subject: Air India Journey Experience [print this page] After checking my luggage on the flight AI 131, I was now waiting patiently for the next 4 hours to pass. I was impressed that we left on a plane on time! At 12:25, all the passengers were, and I was impressed! Things seemed to be working, and I was looking forward to the excitement I experienced at the time of take-off on every flight I take!
However, the aircraft doors were not closed. 30 minutes passed, and soon had a group (about 8) of the people at the bottom of the stairs, talking loudly into their walky-talkies. An hour passed and we heard some sounds blows. This is when the captain informed us that our track was closed and the other was shorter track requires luggage that are unloaded from the aircraft can fly. 90 minutes were up, the bumps were gone, the doors were open and people were upset. 2 hours and a woman began to scream - asking to be unloaded from the aircraft could get lighter (pretty ridiculous, but the frustration is that people behave) and could take the flight the next day!
Finally, the pilot announced that he had no idea most of the time and that the aircraft had been allowed to use the clue that your choice! He said we were going to take off soon - which proved to be a wait of 30 minutes. Therefore, my AI flight AI 131 scheduled to launch from the list of materials around 12:25 last taxi-ing at 15:00. Now, it was clear to me that my Lufthansa flight LH 4743 provided for the departure from London Heathrow Airport at 19:05 was beyond my reach. My experience with Lufthansa told me that just are final, and with so many things wrong now, could only rely on them to arrive on time.
As expected, my flight landed in London a pain 10 minutes after my connection to Frankfurt Lufthansa took off. Upon landing in London, I was asked to visit the air customer service center in India LHR to "F" Zone. An Indian must have a UK VISA to approve this item. Of course, not learned this and many more things I walked to the counter of Air India Flight "henceforth" section. After waiting there for about 20 minutes (for the representative of AI) to finish processing the traveling companion of the list of materials in my situation, when my turn came, I clear my preference for traveling to FRA on the next flight available . Instead I got a place on the Lufthansa flight the next morning along with a voucher for accommodation during the night!
It was 21:30 (02: 30 GMT) hours in Heathrow right now, and not even occur to them that someone who has been awake for 22 hours is not able to catch an early flight the next day! I had to meet.
I was given a special transit visa applies for 1 day. By the time I managed to clear immigration and get to the hotel was 23:00. I had already been awake for more than 24 hours and was at the end of my wits!
The hotel(Ibis) in LHR not allow me to make international calls. They said it bluntly - "Use the phone, Sir - Air India does not pay for your calls of international passengers." Wow, this is supposed to be right of passengers on international voyages!
I put an alarm on my cell phone, use the alarm in the morning and slept with an alert level just to ensure I do not miss my flight in the morning.
Reached time Heathrow in time to catch the Lufthansa connection to FRA. The lady at the check confirmed that my luggage was at LHR and to be forwarded to my flight. Lufthansa As usual, the flight flew well on time (well, a delay of 10 minutes worth of view is to ignore the events of the day). I came to Frankfurt to find that my luggage has not arrived. I was still in Heathrow.
I was not only less baggage, but also late for my day series of meetings. However, Air India that was responsible for the delay of a day refused to offer a shuttle service and airport transfer to take me to my work quickly.
I have plans to request compensation for the lost day's work. For all the complaints and phone calls does not pay. Only time will tell.
