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Sreyas Sambhu 17 months ago
Extremely Disappointed with AirIndia's Unaccompanied Minor Booking Process
I recently had an extremely frustrating experience with Air India while booking an unaccompanied ticket for my 9-year-old child. The airline's incompetence and lack of proper procedures left me feeling helpless and disappointed. I cannot emphasize enough how poorly the situation was handled.
I provided all the necessary information for my child and my details during the booking process. However, when I inquired about the Unaccompanied Minor (UAM) form, I was told I would receive it at the airport check-in. This vague response immediately raised concerns, prompting me to seek further clarification.
I decided to call AirIndia's customer care number twice to ensure a smooth process and avoid any last-minute chaos. Shockingly, both times I received the same unhelpful response: "You will get it from the airport." This lack of concrete information was highly unsatisfactory and made me even more uncertain about the procedure.
On the day of departure, when I arrived at the airport check-in counter, I was informed that I needed to provide a filled-in UAM form for my child. I immediately explained my conversations with the customer care representatives, hoping for some understanding and assistance. Unfortunately, the staff at the counter were far from accommodating. They insisted that my child couldn't fly without the form.
Desperate and running out of time, I pleaded with them to provide the form, referring to the customer care team's lack of information and support. Shockingly, they showed no empathy and claimed they could not handle such requests or provide assistance. They even stated that they didn't have any forms or the means to forward them via email or give a printout.
With no other options left, I had no choice but to contact the customer care number again. To my dismay, their response remained unchanged: "You need to get it from the counter." It was unimaginable to be put in such a distressing situation, especially with a 9-year-old child, and the check-in process was about to close within 30 minutes.
Thankfully, a team lead named Priya stepped in to help us amid this chaos. She went above and beyond, rushing to the office to bring the necessary form, filling it in promptly, and ensuring my child could finally fly. I am immensely grateful for Priya's assistance, but this positive experience does not overshadow the abysmal performance of Air India's customer service.
AirIndia's customer care team is woefully inadequate, lacking sufficient knowledge and training to handle critical inquiries. The fact that they couldn't provide me with the correct information or support is unacceptable. Air India must urgently address this issue by empowering their customer care staff with proper training and ensuring they have the necessary knowledge to assist customers effectively.
Alternatively, AirIndia should consider implementing a direct booking facility for unaccompanied minors on its website, where all the mandatory information can be provided during the reservation process. This would eliminate unnecessary confusion and inconvenience, sparing passengers and their children from the distressing ordeal I endured.
I am deeply disappointed with Air India's handling of the unaccompanied minor booking process. The lack of adequate information, the unhelpful customer care, and the inability to provide the necessary form when urgently required created a highly stressful and chaotic experience. Air India needs to take immediate action to rectify these shortcomings and prioritize their customers' needs.