Dear Sir,
1. It is with profound grief that I am penning this complaint to you. I am a serving Air Force Officer and had coordinated the Yemen operation 'OP RAHAT', where AI flights used to fly in from Djibouti and I was coordinating the operations from Sana'a, Yemen, right from manifesting to loading of Indian and foreign nationals with support of local people under Gen VK Singh (Retd). I am conveying this information just to show my relationship with AI.
2. However my recent tryst with AI has not been very good. I had booked flight AI 505 from Bengaluru to Delhi on the 27 Dec 21 for myself and my wife. The STD was 1025h. Like a good traveller I had reported at 0810h to the airport only to be told that due to a snag the aircraft was cancelled and I would be flying out in AI 501 departing at 1320h. Boarding pass for the same was also issued.
3. However, at 1105h I was told that the flight AI 505 snag has been rectified and I would be flying out on the same aircraft. Again my Boarding Pass was reissued. The departure time was 1320h for AI 505 as well. As the time came for boarding we had to enquire and only then were told that the flight will now depart at 1400h. Again only on enquiry we were told that the flight will now depart at 1500h. Once again only on enquiry we were told the flight would now depart at 1600h. Finally we boarded and waited in the aircraft for some unknown reason and we took of at appx 1625h. I am sure you will understand the 6 hour tribulation we had to endure at Bengaluru airport.
4. Before Take off, during flight or after landing there was no announcement of baggage not being loaded in flight AI 505. In fact the cabin crew announced that baggage can be collected from belt number 2 on landing at IGI. The flight taxied back to dispersal at 1915h and we went to collect the baggage. After about 15 min the conveyor belt stopped and then one staff member came to tell us that the baggage of about 60 pax has not been loaded and our baggage will come by 2030h in flight AI 503. I immediately went to the baggage complaint cell at IGI airport and met Mr. Sonu Kumar, who can vouch for my support to him in pacifying passengers not to get angry at him as the fault is not his and he is only trying to help. I had put in my complaint and was told by him too that the AI 503 is getting our luggage by 2030h. I had asked him if I could come by 2200h and collect my baggage. He had answered in the affirmative.
5. At 2215h I came back to the airport only to be told by CISF staff that I cannot go in but can call the number displayed and enquire about the baggage. My 22 calls on the number given went unanswered and finally at 2300h I went back irritated.
6. On 28 Dec 21 morning onwards umpteen number of calls were unanswered and many times the line was also busy. I did not know the whereabouts of my baggage and also was unsure on further course of action. Finally at 1532h got through and explained my situation to the lady who told me to wait. She put me on hold and after 12-15 minutes I had given up and cut the line. I tried again many times and finally Mr. Sonu Kumar himself picked up the phone. He told me that the baggage had not yet arrived and it is likely to come only on the late evening flight on the 28 Dec 21 and that as per my delivery address it would be delivered on the 29 Dec 21.
7. 29 Dec, the entire day I kept waiting for the luggage and as I did not receive the luggage I gave a call at 1844h. One Ms. Nisha picked up the call and after checking told me that my luggage had arrived and that I would be receiving it only on the 30 Dec. I had then explained my predicament as my uniform was there inside the baggage and how important it was to attend the event I had come into Delhi from Bengaluru to attend in the required uniform. She did sympathise with me but could not help me further other than putting in a request for an early delivery.
8. 30 Dec too I had waited for the entire day and did not receive my baggage. Once again after 24 attempts got through finally to Ms Nisha at 1656h. When I had asked her about the baggage she remembered my previous day's conversation regarding the uniform and after checking, promptly came back to say that it had been picked up by DTDC at 1100h on 30 Dec 21 and would be delivered to me. I had requested a point of contact. She had given me the number of Mr Atul (DTDC) . When I had contacted that gentleman at 1703h to check the position of my baggage he told me that he had not collected any baggage on 30 Dec as he had got himself vaccinated and was on leave and I had to contact Air India.
9. Once again after several attempts I could get through to Ms. Nisha to explain the present situation. She had promised to check and get back to me with a delivery person's contact number. HOWEVER, EVEN AFTER 83 HRS AFTER I HAVE HANDED OVER MY BAGGAGE TO AIR INDIA I AM YET TO GET MY LUGGAGE.
10. In this entire episode the following merits the attention of your organisation:-
(a) Not communicating the correct information, be it departure timings or non loading of baggage.
(b) Limited staff to handle such a situation as the public gets agitated and were abusive to both Sonu Kumar and the other Female Staff as in the present case.
(c) Lack of clarity as to the whereabouts of the baggage leading to infructuous communication and waste of time.
(d) Complete lack of empathy for the customer wherein every customer is left to deal with his or her own ordeal.
11. My own personal observation is as follows:-
(a) I had to be in uniform at a certain time and that could not happen due to the negligence of your esteemed organisation.
(b) I had to go through tremendous mental agony and stress due to this completely avoidable situation because of your organisation's callous attitude towards passengers.
(c) The time wasted on just trying to find out about my baggage is appalling with no proper redressal.
(d) Your staff are not aware of the reparation or compensation rules of the airline.
12. I request you to look into this matter immediately and ensure compensation of Rs.30, 000/- (10, 000 for every 24 hours ( which I believe is a reasonable reparation for not only delayed baggage, but for the time wasted, mental agony, anxiety, stress, tension and cold weather that me and my wife had to endure. Please appreciate that our winter clothing was in that baggage and we boarded at Bengaluru which is relatively warmer than Delhi. We had to survive in the same clothes that we travelled for the last 83 hours due to false promises that the baggage is arriving in the next flight. We kept waiting for the same. BUT ALAS. If my grievance is not adequately addressed I would have no choice but to go to other redressal agencies as deemed fit.
An Aggrieved Passenger
PS. Ive sent a mail to connectnr, del.bagsvcs these two e mail ids on
Thu, 30 Dec 2021, 20:43 (3 days ago)
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