This is to bring to your notice regarding the misfortunate events that me and my husband had to go through during our travel with Indigo, this January 3rd 2022.
We had booked a flight to Mumbai through Indigo airlines scheduled to depart from Trivandrum Domestic Airport - Terminal 1, at 6:25 am on 3rd January 2022 (Trivandrum to Chennai and Chennai to Mumbai). Prior to the trip, we did a web check-in as well on 2nd January 2022 so that we could have a smooth journey.
As informed through a text communication from Indigo, we were supposed to do our boarding 25 minutes prior to departure i.e., at 6am. Due to some issues, the original road route to Trivandrum domestic terminal was closed and we had to take a deviation. So, we reached the airport at around 5:40am. Since we had more than 15 minutes, we proceeded to check in counter just to know whether it was possible to check in our hand baggage (we only had hand baggage - 2 small suitcases weighing 7kg each) so that we could board luggage free.
Before going to the counter we had already done security checking of our baggage as soon as we entered the airport building. So our suitcases were already sealed and tagged.
When we reached the counter (at around 5:45am), for checking in the baggage, the Indigo staff mentioned that the check-in time was over and we couldn't board the flight. I responded to the person that we have already done a web-check in and have the boarding passes as well. The person then collected our boarding passes and made a few phone calls after which he told us that we cannot board the flight and asked us to go to the reservation counter for rescheduling. We were not sure why we were not allowed to board the flight as we still had time to board the flight.
When we reached the reservation counter, we again tried to communicate with the staff that our boarding time was still not over and that we should be allowed to board the flight. But the staff checked with someone over the phone and requested us to reschedule. Since we were in an urgency and had to reach Mumbai by Jan 3rd before 4pm, we asked for the next immediate flight to Mumbai.
The reservation executive informed us that the next flight to Mumbai was at 11:30 am and can book us a ticket by making an additional payment of INR 16, 394/-. Since we needed to reach Mumbai urgently, we didn’t give a second thought and booked the tickets by paying additional INR 16, 394/-
Later while we were waiting for our next flight at the airport which was 1 hour delayed. I contacted the indigo customer care number to get a better clarity on things. When I narrated the whole incident to the customer care executive, she informed me that if i had done a web check in and had only hand baggage then i should have been allowed to board the flight. So she asked me to contact the indigo staff at the airport. As directed by her I got in touch with the Indigo Manager at the airport and asked for the reason why we were not allowed to board the flight. The Manager, after enquiring with their staff, mentioned that we were not allowed to board the flight since we didn’t check-in and the counter check-in closed 1 hour prior to flight time.
But when we informed the Manager that we had already done a web check-in and that we had already informed the same to the person at the check-in counter as well, she understood that it was a mistake from their end and apologized for the inconvenience caused.
After that I again made a call to the customer care number to know whether I will get a refund for the additional amount I paid. The customer care executive asked me to narrate the whole incident. I narrated the incident and they told me that they would raise a ticket.
The Next day I called customer care to know the status of my request, then they again asked me to narrate the incident. So this kept on going for many days, whenever I called they would ask me to narrate the incident and I would patiently narrate it thinking that the issue would get sorted out. Finally one day the customer care executive told me that my refund request has been accepted and the refund amount will be transferred to my travel agent's account within 7 working days. Then I told him that the additional amount was actually paid from my husband's card but he told me that since the original ticket was booked from my travel agent's account the money would be refunded to that account only.
Believing this I contacted my travel agent and informed them of the same. But after 7 working days, when the amount was not refunded i again contacted the customer care. This time they again asked me to narrate the whole incident so back to square one.
Since I was not getting a proper response from the customer care I decided to send a mail to the indigo nodal officer. I drafted a proper mail and sent it to the nodal officer. But no response.
Then I decided to send a mail to the appellate authority, this time also no response.
So now I have no other option but to call customer care. I called the customer care - they told me to narrate the incident, but this time the executive asked me to send a mail to the indigo customer relations mail id. He told me that once the mail is sent within 48 hours someone would contact me. But nothing like that happened.
After 2 days I again contacted the customer care - narrated the incident and told the executive that I have been doing this for the past one month and they are really testing my patience. That day I got a call from a senior indigo staff member. He told me to narrate the incident. After hearing it he told me that I am not eligible for a refund as I have not reached the airport 2 hours prior to the flight. Then I asked him since I did a web check-in why I should reach the airport 2 hours prior to the flight. He said that it's the Indigo rule and my refund request cannot be accepted. Then I told him then why the other passengers were allowed to board the flight as they also didn't reach the airport 2 hours prior to the flight, why we were the only ones who were made to obey the rule. For that he didn't have any answer.
I am totally ok with the rules. Rules are meant to be followed but then;
-Why did the Indigo customer care executive whom I talked with just after the incident(i.e. on 3rd Jan around 6.15 am) mislead me. It all started because the executive gave me wrong information.
- Why did the Indigo staff at the airport tell me that it was their mistake. Why did they apologize to me? Because of which I thought that I was eligible for a refund.
- Why did all the customer care executives ask me to narrate the story when they knew that according to the Indigo rules I was not eligible for a refund. Why did they make me narrate the story N number of times spending hours. Is there no value for my time?
-Why did the customer care executive tell me that the refund has been accepted and the amount will be refunded to my travel agents account. Why make a false promise and mislead me. Why did they give me false hope?
So now I can't let it slide because I have been walking behind it for one month wasting my precious time.
I want the amount refunded to my account for all the unfair treatment from the indigo staff (for misleading me, for wasting my time, for making false promises etc). I think I deserve a refund for the unprofessional and unethical behaviour of the indigo staff.
PNR/Booking Reference : ZQS1XA
Mar 22, 2022
Complaint marked as Resolved
IndiGo customer support has been notified about the posted complaint.
Verified Support
Feb 16, 2022
IndiGo Customer Care's response Dear Sir,
We understand that missing a flight can be a stressful situation. Please know that our staff has no reason to deny boarding to passengers who report on time, in fact, our team tries to assist each and every passenger who reports marginally late but every time it is not possible.
Hope you understand we can't keep others waiting.
Regards
TeamIndiGo