A large number of passengers who had booked to fly from Dubai to Mumbai on Friday, December 15 had a harrowing experience. The flight AI 984 was scheduled to depart from Dubai at 23.40 hours local time. It was then rescheduled to 23.59 hrs.
It was further rescheduled to leave at 01.15 hrs the following day. Even as the passengers were patiently waiting for the flight to take off, Air India again rescheduled the flight to 02.30 hours.
Flight rescheduled multiple times
One of the passengers, Ajay Gopalakrishnan, said he received an SMS informing him that the latest departure time will be 03.30 hrs. The flight, however, did not take off even at 03.30 hrs.
``What is worse is that the AI staff at the airport themselves had no clue as to when the flight will take off," he told FPJ recently. ``It was a nightmarish experience for me and other passengers. We were in the dark throughout the night," he added. It was then announced that the flight would take off at 4.30 hrs.
Several passengers forced to cancel flights
Many passengers, including Mr Ajay Gopalakrishnan, were totally fed up, cancelled the flight and travelled by an Indigo flight which left Dubai at 5.00 hrs.
``I regret having travelled Air India. I had booked my ticket to attend a religious function in Mumbai and could not attend it because of the repeated postponement of my AI flight.
'AI staff at Dubai airport clueless'
Moreover, AI staff at Dubai airport themselves appeared to be clueless about the flight," he added. ``I have demanded full refund of the ticket cost which the staff at Dubai had agreed. However, I am yet to get my money back. In fact, I should also be reimbursed for the mental agony caused to me," he observed. Air India spokesperson did not respond to queries from FPJ.
