We always have a lot of stories to tell of our own national flag carrier, PIA. But sometimes, very famous and well-reputed airlines also mistreat their passengers and most of the time, it happens in the Asian sectors. I am referring here to a Middle-Eastern airline which is considered by many as 'the best'. When such incidents happen, we must speak out and tell them that we are not tongueless workers in their country but full-fare paying customers.

My last journey from the US to Pakistan (and back) was a total disaster. After three long and one
short flight, I was finally in Karachi. I had a confirmed seat on Aero
Asia to Lahore within the next two hours. I went to the counter for the boarding card and was told that I didn't have any reservation and they could not give me a seat until the next day. I was shocked: I have no relatives or friends in Karachi whom I could stay with. My ticket showed 'OK' and in America if it says OK, it means OK. I started to argue but the staff was quite rude and unsympathetic. I soon realised that I was not alone and
that there were many more passengers like me who had come on
Emirates flights and were being denied forward connections.

Some of us tried to persuade Emirates to
intervene but after a half-hearted effort, their staff told us that there was nothing they could do. I saw quite a few young students literally crying over such behaviour. The problem it seemed was money: many passengers who were allowed to board had bought their ticket on cash from the counter. All of us who were denied boarding were Emirates passengers. It dawned on us that airlines do not pay full fare to each other and this was the reason we were denied seats. Three of us refused lo leave the counter and spent nearly eight hours arguing, quarrelling, persuading, threatening and pleading the staff.

Eventually, a Madam (from Aero Asia) came to our help and ordered the
staff to arrange three seats for us in the next flight which was departing at 10 pm. I had been in the lounge from noon till 8:00 pm. And that wasn't the end. Aero Asia charged me for excess luggage though I was well within my limit of an Atlantic traveller - 70 kg.

For my return, I decided not to travel with Aero Asia although I had their flight coupon for Lahore-Karachi. I went to the local Emirates office and told their manager about my preference. I was ready to spend more money but he said he couldn't help me as his airline had an agreement only with Aero Asia. I ended up throwing my Aero Asia coupon and buying a fresh PIA ticket for Lahore-Karachi. Now, on my return journey, I experienced a delayed connection in Dubai (more than 14 hours). Normally, Emirates always provides hotel accommodation but this time I was told that I would have to stay at the airport and if I wanted to spend the time in a hotel, I would have to pay extra. Even though it was not my fault that they were not giving
me an earlier connection, I agreed to pay them extra money for hotel and transportation in Dubai. And it is here where the real tale of horror begins.


It was after reaching Karachi from Lahore on PIA that I was told that my international flight (Emirates) was late. There was a long queue of passengers and among them I made a few acquaintances. My new friends were Mr Bajwa, a civil servant in his forties, Mr Memon, a businessman and Iqbal, a student, All of us agree that the service standards of Emirates had declined over the last decade. Anyway, we reached Dubai and the three of us were given accommodation in the same hotel - Hotel Swiss Plaza. We came out of the airport and were dismayed to find that vehicles for all other hotels were there except for Swiss Plaza.

After waiting for half an hour we called the hotel and was told that
their bus was on the way to pick us up. It came after one and a half hour but the driver said he would go back to hotel after still another two hours! Enraged over this, we called the hotel and a lady suggested we take a taxi. Finally, we reached the hotel which was in a bad shape - the rooms and the bathrooms were extremely dirty. We were told that dinner would be served at 8:00 pm and if we missed, it would not be served again. There were quite a few women from India and Russia, rather oddly dressed, roaming the corridors.


Our dinner was cold and badly cooked. We left the place for a walk and stopped at a Tikka shop in the street where we had a proper meal. At 2:00 am, we were again at the airport. After going through all the boarding, immigration and security procedures, it was announced that the flight was delayed. We were asked by Emirates to leave the lounge and go to cafeteria for snacks. However, when we tried to come out, the security personnel refused to allow us to leave. It was a funny situation - the security people were blaming us for their lack of coordination with Emirates. Eventually we were allowed to come out and
go to the cafeteria. But again, we were treated like beggars and were told to a make a line outside the cafeteria. The Emirates people knew that the flight wouldn't leave for another ten to twelve hours but they announced a delay of two hours which they kept on "updating" after every two hours. All this was being done to keep us at the airport and avoid putting us up at a hotel.


Finding a quiet corner here or there in the lounge, the poor passengers - old, young and infants - used their luggage as pillows to sleep on. Everyone was sick and tired of life in general and Emirates in particular when we were finally called to board the plane: it was 3:00pm, the next afternoon, a full 13 hours of wait . In the final moments, out of a sense of consistency, Emirates announced one last delay.


Subsequently several people including myself wrote lengthy complaints.
I did not hear anything from the airline even after two months. I wrote another comprehensive complaint and sent it directly to the airline chairman with a copy to CEO. It took another month and a half before I got a call from Dubai telling me that my complaint was in process. After another month or so, I received an apology and a 300 Dirham in-flight voucher which I could avail only if I opted for another Emirates flight for the same route. So for a $76 voucher, I needed to spend $2000 first. Besides, there was no mention of any steps to be taken in future to avoid such hassles. I returned the vouchers.


But I have not stopped my efforts for "ehtesab". I am going to contact consumer protection agencies in the USA and to make sure that in future, Emirates treats passengers on predominantly Pakistani/lndian flights in the same manner as it treats European and American passengers.


Contributed by the author. Published also in The Nation

Web page: http://weber.u.washington.edu/~jawad