WHY A SPICY TAGLINE IS NOT ENOUGH!

 I happened to book a late night flight in an Airline, which proclaims it's spicy and hot, to Mumbai from Delhi. Plans to enjoy a half an hour in lounge access went awry, although with small-qued but inefficient check-in counter took 30 minutes.

As I boarded, I observed compared to other airlines, where everything goes by smooth and at decent unhurried pace, here air-hostess, apart from wearing dull and badly designed T shirts, were running and struggling to somehow accommodate and announce mandatory procedures. 

After I landed in Mumbai and was the only passenger standing there without my check-in bag, I requested nearby airline porter boy regarding my situation.

He called baggage person who sends check-in bags up to conveyor belt, to once again run the belt, but to no avail, I was still bag-less.

Porter took me to a nearby office cum badly managed room, where 2 male and 2 female airline executives were having friendly banter. My presence did not alter their act, although there were occasional shush sound to remind to behave in front of customer, but to no effect.

Lead among those 4 asked porter to run conveyor belt with an empty plastic container, sometimes it pushes stuck bags. Porter told he already did this container thing,I objected and told it's a lie, only conveyor belt was run without anything. The procedure was repeated with a container, but bag was still missing.

Leading lady and her colleague called airline's Delhi terminal and after repeated calls with no answer started lamenting Delhi's repeated non-professional attitude. 

Finally there were couples of calls connected and everyone confirmed that there was no bag left and it was 100% clearance from Delhi.

Then I was repeatedly asked if I had any prohibited items in the luggage, that might have caused a level 4 luggage confiscation, and I repeatedly confirmed it was not the case. 

I was asked to fill the form with every detail about my flight and bag. I duly filled it , along with another online form with more details of email ID and contact information as well, and was awaiting to get next steps. I got to know that there was an un-tagged bag found in Delhi terminal, which was matching with my luggage brand and description.

I asked it to be delivered to my home next day when it arrives, they were a bit hesitant saying it might be because of level 4( customer fault), so ideally I should pick this up. I protested saying it's an un-tagged bag, means the inefficient check-in counter in Delhi terminal was not only slow, it was inept as well. After agreement to deliver bag at my home by 11 am sharp, I was given a contact number for inquiries. I was also hoping for an email, as online form generally does send one. But I did not got any confirmation, I asked for a receipt and leading lady took my phone and clicked form's picture for my reference. I am sure it is an eco-friendly way, but highly unprofessional.

Next day at 10 am I received a call from same number, via a different shift staff, asking my bag has arrived. She asked what had happened? I was surprised to hear that considering, I filled a long form with details, along with an online form. I repeated my situation, to which I was told that since the form is missing she doesn't know the situation, and asked me to re-share my address with a promise to deliver bag by 11 am. 

After waiting for 3 hours I was impatient, as my brush to phone charger everything was in that bag, I called that same number, it was not picked up 3 times, later it was switched off. I emailed customer care email id (ironically it was spelled CustCare, Cust or Kusht in Hindi means inconvenience) with no reply not even no automatic one. 

With no contact available, I waited helplessly and by evening my luggage was home delivered. 

Reflecting upon my painful experience,. I observed a series of issues with this Hot and Spicy airline:

1. Inefficiency started at check-in counter
2. Same was reflected by poor design and bad quality dress for air-hostess and also how they couldn't manage all starting procedure well
3. Luggage missing and porter by avoiding responsibility easily lied to baggage counter staffed
4. Baggage counter staff behavior was not customer centric, it imbued deep untrust in already a bad situation for me
5. No procedure to contact right people in such cases (I guess common issue), which also resulted in wrong information being delivered that 100% clearance is done from Delhi, which turned out to be wrong
6. Baggage counter lady attitude to not deliver luggage repeatedly questioning on level 4 offence for power bank
7. No reply from customer care email, not even an automated one. No receipt was given or emailed. 
8. Support number for baggage counter was not answered and was switched off

This airline had bought a lot of airplanes, from one of the other airlines which had to file for bankruptcy, to increase its fleet and take advantage of vacuum created. Unfortunately only keeping a spicy tagline and lackluster service performance will surpass a temporary vacuum advantage. 

2 things comes to mind, first why Steve Jobs insisted to efficiently design motherboards, though customer will rarely see it. Second, real service test happens when things not go according to plan. 

Someday things will not go as per plan, and customer will see rarely seen services, if are not designed properly, it exposes you. Everyone will not say emperor in naked, but like that brave boy, I refuse to keep quiet.