The Ajanta Experience

I had a breath taking experience with Air India this time, while I was returning back to The US, after my 3 week vacation in India !
What a vacation I had !!! Lots of sweet memories about my marriage, reception ceremony !!!
My return flight was from Ahmedabad to Newark on AI-191 for date 9th Dec'07. As everybody knows, Air India has a reputation for regularly late flights. But I was in for a big surprise. The flight was scheduled to depart ON TIME ! Wow ! Is this a new Air India ? I was wondering.
This time I had an additional baggage piece, so I went to AI counter to pay $123 for the same. I gave them my VISA card, but they asked me for a cash ! I said, I don't have cash with me so please charge my card. They replied, that there was no person on duty who knew how to charge a card !!! I was shocked. What the hell ! Nobody in Ahmedabad Airport knew how to make a charge on card ? I argued with them, but it was pointless. I had to go out and ask my dad for the INR for the same.
As stated, the flight indeed took off at the right time: 3:50 am. I was in a bit sentimental mood, as the flight took off. As soon as it took off, the plane descended too much. Normally the plane does descend a bit to gain speed during the takeoff. I thought it was normal and i was afraid unnecessarily. But when i looked at the scared face of the air hostess, I knew something went wrong. Luckily, the captain controlled well thereafter and the flight was on its way to Mumbai !
We reached there at 5am. Once on the terminal, it was announced that the flight has developed some serious technical issues and that it will be delayed by 3 hours. We took off from Mumbai at 10:30am for Paris/Newark. After we travelled for about 3 hours, the captain made an announcement that the flight has developed some serious technical issues and that it was in everybody's safety interest that the flight be turned back to mumbai. We all got tensed hearing this. The flight then made a U turn for mumbai. The in flight tv screen showed that the flight was returning to mumbai on the shortest path, in a straight line. This indicated that they have asked for emergency air space clearance. The plane started catching up speed and started dumping fuel. It was a scary sight. For the first time in real life i saw mid air fuel dumping. Almost all passengers were praying for the safety of the flight. and thankfully the prayers were heard. We landed back in mumbai at 3 pm. We heaved a sigh of relief. Once landed, the captain made an announcement that, lunch will be offered in the plane, and by that time other arrangements will be made. After lunch we were out of the plane at 4: 30pm. The first thing we wanted to do is to call back home and let our family members know about this. Can you imagine, only 2 local phones and 1 std/isd phone were working !!! So there was a huge queue for this.... After this they took us to Hotel Ajanta at Juhu. People were really pissed off because the ride from airport to the hotel took 1 hour !!! It was gruelling us !!! We were told that the new flight will be taking off at midnight 1:30 am. It was not so good hotel. Not even 1 star !!! But all that matters looked small as compared to our in flight scary experience. We had but a nice dinner at 8:30pm and I went off for a nap till 2am. At 2 am the airport bus came in and it was announced that flight was about to take off at 5am.
Thankfully, it was a new plane. It was a 'Agra' and not 'Ajanta'. From then on, it was all in all an OK flight experience till Newark. This time too, Air India kept its name for late arrival. The flight was late by 40 mins. from its scheduled landing time, and 22 hours late in total !!!

I thank God, I am still fit and fine and alive !
But one thing is for sure, this will be my LAST trip by AIR INDIA.
I dont say that such incidences do not happen for other airlines. But the way the issues were handled post-incident, I swear NEVER EVER AGAIN by air india.
I purchased Air India ticket since i got it for a $1000, $300 less than other airlines. But the $300 additional expense is worth for other airlines. I now agree. Air India is the worst.
Even the food was pathetic this time round. Extremely oily food. My throat is all infected still !!!

You can travel by Air India if you :

1. do not have value for time and like being late in your commitments.
2. like pathetic oily food.
3. like continous crying of children, irresponsible parents of these children. It seems that NRI parents of these children like to boast of how mischievous our children can be.. as if there was a competition for this too......!!!
4. like disobeying the flight safety orders. Yes thats what all AI passengers do. if the captain says fasten up your seat belt for landing, passengers will be moving around for water, tea and free wafers...... its not that the announcement was only in English. Hindi announcements were made too. !!!!
5. do not have common sense, simple manners, honesty and modesty.

As for me, I will pay any amount for other airlines, but wont travel by Air India again, even if they offer me a free ticket !!!!!