The Weak Planner

Before writing anything else, I want to shout at the top of my voice- AIR INDIA SUCKS AND I HATEEEE IT.

This week was one of the most depressing that I could reminisce. Even before the week began my two day  leave long planned for one of my close colleagues' wedding stood cancelled. The air tickets had looongg been booked and were non refundable. I had sooo wanted to be a part of the ceremony in Chandigarh. The flight was Tuesday Night and I am talking of Monday Morning.

Evening I get the favour through a mail - I can go, rather I must go. (Please read- the breed called boss) Period. I am not submissive either. I have a colleague's ticket still on and decide to maintain that.

This is Tuesday. Late evening I get a call from the concerned person who was supposed to travel saying somehow his tickets also stand cancelled and he cannot go (Why/ How is all together a different story. Demeaning the party is not my objective). It is compulsive for one of us to go. I frantically call the person and ask him to arrange for some mode of transport of which we can share the cost. I get a curt reply saying no.

My eyes are brimming with tears now over the helplessness and dejection. I am panicking big time because wedding is the next day and the tickets are costing me a fortune. I spend three hours on phone working out the cheapest combination. Finally I get them done. But I am torn between gifting my parents the much awaited holiday or attending the wedding. I settle on the later for reasons obvious. I spent one entire night reconciling my balance sheet where the debits overshoot the credit by half a lakh.   

Wednesday morning I pack hastily and leave for the airport. The entire journey went unevetnful as my thoughts were stuck on the mathematical figure. I reach late evening. My colleague is elated to see me. The feeling is mutual and so for the moment the pain is gone and the entire ordeal seems successful.

Thursday morning after bidding her off to the groom's house I take the hour long cab to Baddi where my Aunt lives. Gorge on some good breakfast as I had missed my meals the last day...one due to anguish and the other amidst all excitement.

Afternoon I reach the airport settled a bit in the mind only to be told by the security that my tickets are for 13th and it was 12th that day. WTF....sorry, did not have a better exclamation than that. I plead the guards to help me out. They permit me in on humanitarian grounds and advice me to talk to AIR INDIA MANAGER ON DUTY. Yes, this is where the second fiasco starts. My flight to Delhi and on to Ahmedabad were both AIR INDIA. The manager is magnanimous to accomodate my preponement but cautions me that this arrangement was only till Delhi. He cannot guarantee the DEL- AMD confirmation. I call up my Travel Agent and vent my doubled up temper on him. I am not used to being snapped by people at fault. He plainly replies saying he cannot help at the given point of time. Roger....the tears brim up again.

By the time I board the flight I am exhausted and mentally drained. I can hardly keep my eyes open. I try my level best to stay awake but doze off god knows when. I am startled by the whimpering of a kid and wake up. Flight was to land at 4 and it is 4.15. Lost, I ask the air hostess who confirms we will land shortly. I am getting worried big time because my next flight (if i am lucky) is at 6.50.  I suddenly start feeling giddy, weak and sick. I want to throw up badly. I was the last one to get out of my flight despite the urgency cause I can barely stand. Under normal circumstances I would have surrendered to the air hostesses on board pleading them to somehow seat me in my next flight. But no, I have to arrange for my tickets. For those who have seen the Delhi Airport, it is massive. There is a good amount of distance between the domestic and international transfers. The AIR INDIA Team ensures I traverse the entire port at least twice for whatsoever reasons. They also see to it that I am handled in the most rude and unprofessional manner on display.  I am willing to pay, I am struggling to be calm and polite. I experiment all grandma's ways to counter rising temper.

Finally at 6 sharp I reach my stipulated gate all dog tired and feeling miserable. I locate a coffee point and gulp down two extra large cold coffees in one go to keep me awake and sane. " It is to inform all passengers that the AI 010 to Ahmedabad will be delayed by an hour and will now depart at 7.50" If I were dying that day that was the last nail in my coffin. I told my neighbour to wake me up when the flight arrives and close my eyes for some peace. Once on board I have someone else sitting on my seat. I seek help from the air hostess. The AI hostessess are all the age of my mothers minus the compassion and warmth. I tell one to wake me up on landing. Big Momma retaliates it is not her job. Oops the Maharaja!!! I forgot.