King FISHY Airlines. Review on Kingfisher Airlines

I had the misfortune to take the King Fisher Airlines RED service yesterday from Delhi via Hyderabad to Chennai( Formerly Deccan fleet is now known as Kingfisher Red). While in the in-flight magazine, the cos chairman Vijay Mallaya says that 'he is taking things personally and any passenger can send a email about service quality.

It looks like his Inbox wud be brimming to the limit with crib mails from frustrated passengers who take the KF Red Flights. Let memake my story long and sour. My flight IT 3802 which was schedule to depart at8 Am on 7th March 09, got delayed by whopping FIVE hours. Bad Service point 1: The eTicket I got mentioned the Departure as Terminal 1.

But when I reached Terminal 1, the cold faced KF attendant said that RED departs from Terminal 1B, from where all low cost carriers depart. I have flown to Delhi number of times and I am aware of that but since the ticket mentionedas Terminal 1. I went there. If the eTkt had clearly mentioned this, passengers can go to Terminal 1B directly.So if a passenger comes in a bit late, he wud be put into huge tension tranferring to the next terminal ( Its a good walk form Terminal 1 to 1B). Many people think that post Deccan merging into KF and its aone entity, but functionally yes but operationally the KF Red staff has thesame cheap attitude, there is a big difference...

Bad Service Point 2: The Final SMS alert on the flight scheduled said its ontime. While after checking into the Airport, the flight status said delayed and the expected time of departure at 9.30 AM. Then at around 9AM, it was revisedto 11AM. And after 10 mins it said 1230 hrs. During all these sugar coated announcements, no Kingfisher staff was around. Clearly they are scared and did not bother about the passengers time bound schedules...

Bad Service Point 3: And finally after a ruckus made by few passengers (I don't understand why majority sat silent and just waited and waited without even cribbing) a junior most staff came and gave the prepared mumbo jumbo thatthe Aircraft Engines have some problem and they have to take it to the service Bay to test the engines.With Delhi's, Terminal 1B being one of the most LOUSYand NOISY terminals, its been occupied to its hilt my passengers and with other flights taking off its absolute chaos and my Flight IT 3802's fate remained un-knowntill 12.15 PM, and suddenly out of the Blue they announced that the flight is ready and passengers can Board..

Bad Service Point 4: Its obvious, the Airline is adopting unethical practice. Any problem in the Aircraft's Engines are to betaken seriously and the trouble shooting time can be well calculated, why did they not announce that before or can even rescheduled the flight much in advance so that passengers would have come late. For instance I woke at 5 Am and reachedthe Delhi Airport by 6Am and cleared the security by 7AM, and waited till 12.30PM to Board the flight and my friend who took the 7Am Cathay flight to HongKong reached and sent an SMS saying he has reached HK, but I am still in Delhi waiting for my plane to Chennai which is just 2.5 hrs direct?.

ADVICE: When you book in KingFisher, there is huge difference between RED andRegular Full service KingFisher. The RED service still gets the step motherly treatment and its really not that low cost..I paid around Rs 11K ( roundtrip)and its almost the full service cost and I had the option of going in Jet or Indian at the same price at better service and on-time. But choose KF assuming it wud be better than others. My inquires at Delhi Airport revealed, most ofthe time the RED services particularly the DEL-Hyderabad-Chennai flight IT 3802is delayed, so plan accordingly when you happen to fly in this sector in that flight particularly be careful when u choose the KF RED service.

I thot like everybody that KingFisher RED was a great brand with a class of its own and wud create a Benchmark in low cost flying. But sadly expect forthe color ( DECCAN was Yellow, including its service) Clealry only change is incolor and the other they offer Ok kind of food -RED is the only low cost carrier that offers food for free. Overall, despite the not so low cost ticket, the RED's ontime performance and the attitude of its Ground Staff in Delhi is very pathetic. I hope Vijay Mallya takes my review personally and he makes amends so thathis Brand does not take a beating.

Shrikanth