AIR INDIA CANCELLED MY FLIGHT!

Hiya

I think this is completely unnaceptable - I'm not sure exactly how you stand legally, but aside from that for a moment and whilst you try to arrange another flight etc.

I urge you to write a letter of complaint about this and keep at them to refund you the extra cost of the flight you've had to re-book with. See if you can keep any records proving what's happened so far and include them in your letter(s) to them

I'm Indian myself, and flew Air India and yer not gonna catch me another flight again if I can possibly help it ! - saying that though, they do provide amongst the cheapest flights between their routes and I know how the difference of just £30 or so for another carrier isn't always affordable by people who may be on a budget etc.

I've not heard about Air India customer service previously before - so no idea if they're any good or useless. Still no harm to try  - write them that letter, refrain from saying anything personal, keep it professional and see if at least later on you get some sort of recourse. i know it won't help in the immediate future and you're flying plans though ..

Good luck, DtM! West London & Slough UK!

Dennis, AirIndia customer service is a joke!  I was given the run around over and over and a zillion phone numbers to call. I blogged the whole thing at my blog if you want to read it.

BUT - I have good news.

My friend's mum works for an airline and gets "buddy passes" that can be used on any flight. Her mom offered me buddy passes to go to the UK when I was originally supposed to, and for less then  what AirIndia was charging me.....AND she's letting me pay her back half of it after I get my refund from AirIndia.

The caveat is that I have to fly out of Dulles, which is about two and a half hours by car away, but...I already talked to my mom and she's willing to drive me and pick me up, so I also don't need to use trains and shuttles anymore to get to the airport!

God, I love them both so much right now.

YAY!!

I am so happy for you, and it's quite an incredible feeling when people pull together to help you out of something, specially when it isn't your fault!!!! 3 cheers for your mom and friends mom!

Oh I am so happy you have a happy ending to what sounded like a huge nightmare! Yay for you. 

Thanks! 

I'm so glad I found a solution. Granted, I'd have rather not have gone through all the stress and had AirIndia just fixed it on their own, but at least this way I'm saving some money!

I worry about what is happening with Air India though.  Wasn't geeta flying with them soon too? 

No, as Dennis said, I wouldn't fly Air India overseas.    I have flown their equivalent, Indian Airlines, for domestic flights in India.  But I would avoid the overseas division if I can at all help it.

Air India cancelled a flight of mine in 2001. They didn't even inform me! I only found out when I went to check the flight times on the website a few days before my flight, and saw that it was no longer showing up. Luckily I was able to book a last minute flight on Virgin for a really good price, so I just took my refund and vowed never to book on Air India ever again.

Glad to hear things worked out for you Anna.

AnnaOnTheMoon, please be sure you understand how your friend's 'buddy pass' works and be prepared for that.  I'm not saying that it's not a great deal - because it is.  I can get 'buddy passes' from my brother, but at least in the instance of my brother's airline (your mileage may vary!), it is a standby ticket.  Meaning if there is one or more seats on the plane that have not been sold to the general public shortly before the flight takes off, you get on the flight.  If there are no seats available, you don't get on the flight & you wait for the next one (which on international routes, the next flight could be on a subsequent day...and it'll still be a standby ticket for that flight as well & so forth).  It's called a 'Non-Revenue Fare' (the buddy pass) and carries the lowest standby priority on the pecking order of who gets a seat on the aircraft.

When I've used my brother's privileges, I've always been successful in getting on because he helped me to select flights that still had plenty of seats available as the schedule got down to the wire.  And it's sweet particularly when I've scored a business class seat for the transatlantic leg.  But there is always the chance I won't get on the flight at all.  (Hubby & I won't use buddy passes if we know we have to be here or there on a guaranteed date - like returning to work, or if we have car/hotel reservations that are non-changeable or non-refundable, etc.)

So please be sure to check the terms & conditions of your friend's buddy passes...and prepare yourself accordingly in case you need to be flexible! 

ETA:  There may also be a dress code and some behaviour etiquette sort of guidelines you need to follow, when using a buddy pass. 

ETA:  There may also be a dress code and some behaviour etiquette sort of guidelines you need to follow, when using a buddy pass. 

I wish this was a requirement of all passengers on flights!!! 

I wish this was a requirement of all passengers on flights!!! 

Hee hee!  The last time I flew on a buddy pass, I heard the flight attendant quietly telling off another buddy pass flyer on my flight who was behaving badly (within the parameters of how you're supposed to act right on these passes - obviously because you are there because of the career/reputation of an airline employee).  I loved being a 'fly on the wall' overhearing that. 

We've flown on her mom's buddy passes before, so I'm familiar with all the rules and regulations - One of the reasons her mom was willing to let me us her pass and not willing to let her 22-yr-old nephew is because she says she knows I'm responsible and wouldn't do anything disruptive. (I don't even really drink!) I don't wear casual clothes to begin with on most days (I'm a skirt girl)

As to the schedule - so far, none of the flights are near being full -  there's 4 flights all between 6pm and 10pm so I've got a pretty good chance of getting on one -  particularly the 6pm, because it arrives at 4am and is apparently the most unpopular flight with non-business people.


My arrival date is flexible, in that if I wind up arriving on the 18th, it's no big deal. We have tickets to Shakespeare for the 21st, so as long as I get there before then we're fine

Sounds like you're all sorted then!    Hoping you score a seat in first/business class!

Sounds like you're all sorted then!    Hoping you score a seat in first/business class!

so far, so good   20 days to go.

AND, AirIndia *did* process my refund early. It's sitting in my account as "pending", so I'll have it available on Monday!

I noticed a hit on my blog through a google search for "air india cancelled flight" and I decided to see what other links google came up with.

I found this blog written by someone who had their flight canceled and changed without notification: http://batteredsuitcases.wordpress.com/2008/10/10/getting-there/

http://www.theairdb.com/news/2008-10-10-air-india.html - from what I can figure out, they canceled flights to Toronto and EWR today.

http://www.birminghampost.net/news/west-midlands-transport-news/2008/09/10/air-india-cancels-winter-flights-out-of-birmingham-airport-65233-21721715/ - Air India cancels all flights out of Birmingham

and lastly:
http://news.moneycontrol.com/india/news/business/ai-to-complete-75mergerindian-by-march/15/24/360170 - Air India merger information with Indian....

Hi, I have a similar situation. I booked a return flight from London to Calcutta (India) by AIr India. I made the onward journey to Calcutta but after that Air India announced the cancellation of the calcutta flight. For my return flight, they have given me the option to fly via Delhi with a wait time of around 7-8 hours between flights. I don't want to take that option because of the hassles involved.

I was looking for a cheap ticket and I booked it through a travel agent who got me a good deal (£ 550) but with a fare class that didnt allow any change or refund. It was ok for me as my dates were firm. Now since the airline has cancelled the flight so they are at fault and in no way they can force the alternative option (via delhi) on me, I want to know if I qualify for a partial refund. I have spoken to my travel agent and he says I need to get a letter from Air India for a refund and they can then apply for a refund and pass it on to me.

1. Can I directly talk to Air India as I am the passenger but I didn't pay the fare directly to them.

To be honest I am not very hopeful of getting any refund  and I have already booked my return flight by BA but any refund would be welcome. Can anyone suggest me how to go about it? Thanks in advance.