Air India aims to excel in service and hospitality. Your feedback is welcome!

I awaited at the Jolly grant booking counter for the Air India Manger... 

Though I had my Web Check in, Boarding pass is yet issued at the counter. Few travellers struggled with internet speed at the Dehradun airport for their web check in or else pay 120 bucks extra for the currently useless Web check in to get the boarding pass.

 

At the Boarding pass counter, the young employee was not sure of Seaman documentation to check for issuing boarding tickets up till London, so he had called for his manager. 

The Manager himself was not sure, "Can you say you want to take a break at Delhi and get your onwards ticket to London from Delhi itself, you see I’m myself am unsure of Seaman documentation”? 

 

The old Boeing 737 - ATR 72 was a small noisy flight to Delhi. Thankfully I had my noise cantillation headphones! “We don’t serve anything due to Corona guidelines, water is near the Washrooms, for self-service”. 

 

I walked out of the ground floor departure to 2^nd floor arrival at Delhi airport. “The boarding pass counter will open at 10 PM”. It was 9 PM, so I walked around the length, settled in a corner chair for my home-made aloo-ka-paratha with aam ka aachar.

   

Quarter to 10 PM, I was back at the Boarding pass counter. “Air India has opened four separate counters for seaman” the counter guy indicated me on the other side. 

I passed my documents to the young lady only to discover soon enough - the winner of the crown for - the least qualified person on their job at hand. 

The conversation ensued:

“This is an I-Form, show me yours?” she said displaying her mobile. 

“Well, I’ve a e(lectronic)-migrate” I said.

“That is no-good” she responded. “I’ll have to deboard you” 

“Well! Let me talk to your supervisor” I insisted!

Another lady appeared in a grey coat with soon to be discovered - her highness of ignorance in customer service.

“jara batana” she asked her other colleague. 

Well! a bunch of untrained staff manning the Boarding pass counter. 

Nether curious nor polite in their ignorance though, I suspect lack of trainning!

With such a ground team, seems that the Maharaja is counting its days! That would be yet another travesty for a glorious public sector enterpeise.

 

Finally, the young girl sent a staff guy to accompany me to the immigration officer. “Its alright” told the officer.

 

Even after immigration approval it took another half an hour for the young lady and the grey coats to discuss and handover me my ticket. 

Mostly the counter team gathers all the document, take pictures on their mobile and send it across and wait back for someone’s approval at the other end. 

It took them an hour and a quarter just for the boarding pass. Though the young counter team was struggling with obvious training shortcomings, but at least they were trying.

  

A couple of years back seaman received a LOI (Letter of Invitation) from the foreign hiring agency, another (LOG) letter of Guarantee to meet all the travel, lodging and food. Also, a OKTB (Okey To Board) letter from the agency. Lately the UK agencies are including all details in one - Letter of Guarantee.

 

Few Immigration officers are old school, not much bothered on the content but only the heading. The immigration office walked up with my document to the Supervisor and came back with the approval, took him a 5 minutes’ walk and I was through.

 

The SMS beeped - Fight delayed by 40 minutes; so I had some more time at WH Smith store. 

A couple of years back it was all books, magazines and newspaper store. Today the books were relegated to one side and the store was filled with souvenirs and travel accessories. Well, a paperless future seems awaiting!

 

The airport store keepers lately are taking the initative of coming out of there store and crying out there wares, offers and deals like street vendors,"buy international sim, buy on offer..".

Considering the spent sponginess on its seats, Boeing 787 AI 161 long-haul fight is rather old bird, yet the good thing was the ample leg space. 

I got into my aisle seat and slept over..

“We are pleased to announce 40 minutes before time arrival at London Heathrow airport” Well! I slept for 7 out of the 8 and a half hours flight.

 

“Air India aims to excel in service and hospitality. Your feedback is welcome!” Well! this announcement at that moment gave me a thought – to pen down later.

 

Next was a long bus drive from terminal 2 landing to terminal 4 red zone arrivals. A long que awaited at the immigration. 

It took 35 minutes to reach the immigration counter and two minutes pass by. The Sardarji at the back-end table handed me the quarantine exempt slip.

The agent driver held my name ply card and was happy to meet me. 

He had relaised in the last minute that the passangers landing in Terminal 2 were being evicted from Terminal 4 and had tto rush to fetch me in time. The baggage arrival had further delayed our airport exit be aroiund 30 minutes. 

What followed was a 4-and-a-half-hour drive to Hull, stopping by at two highway side shopping arcades.

 

First for ATM withdrawal and a O2 sim (45GB for 4 weeks at 15 pounds) and a cup of  cappuccino.

Called O2 customer care, and the response came from Mumbai who soon was sales pitching, "You listen to music: get O2 earbuds, home delivered"!

 

Son after I got a stiff sour neck – bad sleeping head posture!

While boarding, it was too hot in the cabin, hence,  I dropped my neck pillow below the front seat and used it as foot rest instead. 

Good that I had 'moov, spray in my travel bag. Though I sprayed on my neck out of the car yet the strong smell prolonged. I wrapped my latest Superdry airport sale purchase hoodie shirt round my neck. 

The neck was fine about time we reached Hull.

 

The Kingston Theatre hotel was a world-renowned fashion house in the centre of Hull during WW1. 

Esteemed court dressmaker Madame Clapham invested her savings to purchase No 1 Kingston Square, before later purchasing the two neighbouring buildings after her dressmaking business flourished.

 

Madame Clapham’s fashion house became one of the most sought-after salons of the era, in demand until after World War II. 

Rather fitting for the popular and elegant, if slightly dated, establishment operating there today.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Final thought: Travel not to escape life, but for life not to escape you! 

 

The survey mobilization!

A scribble of arduous mobilization of the survey vessel and two survey boat.

We had to demobilize all routed cables from earlier setup prior to commencing the vessel mobilization, as the location of survey container was changed from fwd. to aft of the deck. 

The survey equipment was spread all over the vessel from bridge to below deck.

There was no inclusive equipment list or handover note to refer to.

All computers and equipment secured in the survey container were badly moisture and dust ridden, to the effect that most of the systems didn’t boot up. 

All computers had been opened for maintenance and cleaning of PCBs and RAM to start up the system. 

The wire ropes onboard are strained and worn off; we had an incident of wire rope snapping off the multibeam pole. Few systems were found without required accessories.

Given that in the initial team of seven personnel, with only one engineer, and few in mobilization team who didn’t even had an orientation of various equipment and mobilization of the survey spread as considerable as this one, it was quite a task at hand. 

As the required crew and equipment subsequently started coming, with enthusiastic team work, and in efficient consultation with base engineers, issues were resolved. 

We carried out boat calibration and survey along with vessel mobilization, which involved working long hours after completion of the boat survey for the day.

Over it the vessel was grounded on the maiden day of survey. 

With considerable effort we were able to manage safe recovery all grounded survey sensors, now we face inclement weather, for testing and remobilization of the multibeam sensor pole at sea, final verification of which will be made after calibration. 

It was again a good team work. When time permits we plan to have orientation of the survey team to POS MV and other systems. 

It had been a hectic time onboard and in view of my current engagement with reset up of multibeam system.

So we have our hands full!

Travel to India amidst the Covid 19 wave II!

I traveled to Doha, Qatar in the month of February 2021, in relatively calm. Onboard life and work is as usual except that there are sanitizers in most compartments.

While my social media was abuzz since mid-March 2021 with grim Covid hospital, graveyards and funeral scenes in India... it took a while for the international media to take notice and flash minute highlight news.

Soon enough though India Covid crisis garnered huge media attention and air time, Whatever that was beamed was unpleasant... Corona 2^nd wave ransacking metros, Tire II, III cities and extending to countryside too. Hospitals were overwhelmed with Covid cases and running desperate on Oxygen supply.

In middle of it was my scheduled travel back to India from Doha, Qatar.

A day after swab test I got a late evening 10:30 flight from Doha. I registered my travel on airsuvidha.com and smartcitydehradun.gov.in

From the port township of Ras Al Khaimah it was a good two hours’ drive to Hamid International airport with huge upcoming FIFA 2022 football stadiums along the way.

A hour at airport lobby before getting entry to the departure at 7:30 pm.

The immigration lady officer spoke English with an Arabic ascent. I yet thought it was Arabic till I released she was asking me to step on the shoe marking on the floor for a iris scan, "open eyes wide" she said grumpily.

After a tenure at sea, the airport shopping arena is a refreshment. I took a round of the shops – No sale! Finally, I walked in the duty free – No liquor! 

The salesman on asking pointed towards the long black curtains at the store end “Liquor racks behind curtains”.

Its usual for me to not bother of the brand of liquor, neither do I check the price first unless it is exponentially high. 

What I look for instead is the complementary wine glass, beer mug or any drink accessory that often is on offer, though not free bags (Indian international airports which run aplenty with free bags offers).

The Qatar duty had no complementary offer on liquor, or that’s what the sales girl told me. 

Well! Turns out, she's not looking hard enough! I found tea cups on the Scottish Hendricks Gin. Though I've no idea or taste for Gin, picked up two!

Indigo is a no frill lean carrier. With (as in the past) kingfisher and Jet airways, travelers were guest, but no-frills cattle cart carry only passengers. The meals are paid.

Inflight I don't take meals, collect souvenirs instead. Small metal boxes - roasted almonds or salted cashew nut case, this time a Murukku box. 

For drink I prefer tea or cappuccino and usually carry along a pack of biscuits. Its so much more pleasure to biscuits dipped in a coffee at an altitude.

Striding smilingly through the aisle, the air hostesses took all effort to make passengers at ease serving bottled water, meals and brewages without slight Covid inhibition. 

Awesome!

After my drink (cappuccino), and high on hydration; I walked to the rear toilet and found the last few rows vacant. 

Well! didn’t return to my seat, instead laid sleep on the last row vacant seats until the announcement went on the PA, “this is the captain, we’re ready to land at Delhi Indira Gandhi international airport”.

A nice flight, yet nothing compared to my Jet experience with gold membership offering most of the time an upgrade to Business class.

The passengers were told to get off two rows at a time and the passengers adhered. There is otherwise an international tendency among many passengers to shoot out. Not this time though!

Morning at 5, the calmness at dawn was yet to be broken by the morning hassle. 

Mandatory RT-PCR test for 800 Rs were being conducted at the airport. 

If one wished a sofa and swab collection to come to you, cough up 500 bucks more. All sofas were vacant.

I received my stamped paper and moved on to the sample collection chair. The swab collection medical staff looked relaxed; young girls and boys, likely medical students.

A CISF Jawan checked the swab collected stamp on the paper and guided towards immigration. Everyone was up to their duties with reasonable enthuse, without hesitation or apprehension.

With no rush at the immigration, in 10 minutes I was at the Duty-free shopping arcade. 

The sales staff approached, citing the various offers. Ducking any unnecessary interaction, I moved straight to the luggage belt.

Encountering pleasant people on their job admits the media paranoia of Covid in India, might have freaked me out. Obviously, I lately was watching too much of Indian news!

Near Exit at customs there was a que for luggage scan. 

As it was my turn, a custom officer approached, asked for my passport and guided me to by-pass the scanning machine. 

Even with Covid lurking in the air over Indian prominent cities (or that's the clamor), staff is interacting and being nice.

Outside Terminal 3 was the pleasant sight of a clear sun rise. It made me pause for a minute and watch the sun emerging at the horizon. 

The taxi drivers were soliciting customers while I had been disconcerted if there would be any cab even available, considering that Corona arrived in India through airport itself.

While airport staff was turning up for their 6 O’clock shift, I walked to the adjoining terminal 2 for my connecting domestic flight to Dehradun. Everyone wore mask, some even below their nose… with no rush!

I placed my two bottles in the already stuffed check in bag. 

There was a que at the drop baggage counter. People spared a little more space than usual and that was it!

Terminal 2 is a small domestic junction with few shops and eateries. Families were having food as usual. 

Up till arrival in India, I donned a surgical mask, but now I refrained from any activity that involved withdrawing my N95 mask. 

Most people though had only surgical or other fancy mask, quite a few even had double mask and one gentleman was in full surgical suit.

As all people were masked, for a change, there was lot less noise. Indians otherwise seldom are a silent lot.

Like most places, airport seats alternatively were marked to be kept vacant. I took a corner seat. 

With  time at hand (3 hours), I settled with various copies of free airport dailies.

Seems there are fewer flights taking off so the seats occupancy is yet high. 

On my Dehradun flight I had all three seats in my row to myself. 

As soon as the Airbus A320 was airborne, it announced, “we’re preparing for landing at Dehradun, Thanks for choosing Indigo”.

At Doon airport police personnel handed forms, asking to register on smartcitydehradun.gov.in. 

The compiled form on one’s travel and contact details was collected at a makeshift tent counter outside the departure exit.

The cab drivers helped everyone with the forms and online registration hoping to find booking while I had been disconcerted if there would be any cab even available for a longer haul.

I took the trolley to the airport gate where my lady was awaiting with her car.

The new toll road is awesome. The earlier 2-and-a-half-hour drive is now cut short by more than an hour. At the toll booth, vehicles honked as the Fastag scanning system wasn't working. 

Apart from the old excuses, the new in currency now is 'Internet down'. One get to increasingly hear of it at ATMs on weekends and public offices on weekdays among others.

My driver vouches for Reliance petrol, so a top up the car tank at Reliance petrol station on the way. Its a usual rush at the petrol pump!

As always, it’s nice to return home. Indians are a resilient lot with great fortitude.

Media is reporting the truth on ground in and outside of the Covid hospitals. Its a relentless pursuit! 

But we must consider that media itself survive on eyeballs. To garner eyeballs, likely most media houses believe, unless it’s presented as sensational, there won’t be enough audience (or TRPs). 

Hence as a friend, I happen to believe that I must share my experience. 

All said and done, the fact that condition in most Covid hospitals is dire, cannot be discounted. 

These are difficult times and fate can turn cruel anytime. We lost a lot many good people to this epidemic wave. There is deep concern, agony and anguish!

Yet the only thing negative, must we try best to keep is Covid! Apart from it keep safe, stay agile and be positive!

 

 

This scribble is in appreciation of the many people who close up on their watch, stand their ground with diligence and cheer while at this point almost every Indian have / had someone near or dear fighting against all odds to make it till next morning alive.

Feel free to share your experiences, thoughts, insights and comments! 

Lets get through it together.