[manojb]

I flew Bangalore - Calicut with Air Deccan yesterday and it was a strange flight.  It was the second time that I flew them this very route.  The first time went off without a hitch.

First off, the flight was rescheduled from 3:10 pm to 6:40 pm.  But no issues with that since they informed me the previous day.  I check in and they announce boarding at 6:45 pm.  Great, I think, we are not going to be too late.  Passengers troop to the bus parked outside the gate, get in and find seats.  The bus just sits there for 15 minutes, no movement.  Some of the passengers then go outside and ask the staff.  They say that the flight crew has not turned up and the buses will not move until they do.  But they ask us not to go back into the terminal since the crew may turn up any moment.  But they do only after another 15 minutes.

Now, everybody is driven towards the aircraft and a queue forms for boarding.  One of the crew walks around the aircraft doing his pre-flight inspections.  Then, he has a furious row with one of the ground staff.  I couldn't hear what they were saying, but there was lots of gesticulation and they were obviously angry at each other.  Not very confidence-inspiring.

Another strange thing was that there was no safety demonstration (where they point out the exit doors, tell you what to do if the oxygen masks deploy, etc.).  It was the first flight I have ever been on where there was no safety demo.  Does anybody know whether it is mandatory to have one?  I was planning to write to them about it.

Edited by manojb, 11 June 2006 - 12:31 PM.

[jyotirmoy]

Yes the safety demo IS mandatory. Was this an ATR flight or Airbus? I have been told that their ATR services often gets delayed. I flew Delhi Kolkata once the flight was on time & going to fly them again on Wednesday... will report my experience.

[manojb]

jyotirmoy, on Jun 11 2006, 01:01 PM, said:

Was this an ATR flight or Airbus? I have been told that their ATR services often gets delayed.

It was an ATR.  Also, before the take-off, the captain announced, "Crew to take off stations.  Please hurry up; we have traffic behind."  In the end, the flight was delayed by 45 minutes from the rescheduled departure time.  I did not mind the delay that much, but did mind the crew having a fight in full view of the passengers.  They could have been more professional and had it in the cabin.  

Edited by manojb, 11 June 2006 - 04:15 PM.

[jyotirmoy]

Due to too much demand & less supply mushrooming institutes are churrning out staffs who are gobbled up by the airlines. So such unprofessional behaviour may not be uncommon.

[jyotirmoy]

I travelled to Kolkata from Delhi by Airdeccan, the flight was rescheduled, instead of 8:30 AM it was postponed to 2 PM. The flight took off at 2 PM i.e on-time. The return flight at 18:35 was on-time too a mint fresh Airbus: but the plane had to circle over Delhi for one hour before it was given the go ahead to land !!!! This is the scene at Delhi airport now.

[ddutta]

jyotirmoy, on Jun 17 2006, 03:03 PM, said:

but the plane had to circle over Delhi for one hour before it was given the go ahead to land !!!!

Jyotida ,

Hanser dim er  ekta  effect to hobaye   !!!!!!!    

Edited by ddutta, 17 June 2006 - 04:49 PM.

[jyotirmoy]

ddutta, on Jun 17 2006, 11:16 AM, said:

Jyotida ,

Hanser dim er  ekta  effect to hobaye   !!!!!!!    

Ajatra??? But what about the omelete that I had for breakfast?

[ddutta]

jyotirmoy, on Jun 17 2006, 05:18 PM, said:

Ajatra???   But what about the omelete that I had for breakfast?

     
  all is well which ends well . Neogi  moshai  reached safely  with Himsagar & Hanser dim .

[jyotirmoy]

Yesterday Airdeccan preponed its flight from Kolkata but reached Delhi half an hour late!!!!!

[sugarnspice]

Wow!! Thanks for all that. Nearly booked my flight on Air Deccan yesterday when trying unsuccessfully to get on a flight to Goa. Well as an ex trolly dolly, I can tell you that the safety demo is mandatory and they can lose their licence if they are reported to the AAI or IATA for taking off with out doing the demo!