After moving to Singapore, I have been making frequent trips to Chennai and that is no secret. After a couple of flights on Tiger airways, I had settled comfortably with Air India. The flights are older, the crew tireder but I had no reasons to complain. Usually I travel alone with kuttyma and the 20+ kg free luggage allowance, shorter lines, friendly air hostess and competitive pricing have made Air India my choice for the Singapore – Chennai trips.

Trouble started in January when I had family flying back to Chennai and the evening flight was canceled without notice. I must thank my lucky stars. I checked out the Changi airport website which listed the flight as canceled. The ticket was postponed and flight canceled without the traveler being informed. I chalked it down as an one time event and forgot all about it.

Kuttyma and I had booked on the morning flight to Chennai on Air India on a Saturday. Couple of days before the flight I got an email informing the flight timings had changed and instead of 8.10am the flight was now scheduled for 10.45am. I was fuming a bit but not really much. The updated time worked better for me.

Thursday morning around 10am at work I get a call from the Singapore Air India office and had the pleasure of talking to Ms.Raji. She asked me rather politely if I would consider flying business class on Friday night instead of Saturday morning. Surprised, I did ask her if I have to pay for the upgrade and she assured me I do not have to. I thought about it for a second and said yes. Two reasons that propelled me to say yes – I was travelling with a preschooler and I knew my family would be super excited if we were to arrive 12 hours earlier. Ms.Raji assured me that she will email me the new itineray but the new ticket will not say business class and the flight was at 10.45pm. The usual flight time was 9.10pm so I asked her if it was an additional flight. She said something that sounded vaguely like a yes and a no. I did not bother much. I just let it go.

Around 2pm, I get a call from another agent at Air India reconfirming my flight plans for Friday night and I get my tickets delivered via email. 4pm Ms.Raji calls me again and reconfirms everything is in order and promises me the upgrade yet again.

Friday, I check the Changi airport website and the flight timing is listed as 9.10pm while my ticket says 10.45pm. I am confused but decide to head to the airport in time for either flight. Air India counter the departure time is displayed as 9.10pm and the queues are long but not bad. I check-in. No upgrade. The lady at the counter has no clue. I am pointed to the Air India officials (Two tie-clad gentlemen whose names I do not recall – dang it). I talk to them rather nicely. They say it is not possible. I remind them that I as promised an upgrade. They deny it. I get annoyed. I tell them that it is unfair. They say that the morning flights are overbooked (not my problem right?) . Then I called them liars. I told them rather curtly that if they told me the truth and asked me to fly earlier I would have respected them instead of lying to me about an upgrade. They sound apologetic and tell me to talk at the gate and note my seat number down.

At the gate, I check with the folks, they tell me to wait. I wait and wait and most folks are boarding the flight. I get frustrated. I see another traveler fighting with the Air India folks. He was promised an upgrade just like me and he changed his plans and connections because he wanted his family to experience the business class. I walk over and say I am also in the same boat. I call the Air India folks liars and cheats and walk to board the plane. Honestly it was not worth fighting and I wanted to get home.

Kuttyma and I get settled in the plane and we wait. And we wait. For 2 hours. Folks are getting restless and I hear stories. Stories of people who were supposed to be on the morning flight out. Folks who spent 12+ hours at the airport. I thank my lucky stars and wait and entertain a rather sleepy toddler. The pilot announces that they do not have enough catered meals (duh! you knew the flight was overbooked) and that we are waiting for the catering service. Catering service comes and food is loaded and we continue to wait. At some point, Air India personnel are on-board and people start booing.

One rather thirsty and frustrated passenger picks a fight with the air hostess for not serving water for 30 minutes. Other passengers join in. The air hostess tells the passenger that they can complain via a feedback form – people get more frustrated. The fight drags on till one rather sane traveler tells the folks to shut up and wait as everyone is frustrated.

Finally the flight pulls back. People start clapping and whistling. I had to smile.

Uneventful flight to Chennai or so I think as I was fast asleep. We land in Chennai and the immigration officals surprised me. They were quick and even pleasant. A first for Chennai. I think about home food and a good sleep as I walk to the baggage carousel with a little girl super excited about meeting her grandparents.

And the wait begins – 1+ hour of wait for the baggage to come. Baggage from other flights that landed after us are out but not the luggage from AI359. People start fighting with the folks at the information desk. I see the pilot walking over to the information desk and talking and vigorously complain. People are talking and telling it happens only in India.

I carry a sleepy 3 year old and look around for a place to sit – ofcourse this is Chennai and there is no place to sit. I struggle and pearch rather uncomfortably on the luggage trolley. I hear a man scream that it was a “hopeless flight and worst service”. I agree silently. I hear people groan and moan. The first bag rolls out and there is instant cheer and claps.

I sigh rather wearily and wait for our baggage to come. It comes and I walk out with my toddler. I see my parents waiting for us – they have been tracking the flight and waiting for us. It was 2am when we made it home. Phew – never again Air India.

Thanks for the good times Maharajah. In today’s life where time is money, I value my time and honesty from people I deal with. There are other airlines which offer better service and value time just as I do.

Good bye Air India!