5 passengers grounded as airlines' battle it out

Mumbai: A jargon debate between two airlines left five travellers high and dry at Mumbai airport on Thursday. The passengers, who were flying from Kolkata to the city by Jetlite flight S2 702, couldn't land in Mumbai in time for their connecting Indian flight IC 865 to Goa.
The Jetlite flight, which was to reach Mumbai at 11.45, landed at 12.55 pm. So, passengers reached only 10 minutes before their Indian flight departed for Goa. All had important business meetings scheduled between 4 and 6 pm.
While the two airlines engaged in a never-ending debate over "endorsing' ' the ticket for the next Jet airways flight, the passengers were aware that they were losing precious time. "At the airport, we were assured by a Jetlite official that we would be adjusted in the next flight. However, the airlines backtracked and offered us a refund instead,'' said Shaila Dias, a passenger. "We were left without any help after that and the next flight had also departed by then,'' she added.
The passengers were shuttling between the Jetlite ticket counter and the airline duty manager's office for more than two hours. "We have been abandoned here by the airlines with no one to guide us. Indian is offering us a refund and the next flight, which is scheduled only tomorrow' ' said Christine Rebeiro , another passenger. "Both the airlines were putting the blame on each other while time ran out for us,'' she added.
22/08/08 Times of India

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Categories: Air India Domestic Aug 2008, JetLite Aug 2008, NACIL Aug 2008