Great experience

Coming back to India is always a joyous thing for everyone…Its very exciting and usually all of us are anxious to get back as early as possible……

First let me tell you my itenary…I was supposed to take a flight from Philadelphia to New York on a domestic flight at 3.40 pm.…The connecting flight to Frankfurt from New York was at 5:40…I will reach New York at 4.45 had just an hour for my immigration and other rituals and board the flight in peace…I was worried if I could be in time. Then I had a flight change in Frankfurt to Bombay and then to Bangalore. I was all thrilled and excited about coming back home… I started very early fearing traffic and reached airport 4 hours ahead of schedule, I finished checking in and was waiting in Philadelphia for my flight to leave to New York. Here starts the story of should I called it “Comedy of confusion”…The flight was delayed and it started from Philadelphia at 5:40, due to which it was obvious that he had missed his flight to Frankfurt. (I was sitting in the airport for 6 hours)

So I was informed that as I had missed the flight to Frankfurt, I would be traveling in a flight to Paris which was scheduled to leave New York at 7. But my flight landed in New York only at 6:55. So I was really skeptical whether I would again miss this flight to Paris also as its humanely impossible for me to finish all the immigration and checking in formalities. As we landed me along with four more people who had missed that Frankfurt flight, we were taken in bus to the Paris flight. As it was cold outside we were waiting in the bus. The gate was closed and we were supposed to get into flight climbing the ladder. There was a heated argument going on between officials. That was seriously a sight to see. There were some officials standing below the ladder and some on the top of it inside the flight. After some arguments they asked us to come out of the bus. We got our entire luggage and when we climbed the ladder halfway the people inside the flight said that we were not allowed…So we again got back into the flight and the arguments continued….After some time we were allowed to enter into the flight climbing the ladder. The other four people had got their tickets and boarding passes. When I enquired where mine was, the official answered that there was no time and it would fine and people in Paris would take care.

I thought when there is no problem why should I bothered and entered the flight. The air hostess saw the tickets of the other people and directed them to their seats. I asked her where my seat was. She asked for my tickets. Here started my story telling session…I explained the whole thing to her. Then she said “you can Sit in any free seat”. I have had this experience only in city buses and in restaurant. But this was a nice experience. I went asked people who had an empty seat next to them whether any person was expected to come. A couple of them yes I was very disappointed. Then at the corner I spotted a seat and I went and asked the man whether anyone was expected to come. When he said no my joy knew no bounds and I immediately sat down. The look on the man’s face was seriously a sight to see.

The journey to Paris was really good. And I landed in Paris at 9 and my flight to Bombay was at 11. So I went to the collect my ticket and boarding pass to Bombay from the ticket counter. I went and told the lady in the counter the whole story and told that I need my ticket. She said there is absolutely no problem and asked my name. I told my name, she searched and could not find it the list. She tried 7 to8 combinations of my first and last names and she got irritated and asked for my passport….She tried the name in the passport and still she could not find my name. Then asked for my previous ticket and checked that too in vain, then asked for the flight number I came to Paris, she checked the passenger list and said you are not supposed to fly in this flight how did you fly. Then I again had to repeat the same story as there were some 3 more people there. Then said ok fine, go to the airport and tell them what happened and they will give you the ticket. When I told them that I didn’t have a French visa, there were perplexed and had some talks in French. One guy seemed to have come up with a brilliant idea, the others were excited and happy. Then they took a blank ticket and wrote my name on it. I went and boarded the flight, and the flight didn’t depart. I seriously thought that the flight was delayed due to some confusion caused because of me. Then the captain announced that some passenger had safely checked in his passport. So they had to get his passport from the cargo and then the flight departed one hour late.

I at last reached Bombay, and I was waiting for my luggage. And lo behold, I find that my luggage is lost. So I go to the Airways counter, tell them the whole story, and they also check and tell that I am not supposed to be in the flight. Then say the luggage could be anywhere in any of the airports we will try and find it. In due course of all this I missed by 3:00a.m. Flight to Bangalore. I was again sad, but the person said “Don’t worry Sir I will put you in the next flight” I was happy and asked him when is the next flight. I almost fainted when I heard that it was at 6.30 I had to wait in the airport again for 3 hours. This was like raising me and making me sit on the ninth cloud and giving me a push so that I fall down with a huge thud. Then I wait in the Bombay airport for 3 hours and at last I reach Bangalore.Proabbly I will be one of the very few
privileged people who have travelled even in flights "without" a ticket.

This is the experience of my friend, Hari. As requested by him, I have written this in first person. Hope no one has such a hilarious nightmare ever on his way back home!!!