As they say, all unfortunate incidents begin with our own actions. In my case the action was clicking the book button on makemytrip.com.
The beginning of May’11 I travelled on Go Air from Delhi to Goa, and I remember every single facet of that trip(though I have tried hard to forget). To begin with, the check in was absolutely atrocious. There are five check in counters of Go Air at Delhi Airport. Enough, you’d say for avoiding serpentine queues and you’d be right. Except the counters are manned by kids who wouldn’t know the C in Customer Service and convenience when they see it.
I stood and took in the scene as I entered the airport, not more than 4 passengers in any of the lines. I stood in the line for the counter closest to me, 5 minutes passed without any movement, I peeked out to find the young lady manning the counter in an animated coversation with a passenger. I waiting
another 5 minutes without any change in status quo before I went ahead and enquired how long will it take.
’I do not know’ - she snapped back at me
’Should I go to another line then’ - me
’Yes you should’ - her
I joined another line, another 5 minutes passed without any progress, I peeked out again. The sardar ji manning the counter was confused and seeking the help of someone. A little short of patience now, I went ahead and asked him as to what was the problem.
We’re trying to fix the system, says he.
’Fix the system?, what’s wrong with it’, says I.
’Entry nahi ho rahi hai’- is the reply.
I look around in exasperation, other passengers are as frustated as I am. The third and fourth counter is suddenly devoid of any airline staff and everyone realizes all of a sudden that the only place they can get tickets from is counter five. And hence the mad rush, 15 people in the queue in counter five, all frustrated to hell and back.
My turn comes 45 minutes later and I am told that since my luggage weight is over the prescribed limit I need to pay an 800 bucks fine, which I can’t do there( they haven’t heard of a single window system) so I go to another counter and make my payment. This takes 10 minutes since they don’t have change . All this while, people behind me in the line fret and haw but not like they can do anything, since till I get fully checked in, the lady won’t service someone else. and so in 1 hr, my check in is complete.
A sad, sad experience(the repetition is not a typo), and I wonder whether I would ever take Go Air again.
BTW, my flight was delayed by 1.5 hrs and the cabin staff was rude. but hey, does it matter? It’s a’budget airline’ after all. This is all I am entitled to when I pay 5, 000 bucks for a flight to Mumbai from Delhi.
But perhaps I should pay INR 5, 100 and take another airline.
Cherrios
CS