[Resolved]  Indigo Airlines — Harassment of wheelchair passenger

INDIGO WOES Traveler - Dr. Sruti Mohapatra STATUS – Physically Challenged Special Services - WCHC Flight - 6E 259 Date - 27/09/2014 PNR - D63G5Z Seat - 30B TROUBLE AT DELHI My travel woes started with entering the airport. There was no Indigo staff available to help me wheel inside. My attendant, pushing my wheelchair and the luggage trolley alternately, we reached the Indigo counters. Despite waving my hand no one responded till we reached the counters. Every flight with Indigo has been a tale in agony. Initially they made me wait as they could not decide on which kind of chair I was to be taken in. I was told I could be seated on my wheelchair and it will go till aircraft. I informed them that CISF will not allow. Then a wide chair was brought. Again I explained that I cannot walk. Next a narrow one was brought. Then I was made to wait for over 20 minutes as the special assistance person was busy dealing a regular client. I requested that my wheelchair being fragile should not go in belt but taken separately and delivered near the aircraft in Bhubaneswar. Then it took them 20 minutes to search for a ‘Delivery at Aircraft’ tag. I was told that the tag was not given to wheelchairs and only to strollers. It took me another 5 minutes to convey that these tags are given for wheelchairs as well. Finally a stroller tag was attached to my wheelchair with ‘Delivery at Aircraft’ sign. There was no seat available for a wheelchair user, . I was assigned the last row. Finally I was taken to the aircraft. The Indio staff stood near my seat as no air hostess came forward to assist in lifting me to my seat. One air hostess came near and stretched out her hand with a smile. I said I cannot stand or walk please lift me to the seat. Without a word she turned around and walked away. When captain announced it was time for door closing, reluctantly another air hostess came and lifted me to my seat with the indigo ground staff. TROUBLE AT BHUBANESWAR I reached Bhubaneswar. I asked for my wheelchair near the ramp. I was told by the airhostess that it was being taken care of and I had nothing to worry. Another 20 minutes wait, after the last passenger got off, before some ground staff came to take me. Where is my wheelchair I asked. I was told to get down and it was on the ground. It took several discussions, nodding of heads, gestures before I was very roughly pulled out of seat and dumped like a sack of potatoes on the wheelchair. On reaching the ground my wheelchair was nowhere to be seen. ‘You will get it the luggage belt.’ A chorus of voice repeated. ‘Why did you send it on the belt it will break.’ ‘No madam it was taken separately.’ Was the assurance given. It had a delivery tag to be delivered at the aircraft fell on deaf ears. On reaching the belt I asked for my wheelchair. The Indigo staff (Sujata Sethi) there responded it was coming on the conveyor belt. ‘Conveyor belt’ I screamed. This was the fifth time I had given specific instructions not to bring the chair in conveyor belt as it was causing structural damages to the lightweight duralium wheelchair. I asked for the senior most official of Indigo in the airport. The same staff responded. I asked her why was my wheelchair not handed at the aircraft and brought on conveyor belt? She said it was a mistake. I asked her for a complaint book. She called someone on the phone. Another young man arrived. Said he was the senior most staff (Swaroop Das). I asked the same question. It was a mistake and I apologize on behalf of my staff. Will your apology repair my wheelchair? By then my wheelchair had arrived and the wheels were not balancing. Again the alignment had been damaged due to rough handling. IT IS ANOTHER MATTER THAT the lady Indigo staff near the luggage belt spoke half lies and argued unnecessarily. This is not a one time event. Every time I fly Indigo I face these problems. Hope the management will take to task erring officials and provide ease of flying to travelers with disabilities. MY QUESTIONS 1. How many times will Indigo break my wheelchair? 2. When will Indigo stop assigning the 3rd row seat to regular passengers and keep it till the last for wheelchair passengers, if any? 3. How many times will I have to complain before they will stop sending the wheelchair in luggage belt and bring it manually separately so as to prevent breakage? 4. How many times will I have to complain before wheelchair will be delivered near aircraft? 5. How many times will I have to explain to attendants that I need assistance and cannot walk at all despite mention of WCHC in my boarding pass? 6. When will Indigo staff be trained in a standardized process of escorting and seating travelers with disabilities; proper handling of wheelchairs, crutches etc. so that no damage is caused on the one hand and ease of flying is experienced by the travelers. 7. When will I receive an action taken report on my complaint MY SUGGESTIONS 1. All erring staff must be chastised and they pen letters of apology to travelers. Writing down something impacts the thought process and will prevent repetition. Further they will become conscious of needs of travelers with disabilities and various rules and regulations. 2. Regular training and refresher training be included and conducted to improve airline crew’s efficiency and capability in providing services to disabled fliers.