“Kripya Dhyan Dijiye…
Air India Flight 123 (Delhi to Milan) scheduled for departure at 14.25 PM on 2nd April, 2015 is estimated to be departed at 20:00 PM which might extend upto 23:00 PM.
Passengers, it is simply estimated, kindly don’t believe or sigh for our estimations. We are after all Indians and India is anyway known as a land of procrastinators.
So what if it was a Dreamliner, our pilot was too sick to fly, or perhaps he is thinking to resign and yes, we don’t have backup pilots. It’s not as big an issue as you might think, it’s just a matter of 240 plus passengers including Indians, NRIs and foreigners.
We understand they have to wait on the airport but we offered them an afternoon meal at 14:30 PM, 45 minutes of Wi-Fi free of cost and we are again offering them same meal for dinner. Yes, free, free, free…! Isn’t it a great deal?
No matter how important the situation might be for them, they will obviously love this barter system and willingly accept food in exchange of their time. There is a huge lounge but sorry, only business class can wait in there. You’re not allowed, please don’t mind.
And yes, don’t ask the lady working in lounge if Air India is habituated to such delays and inapt demeanour for she shall say yes. She knows us well but we don’t want you to know so many details about us. Hope you understand.
We shall land at 4ish (CEST) in early morning and then it shall be your concern to find some shelter. If you’re new and without shelter, you can any time wait for a few more hours on Milan Airport. But we shall drop you off and carry on.
Happy Journey. Keep flying with Air India!”
Such is the plight of passengers to be boarded on Air India Flight 123 and such is the disgraceful and negligent conduct of Air India team. I mean who could think of such a typical strategy to please customers for more than 6 hours; 6 hours is a lot of time to finalise the deals of thousands of hundreds and here they give you something to eat and surf to pass time.
That’s it!
Somehow it reflects how we Indians, don’t value time and how substandard services an Indian organisation can offer.
It is often believed the best becomes the epitome: be it the best person, the best thing or the best brand. However, if a national carrier like Air India, with great reputation and claimed to be 3rd largest airline in India follows such irresponsible and unreasonable practices, what can be expected from other carriers? What can be public’s expectations from aviation industry as a whole, for that matter?
Air India is trying to turn around with the aid of INR 30,000 crore government bailout, but how will it survive and overcome its debts with such downgraded performance? Isn’t it sort of wrong investment done by government? After all its taxpayers’ hard-earned money which is simply being channelized in inappropriate direction by our dear Government of India?
These 245 unsatisfied customers are surely going to avoid flying on Air India flights in future plus they shall pull in a lot more negative publicity thru word of mouth and otherwise. People at helm should definitely take such conduct and slowed-down performance into consideration, broaden their perspectives of prospective customer and gratify existing customers.
Air India may be 3rd King of Aviation in India but team at Air India shouldn’t forget Customer is Great King of Kings.