Nightmarish Air Travel
Our real ordeal
started at London airport. Surprisingly enough, we were asked to show travel
documents with permission to travel to India – self declaration form, COVID
test report and the permission from High Commission in US
By Mukesh Sharma
Gone are the days when air travel was the most coveted ‘ride’, particularly, for the commoners. It would give the feeling of privileged class. Sexy air hostesses manning the entrance of aircraft would welcome the passengers with a sensuous smile; they would love to walk up to any passenger on board just on a press of a button; they would talk and treat the passenger like a close buddy. But the most dared and deadly corona has changed all those friendly and flirting gestures and postures. In this corona time, air travel is no better than a nightmare.
After staying for long six months in US, this blogger decided to explore the possibilities to fly back to India during this pandemic. Though Indian govt. continued its so called ‘Evacuation flights’ for its stranded citizens in different countries under the name Vande Matrum, there are reports that the passengers were overcharged for the ‘facilities’ – no food in jam-packed flights and harassment at Indian airport in the name of Corona.
 |
| A nightmarish air travel |
In the middle of the last month, Indian govt. also started ‘bubble service’ under an agreement with some countries – US, UK, Germany and UAE. Airlines of the said countries were permitted to land in India. A website ‘Air Suvidha’ was launched with certain guidelines. Passengers travelling to India were asked to upload the travel information 76 hour before scheduled flight with COVID test report done within 96 hours of date of flight with a self-declaration to undergo mandatory 7 days self-financed institutional quarantine and 7 days home quarantine.
People allege hotels with good ‘understanding’ with the authorities are having good business in India. It is a fact that people are scared even to travel to their homeland. Rumor is doing rounds if one is found COVID positive, one would not survive corona in govt. hospital, and private hospital would make the patient bleed by Rs.10 -15lac. Corona has turned out to be a windfall for hospitals and docs – no treatment, no responsibility, blank exemption from any kind of negligence and lots of money. Hail corruption!
Having uploaded all the travel information on ‘air suvidha’ and armed with COVID negative report, this blogger along with his wife dared to board the American Airline (operated by British Airways) to Delhi. No doubt, such a long air travel was a risk. But the intense desire to get back to India strengthened the will- power.
At Phoenix (US) airport, there were a few passengers. At air line counter, attendant spoke to us from behind a glass shield. Within 10 minutes our baggage was cleared for check-in and boarding passes were issued from Phoenix to Dallas (Texas, US), from Dallas to London (UK), and from London to Delhi. Our joy knew no bound when we got the boarding passes. The picture of Delhi airport flickered through my mind. Nothing attracts like motherland.
It was two and half hour flight from Phoenix to Dallas. The seats between two passengers were left empty. A food packet was left on each seat containing water bottle and a few cookies. No air hostess attended any passenger during flight – it was the most humiliating air travel.
At Dallas, we dashed to given gate to catch the flight to London. It was 10 hours flight over Atlantic Ocean to London. However, without any eatable, drinks were served in the flight.
Our real ordeal started at London airport. Surprisingly enough, we were asked to show travel documents with permission to travel to India – self declaration form, COVID test report and the permission from High Commission posted in US. “Since when Indian national holding Indian pass port are required to seek the permission of Indian High Commission to return to India” I tried to reason with the white staffer of British Air. But the confused and non updated attendant would not listen. Total five passengers all coming from US going to Delhi were stopped and not allowed to board the flight in the want of permission/approval letter from Indian high Commission. Miserably enough, we missed the flight because of the confusion created by the vague guidelines issued by the Indian government. Even the British Airways attendant was confused. And next flight from London to Delhi was after 4 days.
Daughter of this blogger called up Indian embassy in US and was told that there was no such condition. Perturbed and disturbed, this blogger tweeted with hash tag to MEA and PMO. But who cares for the commoners!
Harassed and harried for hours at the airport by the British Airways staffers, this blogger sought the intervention of a ‘Border officer’. “How can you allow these Indians to stay for 4 days in London without VISA,” questioned the officer angrily. “If they move out of the airport, they will be arrested” she added. Realising their mistake, British Airways assured to put us in the next available flight to Mumbai next day as there was no flight to Delhi for 4 days.
Never in all these living years, this blogger along with his wife has had such a harrowing time, spending 24 hours at London Airport on chairs – no food just on water. At a time we were overpowered by the thought that we would catch corona at Heathrow (London) and die of corona in India. Fear of corona and death aftermath was writ large on the face.
Next day, all documents were cleared and finally we were allowed to board the flight to Mumbai, just 25 minutes before the scheduled time of the flight. We both rushed to given gate which was at far end of the airport. Through many escalators and lifts and ride on a tube, we, somehow, managed to reach the gate. Message was conveyed to flight that we were on the way. We heaved the sigh of relief when we found the staffers waiting for us and motioning to move fast and board the flight. Though we both were panting heavily with heart pounding, and were thirsty, none offered even a glass of water. We collapsed on seat and fastened the seat belt. Just after 15 minutes, aircraft started rolling on the run way. This blogger rang up his kids in India and told about the boarding.
After long 10 hours, we finally touched Mumbai. This blogger and his wife got emotional when we saw Mumbai. We were cleared through immigration and COVID staffers within two hours. Since we had already booked ticket to Delhi, we faced no problem. At last, we touched Delhi. Thanks to COVID negative report, we were permitted 14 days home quarantine in Delhi.
The first hand experience of this blogger proves that air travel is really a nightmare during this pandemic. The system ridden with confusion and corruption doesn’t care for the commoners. It kneels down before netas only.
