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the_380

Air Deccan is taking its passengers for a ride

Bangalore, Mumbai: Meet Louie Mathew a management consultant who decided to take Air Deccan's 5:55 AM flight DN763 from Bangalore to Mumbai on January 29, 2007.

"I reached the airport at 5:05 AM for a 5:55 flight. The counter person checked in four people in half an hour. I was the fifth person, but when my turn came and my ID had been checked, my ticket was suddenly taken back. They said that the time written on my ticket was 5:36 AM and I was told that the counter was closed," says Louie.

Louie suddenly found himself off-loaded from a flight for which he had come well in time and the irony is that Louie wasn't alone.

Says another passenger who was off-loaded, Shradha Lapasiya, "There were at least 20 of us who were waiting to board the flight when the counters closed."

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shivendrashukla · Posted: Tue Mar 20, 2007 10:33 pm Post subject:

Isn't there any regal recourse that a passenger can resort to?? Or can the DGCA take any action against DN for such a serious offence??

Cheers
Shivendra

HAWK21M · Posted: Tue Mar 20, 2007 11:01 pm Post subject:

Very Serious.If true.
Whats the AD spokesperson revert.
regds
MEL
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karatecatman · Guest

Warwick Brady says there is no reaason why DN employees will resort to underhand methods.
Adds that DN has the same booking software as Air India Express!!!!

Same sentiment expressed by Capt. Gpoinath.
"Some passengers have been afffected and we are offering a refund."

Prajay · Posted: Tue Mar 20, 2007 11:07 pm Post subject:

Saw this on 9 o'clock news on CNN-IBN.

Not a good thing. Could become very bad also since this is happenning in BLR which is deccan's hub. Could loose alot of passengers!!

I feel the Duty Manager of DN at BLR is purposely doing for his own good. He shows good profits and load factors and gets a promotion (mere kaam ho gaya) and chills at the top. Evil or Very Mad

Babus and corrupt people are not only in AI-IA.

Very Happy

Prajay

Birendra · Member Joined: 15 Feb 2007 Posts: 1411

I guess DN should be absorbed by 9W

VictorKilo · Member Joined: 18 Feb 2007 Posts: 252 Location: USA

how much was the fare?? u get what u pay for.. Rolling Eyes

welcome to the world of LCC flying...think ryanair does not do this crap...i rather pay extra rather that go thru all the mental stress...

HAWK21M · Posted: Wed Mar 21, 2007 9:54 am Post subject:

VABBy · Member Joined: 19 Dec 2006 Posts: 823 Location: DEL

flightgearpilot · Member Joined: 21 Dec 2006 Posts: 711 Location: VOBL

karatecatman · Guest

Agree with that. Varies fronm sector to sector.
During the festive season last year, flights from Chennai to Kerala were packed.
DN lowest fare on Chennai-Trivandrum was Rs. 4000, while IA was quoting Rs.1975!

himmat01 · Member Joined: 19 Dec 2006 Posts: 1392 Location: DEL

Birendra · Member Joined: 15 Feb 2007 Posts: 1411

HAWK21M · Posted: Wed Mar 21, 2007 1:38 pm Post subject:

karatecatman · Guest

Part of the CNN-IBN report

Air Deccan 'simplicheats!' Exclamation

Says an Airports Authority of India (AAI) official, Bangalore, on condition of anonymity, "They slow down the counter work and the sales department sells more tickets."

CNN-IBN: So, you are saying they overbook?

AAI Official: Exactly!

Air Deccan, however, is quick to blame it all on a systems glitch.

Says MD Air Deccan, Captain G R Gopinath, "There were some over bookings. Our website was hacked by some unknown elements. There were flights showing on the computer, that did not exist!"

However, airport officials concede that the scam is an open secret.

Birendra · Member Joined: 15 Feb 2007 Posts: 1411

Nimish · Posted: Wed Mar 21, 2007 4:19 pm Post subject:

Oh god - where is an independent regulator when you need one? Our DGCA couldn't be bothered with such details (after all it's only a few passengers who suffered), and the AAI etc have no say in such matters.

the_380 · Posted: Wed Mar 21, 2007 5:29 pm Post subject:

Nimish · Posted: Wed Mar 21, 2007 5:57 pm Post subject:

Video of the original "complaint": http://www.ibnlive.com/videos/36505/air-deccan-taking-people-for-ride.html

Video of the interview with DN COO: http://www.ibnlive.com/videos/36543/air-deccan-boss-flies-off-the-handle.html

Video of going undercover to discover the scam:
http://www.ibnlive.com/videos/36509/air-deccan-simplicheats--impact.html

Fairly interesting viewing!

the_380 · Posted: Wed Mar 21, 2007 9:38 pm Post subject:

Something interesting here:
I guess this is too much!!! Evil or Very Mad

Air Deccan is bending crucial safety norms

Mumbai: On January 29 this year, Air Deccan failed to report the exact number of passengers on board its flight DN 763 from Bangalore to Mumbai.

"They reported 161 passengers, but then the number of passengers who checked in were 170," a Bangalore Air Traffic Controller (ATC) source told CNN-IBN.

So, how does an aircraft takes off from Bangalore with a 161 passengers but lands here in Mumbai with 180?

CNN-IBN: You counted a 180 passengers?

AAI officer: Yes and even this list showed 180 passengers.

Air Deccan clearly under-reported the number of passengers to the Bangalore ATC, to cover up the fact that it had over-booked.

Says an off-loaded passenger, Louie Mathew, "Even though the capacity is 180, they over book to about 200 people. They reported 161 to the ATC in Bangalore to basically account for the fact that 15 to 20 people were stranded at the counters."

To cover up one lie, Air Deccan committed an even greater sin.

An Airports Authority of India Official was caught on hidden camera saying, "In case of an accident, we have to count the number of people, and I had told them this was against the Director General Civil Aviation (DGCA) law."

The passenger list or the Manifest, now in the possession of CNN-IBN for Januray 29 is full of irregularities. The document clearly shows that the total number of passengers on paper is 170 while the actual passengers on board was 180.

What's more, on the list, passenger number 14 and passenger number 15 are the same person. Instead of the fictitious passenger number 15, there was another person sitting on the plane.

What is even more surprising is that the names of the people who were declared "no shows" are not on the list at all.

By doing so, the Airline defrauded the over-booked passengers of a seat and a refund and by under-reporting, it broke international safety norms and also cheated the Government of the Passenger Service Fee.

The only thing common with the entire set of complaints is that all of these irregularities are happening out of Bangalore, which is also Air Deccan's headquarters.

"We feel that some of the Airports Authority officials are hand in glove with Air Deccan," an Airports Authority of India official was caught saying on hidden camera.

Meanwhile, the MD of Air Deccan, Captain G R Gopinath defended himself saying, "This is all baloney. I don't bribe people. I am known for not bribing!"

But what is certain is that the airline has found ways to bend the rules and is clearly interested not just in cutting costs but cutting corners as well.

(With inputs from Priyanjana Dutta in Bangalore)

Link
PS: Mods i have intentionally pasted the full article here
Btw are there some charges on the number of passengers u carry? Maybe DN wants to evade that Rolling Eyes

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karatecatman · Guest

Time this dirty airline is taught a lesson. It's impossible that Gopi wasnt in the know of things as there seems to be an uncanny pattern in all this.

Is this the way he fulfils his dream of making every Indian fly?

DN's tail logo is increasingly beginning to symbolically represent a pair of helpless hands desperately begging for help or the hands of someone drowning.

Still can't forget the time when a relative was delayed by 10 hours from Delhi to Chennai. Family was waiting at Chennai endlessly from 8.30 pm (STD) till almost 5.20 a.m when it finally landed.

Every 20 mins we kept getting an SMS to say the doors were being armed. Then 5 minutes later, another SMS to say it was open again. This drama kept going on till take-off.

When the guy finally landed, everyone almost ready to murder him.

HAWK21M · Posted: Thu Mar 22, 2007 8:37 am Post subject:

An Airline thats Professionally run will survive.
Thats not to say there won't be days of Technical groundings & delays.But a Professional Airline will update the Pax on the correct status.Thats what the Pax wants to know.

regds
MEL
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stealthpilot · Member Joined: 19 Dec 2006 Posts: 2325 Location: BLR, DXB

HAWK21M · Posted: Thu Mar 22, 2007 9:29 am Post subject:

flightgearpilot · Member Joined: 21 Dec 2006 Posts: 711 Location: VOBL

What's worrying me personally is that as an academic, I am entitled to travel only by Air Deccan for official trips. There have been some cases where I had to book a ticket by DN, even though there were cheaper options in other airlines! Rules are rules, and we have to follow it! Rolling Eyes

And don't even get me started about how academicians are treated in this country. Mad

There is hardly any acknowledgement for how education and research changes lives and brings lasting progress.

-FGP

Boeing7xx · Member Joined: 23 Dec 2006 Posts: 477 Location: WSSS

Who said RyanAir doesn't do crap... They recently implemented an AMAZINGLY STUPID baggage policy. To give you an idea, UPS carries baggage cheaper than Ryanair. So if you plan ahead u can courier ur bags ahead of you Smile

I think LCC stands for "Lowly Cheating Cowards".

VABBy · Member Joined: 19 Dec 2006 Posts: 823 Location: DEL

I saw the interview on CNN IBN and Gopi seemed to caught totally off guard. He was fumbling but i do agree half of the problems are because of the congested BLR airports and limited check in counters and staff to process the passengers.

My friend is flyin DN next week frm AMD i have advised him to be the first fellow to check in so that atleast he is on flight.
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HAWK21M · Posted: Thu Mar 22, 2007 12:07 pm Post subject:

Was there an improvement after this news leak Smile

regds
MEL
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Think of the Brighter side !!!

flightgearpilot · Member Joined: 21 Dec 2006 Posts: 711 Location: VOBL

Wow! It starts getting worse: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/NEWS/India/Air_Deccan_flight_with_extra_passengers/articleshow/1738532.cms

KOLKATA: A Delhi-bound Air Deccan flight attempted to take off from Patna airport with six excess passengers on board before being grounded by securitymen at the last minute on Thursday.

Blatantly violating the basic air safety norm on aircraft weight, the cabin crew of Air Deccan flight DN 727 tried to adjust the six adults - four men and two women - by asking parents to carry children on the lap...

karatecatman · Guest

Is an early March report (March 9) and DN got into trouble for this. Gopi was issued a warning (in a hush hush way). Surprising that Gopi, ex-IAF, is lax about pax safety.

the_380 · Posted: Thu Mar 22, 2007 1:47 pm Post subject:

I guess its getting too much! Evil or Very Mad

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Nimish · Posted: Thu Mar 22, 2007 1:54 pm Post subject:

I think it's time for our regulator to wake up and do something. Wake up DGCA!!

Birendra · Member Joined: 15 Feb 2007 Posts: 1411

the golden words said

Pay peanuts......You'll get Monkeys.

Remember Staff getting a better offer will move to other Airlines.The ones who settle for lower wages are the ones that have no choice or are less qualified

Boeing7xx · Member Joined: 23 Dec 2006 Posts: 477 Location: WSSS

excess passengers is a misnomer. I know we've done excess passengers by dumping fuel. exaggeration from the media here. there is no restriction on passengers as long as you are within the MTOW for the specified TODA/TORA.

VABBy · Member Joined: 19 Dec 2006 Posts: 823 Location: DEL

agreed bt then u cant accomodate 190 pax in an 180 seater aircraft?? Having standin pax aboard a flight or asking children to sit in their parents lap to accomodate others is ridiculous...
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Nimish · Posted: Fri Mar 23, 2007 3:35 pm Post subject:

More CNN-IBN articles on this:

http://www.ibnlive.com/news/air-deccan-is-bending-safety-norms/36591-3.html

the_380 · Posted: Fri Mar 23, 2007 6:07 pm Post subject:

gauravprakash007 · Member Joined: 23 Mar 2007 Posts: 37 Location: VABB

Recent reports on CNN IBN have been “manufactured” to create “sensational journalism”. The self proclaimed expose' by CNN IBN is based on limited knowledge, information and lacks any balanced approach. Air Deccan calls for CNN IBN to withdraw all slanderous allegations that Air Deccan overbook. Air Deccan will be conducting an independent investigation to publicly dispute that Air Deccan or its employees have misled customers or is involved in any scam of overbooking.

CNN IBN, in their programme, alleged that:
§ Air Deccan deliberately overbooks flights (citing 4 instances)
§ Air Deccan staff deliberately slow-down check-in
§ This is part of a deliberate strategy to increase revenues.

Air Deccan wishes to place the following facts

§ On 29th January on DN 763 we carried 170 passengers on board and not 180 as claimed by CNN IBN. On 11th February on DN 763 we carried 150 passengers as against their claim of a full flight. On11th February 2007 152 passengers were carried, on 14th February 2007 - 143 passengers and on 27th February 2007 – 169.
§ On 29th of Jan, Air Deccan’s check-in counter for DN-763 checked in over 70 passengers between 04:55 am and 05:25 am and over 80 passengers on 14th February 2007.
§ Air Deccan reservation system cannot overbook. The system is designed to allocate specific seat inventory to fit the aircraft.
§ We had sent CNN-IBN documentary evidence of the above which they chose to ignore. What they have shown as their only evidence is based on some person who they claim stood and manually counted the number of passengers on a flight at a crowded airport like Mumbai.
We pay our PSF to the Airport authority and do not jeopardize the safety of our passengers. All passengers traveling on the airline are insured.
§ CNN IBN's team is welcome to come and check our documents, which they haven’t bothered to do as of date.
To share your views please write into your.views@airdeccan.net
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PAL@YWG · Posted: Fri Mar 23, 2007 6:53 pm Post subject:

This manipulative plot of Air Deccan reminds me the "Bakra Show" on MTV!!!

Each one of those Air Deccan employees were acting like Cyrus Bharucha in his prime!

Cheers!

Aseem · Member Joined: 15 Dec 2006 Posts: 2841 Location: YYZ