For the firsttime, i decided to take the Kingfisher flight from Hyderabad to Mumbai (for me it will be always Bombay) on May 27th, 2007 - evening - The flight is IT 166 - scheduled at HYD at 9:20 p.m. - reach Bombay at 10:35 p.m.
My flight from Bombay to JFK is Delta 017 at 12:20 a.m. - I figured 1:45 minutes is good enough window to go between terminals. You will see how it was a BIG mistake later on...
I arrived at the HYD airport with family around 8:25 p.m. - my niece said they were announcing that the flight is delayed by 10 minutes - dang 1:35 minutes gap - now I am cutting close for my connection. So nervously I decided to check-in - there is a spice jet flight at 10 p.m. if Kingfisher gets delayed further, I assured myself. I got through the baggage screening and Kingfisher has people to help with baggage - nice - even for Economy travel. Got to the counter, there were 2 agents working one sitting at a counter looking "extremely" busy with a radio.
I was standing in one line and the guy infront me had 5 tickets in hand and other 4 in his party are waiting outside of the line - the other counter became free and the agent called me - so I was checking in - hoping he will ask me for an ID - since I bought an e-ticket - nope - he says Mr. Chavali - going to Mumbai - seat 15 A, blah, blah - the usual stuff. In the mean time the guy next to me with 5 tickets checked in all 5 of them, without anybody coming to the counter - hmm..is this really safe? I wondered, but whom am I to question right? I asked my agent if the flight is late and he said - no "almost on time" - actually it is "on time" - he assured - alright - less pressure...
I came outside the security gate - spent some more time with my family, took some pictures, and staring to think about what lies ahead for me - the change of terminals in Bombay, the 16 hr flight to JFK - the 1st class upgrade from JFK to Phoenix (which almost made me feel that everything is going to be alright). It was hot outside, so around 8:55 p.m. - I said goodbyes to family and went inside. The security check was relatively quiet - went upstairs to the gate and there are a lot of people waiting for flights and some already fighting to get through the gate - I found out that was for another Jet Airways flight. I started to make some calls waiting for our turn to "push each other" throug security to board. 2 or 3 cute girsl clad in red-uniforms now started to hang around the gate all looking concerned and busy with radios (hot hot trend). People started to get nervous around 9:15 p.m. and started to ask the girls about boarding - the same answer "boarding in a few minutes sir" - 9:20 p.m. - they open the gates - alright at least we may still take off around 9:30-9:35 I told myself. Got through the door and rushed to the plane - wow - brand new plane - with nice seats and monitors in each seat with Satellit TV - only seen them before in Song flights in US.
Seat 15 A - Window - settled in - can't believe it is going to be a full flight. Oh, here is the tall white bearded gentle man I noticed before - he is 15 B - whew! smoker - must have puffed one right before getting inside the airport - no big deal just 1 hr flight. Boarding is done - 9:35 p.m. - let's get on with it!!!!
9:40 p.m. (now 1 hr 25 mins for my connection if we take off now and land at 10:55) - captain announces we are ready - started push back - as long as I have more than 1 hr time, I should be fine. Started to watch TV to get my mind off the pressure. The air hostesses are all young cute, have mini skirts - my friend is right - Vijay Mallaya, the CEO knows how to make this a glamorous airline. All passengers are amused and behaving relatively well.
9:50 p.m. - still waiting to enter run way - what's the problem - oh, In HYD only one runway - some flight is inbound - finally 9:55 p.m. - Indigo flight lands and we get on to the runway - finally take off - 10 p.m. - do I have 1 hr and 5 min now? Still close - I will make it....
Airhostesses give out goodie bags - a pen, candi, ear phones, in a cute red pouch - good marketing. I picked up one - my white beard neighbor didn't want one - wow, somebody saying no to free stuff? In India? Cool!
Food service - man, these airlines rush to serve food in the short 1 hr flights - I am still full from my evening meal - said no - WHAT? the air hostess is confused - no food? coffee? tea? she was determined to serve me with something - I said no please and she moved on.
10:30 p.m. The inflight tracking on the monitor shows - we are 150 km to Mumbai about 18 mins to go. if we land at 10:50 - I get my bags, I should still be ok -
10:45 p.m. - wait, we are flying by the airport - what's up? Air Traffic Control - circling airport - shoot - didn't expect this one - we go 25 km away from airport and turn around again -finally after many turns we land - 11 p.m. - tick tack! tick tack!
11:05 p.m. - we are still taxiing - there are so many flights in Mumbai, they taxi a long way - almost in between domestic and international terminal - I rush down the steps - get on to the 1st bus that is taking us to the terminal -
11:15 p.m. - inside the terminal - it is a zoo - there are 4 flights that arrived in the last 1o mins - everybody is waiting for bags - 20 people are waiting for the shuttle to International terminal - ok, now I am starting to doubt my chances -
11:30 p.m. - still waiting for bags - talked to a Kingfisher guy and asked him about my chances of getting bags in the next few minutes - he inspects my baggage claim and looks over the Delta timing - he said he will have his colleagues contact Delta and let them know that there is a passenger that is late - may be they will hold the flight me (like Swiss did in 1997 - but then I was travelling in business class).
11:35 p.m. - here are my bags - I sprinted to the International shuttle waiting area - dang so many people - can I get on the next shuttle? - I ask the guys that are managing the shuttle and show them my itinerary - he stretched his lower lip out questioning my chance - the next shuttle is not until 11:50 he said - that leaves me less than 30 mins - but International flights are usually delayed in India - so I crossed my fingers.
11:40 p.m. - the shuttle arrives - I cut infront of some waiting people - now being rude didn't cross my mind - I am getting desparate - I told the guy loading the bags my tight connection - he loads them in front - so he can get to them quickly.
11:50 p.m. - the shuttle starts - can this guy go any faster - why is he driving without lights - oh - I see we are going across runways - and they must have rules against lights - get out of the way you damn tractor! - so many emotions...
Midnight - we arrived at the International terminal - the baggage guy gets a cart for me - and gets my bags out first and stretches his hand (he wants a tip) - slipped him 100 Rs. ($2.50) and run inside the terminal. The security guy looks at my itinerary a little confused and lets me in. I tried to find the Delta check in - asked a couple of guys - they all said - "run they may close soon" (that means they may still be open) - finally found Delta - get to the counter - the guy says
"WE ARE CLOSED"!! why are so late?
If he had a choice he probably would have spanked me for being late.
So I now face the inevitable - missed my flight - get to their back office and the guy says I will confirm you for tomorrow - I asked him if there are any other options - like Northwest, British Airways, he says - Northwest already closed and they don't have a deal with British - so all he can do is confirm for next day - no choice - ok - what's next? He said go to Kingfisher counter - asked them to compensate you for being late and missing flight -
TO BE continued in my next blog - "24 Hrs in Mumbai -"
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