Sunday, 14 January, was a freezing and foggy day. I was looking forward to leaving New Delhi and returning home to Hyderabad, away from the cold waves. But little did I know that my Sunday would be very chaotic and I’d end up staying at the airport.
My Air India flight, AI-839, from Delhi to Hyderabad was scheduled to take off from Delhi's Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport at 9:30 pm. We were supposed to board the flight from gate number 29A at Terminal 3, but till 9:30 pm, there was no ground staff from the airline at the boarding gate.
At the same time, we received an automated message and call that the boarding gate had been changed from 29A to 36. My family and I rushed to the gate, fearing we might miss the flight because it was already 9:30 pm.
When we reached gate 36, there was again no Air India ground staff. Without proper communication, we had no option but to wait for the boarding to start. We waited until midnight when another gate change notification was sent via text message, asking us to move to gate 45 to board the flight.
'At 3 Am, We Were Asked To Leave The Airport'
This was our third gate change in just a few hours, with no information on the departure of our flight. We again rushed to gate 45, and there, too, were no officials to guide us. Communication on the part of the airline was a major issue. We got the information from the display screen or through the messages, but we needed someone to address our issues or coordinate with us.
At around 3 am, we were informed that the flight was cancelled. After the announcement was made, we were informed by the officials to collect our baggage and exit the airport so the airline could reschedule our tickets. In this process, some of the passengers lost their baggage. The airline’s counter outside was overcrowded with angry, tired passengers.
While we were at the airport, every 10 minutes, a flight was cancelled. Those with a roof to stay in Delhi left the airport, while others like us, who had nowhere to go, found getting inside the airport the only option. The airport was overcrowded, both inside and outside.
Passengers were furious, raising their voices and even chanting slogans against the airline. Some gathered around the airline’s counter and protested. But at the end, not much could anyone do.
At 3 am, Delhi was in the grip of severe cold and, not to forget, dense fog. The best solution we could think of at that time was to book the next available flight. The app we were using to book the flight showed us the availability of another Air India flight. But it was scheduled to depart from IGI Airport at 4:50 pm on Monday, 15 January.
We were so scared to book this flight again, but we had no option. We knew no one in Delhi. We came for an entrance exam, and the day it was finished, we checked out of our hotel. Booking a hotel was more costlier for us.
When we re-entered the airport, we tried to find seats for ourselves. We only wanted a place to sit and a charging point to charge our mobile phones to stay connected with family members. Some passengers were sleeping on the floor. At that moment, all we wanted was to return to our home.
Luck was on our side, finally. The flight on Monday was delayed, but it did take off, and we finally landed in my home city, Hyderabad, around 9 pm.
'Expected A Better Treatment At The Airport'
We were not provided any refreshments, food or accommodation at the Delhi airport. I understand that the delay happened because of the fog, but the sad part is the airlines did not take the responsibility to provide us with time-to-time updates.
If an official from the airline had been present on the ground and provided us with regular updates and arranged refreshments, then the situation would have been better. Some children were sleeping on the floors the whole night. Why did no one assume any responsibility?
Aviation Expert Take on This
As per the Director General Of Civil Aviation (DGCA) rules, in case of cancellation, the airlines shall either provide an alternate flight or compensation in addition to the full refund of the air ticket. Additionally, the airline shall offer meals and refreshments to the passengers who have already reported for their original flight at the airport while waiting for the alternate flight.
The aviation regulator has clarified that airlines are not obligated to compensate passengers if extraordinary circumstances cause the delay.
The Quint spoke to Jitendra Bhargava, a former executive director of Air India and an aviation expert, on this issue. Bhargava said, "The fog situation is extraordinary, and airlines are not entitled to compensate passengers. We must understand that if these delays affect passengers, they are also non-beneficial to the airline. Nothing can be done in these situations when the weather is so extreme."
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