26 off-loaded from AI flight to Birmingham  
Ashok Sethi
 
Amritsar, August 21
As many as 26 passengers were off-loaded from the Air-India flight to Birmingham and Toronto in view of the overbooked flight emanating from Mumbai via Delhi.  
 
The agitated passengers were later sent to Delhi by a special air-conditioned coach for taking flights to the UK and Canada.
 
The Station Manager of Air India, Mr Ashwani Arora, said that the Air-India flight had become very popular with a large number of NRI Punjabi population settled in the UK and Canada during its three months of operation. He said that the carrier had been facing this problem, as more and more passengers were opting for this flight. Mr Arora said it had been the general practice to accommodate such passengers through additional facilities, including stay in hotels and provide them seats on other flights. Special arrangement was also made for the off-loaded passengers so that they faced little inconvenience to reach their destination.
 
Meanwhile the passengers who could not board the Air-India flight pleaded with the airport staff to accommodate them in the flight but the airlines authorities expressed their inability to do so in view of the packed flight.
 
An aggrieved passenger, Ms Sushma Sharma, a club class ticket holder, who had to attend the marriage of her niece in Toronto on August 22, rued that she was carrying wedding gifts and other items, and now she was in a quandary as there was no chance of her attending the wedding.
 
Mr Vijay Gupta, a Canadian national, who had to join his job next week, faced a similar predicament, as he would not be able to report for duty on time.
 
Mr Arora, however, said that both these passengers did not carry confirmed tickets as their travel agent in Jalandhar had misled them that Air-India would definitely would provide them seats.
 
In view of the popularity of the Air India’s direct flight, the confederation of Indian Industry has sought more daily flights.
 
 

Air Deccan's new winter schedule
Bangalore | November 11, 2005 1:46:18 AM IST
 
 
Air Deccan, India's first low cost carrier, today announced a change in flight timings with effect from October 31, 2005, to March 26, 2006.  
The new schedules were available on the Air Deccan website www.airdeccan.net. All passengers have been requested to check the timings of other flights with the All India 24/7 Call Centre at 080 - 39008888, according to a release here.  
 
The DN-514 Amritsar-New Delhi would leave at 0930 hrs instead of 1045 hrs, DN-564 Baghdogra-Kolkata at 0820 hrs instead of 1400 hrs, DN-619 Baghdogra-Guwahati at 1105 hrs instead of 1320 hrs, DN-629 Baghdogra-Delhi at 1300 hrs instead of 1525 hrs, DN-552 Bhubaneshwar-Kolkata at 0735 hrs instead of 0820 hrs, DN-613 Chennai-Mumbai at 0530 hrs instead of 0545 hrs, DN-616 Coimbatore-Mumbai at 1020 hrs instead of 1040 hrs, DN-510 Dehradun-Delhi at 1230 hrs instead of 1340 hrs, DN-509 Delhi-Dehradun at 1120 hrs instead of 1230 hrs, DN-513 Delhi-Amritsar at 0730 hrs instead of 0850 hrs, DN-608 Delhi-Hyderabad at 1550 hrs instead of 1900 hrs, DN-619 Delhi-Baghdogra at 0840 hrs instead of 1050 hrs, DN-629 Guwahati-Baghdogra at 1135 hrs instead of 1340 hrs, DN-607 Hyderabad-Delhi at 0550 hrs instead of 0600 hrs, DN-551 Kolkata-Bhubaneshwar at 0600 hrs instead of 0640 hrs, DN-563 Kolkata-Baghdogra at 0625 hrs instead of 1205 hrs, DN-632 Kolkata-Hyderabad at 1225 hrs instead of 0900 hrs, DN-615 Mumbai-Coimbatore at 0750 hrs instead of 0810 hrs, DN-641 Mumbai-Kolkata at 0535 hrs instead of 0620 hrs.

Trvalled on Air Deccan in April....  A320 used in between Delhi Bangalore Delhi was newest one i have travelled till now (including British Airways, Luftansa etc).
 
They were on time both ways but do call them before leaving for Airport as they have different timings for summer and winter if you don't to wait at Airport.
 
Food or Drinks served onboard are expensive (more than UK prices), TV screens were showing same recorded CNBC documentry.
 
But if you are looking for cheaper option by Air, Air deccan is the best. You will spend 90 mins in Delhi to reach airport from central delhi, 60 mins flight timings, 60 mins wastage at airports and additional 60 mins for travelling to city in Amritsar. I would prefer Shatabdi express (train) which will cost same, seldomly late, Best quality food and services free of cost and no hassles at all.
 
But no complaints about Air Deccan for the price they fly.