"Bad things happen in threes!" So went the famous superstition.
Well in threes...No, not if a fourth happens!
In multiples of threes.....Maybe Yes!!!!
Well well....guess what do I have to say about those "No frills low cost airlines" ?
--$%&@@$%!!! (For want of better words and preserving the sanctity of this blog!!! :P )
This is how I reached home after a crazy crazy term4 , and of-course Air India was waiting to bestow its choicest hospitality on me and 50 others!
Me and a friend were on the same flight to Delhi and were conveniently sitting in the Mumbai Airport's waiting lounge, making fun of this Yo dude who had parked himself on his trolley and was waiting at the deserted security check counter! The line kept growing but we thought everyone will get their baggage checked in... No point waiting in the line!!! Smart ain't we!!!
Thing 1: The boarding was announced and the security check hadn't even begun!
The flight was overbooked to the tune of 50 passengers! The Security check looked like a war zone with people from the many states of India descended on the staff with their choicest words in some languages I did not even understand! The best was the Sardarji in a red turban standing almost on top of the official on duty and shouting " Main Punjabi vich samjavan tenu"
The anger was justifiable.... Here we were waiting to catch our connecting flight to Delhi since Morning and they had already overbooked the flight at a previous stopover. The flight came and left without us. Stranded at the airport.
btw... the "Yo Dude" got his boarding pass!!! Some lesson learned!
Thing 2: Next flight at 8:20 PM!!!
Well well well.... I had to take a bus to Chd after reaching Delhi and was traveling alone. Polite inquiries about the availability of other flights after explaining the situation brought out this gem of a reply "We are not responsible for your onward journey...The time of the flight is immaterial to us!"
Again a slew of colourful words and expressions! The harassment was compounded by some "trying to be smart" passengers. Tempers flared and the staff did a vanishing act. Finally we got a 5:00 PM flight and taxi fare. Took a prepaid taxi from the international to the domestic airport....
Thing 3: The Taxi wala!
Well I wouldn't really blame the chap. We were having a bad day and we gave him his!
The prepaid fellas stand in line all day waiting for their turn and its more like a lottery. If they get a long distance passenger or a short distance fare. We incidentally happened to fall in the extra short distance category!!!
So continued his mumble jumble throughout the "short" distance. Ah well.
Thing 4: Panic attack: Nowhere to stay! :P
Once at the domestic airport and unsuccessfully trying to get 2 seats in the 3:15 flight, We had lotsa time to kill. Hunger struck and suddenly it also struck me I had no where to stay in Delhi for the night!
Well the tension was short-lived. Thank god for wonderful friends.
Thing 5 : Down the wrong boarding gate :P
Well now things had started moving towards the better... So we had to do something stupid!!!
We went down the wrong boarding gate!!! Nothing much... walked the entire way back :D
Thing 6 and final...... The last seats in the plane... Those that don't retract!!!
In a flight at last! Checked our tickets for the seat number and started looking for them. Found them... at the very end of the plane! Them last seats in a plane which refuse to retract!!! Two of the cancelled flight ppl had taken the boarding pass after we did and they had gotten the seats in front of us! That was it! Certified bad day.
Went and sat down without a word. Praying that nothing more would happen!
Thankfully it didnt.
The Comical Pilot.... Nah nothing to do with luck... just had to mention :)
Middle of the flight this fella starts reading out all those instruments that could be read in his cockpit.... and aloud, along with the reason for everything too. Well okay.
Then he comes with the gem... The seat belt signs are still on and the passengers are advised to wear them. There might be some turbulence on the way.
"They would also prevent you passengers from falling on each other during the normal course of the flight" :P :P
The flight landed on time at the Delhi Airport and then onwards it was smooth thankfully!!! Reached home safe and sound.
In retrospect it sounds more comical than anything else..... but it was pure harassment.
Only Advice : Never Ever travel by Air India Express or any of those no frills extra low cost airlines!!!
Well in threes...No, not if a fourth happens!
In multiples of threes.....Maybe Yes!!!!
Well well....guess what do I have to say about those "No frills low cost airlines" ?
--$%&@@$%!!! (For want of better words and preserving the sanctity of this blog!!! :P )
This is how I reached home after a crazy crazy term4 , and of-course Air India was waiting to bestow its choicest hospitality on me and 50 others!
Me and a friend were on the same flight to Delhi and were conveniently sitting in the Mumbai Airport's waiting lounge, making fun of this Yo dude who had parked himself on his trolley and was waiting at the deserted security check counter! The line kept growing but we thought everyone will get their baggage checked in... No point waiting in the line!!! Smart ain't we!!!
Thing 1: The boarding was announced and the security check hadn't even begun!
The flight was overbooked to the tune of 50 passengers! The Security check looked like a war zone with people from the many states of India descended on the staff with their choicest words in some languages I did not even understand! The best was the Sardarji in a red turban standing almost on top of the official on duty and shouting " Main Punjabi vich samjavan tenu"
The anger was justifiable.... Here we were waiting to catch our connecting flight to Delhi since Morning and they had already overbooked the flight at a previous stopover. The flight came and left without us. Stranded at the airport.
btw... the "Yo Dude" got his boarding pass!!! Some lesson learned!
Thing 2: Next flight at 8:20 PM!!!
Well well well.... I had to take a bus to Chd after reaching Delhi and was traveling alone. Polite inquiries about the availability of other flights after explaining the situation brought out this gem of a reply "We are not responsible for your onward journey...The time of the flight is immaterial to us!"
Again a slew of colourful words and expressions! The harassment was compounded by some "trying to be smart" passengers. Tempers flared and the staff did a vanishing act. Finally we got a 5:00 PM flight and taxi fare. Took a prepaid taxi from the international to the domestic airport....
Thing 3: The Taxi wala!
Well I wouldn't really blame the chap. We were having a bad day and we gave him his!
The prepaid fellas stand in line all day waiting for their turn and its more like a lottery. If they get a long distance passenger or a short distance fare. We incidentally happened to fall in the extra short distance category!!!
So continued his mumble jumble throughout the "short" distance. Ah well.
Thing 4: Panic attack: Nowhere to stay! :P
Once at the domestic airport and unsuccessfully trying to get 2 seats in the 3:15 flight, We had lotsa time to kill. Hunger struck and suddenly it also struck me I had no where to stay in Delhi for the night!
Well the tension was short-lived. Thank god for wonderful friends.
Thing 5 : Down the wrong boarding gate :P
Well now things had started moving towards the better... So we had to do something stupid!!!
We went down the wrong boarding gate!!! Nothing much... walked the entire way back :D
Thing 6 and final...... The last seats in the plane... Those that don't retract!!!
In a flight at last! Checked our tickets for the seat number and started looking for them. Found them... at the very end of the plane! Them last seats in a plane which refuse to retract!!! Two of the cancelled flight ppl had taken the boarding pass after we did and they had gotten the seats in front of us! That was it! Certified bad day.
Went and sat down without a word. Praying that nothing more would happen!
Thankfully it didnt.
The Comical Pilot.... Nah nothing to do with luck... just had to mention :)
Middle of the flight this fella starts reading out all those instruments that could be read in his cockpit.... and aloud, along with the reason for everything too. Well okay.
Then he comes with the gem... The seat belt signs are still on and the passengers are advised to wear them. There might be some turbulence on the way.
"They would also prevent you passengers from falling on each other during the normal course of the flight" :P :P
The flight landed on time at the Delhi Airport and then onwards it was smooth thankfully!!! Reached home safe and sound.
In retrospect it sounds more comical than anything else..... but it was pure harassment.
Only Advice : Never Ever travel by Air India Express or any of those no frills extra low cost airlines!!!
4 comments:
Being one of the participants of this tortuous trip (yes, I was the 'unfortunate' friend who happened to take the same flight!) it seems I have a moral obligation to comment!
Not the one to believe in superstitions, I certainly am now a firm believer in this particular "EVIL POWER OF 3"! ("Thing 4" for me would be the hour long wait in the calicut-mumbai aircraft for the aero-bridge to arrive!)
All in all though, a memorable trip (YA SURE!) and I am looking forward to my return journey now (I was smart enough to book an Air India Express back to Kozhikode!:|)
Here is more Gyaan by a PGPNiner....
"Bad things happen in multiples of number of people in your office"
:O
Not a very comforting thought!
Very unhappy journey...
I can just say, "Good Luck" next time!!
such a horrific journey....
i think u can make a script out of it and sell it to some one!....
make it a bit romantic though! ;)
and few songs in between.. :D
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