[Resolved]  Jet Airways — condemnable behavior of Jet airway staff at IGI Airport Delhi

Address:

New Delhi, Delhi

My mother, an aged senior citizen of Canadian nationality was booked on Del-Toronto flight 9W 230 to fly Premier Class on 10.2.2014 departing 03:00hrs. At the time of booking as well as telephonic contact with CC I had sought information on what help and care can be provided to an old lady who was traveling alone. I also informed them she being not very mobile should be seated near the washrooms and that she be helped if needed. As she was a cancer patient she was carrying life saving injections and drugs regarding which I requested facility to have them kept in a certain temperature range. Agreeing to this I was advised to carry the same in a container inform the check in counter who would inform the cabin crew to keep them in the refrigerator. My mother had a return ticket issued at Toronto and had traveled economy class that too unaccompanied despite her ill health that made moving difficult. With specialized treatment and supportive care she became mobile and her health improved. Keeping in mind the Del-Toronto long journey I upgraded her ticket from economy to Premier Class by paying the difference of Rs.70815-00. I was given all promises of good care as desired by me. On the due date we reached the airport at 00:15 hrs and made arrangements for a wheel chair and had her accompanied by an assistant. The assistant specifically informed me that he had told the officials at the check in about the medicines and they said arrangement will be made in the plane. After completing all formalities she was taken for boarding at 2 am. I was told by the accompanying assistant that some crew members were not inclined to have her fly but better sense prevailed and she boarded the plane. At 3.39 while driving back from airport I received a call on mobile from a staff of Jet airways informing me that my mother had been offloaded as a decision was taken that she was not fit to travel. I asked whether the fare will be refunded to which they replied in the negative stating that as she had boarded the plane she was not entitled to any refund. I was asked to wait an hour for the formalities to take place. This time of one hour extended to three hours to complete the above. The second shocker came when I was informed that they could access only the checked in luggage but there was no proof of the hand bag being with her in the plane. This bag contained the costly life saving medicines. I asked them whether any doctor was called to assess her ability to undertake the flight to which I was told that consultation must have been done. How such a consultation can be done without examining the person and secondly the cabin crew as well as the other staff were not qualified to decide on the medical condition of a passenger. On my further asking I was told that my mother was asked if she had any complaints etc to which she replied that earlier she could not walk but now with the treatment by her son she can walk. She might have hinted about her body pain that she had suffered earlier but was now free. She was then off loaded from the plane. I argued that an aged lady who was on the way to recovery was kept awake from the 10 pm on 9.2.14 in preparation to fly upto the time of her boarding the plane will be sleepy and lethargic that is further aggravated by sitting and waiting in the wheel chair for so long. Though she was off loaded for body complaints why was not she taken to the airport doctor for treatment. Worse than that they could have contacted me before offloading her. Maybe the issue could have been resolved as I was one of her treating physicians and care giver. As per the opinion given by the person who completed all her formalities it became clear that the crew did not want her on board. The staff could not satisfy me with the rationale behind their decision to off load her. Not going further into the matter I would like to know:
1. The status with regard to the refund of fare
2. The return of the lost luggage
3. The matter of life saving injections being kept in high temperature thereby destroying their efficacy
4. The options available for claiming damages for this whole episode
5. A complete report on the whole incidence.