Font Size 
QOTD: Grounded by the fog?
Published on Wed, Jan 03, 2007 at 09:09, Updated at Fri, Jun 15, 2007 in Citizen Journalist section
Tags: Face The Nation, Fog , New Delhi
GROUND REALITY: The passenger’s convenience doesn’t fit in a scenario as the profit margins get squeezed then.
Other stories in the section:
Be a CJ: Send VHP protest pics, video
If you've faced problems due to the VHP protests, voice your issue here.
Swati who spent over 24 hours on frantic landings and a repeatedly rescheduled flight says that she was neither informed nor provided with any refreshments by the airline authorities. “None of the passenger get any message on any information of the flight. We didn’t get any phone calls either,” she said.
The Central Government has also taken a very strong view of the disruption and lack of communication taking place at the airports.
There have been demands that made to the Director-General of Civil Aviation with expectations if the DGCA could play a proactive role. Many meetings have been held between the airline operators and the DGCA to work out a common list of instructions - a set of rules to be followed by all airlines in stances of flight disruptions.
But the response of Kanu Gohain, the director general himself was a dampener itself.
“As a regulator, I can only counsel the airlines and keep persuading them. However, I cannot be a policeman as I do not have the legal authority to take penal action against erring airlines," Gohain was quoted as saying on Tuesday.
Should airlines be fined for lack of communication in case of flight disruptions?
Has the time now come that the airlines should start taking responsibility for the inconvenience caused to the passengers?
“I completely disagree with the idea of airlines being fined for flight disruptions. It’s our job to look after our passengers so that they come back and fly with us again. We are on our way to improving the customer service considerably,” said Warren Brady.
The ground reality is that the low cost airlines are reluctant to spend more on passenger facilities. The bottom line for these airlines is higher profit margins while the passenger’s convenience doesn’t fit in a scenario as the profit margins are being squeezed all the time.
“Air Deccan is a low cost carrier. We cannot afford to put people in five-star hotels but what we can afford is to provide with friendly customer service,” admits Brady.
Comfort or cost effectiveness?
Chief Operating Officer Air Deccan made tall claims about the excellent customer service arrangements at the airport, but declined to comment much when confronted with the ground situation.
More Headlines from Citizen Journalist
| Related links: | |
Total Comments: 0
Read Comment | Post Comment
Be the first to comment.