I booked a return ticket by Indigo airlines, Delhi – Mumbai sector. Now, my return from Mumbai was on July 02, 2012 by flight 6E 192 , which was scheduled to leave Mumbai at 19:30 hrs. I reached airport bit early and took the boarding card early i.e. at around 5 PM.
Now, the strange thing happened post that. As there was some time to kill, I sat at coffee day, situated at the airport, and went for security check at 19:00 hrs. cleared security in about 5-7 minutes (as only two scanners were working) and reached departure gate (A3) at 19:10 hrs. I found the departure gate locked and no Indigo representative to be present there. I waited for about 5-6 minutes and sensing that something is wrong, started looking for airline representative. The aircraft was there though and the doors were not closed by that time.
I found a guard at gate A1 (could not find airline representative still) and asked for help. She said, you can find someone at gate A6. I rushed there and finally found one lady sitting there. When I showed my boarding card, she called some other lady who told me that the gates are closed, ATC has been informed and so nothing can be done. I told her that I am waiting from last 15 minutes and running around then she said you should rush to the counter so that we can accommodate you in 20:30 flight (6E 182). She said, we were waiting for you and looking for you. when I complained that there were no announcements made, she changed the topic told me to run else the other option will also fizzle out.
I reached counter and to my surprise, the lady at boarding card counter said, you got to pay fair difference of Rs. 769 + Rs. 1900 penalty, totalling to Rs. 2669. I had no other option but to pay and move on as reaching back was important.
Two important things I would like to draw attention
a) There were no announcements and even if there were few, it was definitely before 19:00 hrs.
b) When I asked for bill/invoice repeatedly, I got the invoice which captured Rs. 1900 as some ‘Total SSR’ and no accounting for fair difference. When I pushed, the lady wrote it by hand and stamped it (I have the invoice with me).
c) I checked just casually at departure gate that what time 19:30 flight took off? To my surprise she informed it was 19:22. In attempt to be on time, they are actually ignoring passengers and leaving before time without taking every one on board.
d) I was at counter collecting invoice and making payment till 20:14 hrs but this time as I had already paid extra, there were no ATC challenges.
e) Generally all good airlines call in such a scenario, when I asked Indigo staff, they said, we don’t think it’s required.
I would like to request the authorities to take appropriate action in this case and do required investigations. How can a airline leave without passenger that too before time? Also, how come they charge and not give invoice?
It has become a way to make money. I would request the authorities to intervene in the matter and help me get my Rs. 2669/- back immediately. Moreover, the DGCA and ATC should put a penalty on Indigo for this and ask them to pay me compensation for mental harassment.
Posted at:
Consumer court India online portal
Copy to:
TOI – Jaideep Bose