator and subsequently the actual boarding procedures. This
necessitates closure of the check-in counter 30 minutes prior to departure. While staff is encouraged to exercise their discretion and do all possible to assist guests attempting to take a flight, unfortunately on this occasion any action to accept you on the flight at that stage would have affected the flight departure and inconvenienced other guests already on board.
That said, I am aware that you were subsequently rebooked to travel on IT 3803 with no extra charges levied. Your feedback has nevertheless been taken up with the staff at Hyderabad ; the importance of ensuring that all guests are treated with courtesy and consideration has been reiterated, so that we consistently deliver the quality of service that is a hallmark of Kingfisher Airlines. Thank you once again for writing to us despite your disappointment. I hope you will allow us the opportunity to regain your confidence as we look forward to welcoming you on board our flights again.
Yours sincerely,
Gaurav Rathore
Assistant Vice President
Quality and Guest Commitment
Kingfisher Airlines
The concern here is that a senior person of his stature in an organsiation does not get or is not being informed the real fatcs and figures and he replies on incomplete information.
The boarding pass says 30 minutes before departure and he also says so, but I was refused 35 minutes before departure.
He says that the new ticket was issued with any extra charges, when I was issued another ticket after paying Rs. 750/-, which is already on record.
If he has respect or consideration for Gold Tier member, then he would have made some compensation as a good gesture of his position, but he more acted as a clerk, reason was his language of reply.
I never knew Mr. Mallya has such calibre of top management in his organisation. really a shame for him and his organisation.
People please read this with this in mind that you may not expect any relief from them. This is how they grow to this height, like the old Sahukara system.
Sunil Prakash
