Follow-up on Air Deccan

Finally, Air Deccan (after the news item appeared on the TOI after a week) responded to the repeated request by the mother by simply stating that their on-board staff had 'requested' an 8 year old boy, and, obviously thought their job was done. I suppose they request you to fasten your seat belts, set your chairs straight and close the over head luggage bins and will henceforth not bother whether you complied with their request. Silly.

They 'noticed' that the child had dis-embarked and 'alerted' the ground staff, who incidentally when the the mother met them to ask for an explanation weren't aware of the minor travelling on the said flight! Now, the airline not only shifts the onus of the incident onto the child, but, also the parent conveniently by stating that the staff 'requested the handover formalities which was refused'!! Here is a mother who for a week has been saying that the airline has not bothered to do the hand over procedure, and now the airline conveniently blames the mother for that act of negligence on their part!!! In the earlier communication of course, their own ground staff do not refer to this 'refusal' by the parent!?! I think the casual and dismissive way in which the airline has dealt with this case shows their attitude and professionalism. This is a straight case of negligence of service to the consumer and will be seen thus in any consumer court in this country. But, either the low-cost airline cannot afford a lawyer or they don't have a good advisor for them to have come up with such a shoddy response after a week which even an 8 year old will not believe in.

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Dear Mr. A C Batibrolu,

At the outset we would like to thank you for choosing to travel- Deccan.

This is with reference to your email dated 11^th May 2008, with regard to your son’s flight reservation with us on Dn616, from Coimbatore to Mumbai sector, for 11^th May 2008. At Deccan we try and ensure that every guest who travels with us has a positive experience to narrate. We sincerely regret that your overall experience with us has not been very pleasurable on account of the incident at MumbaiAirport

.We would like to clarify that your son was briefed by the cabin crew to remain seated after landing until all other guests disembark and one of the ground staff comes to escort him. We have learnt in the course of investigation that your child left his seat along with other guests got off the aircraft. The Cabin crew on board immediately alerted the ground staff and the child was traced in the arrival hall within a matter of minutes, by this time the child had met with his mother. Our staff in fact asked for the handover formalities to be concluded which was refused. Please be assured that unaccompanied minors are accorded high priority by us on board and at the airport. Our staff at both Coimbatore and Mumbai Airport and the crew on board took utmost care right from the check in till arrival at Mumbai. We do hope the above comes as a reasonable explanation to you

We look forward to your continued support.

Thanking you
For Deccan CEO

Shilpa Nathan
Customer Relations
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