From: Anonymous

Subject: Negligence towards passengers on the part of Air India

Dear Sir/Madam,

My husband and I were scheduled to fly to Delhi from Ahmedabad on Flight No AI 1111Y on the 31st of December to stay for 3 days before catching the onward flight to JFK. This flight was cancelled due to the weather conditions in Delhi. The flight was diverted to Bombay and then onwards to JFK. We were informed of this diversion and were given no further options on how to get to Delhi. There was no arrangement made to transport us later in the day or to provide accommodation for us till the next flight to Delhi. We were instructed to return to the booking office in the city and make our own further arrangements.

We willingly accepted and booked ourselves on Air India 3111Y to Delhi on the 2nd Jan. This time flying onwards to JFK, having missed 3 days of New Year Celebration in Delhi. It was an early morning flight. We arrived at the airport at 1am, having made sure beforehand that the flight had not been cancelled or delayed. After rigorous searching of our baggage and checking in, we were told that our flight had been cancelled again and that we were again to return to the booking office. We were stranded at the airport; Air India made no attempt to help us either with baggage or accommodation. We left after 3 hours of arguments with Air India officials and made our own arrangements for what was left of the morning. We later learned that some passengers had persisted with arguments and the officials had agreed to put them up somewhere?.lucky them !

We returned to the booking office the following morning and were given flight no IC604 to Bombay to catch Flight AI 101 the following morning. ?What do we do for the entire night in Bombay? we foolishly asked. Air India assured us of hotel accommodation when we got there. We arrived in Bombay only to find that the Air India office was again closed, no one at the airport had heard of any such arrangements. We painfully made our way towards the international terminal where we had to bicker with the Air India booking Office to make us some provisions for the night. By the time they relented, it was only a few hours away to check in. We realized it would be useless to depend on Air India to get us from the hotel and back on time. We slept on the floor for a few hours before checking in. Thank God we did that, since the flight was over booked and many people had been turned away even though they had confirmed tickets.

We arrived at Heathrow where Air India disembarked us into a cramped lounge. My husband was sick and needed medicine but we weren?t allowed to avail of the departure lounge shops. We had to queue to be escorted to the toilets. There was no drinking water. There were only two telephones and no currency exchange ! How were we supposed to inform relatives that Air India was flying a day late and delayed !! ?

Apart from that the inflight service was terrible, the Air stewardess of our section was terribly rude and I have already made a separate complaint to their Manager?as have many other passengers. Right down to the earphones, through which sound was barely audible. The range of available drinks were distastefully limited?.and I cannot bear to comment on the state of the restroom facilities within 3 hours of the flight. It seems as if Air India had made every possible attempt to ensure we would arrive at JFK at the brink of insanity.

I arrive at my office a day late, with dark circles under my eyes and a feeble excuse for my boss. The same for my husband. We both have lost a day?s worth of income?something for which compensation is a must.

We demand an explanation as well as compensation for loss of earnings. I will NEVER fly Air India again and endeavor to pass on this message to everyone I know.

Thanking you,
Anonymous (Name withheld on request)

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