Fog Up
All entries in Indian time (GMT +530)
22 December
17.30: Simona checks in, is taken to hotel and told to wait
19.30: Simona's flight IA349 due to depart from Pudong (Shanghai) to Indira Gandhi International New Delhi via Bangkok.
23 December
00.00 Boarding call for flight IA349
05.00 Flight lands in Bangkok and is grounded.
09.00 Phil calls airline and told ETA 11.25
10.00 Phil calls airline and told flight has now left Bangkok, ETA 12.25
12.30 Phil arrives airport
13.30 Phil begins to feel dejected
13.45 Wife of one of Bacchu's colleagues reports flight has been diverted to Mumbai, and promises 'special treatment'
15.30 Simona calls from Mumbai where she has no idea what is going on
17.00 Phil told flight will arrive at 17.30! Speed to airport!
18.30 Phil begins to feel sceptical
19.00 Bacchu discovers that Simona has been placed on flight IA3552 from Bombay, time of arrival delayed
20.30 Simona exits customs, rather knackered, 28 hours after setting off for Pudong airport.
All this due to fog, we are told. So why didn't the original plane have a CAT III Instrument Landing System?
Well, Air India is a public owned company. It's not modern, it's not accountable and it's not competitive. Jet Airways on the other hand is a private venture and gave quite excellent service on the London-Delhi route.
OK, so it's two isolated examples. But still: go figure.
