Forum Replies Created
-
Posts
-
J1st Incident (chronologically the most recent)
Once I was traveling to Goa from Delhi.
Everything was fine, and we were staying in the lounge when I got a call from an airport staff member.
He told me to verify which bag was mine on the conveyor belt. I told him I could not be there on such short notice (gates were opening in eight minutes or so) and that Delhi Airport is huge.
So he decided to share an image of the bag and have me identify mine. [image he shared](https://imgur.com/a/is5rwLZ)
Everything looks normal, eh? Look closely at the top right of the blue bag. Even I didn’t notice the huge dent, and when we arrived at Goa airport, this is how I got my bag: [Broken bag](https://imgur.com/a/1lB4wWG)
We went to IndiGo’s counter, and the first thing they said was that they could compensate for ₹1500. After much negotiation, they increased it to ₹3000 after a “talk with a senior” employee.
The IndiGo employee present was really trying to be helpful. He took my side during his “talk with a senior” and was very considerate, which I don’t normally see from aviation service employees (bless that IndiGo person).
Then I checked the prices and alternative bag options at the airport (because I had items that would not necessarily be stored properly in a bag falling apart at three of its eight corners).
That’s when they told me that the ₹3000 would only be given if I had an invoice for the bag. I purchased this bag in Abu Dhabi from Lulu, and it was their private label. I don’t keep invoices for such purchases, and the price was not available online. We were back at ₹1500.
I suggested that don’t provide compensation but instead provide an alternative bag to carry my items properly and safely. And they did. They provided a brand-new safari bag of similar dimensions, which costs around ₹4000 on Amazon.in.
I am quite happy with the outcome. It was late, 2 a.m., and we were all very tired. We just wanted to get to our rental car and rest. So a win-win.
2nd Incident (before the 1st event)
We were traveling from Delhi to Chennai.
I was traveling with the same bag company as in the first incident, but with smaller dimensions (a cabin bag).
This time, the bag was missing its handles. Both handles were missing.
We went to the IndiGo counter again.
This time, the behavior was very rude. First, they denied that the damage was caused by them and that it was not their responsibility.
Too bad for them that I had images from before check-in with timestamps.
They said they could compensate for ₹1000. I said okay.
Unfortunately, this was the first time I had faced such an issue, and I didn’t know what to expect or do. Therefore, I made a mistake in trusting the IndiGo employees.
They wrote an email address on my plane ticket and told me to email them with all the details to get a refund. They said, “We have started the process on our system, and to continue, you need to send an email here.”
I thought this seemed legitimate and went on my way without further reference to the ticket or refund process. Nothing. Nada.
When I came to my senses and sent that email, I understood that I had been played because I got a reply that no such “ticket/process” had been initiated and they could not provide a refund. They also said that any refund process should either have a reference number or be settled on the same day of the complaint. (That is why, in the Goa case, I did not leave until a resolution was given.)
Conclusion:
I think, in such cases, the employee or person you are talking to matters more than the actual process or laws mandated in such scenarios. We are living in a lawless country, and screwing people over is the name of the game. Either change the players or change the playing field.
Though consumer courts seem reliable to me. Hold on to them, I guess; you have no other choice.
