I had booked a flight for my parents on the 2nd of February. The PNR number for the same is OLJSRP. The travel date being 8th of March from Mumbai to Guwahati non-stop on Kingfisher Airlines. The return was supposed to be on the 21st of February, again on Kingfisher Airlines. Mumbai - Guwahati is a long sector and I purposely booked my parents on Kingfisher airlines because I wanted them to travel comfortably on "India's only 5 star airlines". I have paid the full amount for the tickets at least 9 weeks prior to the travel date.
On the 7th of March, at 21:15 hours, 12 hours before the flight departure, I got a call from Kingfisher informing me that they are not operating Kingfisher full service on this sector and my parents will have to take Kingfisher Red. My grievances are as follows:
On what basis can they call me about 12 hours before a flight departure and inform me of the change. I booked the tickets 9 weeks prior and they all wake up 12 hours before the flight. Absolutely ridiculous.
This is even more shocking because they were aware of this change at least 2-3 weeks ago because I knew that they had started Kingfisher Red on this sector. Inspite of this I get a call barely 12 hours before the flight. Kuldeepak Singh, the team coach at the call centre, acknowledged this fact that they were aware of this change at least 3 weeks prior.
Thirdly, they need to confirm with the passengers whether they are ok with this change. If they are not ok with the change, IT IS THEIR DUTY to give them alternate options like flying them on another full service provider like Jet Airways or on connecting full service flights. Their call centre executive just called me to "inform me of the change". That is not how we deserve to be treated especially when we have paid the full amount and way in advance.
Fourthly, when I have paid a huge amount for a full service flight like Kingfisher, how can they call up and ask us to take a low cost airline like Kingfisher Red erstwhile Air Deccan? There is no reclining seats there, no entertainment system on board and no meals on a 2.5 hour flight.
After having an arguement with the call centre team coach Mr. Kuldeepak Singh, I managed to get the flights changed to Kingfisher full service but with the following problems:
A. Instead of taking a flight at a comfortable time of 10:45 am, my parents have to get up at 4 in the morning to take a 6:20 am flight.
B. This is not a direct flight and there will be a two hour halt in Kolkata to catch the connecting flight.
C. On the return journey, there is a 3 hour halt in Kolkata and they reach Mumbai at 11 in the night instead of earlier time of 5pm.
D. Moreover the two and a half hour flight now becomes a five and a half hour and six and a half hour flight respectively.
The whole purpose of booking the flight with Kingfisher was to have a comfortable journey on this long sector for my parents. Now where does this stupid change of theirs leave my parents? Kingfisher has caused immense mental agony to me and my parents. Moreover, the flights will be physically tiring for both of them both ways.
I have sent 5 emails to Kingfisher since then on 8th April, 9th April, 13th April, 17th April and 21st April. THEY DON'T EVEN HAVE THE DECENCY TO REPLY TO THESE EMAILS ONCE.
Kingfisher has really tested my patience and I am really angry with the callousness with which they are handling this. I want to take this matter up seriously and serve them a legal notice. Can someone help me on how to go about doing the same?
Kunal Patni
9820456576
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