[Resolved]  Jet Airways — Offloaded from flight

Me and a friend had planned a holiday in Udaipur from 27thto 29th Nov, 27th Nov being my birthday. We were to fly out on 9W 707 at 1345 on 27th Nov.

We reached the airport at 1230, checked in and waited. While we were talking we heard an announcement for flight 707, we gathered our stuff and went down to the boarding area. There was no one at the designated gate (gate 12), we looked around for a Jet personnel and after about 5 minute spotted one. We went up to him and he informed us that the flight has left. The time was 1338. We requested him to help us get on the flight but I guess it didn’t work. And thus ended our holiday even before it began.

Considering we came to the airport well before 1 hour and reacted promptly enough to the boarding announcement, I am still wondering how this happened. Needless to say it was very, very disappointing to have this happen to me on my birthday, on my first holiday is 18 months. If they could have off-load our luggage, they could have “on-loaded” us!

Yesterday I got a call from a Jet Airways representative, who apologised, as they usually do and basically put the blame on the airport authority and me. In a scenario when in the last 3 years not 1 flight that I have taken has been on time, this is very difficult to digest. Yes in airport in US and Europe boarding announcements are not made and passengers are required to come to the gate, in India if this were to happen passengers will be waiting at the gate for a minimum of 30 mins and there will be a huge crowd at each gate.

They ask us to be understanding when flights are late, how can they make do with 1 boarding announcement and how could gates close 5 minutes post that announcement?

I have always liked flying Jet but that experience is now forever soured by this experience.

Sad and disappointing.