Inhuman act: But do not write off Air India

I hated Air India earlier. That was when I had the option to travel both by the government carrier as well as by the private airlines. I disliked the way the hospitality crew threw stale sandwiches at me in a fusty demeanour. Instead, I adored the ‘king of good times’ for his much more personable team with stylish red attire and cordiality.  But later, when the organization where I was attached to, put a blanket ban on any travel by the profit making enterprises, I was forced to get back to the Maharaja again.

Air India's new Dreamliner

But it was an amazing experience thereafter on each trip. I found a radical transformation in the attitude of the crew of Air India in the last few years. The personnel started taking very sincere efforts to compete with private operators by enhancing the airline’s overall performance, improving the quality of service, and offering much better hospitality. While the carrier which claims to fly people at a low cost (but the price many times comparable to Air India) would not even give you a glass of water without begging more than once, Air India gives delicious meals on long trips and tasty snacks on short trips. I found the crew of Air India much more natural and genuine in their conduct and response than the artificial grins of the crews of some of private operators.

We found that good times are not permanent if the smiles are not built on strong foundations. Beauty is not skin deep. Colourful empires crumbled and found it difficult to pay for the smiles. One can’t blame these airlines alone. Which airline in the aviation industry has made consistent profits in the world? Not a single one. So the problems are much more deep rooted.

My adoration to Air India suffered a dent a few days back. That was when I saw the news about a few hapless travellers who faced the wrath of certain officials and security men for demonstrating their legitimate protest against the decision of the airline to drop them off at Thiruvananthapuram airport instead of Kochi airport for which they had paid the fare. In fact, about 200 odd passengers spent more than 10 hours in the flight without snacks, drinking water, or air conditioning. It was alleged that one of the police officials told the angry passengers to drink urine, if they were thirsty. And I saw a video footage of some of these passengers manhandled by uniformed men, in one of the television channels. May be, the passengers were wrong if they have prevented the pilot from leaving the aircraft. But Air India should have taken care to prevent such miseries happening to the passengers. In the long run, this would definitely affect the image of the airline which is striving to retain its market share.

Courtsey: Deccan Chronicle

Air India is still the best as compared to many other airlines plying in the domestic sector, though I am not sure of the international sector. I had bitter experiences of getting stranded because of the inefficiency of some private airlines. I have mentioned one such incident in one of my earlier articles ‘Low cost window dressing of life’. I have also experienced how crews of some international airlines discriminate passengers from different countries in their hospitality and approach. Instead of boycotting an Airline for a few unfortunate instances of individual aberrations, there should be systematic demands for effective and long-term solutions for consumer issues. The ball is in the court of the officials. 

(Views are personal)

Sibichen K Mathew

Please click the link below to read other articles on related topic

Can we have an airport for people? Part-I

Can we have an airport for people? Part-II

Low cost window dressing of life

Can we have an airport for 'people'?

By Sibichen K Mathew

Bangalore International Airport (BIA) has finally took off after years of wait and legal bottlenecks. The neatly done six lane road to the airport, the spacious parking area, posh interiors and lavish shopping and catering area are pleasing to the eyes.




Air travel, then a luxury, has become within the reach of common man quite recently thanks to the competitive tariffs offered and increased frequency of trips to various destinations. However, the impression BIA gives to every one is that airport is an end in itself and not just a comfortable means to one’s destination. But all at a heavy cost for people. At least that would be the feedback from ordinary citizens.




One takes the first step of his journey by dialing to the call centres of the airline. After long re-dialing exercise, he gets the message that flight is on-time. He calls up for one of the airport special taxi and gets a reply that it would take another one hour to reach and that too at a premium rate. Takes an auto which charges for every little piece of the luggage to the nearest BMTC special service stop. Unload the luggage in pavement and waits again anxiously for the bus. Decides to take another taxi as he is worried of missing the flight. Calls another taxi happened to pass by. Loads the luggage after heavy bargain. Then the long trip to the airport.




Almost three hours passed since he stepped out of the house. Finally he reaches the airport domestic terminal. One has to stand very close to the display board to see the flight status as the fonts are very small. By the time he finishes the check-in and the security check, he feels terribly hungry. He enters one of the cafeteria. Stands in the long queue and finally reaches the advance billing counter. He wants to eat something. Alas! Coffee costs a minimum of fifty; Tea for not less; Idli for eighty; Pongal also eighty. Settles for two vadas and a coffee and shells out of 130/- By this time, he has already spent about eight hundred rupees for travel and snacks. He needs to travel another two hours in an airline which will not give you even a bottle of water without begging. As the flight was delayed, he walks through the posh shopping area. Expensive garments, gifts, perfumes and what not. Suddenly you realize that you have forgotten the tooth paste or a towel. You won’t get that. Want an essential over-the-counter medicine? Not readily available. All shops facilitate conspicuous consumption than travel related essentialities.



That is the plight of passengers. If you had reached the airport to receive or drop some guests, a different type of ordeal is ready for you. You will hardly find a place to sit. You will wait for hours along with hundreds of others including the cab drivers holding your hands on the railings. Wants to quench your thirst? Be ready to shell out the price they charge in star hotels!



Statistics indicate that number of air passengers from Bangalore (especially for trips to near destinations) have reduced drastically after the opening of new airport. BIAL should understand that, all those who travel by air are not immensely rich to throw their hard earned money for substandard and over pitched services. People may travel for emergencies. Many travel officially. And who needs the so called ‘world class facility’ with a high ‘user fee’ price tag? Is it to woo a handful of rich tourists or to cater to highly paid CEOs of Corporates?




Let it cater to those who can afford. And let the user fee be doubled or tripled. But majority needs an airport without all these frills and glitz. Can we have an airport for people? (Or can we get back our old airport?)

The low cost window dressing of life

Consumer Diary


By Sibichen K Mathew

People get attracted towards those yellow tags in shopping malls which signify discounted rates. Eyes get stuck on the big percentage symbols on the glass planes of shops and show rooms. This is basic human tendency. People want to get a good bargain for their money. The rational man takes emotional decisions with absolute conviction that he is being benefited from the choice. He thinks the decision is rational. But the behaviour is often propelled by emotions rather than sanity. But I have a friend who never picks up anything from a ‘SALE’ labeled rack. The reason is obvious. He happened to be a retailer himself.




Who can assist a customer in judging an offer? His friends or relatives? Yes, if one has the time and the proclivity to engage in such discussions after finding a domain expert who has either burned his fingers or gained a fortune. Recently, I came across a website which boasted to be an exclusive one for the protection of the interests of consumers. Started browsing the web with lot of expectations and in no time the hidden agenda became quite clear. Another smart advocate!

On one Sunday afternoon, I received a call from my best friend informing that his dad passed away after prolonged illness. I need to rush for the funeral as I knew his dad too closely since my school days. I was quite fortunate to get a ‘low cost’ ticket of an airline for the same day evening. The flight took off, though about two hours behind the schedule, without any apology from any one. And it didn’t bother me much, so also others. After all, that huge ‘state of the art’ airline agreed to take many of us, though we paid only a very meager sum. Just after it reached high skies and passenger belts were about to be removed, the announcement came: ‘The plane is returning back to airport as there is a technical snag’. Sensing the unpleasant response from the passengers, the crew announced that the flight will take off after rectifying the problem immediately. Within twenty minutes, the flight landed back and a few technical personnel rushed inside. Nothing heard from the crew for next half an hour and passengers’ murmurs turned to mild shouting. None knew where those hostesses were hiding. It seemed that they have been instructed not to provide even drinking water to the low cost desi commoner. One male crew came from no where and announced his relief package: ‘passengers will be accommodated in a flight of another airline’. All passengers rushed down with the hand baggage and headed to the terminal to pick up the checked-in luggage. We were shocked to receive very rude treatment and response from the ground staff who said they cannot arrange tickets for any other airline as all of us are on low cost tickets. The airline had trained their ground staff (all tall, hefty men - reminded of the loan recovery goons of some private banks) to take care of the grievances and complaints of passengers in such circumstances. They did their job well. No one among the passengers could put up a brave fight against the polished goons. Beggars have no choice. Low cost passengers are underprivileged category for the airlines. We stood in another long queue to get back paltry refunds net of taxes and fee. As mine was a booking through credit card, counter staff gave me an advice that if the refund is not credited back to the account within the next three months, then register a written complaint with all evidences. I helplessly rushed to the counters of other airlines to buy a fresh ticket for another airline. But again joined a long queue for another low cost airline! After all, we -the proletariats repeatedly try our fortune in spite of many tough lessons of life. In fact, rational man should decide not to ‘go air’ with such low cost offers!

Businesses cash-in on the superficial rationality of customers by presenting equally shallow but attractive top ups. Thus the so called scientific cost-benefit analysis given by the business propagandists quickly satisfies the customer’s quench for a good deal. He lands in the trap to realize the folly much later. How will one choose a product or a service among a set of alternatives? One may argue that only the first timers will go by the propaganda of the provider. The customer will learn to take the right choice after a few deals. It is very true as per the common dictum that ‘no body can be fooled for long’. However can one indulge in such experiments if the stakes are very high?





Are all consumers fools? In a way, they are. Because the growth of our economy squarely depend on how much people consume. Therefore growth is made to sustain through various sops for the consumers. As far as the terms like purchasing power parity and conspicuous consumption are left in the seminar halls, there is nothing much for people to grudge about. Are they getting a good deal in the competition driven economy? Did you ever think that you could call up your relative in the other part of the world almost free? Did you ever imagine that someone would offer you a one rupee air ticket? However, please don’t cheer too much. The bubbles are bursting one by one. Everything started from thousands of ambitious consumers who took cheap credits to acquire over priced goods. The chain reaction is on. Consumers beware! Economy is at your mercy to save the world out of recession. Let us pray. Lord, let me not get lured away by the window dressers and by those gifts with long strings attached. I am too happy if the left side matches with the right side in the balance sheet of life.