Expect the unexpected in my Journey: Drama Part 2

The drama

I myself considers to be very punctual n in fact i am. This morning is no exception. My flight is scheduled at half past noon. I reached the Airport by just seven past in the morning. This leaves me enough time leisure time while I wait the flight. As usual, i looked at the flight display information. I found that my flight information is no where to be seen. I went to an information desk and asked about it.
To my shock and surprise, the flight early morning at half past two. I searched for official of the airline but no one could be traceable. So the drama unfurled and I wrote this end at the end of day.

Dear Make My trip

I would like to bring to your attention on the following two broad headings.

Sub: Reschedule of the flight

I booked a round trip flight from Mumbai-Narita and Narita Mumbai bearing Booking ID: NN2301010373878 dated Fri 13 Feb 2015.  The fight details were

Fri 13 November 2015 from Mumbai to Narita departure scheduled at 12:25hrs. Accordingly, I reserved a taxi and train to travel from Pune to Mumbai to catch the fight. I arrived in Mumbai Airport at around 7:00AM early morning.

I looked at the diplay board and waited the flight information to be displayed. But it never got displayed and I inquired about the flight through one of the information desk at the Airport. To my utter shock and surprise, I was informed that the said flight departed early in the morning at around 2:30hrs.

I finally had to reschedule the flight and had to pay Rs. 12939 (Twelve Thousand Nine hundred and thirty nine only) as no show penalty and to reschedule charge.

IN this regard, I must inform you that the Rs. 12939 may be reimbursed as soon as possible as I have never been communicated on the reschedule (change in time of the departure) by your good office in any form (Telephone, SMS or Emai or otherwise) nor by the Airline. Therefore, I take no responsibility to bear the extra payment I made except I paid to just to depart at the earliest as this trip has been planned since January and I purchased the ticket by February. This message has been communicated to your staff through out the day very clearly and explicitly again and again and they also informed that if I am not at fault, the payment would be reimbursed. Therefore, your good office is kindly requested to immediately reimburse the amount and may fix the accountability as deemed fit.

Daylong harassment and mental torture

I must also bring in detail how I managed to get my flight itinerary.

As soon  as I realized that the flight has left, I called your call center (1-800-102-8747) to inform about the flight departure and seeking your office help to get me onto another flight.

First call receiver asked me to meet any Malaysian Airline staff in the Airport to discuss the matter agreeing that I was not served any notice or informed of the change and even he is unaware of the reschedule. Actually, I know that is not my responsibility to contact the Airline because I did not buy the ticket from Airline and Airline is only a third party. But as a matter of courtesy, I did try to contact the Airline but I was informed that since there was no other flight in the day, no staff of the said Airline would be available in the Airport.

I then made the second attempt to make call to your center and this time, it was picked by another male staff. He told me that, since its early morning and Airline office not yet open, I need to wait and in the mean time,  he will contact the Airline as soon as it is open and will get back to me. I waited almost till 11:00hrs. But he never contacted me.

I had to then make the third  call, I was greeted by female staff Named Neha. I had narrate everything from beginning to end, what happened. She kept me on hold for about an hour and told me that if I want to travel, I have pay little more than Rs. 20000 (Twenty Thousand) as a penalty for no  show and cancellation. To which I refused to pay first convincing her that I was not my fault as I was never informed of the change. She told me that it would be reimbursed if I am found not be liable and that is the only way she can reschedule my flight. I agreed to pay and asked her extension No. which she gave was 2484. Since, my  account did not have  that much money, asked my spouse to pay through her credit card.

Then I called your staff again to get connected to Ms. Neha. But I could never communicate to here thereafter. The call was received by staff Benjamin Ra and he tried to connect me with Neha but even after half an hour I could not get through. He then agreed to help me. I had to again tell every bit of the same  story to him. He kept me on hold for about 2 hours in total, spoke to his superior and Airline. He informed that I had pay the penalty just now as the case has not been verified. This, the amount was Rs. 12939. I tried but could complete the payment due to some technicalities. I told him to wait for some more time and he agreed.

After sometime, I managed to pay the amount Rs. 12939. By that time, I was past three in the afternoon. Since, I could pay the amount, I tried to contact him again but  the call was received by another male staff, so arrogant and disrespectful. I asked him to connect me to Mr. Benjamin since Mr. Benjamin has instructed me to pay the amount by sending me the payment link, the call receiver denied knowing anything about Benjamin and asked me to explain again. I explained everything to him and he kept me almost 20minutes on hold and demands that if I wish to travel, I must pay Rs.4501 or else go home. I pleaded with him and explained to him about the situation and payment advice I received from Mr. Benjamim. This caller made fun of me, talked to me the manner I don’t deserve as he talking as if I m his friend and we playing some game and transferred me to a new booking department and I had again explain everything from beginning, then he told that I was not in his area and refused any further conversation.

Thereafter, I tried to make to contact Mr. Benjamin but could not get through for about half and hour on waiting. By then it was almost 16hrs afternoon. I did not eat lunch not even got a chance to drink a cup of coffee was I was trying to get my issue addressed from early morning. With no further hope and continued harrasement I was searching to file a FIR with the police on this matter and also Tourism Department,  Mr. Banjamin called me and I reported to him about additional payment of Rs.4501 to which he said he has idea as I have made the full payment. If earlier caller did not laugh and joke at me, I would have paid the additional amount also.

Finally, Mr. Banjamin toward late evening informed me that the new ticket has be confirmed and upon the verification of the case, the penalty I paid would be reimbursed as early as possible.

In this regard, I would sincerely thank Mr. Benjamin Ra for his support to make my travel possible finally.

In this chain of events, I would like to inform your good office that I was literally harassed throughout the day  as each time I call, the call was  received by different person and had to explain again and again with almost no result except Mr. Benjamin’s effort. I felt emotionally black mailed by your office to demanding me to pay the penalty or else my trip will not be possible and felt cheated some of staff who tried to ask me to pay so much amount when I was in  such a desperate situation.

I thought that your good office good values and care for customer but now I completed regretted booking through your office and will never in my life time and my family’s lifetime would book any fight or transport of hotels as I have learned a lesson how bad many of your staff are in dealing with customers when we are really in need of your help.

It has been the worst kind of travel arrangement and dealing with such kind of staff in my life and I still feel hurt and mentally tortured the way your office did this to me.

Finally, I would once again reiterate that neither your office nor the airline as ever notified me of the change in departure. And for me, as a travel agent  to whom I bestowed my trust and booked my ticket, you are liable reimburse the penalty I paid today as I  am not at all defaulter and also I paid for your services and it is your duty to inform me of any such changes as it involves lot of effort and expenses for as individual.

Yours Sincerely