Dec 08, 2003 12:25 PM
2316 Views
(Updated Dec 08, 2003 12:31 PM)
I needed a ticket from Bangalore to Mumbai on a specific date, but I wanted to get the cheapest option. As far as I can tell, these are the rates:
5300 - Regular rate
5000 - Some marginal discounts if you book on Air Sahara with such and such credit card schemes, etc.
2800 - Air India Night flight
2500 - Jet Airways & couple of other airlines if you book 20, 30 days in advance, etc
I didnt have 5300 to spare for a one way flight nor did I have the luxury of booking the flight 20 days in advance. The logical course of action, thus, was to book the AI night flight.
I was about 14 days in advance, and it wasn't holiday season then, so I figure I should get tickets. I ride down to the fabled Air India building(sarcasm. It is a small govt looking office near Bangalore Town Hall).
They told me that the flight was fully booked on that day.
I went to a cybercafe and checked on the net, and I noticed that the previous day had many vacant seats. I went back to Air India and asked them to book a flight for me in the 2.30 am flight.
The ignoramus I had this time at the counter claimed that flights couldnt be booked this much in advance, apparently. Actually she was so dumb that she couldnt understand her company's own rules that said you had to book it in advance - she was understanding it completley in reverse!.
After a few minutes spent in futility trying to convince her that she was incorrect in her understanding of the Airline's rules, I stormed out of the place to buy it online.
I logged into the site and got to the point where I had selected the flight I wanted. The next step was creating a user account in which I had to fill things like my Passport number, address and Credit Card information. Once that was done, I was sent to a site that did the transaction.
The transaction got done successfully. However, instead of getting the confirmation page which shows you the PNR number and confirmation, I got a JSP error!.
Luckily, I was still in the vicinity of the AI building so I went back and after considerable explaining(those guys are supremely retarded and cant understand what online booking is all about) I managed to get them to look up the flight and find out my confirmation details - PNR no etc. Those dimwits couldnt figure out why online booking should be the same cost as actual booking. With idiots like them at the counter, its suprising everyone doesnt get their AI tickets booked online.
The rest of the process was fairly cool. When I wanted to fly, I just had to go to the airport at 15 min before the regular reporting time and pickup the ticket from the counter.
The flight was cool too.
