Air India — Denied boarding

Address:

Mumbai City, Maharashtra

Pnr HBFSF
Flight AI 603
Dep scheduled 6:15 am, 18th April, 2017.

I reached the airport on 18th April, 2017 at 5:32 am (The time when I entered through the security gate). I had done web check-in and had hand baggage only. Air India had a hand baggage counter where I approached and they said their check-in counter for AI 603 had closed. I approached an Air India staff and he informed that the counters have closed at 5:30 am and nothing can be done. I inquired whether boarding gates have closed too, to which they replied boarding had not started. Then the staff asked if I had any luggage to which I replied in negative and said that only a hand baggage is there. I demanded that in this case, they should allow me through and give the boarding pass as I had web checked-in and had only a laptop bag to carry. The flight departure time was showing at 6:15 am and the time during this conversation was 5:38 am. Also, I had received an SMS from Air India a day before, stating that as I have web checked-in, I can collect boarding pass from self check in machine and the boarding gates shall close 20 min prior to departure. But I was denied for the same too. I requested the staff to consider my case. He then asked me to speak to the supervisor who was at a different counter. I narrated the case and he then approached some other person and then said that the counters were closed at 5:30 am. I mentioned that I had done web check-in and just need the boarding pass but they refused to help. They asked me to go to the booking counter and ask for the status of my ticket. After reaching the booking counter, the staff said that the ticket had already been cancelled and was considered as a "no show ticket" and said that I would get only INR 280 (approx.) as refund (against taxes), whereas the ticket costed around INR 4200 (approx.). In frustration I had to book another ticket OBVIOUSLY WITH A DIFFERENT AIRLINE (and 4 times the cost!) for the next day. I exited the airport for which the AI staff very kindly filled up the exit register.