Hi All,
When Air Deccan first came with advertisement as to they will make airlines cheap I was impressed. I usually travel by Jet and the price difference was vast. My first chance to travel in air deccan came in the month of December last year when I had to travel to my mom’s place in Calcutta. I stay in Bangalore and then the only airlines to have a direct flight to Calcutta was Air Deccan. We booked the tickets and the ticket fares was not that cheap as it is advertised...it came to maybe a little jess than Jet. But I preferred to take Air deccan since it was a direct flight and I was traveling with my one year old son.
On that day I reached the airport eagerly to take my first air deccan flight and got a shock. The flight was delayed for 4 hours. I barged in the Air Deccan counter and the lady informed me that their call center has sent sms to all their passengers. I asked ’’I don’t have a cell...why u did not call up the landline’’ For this she just got up and brought in her manager. And the manager without giving me a clarification started fighting with the same lady...as to call the call center and check. He did not even have the courtesy to say a sorry to me. I left the commotion and waited in the airport. But that was not the end. They kept on delaying the flight by half an hour every one hour . Finally the call for Security check came in. There was no queue in the security check counter...just people were barging in. I stood there for 15 mins since I was carrying my son and hand baggage and it was way too difficult for me to push thro the crowd. But then I realized if I don’t make way I would stand there for ever. So I made my way with my son howling at top of his voice. They weighed my baggage and said I was carrying 25 kgs extra. I knew it was not possible. But I had little scope to argue since the pushing and pulling was way too much. I paid and then realized they have weight someone else’s bag along with mine !!!
Then comes my next shock...the tags which were kept was Bangalore to Bhubaneswar. I asked the security...but I am going to Calcutta. He smiles and says ’’No Poblem mam’’ It will go to Calcutta only. ( The problem is not misspelled here , I just want to emphasize the quality)
Then there was no help as to where to go..what’s the gate number. I finally manage to get the right gate but unfortunately the escalator was not working. I again went back to the Air Deccan counter and said...can I get a help to carry my hand baggage..I can’t climb up with the baggage and my son. A lady comes in say..Of course and vanishes off. I waited for her but she was no where to be seen. Finally I managed to get the help of a fellow passenger and boarded the flight.
Then the next bouts of shocks. Lots of mosquitoes Don’t get shocked yes mosquitoes. I started clapping and killing them, ignoring the looks of passengers passing by. The air hostess comes in and says...don’t worry we have just sprayed and the mosquitoes will go in a few mins. I said okay...pls provide me cotton balls. She went in and gets a reel of cotton and from there she pulled up some and gave it to me. I almost fell down from the chair.
Finally after all these encounters I reach Calcutta and vowed never to travel again in Air Deccan even if I get a free ticket. . I lost some 750 rupees in extra baggage…. which was not mine at all apart from the wastage of time and discomfort.
If you value your time and self esteem and have traveled by other flights , please don’t try Air Deccan. You will meet with disappointments.