Air India Express — rude staffs - air india express check in staff kochi international airport

Dear Sir,

I am an NRI residing in United Arab Emirates, I had been on a recent trip to INDIA for 2 weeks and returned on Saturday, 23rd February 2019 back to Dubai, UAE from Kochi.

Let me congratulate the Airport management and staff for being the first greener Airport in the whole World. I am great admirer of Cochin Airport management, on the various initiatives of Solar, Green Airport etc. I had seen similar model way back in Reliance in Jamnagar, Gujarat where road side and idle land places near the refineries are put to great use and just giving birth to Reliance greens way back say 15/20 years.

I would like to place before you a incidence which happened with me in the Kochi Airport, which would like to put forth you to decide, which might help the management in improving the standards of the Airport. If you think otherwise, you can just ignore the below message just accepting the compliments in the first Para.

I had travelled form Cochin to Dubai on Air India Express flight and had a unpleasant experience with the check in staff in the counter in the Airport. I was travelling with my wife and Son and we had checked in the luggage and got the boarding pass, At that point of time, he asked us about the hand luggage and I showed both the hand luggages what we had which was 9 Kgs each. I said that its well within the allowed limit of 7Kgs X 3 nos (including my Son) which was 21 Kgs, However I had put the same in 2 bags as he was just 8 years old and cannot carry. He said that this is not allowed as the max luggage per bag is only 7 Kg. I agreed with him that the max luggage is 7 kgs, however since its was a child who will not be able to carry 7 Kg, we had accommodated the 4Kgs in the 3rd bag in to our bags as (7 +2) 9 kgs. He said that this cannot be allowed. I informed him that we have travelled many times in the past and we never had an issue regards this and we are hearing this for the first time. The counter staff was still adamant and took back our Boarding pass and informed that you reduce the same and come and then only he will hand over the boarding pass.

At this point of time, I informed him that you cannot hold my boarding pass for a hand baggage issue and that too where the weight is within the total limits of 7 kg each passenger. I shall go inside and re arrange the bags and take out the 2 Kgs extra from each bag and put it in the third bag. he initially did not allow, I then had to inform him to call his supervisors as this cannot be allowed. I have the privilege to go inside the lounge and sit comfortably and shift the bags, at the end he had to give me the same as there was no justice on his side to hold my boarding passes.

Subsequently, after completing the Immigration and Security, I could shift few things to my laptop bag. Again just as I reached the gates, a Lady staff came to me and checked whether I had shifted my things for which I confirmed to her. After crossing the Gates and on the way to the flight, the same staff was there and he again stopped me and said that usually he never allows anyone and next time onwards he will not allow and all those things, I was with my family and didn't want to create an embarrassing situation as I had been returning back Dubai after the death of my Father in law and didn't want to enter in to an argument with the staff in front my wife and son.

Now I would like to raise the following points and would also like to know few things on the rules which will help me also in the future.

1. How can he stop my Boarding pass for the hand baggage at the check in counter. - Assume that I had normal 7 kgs and I do a duty free purchase later and put it in the same bag to make it 9 Kg (still within the limits), What control is the counter staff having and how is it being controlled?

2. I would like to know when we travel with Kids and infants, wont the children or infants allowance be allowed to be carried by us, I am not clubbing the entire additional 7kg (mine) and 7Kg (child in one bag, its just the 2 kgs what have I put in my bag, Can not the airline accommodate such cases (considering child/infants)

3. In the gates, when the lady had come to check, he should have checked my baggage weight and allowed me and there is no need to give me a speech and Gyan on how to carry things.

4. This particular staff was very show in checkin and the average time what he was taking each individual passenger was much higher than other staffs, he was unnecessarily checking each passengers Hand baggage (where as this should be checked and advised them or should ideally been checked at the Gates)

5. When we travel Air India or Air India Express, An image of national carrier of INDIA is been given and its very important to ensure that all staffs are very polite and convey only what is required as part of his/her job and avoid unnecessarily dialogues in terms of giving advices.

6. I am sure that he has not merits in holding my Boarding pass at the check in counter for Hand baggage issue, nor to talk to me so rudely. If he was acting in real sense within the rules and regulations, he would not have allowed me and would have held me right there.

7. Lastly, I would request you to give sufficient training and customer Service trainings to such staffs else he will tarnish the image of the Airport, Airlines and CORPORATE INDIA.

This email is written in the best interest to keep up the standards of our Airports, Airlines and TEAM INDIA. Unfortunately I do not have the name of the staff, However this can be easily tracked by you finding out who had checked in my below tickets in the Airlines on that day.

My Travel Details are as follows

Flight IX 435

Air India Express

Kochi International Terminus to Dubai

PNR : UJKXOU

Passenger Names

1. Chelakara Viswanathan Ramakrishnan

2. Pallanchathanur Ramaswamy Janaki

3. Iyer Ramakrishnan Viswanathan.

With this you will be able to identify the staff and send him for Training and Development.

Thanking You,

C V Ramakrishnan

A Proud Indian.