Hellish customer service: I think I’d rather not fly again, but fly with Vistara.
Vistara Customer Service - 20 December 2021 - New Delhi
At the outset, this is feedback for Vistara Airlines, particular to its customer relations. My intention is to ask Vistara to do better, particularly when it comes to training employees behind your service desks to be anything but indifferent, unaccommodating and completely unempathetic.
Yesterday, I began my journey to Kochi from Geneva, via London. My carrier from Geneva to New Delhi, through London, was British Airways. Upon arriving in New Delhi around 2:20 AM, I rushed to get my rapid RT-PCR test. After finishing all my required procedures, I arrived at check-in for my flight from Delhi to Kochi, which took off at 5:35 AM by 3:15 AM.
During my check-in procedure, I was told to move to Vistara’s ticketing office to clear a mishap as they could not identify my PNR number on Vistara’s system. Here began my ordeal with Mr. Romit Sharma(Vistara’s Duty Manager) and some of his colleagues. They informed me that they were helpless and I should move to the information desk to try and talk to someone from British Airways(There was some error? on their part). Carrying my 1 check-in baggage, 1 cabin baggage and a laptop bag, I began my unfateful run back and forth from the Information desk.
At the information booth, I was informed that there was no British Airways counter at the airport. I tried for another two hours to convince Mr. Romit Sharma(Duty Manager on 20 December 2021) and his colleagues, to connect me with personnel from British Airways as it was not an option for me to run around the airport trying to find a British Airways agent. Unfortunately, a total lack of empathy and courtesy from Vistara’s staff, particularly Mr. Romit emerged. Mr. Romit reiterated time and time again, that he could do nothing for me as he has no contact with British Airways but most importantly, that he has over 14000 customers travelling and cannot personally assist any single one.
Needless to say, owing to their refusal to make a single call or connect me to a British Airways personnel(still unsure due to no explanation of Visstara’s side as to why I needed to actually talk to a British Airways agent), I missed my 5:35 AM connection.
The exhaustion of the last 27 hours of commute was starting to set in. I tried to reason, even on the verge of tears to Mr. Romit Sharma and his team that I just needed them to help me connect to the right person to talk to, as I could not find a British Airlines agent, owing to the lack of British Airways counters. I must have run around with my baggage from Check-in Counters to Information Desk and Vistara’s Ticketing Office for two hours, with no(remotely satisfactory) service provided by Vistara Airlines staff, and particularly Mr. Romit Sharma - the person in charge.
I must say, in my 20 years of flying a massive number of international and domestic flights - this experience tops as the worst-ever customer service I have received. I’m not sure if it is because it is fairly easy to take a woman in her early twenties less seriously or if this is just the attitude of Vistara’s customer service staff.
Back at the ticketing office, I’m told by a staff member that I have been assigned to their evening flight at 4PM(16 hours after my touchdown from London). I can only say that I was shocked to realise my consent was not taken for this. I had no conversation with them regarding putting me on their 4 PM flight. I’m unsure about how a British Airways agent and Vistara(now magically receiving calls from one another, despite having no ways to call each other) decided this on my behalf, completely unilaterally without consulting me.
After trying to negotiate without success about being able to put me on an earlier flight, I agreed. I asked them if they could upgrade me and/or give me access to a lounge, to which Mr. Romit’s indifference was appalling. Needless to say, I received no benefits, despite no mistake of my own and absolutely no goodwill from Vistara’s staff.
Anyway, as I write this at my gate at 3 PM, I’m confident I do not want to fly with Vistara under any circumstance again. My biggest concern with the instance was their approach to customer service. This is not feedback trying to prove who is right or whom to blame(between British Airways, Vistara Airlines or myself) but a testimony of how Vistara needs to train their employees to be slightly empathetic to the plight of their customers, instead of adopting indifference. I am certain that if they complied to connect me to a British Airways agent(in the two hours I pleaded them to), I would not have had a 40+ hour commute.
I do not recommend travelling with this airline. Customer service should be at the heart of any institution providing a service and the limited team I met at Vistara(with the exception of Mr. Pawan Singal who was kind enough to provide assistance to me at the end) shows me otherwise.
Once again, I reiterate, I highly suggest you fly with another airline. An airline, that has a customer-centric approach and is ready to take accountability for their actions and can at least pretend they can be accommodating because this surely was a hellish experience.