Ngoc Travelling by air should be a pleasant experience. However, my encounters with SpiceJet airline have been nothing but unpleasant. I have faced numerous issues ranging from delays, lost baggage, rude staff and outright fraud. Let me share my frustrating experiences flying with this poorly managed airline.
Disorganized Check-in Process
My first flight with SpiceJet was a nightmare due to the inefficiency at the check-in counter. I had reached 50 minutes before the scheduled departure time as recommended, but the lone staff was handling passengers at a snail’s pace. It took him over 10 minutes to check-in just one person. By the time it was my turn, I was told I had missed the deadline and was denied a boarding pass. Despite pleading with the supervisors and offering to provide proof of being on time through CCTV footage, they refused to assist me, forcing me to take an alternate flight. The disorganized process and lack of customer focus left a strong negative impression.
Unreasonable Denial of Boarding
On another occasion, I reached the counter just 5 minutes past the cutoff time due to traffic. However, instead of showing some flexibility given I was cutting it close, the staff flatly refused to let me board. What was more shocking was their arrogant attitude when I tried to reason with them. They treated me without any dignity or respect. As a result of their stubborn incompetence, I had to purchase an emergency last-minute ticket at over twice the price on their suggestion. The high-handed approach and lack of customer empathy was appalling.
Frequent Delays and Missing Baggage
Every other flight with SpiceJet tended to get repeatedly delayed by anything between 30 minutes to 4 hours without valid reasons. The communication was poor as well - often they would inform passengers of delays only after significant time had lapsed. On one return journey, my checked-in baggage ended up getting misplaced. After multiple complaints, it took the airline over a week to finally deliver the lost luggage. The frequent delays combined with poor baggage management disrupted travel plans and wasted significant time.
Substandard Service on Board
The service on SpiceJet flights left a lot to be desired. On one flight with my family, we were made to pay extra charges last-minute to get seats together despite booking them in advance. The food was consistently unsatisfactory - once my pre-ordered meal wasn’t delivered at all. Facilities for younger passengers also lacked. During my teenage years, I was left to find my way around unassisted in an unfamiliar airport after SpiceJet staff abandoned me post security checks. The apathetic staff treated customers, especially minors, without dignity or care.
Fraudulent Mis-selling of Premium Seats
In one of the worst experiences, my father paid a hefty premium for so-called “special seats” next to the emergency exits for my family of three to sit together. However, mid-flight we were aggressively asked to vacate them by rude air hostesses who contended the seats couldn’t be occupied by anyone under 18 years. It became clear it was a ploy to con passengers into paying extra without actually providing the promised service. When my father tried defending our rights reasonably, they ganged up on us and made announcement asking me to leave. The bullying and unwillingness to refund the bogus charges left a nasty impression of their unethical practices.
Lack of Accountability and Redress
Over multiple trips with SpiceJet suffering different kinds of issues, the most frustrating aspect was their lack of accountability and unwillingness to address grievances adequately. Even in cases of clear negligence or misconduct, they would shrug off responsibilities. Follow-ups did not yield any tangible resolution, compensation or steps to avoid recurrence. The nonchalance towards improving customer experience speaks volumes about the lack of seriousness in their governance structure and work culture. There seems to be little oversight to ensure quality, efficiency and customer-centrism.
In conclusion, my unfortunate encounters with SpiceJet’s inefficient operations, unreliable services, lousy customer treatment and unethical commercial practices have ensured I will avoid flying with them ever again. Other airlines like Air India, which also have had issues, were still far more organized and customer-focused. It is high time SpiceJet revamped its processes and staff attitude through better training if it wishes to remedy its deeply flawed services that frustrate passengers. As of now, it remains one of the worst aviation experiences in India and passengers would do well spending a little extra to travel with alternative carriers for a pleasant and hassle-free holiday trip.
Tips for Arriving and Living in Qingdao as a Foreigner