This is an old and hilarious experience with Air India – in the pre Covid19 days.
I used to travel frequently from Mumbai to Delhi as part of my supervision of the work done by C-TARA Fellows placed with UNICEF and other Ministries. C-TARA or the Centre for Technology Alternatives for Rural Areas is an independent academic Centre at IIT Bombay where I had joined as a full-time Professor after my retirement from the Cabinet Secretariat as Secretary (Will narrate that story some other time. 😊)
It was one such evening when I was going to Delhi. While walking towards the Boarding Gate a couple of pilots were also walking alongside and conversing in Marathi. One of them mentioned that he too was going to Delhi but by the earlier flight. From there he was flying to Tokyo. “This flight is bit delayed” he told the other pilot, “Tuzi pan delayed hoil. Tee madhli XX (name withheld) flight delayed aahe na, mhanun.” (yours will get delayed too, as the private airlines flight leaving before it is delayed as well.) I looked at him and smiled. He realized that I understood Marathi well and hurriedly stopped the conversation. Those days on every profitable route, a private airline used to get a slot just prior to an Air India flight and if that fight got delayed, the Air India flight also used to get delayed almost invariably. Those drawing their salary from the tax paid by the public were doing essentially what can be called called ‘Namakharami’. Looking back now, it is a small consolation that it was at least not done brazenly!
Be that as it may, I went to my boarding gate. The flight departure display board still did not reflect any delay. I casually asked the staff at the counter about the approximate delay. He looked at me with some surprise and said that there was no delay to his knowledge. I smiled and said that it should get delayed since the delay in departure of the private airlines flight had just been announced. He looked offended and assured me rather curtly that there was no such delay. I smiled and then went and sat on a chair near the mobile charging station.
A little later that staff came to me and apologetically informed that the flight was indeed delayed. “No issues”, I said “Not your fault. You know how it happens.”
After we boarded the flight, a further delay in departure was announced due to some congestion. Some passengers started inquiring from the air hostess if they will be able to catch the Delhi Tokyo connection at this rate. As usual, sympathetic words were uttered but no clear information. The passengers started getting restive. It turned out that there were about 15 passengers who were scheduled to take the Delhi Tokyo flight.
I usually mind my own business. But given the restiveness of the passengers and having heard the conversation between two pilots earlier, I drew the attention of one of the cabin crew. I suggested to her to get from Delhi the information about the expected departure time of the Tokyo flight that was also likely to be delayed. She was polite and told me that she will check with the caption as to what can be done. But no action followed. Few of the passengers got more restive and even hyper. Heated argumentation followed. One of them demanded that he be allowed to disembark if he is going to miss the Tokyo flight.
I decided to do some ‘good Samaritan’ job and sent a message to one senior Ops executive of Air India whom I knew in the context of my work. I had been helpful to Air India in certain context and this officer had attended a few meetings in the Cabinet Secretariat when I was Secretary Coordination. But now I had retired form the service and there was no guarantee that he would entertain my suggestion. Still, in my brief message I explained the issue and suggested that the Tokyo flight status be checked and communicated, so that the passengers can take a call on their onward journey. I added that this will do lot of good to Air India’s image given the number of passengers involved. I also clarified that I was not going to Tokyo and had no stake in this matter. But he may take a call whether to intervene.
It is always prudent to make a call after sending such message lest slips happen between the cup and the lip. So, I called him up after five minutes. Luckily, he had read my message and had acted quickly. “Sir, the passengers need not worry. They will get the connecting flight. We can even hold on for a while more as that delay can be made up in the long flight. I have just sent you a message.” That was prompt indeed. I thanked him and suggested that Bombay, more importantly, the Pilot be informed so that they can inform the passengers. It will be odd for me to do that.
Tempers were getting more frayed in the flight in the meantime. I again drew the attention of one air hostess and told her about the message I had received about the connecting flight and suggested that this be informed. She predictably called her supervisor, who saw the message. Regular doubts followed. Who was the person sending this message? Who was I? What was my interest in this? How can they know this was an official information? The list was long. But she agreed to inform the captain.
My fellow passenger was curious by now. “Aap Indian Airlines me hain?” I replied in the negative. Do I work in the Civil Aviation Ministry? “No, I don’t.” He was further puzzled when I told him that I teach at IIT Bombay. He seemed unconvinced. In the meantime, the supervisor came back and informed me that the Captain has expressed his inability to make any announcement about the connecting flight which has not come through the ‘proper’ channel!
I called this senior Ops executive (May God bless him!) once again and patiently told him about the situation. I emphasized that I had no personal stake in this case. It was more about the image of Air India. It will help if the Captain is formally intimated and so an….
My fellow passenger, was more worldly wise. He went to this screaming girl student and told her that she should not waste her time arguing with the cabin crew, but talk to me. “Wo Uncle kara denge. Who kisise baat kar rahe hain connecting flight ko hold karwaane ke.” (That ‘Uncle’ can get it done. He was talking to someone higher up to get the connecting flight delayed.)
Pronto! The girl reached me. “Uncle”, she demanded, “are you getting the connecting flight delayed? Otherwise, I am getting off the plane.” I explained to her that I was only trying to see if I can help the situation. I had no formal authority. But there was a credible message that the Tokyo bound passengers will be able to catch their flight. However, a formal announcement needs to come from the AI staff or the Captain.
As luck would have it, the Captain perhaps got his ‘formal’ communication. There was an assuring announcement that the flight was ready for departure. Tokyo bound passengers were assured that they will be able to catch the connecting flight. The commotion subsided and the crew got busy with their preparations for the departure.
An interesting twist came to the story at this juncture. The flight supervisor sheepishly approached me, thanked me for my intervention and then said, “Sir there was one request.” What could it be I wondered. “There are eight Hongkong bound passengers on this flight as well.”
“So?” I could not get the context. She patiently asked, “Can you get the Hongkong flight delayed as well, Sir?”
I was speechless! My co-passenger smiled sympathetically…… 😊