Kirrukal

It was during month of august once talking over phone to my parents , got the great news about my sister wedding.yeah the time came of my sister wedding and the date for the wedding was confirmed in the month of oct.As it was the first auspicious function in my family and me away from home country so I planned to take vacation and visit India in a short trip..
Project here was in in peak and getting leave in this period was bit difficult unless and until I complete my module.As I had decided to go to India in any case so started to work bit hard .. irrespective of week end ,holiday and atlast completed my module and ofcourse boss was happy and got permission for vacation.
Followed by which I started preparation to go to India.As that time I was going for my personal work so no sponser of ticket from company.I have to put ticket from my pocket.. After enquiring with some airlines I decided to go for some cheap airlines irrespective of the comforts during journey. The airlines which I choosen was flying through Singapore thought to drop my friend’s home at Singapore.This schedule was only in mind and not the confirmed one.probability was also there to skip it.Due to hectic work I did’nt get any time to visit Singapore embassy and get advance transit visa for Singapore.Though I mailed my friend will drop to their home incase if get transit visa at Singapore.
Days passed and the day of journey came.That day I was carring over weight n I was well aware of it …went to check in counter did the checkin ..some how managed with out fine.was happy thinking about it .started towards security check and was caught there they asked to weigh the hand baggage and I went to do the same..the weight was bit over than the allowed one ..on request they said though they cannot allow in cabin baggage but will put in checkin instead..i too agreed for it….
again was bit relaxed and cleared security check followed by which boarded flight ..had food n gone to "swarg log.".the same day evening landed at Singapore..enquired about my baggage to the airport authorities ..they told baggage will be automatically directed to the connecting flight i.e towards India ..hence I proceeded towards immigration to give a try to get transit visa…the Q was quite small.. my turn came soon..Upon asking about transit visa..the lady in immigration first refused to give visa..then don’t know what she thought ..she stamped my pp for visit pass and said next time I have to take the visa in advance..i nodded my head and said “ fine sure I will do ..thanks “…
That was first time I landed in Singapore..not much aware of things there …I looked for some public phone to call my friend and inform about my arrival there ….was just searching some shop to get phone card but I noticed that public calls are free for the passengers..called and informed them…by that time it was 8 pm..too tired also too hungry..Just was waiting in the arrival terminal and was searching for burger king or mcdonalds..could’nt find any..soon my friend came..went to home..i was welcomed by the papa.., anni and anna ..had good dinner.."oru pidi pidichachi"…after dinner talked with anna n anni for long….my flight was next day morning..Thinking that there is no check in issues I thought it is enough to be at airport just 30 min prior..and did the same..got my boarding pass went inside the security check..it was 9.00am when i entered the security check gate..flight take off time was 9.30am…they asked to go for baggage identification ..down near cargo where they were loading the baggage….i went down but could find only one box..other box was missing.. I told the same to them and asked about the second box..they asked to wait for a while and then they talked over wireless..In the beginning I was cool thinking baggage might be some where there and will get it .. ..i was waiting near flight cargo ..too hot and it was too noisy . still standing waiting for baggage..just a thought came in mind about the past i.e my college days if i would have selected either for pilot or ground duty officer i would have done same sort of work.."time gap la ora dreams"..it was interruped by officer.. they searched for 20 min but could'n get trace of baggage hence they said ok it is time for flight take off and aksed me to board the flight..” ennada ithu nu” I thought I asked about my baggage and told unless I get my baggage I will not move anywhere. after some 5 min tug off with ground duty officer....they asked to go and meet the manager and talk further about that..so came up and was standing on the entrance of the flight..already flight take off was delayed by 5 mins..they asked to board the flight..again same tug off between myself ,manager ,cabin crew and other authority ..” where is my baggage how it is missed”blah blah ..they said they will check…..for a while in enthu I told ok I will take next flight ..and asked about the next flight timing..there was no immediate flight ..so again changed mind..thinking “if the baggage has to reach it will reach in anycase”..as already they searched and they doubt it was missed at the destination.it was 10am when i saw my watch while talkign to them... half an hour delay in flight takeoff.. one of the cabin crew person seems to be tamil.. he said “ sari ma enga irundhalum onnum prayoganai ella..better to go at Chennai and report there..all passenger are waiting for flight takeoff ..n he requested to board..” sari nu I boarded the flight…my place was some where in last..but as the flight tookoff immediately I entered flight Air hostes asked to sit in the place which was vacant…my bad luck played there also..that place was in front of rest room..abba so irritating it was sitting in that place..no other go adjusted ...all my thinking was will I get the baggage..some gifts ,chocolates my camera accessories all were in that baggage..while thinking that got sleep ..reached Chennai… was waiting at baggage collection section ..aah ethu enna I could find my baggage which was missing at Singapore…got relaxed thinking the second one would also definitely come as I had identified that other at Singapore..aana again bad luck..this time the one which I identified at singapore has not come…actually what happened was during my tug off between manager when I told I will take next flight they asked shud they remove the baggage already in cargo ..i said ok..after that I changed my mind and time span was very less so they forgot to upload again into cargo..
At Chennai I went to "Lost Baggage Reporting" counter and waited for 30 minutes before they answered. They said, i had to go slightly outside the airport and talk to the Air-India enquiry counter. i said, thanks and went to the counter outside the Baggage terminal
In the counter, there was one lady, writing a voucher like form.I told about about the same She asked me to go enquire in the "Lost Baggage Reporting" counter..I was bit frustrated the way they behaved so thought to call home and talk..i called home talked at home. informed about the baggage loss..they said no need to worry try my best else its ok..again went to “Lost Baggage Reporing “ counter..gave the complain in written..they said with in one day it will reach my home town..
Anyway, i went through immigration and took my baggage(got), making guesses that the baggage(lost) will reach safely and caught Domestic flight reached home.
After reaching home next morning I tried to call Air-India office at the phone number that is printed on the envelope that came with the tickets.All the lines were engaged .. i tried to call the Air-India for almost 2 days but nobody was lifting the phone. Once, somebody lifted and said, it was lunch time and asked me to call again. After that, I have tried very hard and it was always busy. Then somehow got line when i asked y the number were always busy to my surprise, she said, some flight came late today and because of that they kept 2 phones out of hook, making them look busy. Is it the problem with the people or the system of guaranteed job security? Does this call for privatising the Air-lines and making our lives better?
When asked about the missed baggage they said it has already reached Mumbai n will reach my hometown next morning..i was bit happy thinking it will be reaching next day..i waited from morning to evening fro baggage but it again did’nt come..upon calling again they said sorry it is still in Singapore and some baggage problem I have to pay some excess baggage charge..i don’t know what to do..the excess baggage charge was quite big amount….then I called my friend at singpore and asked to enquire about the same..with his great help the baggage reached India after 15 days when I was about to start back …In the mean time marriage function and all were over..it was bitter experience in my life in between a happy occasion..


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