-With malice to None

-N. P. Upadhyaya (Chief Editor: telegraphnepal.com)

Biratnagar/Kathmandu, March 26: I have been flying since early 1980s.

Never ever I had felt so humiliated , insulted and exhausted that I have had to endure today, March 26, 2022, while traveling to Kathmandu from Biratnagar through the Saurya Airlines-‘Fly the Spirit of Nepal’.

My experience with this Saurya Airlines could be taken as a sad one which I shall ever remember for the rest of my life.

The Ordeal begins:

I had a valid ticket from the Saurya Airlines (Flight Number S 1722) scheduled for 9:45 AM. (See the snap shot of the ticket below).

This is what had been written/printed in my confirm ticket to Kathmandu.

By the way, I paid 4, 195 Nepali Rupees through E-Sewa dated March 23, 2022, which could be read clearly in the ticket shown below.

More is to come:

Exactly at 8:45 AM, I moved towards the Saurya Airlines Checking Counter , and to the utter dismay of this scribe, the counter was empty which meant that the Staffs of the Airlines were yet to take their respective seats for check-in.

After waiting for an hour and a half, a young couple too approached the Saurya Counter to get the Boarding Pass as is the practice.

But they too were disappointed.

Almost an hour later, the disappointed gentleman informed me that “Saurya Airlines” Flight to Kathmandu has been delayed by more than five hours or so.

I had no option left other than to wait for the delayed time to board the Aircraft.

In the mean time there was a rumor in circulation that the Saurya Airlines flight to Kathmandu is scheduled for 3 PM.

Needless to say, I suffered a lot which led to the postponement or even to the cancellation of my scheduled appointments in Kathmandu.

Some important engagements I have had in Kathmandu the same afternoon. This was a great loss for me as a press man.

The Question now:

The question could thus be asked: Who is primarily to be blamed for this abrupt and unannounced delay made in the flight to Kathmandu by the Airlines Company?

Question also could be fairly asked as to whether Saurya Airlines is reliable one?

Could the simple and innocent or even uneducated passengers trust the airline?

The Ordeal continues:

At about 2:45 PM, I was told that the Checking Counter shall open at 3. 30 PM.

(By this time, my wait inside the airport has crossed six hours).

But that was not all.

I guessed that I have more hair-raising surprises in store for me.

I was mentally prepared for accepting the surprises that were for me.

PS: After a wait of over six hours, someone tells me from the Airlines that “ calls were made to each and every passengers of the march 26, 9. 45 AM flight informing them all that the flight has been scheduled for late afternoon”.

However, I must admit that I may have missed the call from the Airlines if at all it were made by the SA to me.

While acquiring tickets for the March 26, flight, two separate telephone numbers were perhaps given to the company.

One Tel number of the Passenger and the second one of the person who bought the Ticket from E-Sewa on March 23, 2022 in my name.

Let’s assume that while acquiring the ticket the person calling must have given his or her number or at best the telephone number automatically must have been recorded by the E- Sewa?

However, the available second easy option to the Airlines was missing.

It could now be debated whether “the phone call from the airlines could be taken as an excuse for the abrupt postponement of the flight?

This question is pertinent which needs to be fully understood by the Airlines Company.

It would have been better had the Saurya deputed some officials at the airport counter to inform those passengers who, unfortunately, may have missed the call from the Airlines that the flight has been scheduled for late afternoon the same day.

No. It was definitely not.

Thus question comes to our mind again: Who is at fault?

The final jolt:

A completely exhausted, as this scribe was after waiting for almost 7 hours, was once again informed by the Airline staff that “ I had asked for the refund of the ticket” which I have had not made at all.

With all these untold sufferings, the talk of refund was a severe jolt to me.

However, Robin Ghimire, one kind soul of the Saurya Airliner staff in Biratnagar somehow managed to issue the boarding pass to me which meant that I was boarding the flight after a wait of full eight hours.

The 9:45 AM flight finally was scheduled for 5. 25 PM.

Thanks Robin Ghimire. You did the job to my satisfaction.

Well, this is the story of which I am myself the witness and the one who suffered.

Read the entire story and conclude as to who is or was at fault?

The Saurya Airlines or this reporter/passenger-the chief of telegraphnepal.com online news portal?

Your decisions shall be taken as final and binding to the reporter as well to the Airlines.

Whatever is your verdict, the fact is that this reporter has had to wait for some eight hours at the airport.

Has it some meaning? Or this suffering too could be dismissed out rightly?

#We are open to accept “modest” but satisfying/convincing  comments from the airlines company-telegraphnepal.com
That’s all.

# Our contact address is: editor.telegraphnepal@gmail.com