Myself, my wife and our 3 year old daughter were among the hapless passengers of the fateful Air Deccan flight from Chennai to Delhi on 31st Dec ’06( vide TOI, New Delhi cover story “Flying Chennai-Delhi in 22 hrs” page # 1 on 2.1.07). we were returning from Chennai to Delhi after our annual holidays in Pondicherry.
The flight was scheduled for 5pm, which got delayed hour by hour. Quite naturally, along with other passengers we had also passed through the security check and waiting in the lounge to board. When the flight was ultimately cancelled at 11pm on 31st Dec, along with the other passengers I also shouted at both the 20 something representatives of the airlines. Additionally, I gave them a lecture on their lack of sympathy for the customers. They patiently listened. Later on, we decided that none of the passengers would go out of the security area, rather stay together, fight for our rights and teach the airline a lesson.
The Airport Manager paid us a short visit after much pleading, only to declare that we had made a mistake by choosing to fly a low cost airline. She also enlightened us by pointing out that it was a case between the passengers and the airline and the Airport authority did not have any role to play.
The whole security area was deserted save the passengers of the fateful flight. The children were put to sleep on the chairs with mothers fanning away the mammoth mosquitoes. The fathers, having given their woollens to the children, were left to strolling to keep themselves warm in that cold and windy weather.
At the stroke of midnight, we all greeted the new year 2007. Not forgetting to greet Air Deccan too for presenting us such a memorable start of the year.
At about 4am, we received our first New Year gift from Chennai airport. The Security chief asked us to vacate the area in 10 minutes time, failing to do so would compel him to resort to physical force! Somehow good senses prevailed and the sleeping children and women were not dragged out.
Next morning the sole tea vendor flatly refused to give me hot water even on payment, to prepare milk for the kid. My mobile was not on roaming and the unmanned STD booth was having a forlorn look. Anticipating people at home would be worried about us, I wanted to urgently send a message to Delhi. Both myself and my wife individually approached 5 different co-passengers requesting them to let us send a message to Delhi from their mobile phones.Two of them didn’t have enough balance in their pre paid card, and the remaining three simply walked away without even uttering a word.
Quite desperate by that time, I approached one of the two airlines staff who I had shouted at, the previous night. He readily agreed and immediately sent the message from his mobile. After sometime, while we were getting into the bus to proceed to the aircraft, he came running to me and read out the reply that he had received of my message. His eyes were gleaming with joy and mine were filled with tears.
Contrary to the norms, Air Deccan provided us with breakfast and a complimentary ticket( which was valid for one month) at the airport before we finally boarded the flight. After reaching Delhi, I communicated my experiences to Air Deccan and requested them to give me the contact details of the person who had helped me to send an sms so that I could thank him personally. To this, I received a reply from Capt. Gopinath’s office apologizing the inconvenience caused with the requisite contact details. I called up the gentleman and thanked him. Subsequently, I had requested Air Deccan to extend the validity of the Complimentary ticket, to which I feel they will take some more time to reply.
PS: I am overwhelmed by the responses received. No, I am not mixing up the issues. I only wished to thank the Airdeccan staff who helped me send a message back home. At the same time, I still bear the anger and frustration against the airline for the dismal service.