Air India is only Gas!

Air India or Indian Airlines or the newly branded Indian is the national airlines of India.But the experience of flying on one of its airlines is an nightmare that one would want to forget.

One of the most embarassing experiences was when I travelled from Delhi to Ahmedabad to attend my friend's marriage.Two weeks prior to departure,I got a call from the airlines saying that my flight ( ETD 6.45 from Delhi) was delayed and the new ETD stands at 7.30pm.On being asked why,I was told the airline had a technical snag ( wow..they knew about it a fortnight ago?).A week prior to departure,I was informed that the new ETD is 8.00pm.The reason being late arrival of incoming aircraft.Wow..how efficient that the airlines knew this a week in advance.But alas..the flight didnt have any technical snag as predicted.But it was late in arriving.On the D day,the flight arrived at 10pm and departed at 10.45 pm.It was not a good experience to be among the last 20 odd people to be at the airport before the airport closed operations for the day.
And not to mention that IA operates from Terminal 1A,which boasts of little amenities.And how could I forget..i missed the whole point of the journey.I reached Ahmedabad at midnight and by the time I reached the venue,the sangeet was over.

Then my recent journey from the Bangalore airport.The airline staff took 20 mins to spot my booking in the system.It did givev me a scare as to what was the issue.Little did she tell me that the flight was delayed.It was printed on the boarding card though.And while I was patiently waiting near the boarding gate,I was surprised suddenly to see that the boarding was changed to reflect that of a jet airlines flight.While Jet was courteous enough to announce the change in boarding gate,Air India choose to remain mum.The flight was delayed by more than an hour,but no announcements and no personnel was available near the boarding gate to provide clarifications.The bus that transported you to the aircraft was pathetic..torn seats and stinking bus.The Air India bus at Chennai airport seems to be the only non airconditioned vehicle operating there.One door which does not close was tied using a plastic strap ( used to secure baggages).Poorly trained staff,who consider salaries their birth rights but in no mood to help passengers are an added pain.The frown on their face when asked for a bottle of water or anything else is enough to put you off.

Merger or De Merger,whether the government pumps in money or not,Indian is not going to prosper.Agreed that Indian ( being the government run airlines) enjoys privileges like prime routes prime time etc.But it does have the good fortune to have the highest number of employees per airline.In fact if you see an Indian flight landing or taking off,you will be surprised to see people crowding around like a swarm of bees.Without pruning this unproductive workforce,without enforcing discipline in terms of flight taking off on time,without improving the courtesy of its staff,AIr India would just be a bag of gas.When JRD Tata handed over the airlines to the government to make it the national carrier,little would have he known that one day people will say just that to this airlines.TATA!!!