NEW DELHI DEBACLE
16JULY24 – If I didn’t think there could be a worse experience than at JFK on the 13th, when I was kicked out of the boarding line due to American Airlines’ staff not communicating effectively, I was fooling myself. It could get worse. People could get worse.
On Monday the 15th, I was finally able to fly out of JFK at 8:45pm. This would put me in New Delhi at 9:00pm on Tuesday the 16th. Upon arriving at the transfer desk in Delhi, I could see various issues arising with other passengers from other flights that just arrived. I’m not the only one with transfer/visa issues. In times like those, misery really does love company. You feel less alone and it does something to one’s spirit when one realizes “my problem isn’t that bad.” It’s a survival instinct, I guess. So, I was helping to give advice to others about some things I had learned about transit visas needed in New Delhi. It made me feel better.
When my turn finally came with a lady, maybe her name was ‘Diwandali,’ or something. I’m sure it’s spelled wrong. She explained that the airline I am flying, Bhutan Airlines, will not have staff available to issue boarding passes for my connecting flight to Paro, Bhutan that evening, that I’d have to wait until the next morning at around 7am for the staff to arrive to check me in. There’s only one flight a day at 10:55am, so that made sense. I have never had any problems sleeping in an airport. So, I thanked her and went to the transfer area. I sat down and fiddled around with my bag and then out of nowhere, a lady in an orange blazer came up to me and asked “Bhutan Air?” A little confused, I replied, “Yes.” She says, “Bhutan Air staff are coming in 30 minutes to check you in, you can go.” “But, I was told they won’t be here until tomorrow morning, so I’m supposed to hang out here.” “No. You can go.” So, I got up, more confused, and returned to the transfer desk. I saw ‘Diwandali’ and I asked her “Is Bhutan Air really coming tonight?” She replies “No! I told you not until tomorrow!” I back up a bit and say, “I’m not asking for me, I’m asking because some woman in an orange blazer told me they were coming! I didn’t think it sounded right, but what was I supposed to do? That’s why I’m asking you now for clarification.” “No, they are not coming.” “Great, then I wonder why she said such a thing.” Then I saw her from afar, and I said “That’s her! Ask her!” So, a male staff member came with me and he went up to her and asked her and she denied ever seeing me, ever saying that (it was surreal!) and so he came back to me and said “My colleague said she didn’t say that.” “Ok, but I’m telling you she did. Why would I make this up? Seriously, tell me. Is this cultural? Is there something about wanting to make people feel better or something, so you lie to them and give them false hope?” “I don’t know anything about that cultural characteristic, ma’am.” “Ok. This is insane. Never mind.” Shaking my head in disbelief until it’s about to fall off.
I go back to the transfer area and try to get comfortable for the long night. Then (!) a man with a goatee comes up to me and says “Ma’am, Bhutan Air is coming tonight, in about a half an hour to check you in and then you can go to the gates where you will be more comfortable.” “But, I was already told that they won’t be coming until tomorrow morning, which I’m fine with.” “No, ma’am, you will be more comfortable,” and he walked me out of the transfer area to specifically point to a woman whom he said had called them and they are coming in 30 minutes. Really confused now, I guess I have to listen to staff, so I go back to the transfer desk, start taking my bags apart because security needs a lot of stuff to be put in trays. Then I see ‘Diwandali’ again and tell her what is happening and again, she said “No, they are not coming!” So, I see the guy and he’s coming our way and I say “That’s him! Ask him!” They ask him and I shit you not, he says, right in front of me, “When was this Ma’am?” “What do you mean when was this?” “Ma’am, I never said anything to you, I don’t know what you’re talking about.” “Oh my God, are you joking? What is happening?! Why are you denying this?! You came up to me and told me all of that and you know you did! This is INSANE!” “Ma’am, if I came to you…” “Stop with the IF! You KNOW you did! Why are you lying and denying? What is going on?! Seriously, this is sick!” “Ma’am, I’m sorry, I never spoke to you.” “Oh my God, WHY are you doing this?! This is insane!” He kept trying to talk and I said “Stop! I don’t want to hear your lies, you’ve got something seriously wrong with you!” Then I asked everyone, “Do you have security cameras in that area? I’m sure you do. Let’s check them and you can all see that they BOTH came up to me! Freaking denying they’ve ever seen me?! This is insane! What is wrong with you?!” So, he left, and I asked them, “Who is the head of security? Who can I talk to for the camera footage?” They told me to go to the soldiers in the transfer area. One was the woman who had been snickering with the lady in the orange blazer earlier, so I know she saw both interactions. She acted stupid, had the grossest shit-eating grin on her face, and pretended to listen to me, but I could tell she was never going to help me. She eventually said “Sit down over there, I will call someone.” So, I sat down and waited and then it was like 3:30am by that time, so I went over to one of the lounge chairs to have a nap. When I woke up, I went back to the woman and asked if anyone was coming. She replied, “No one is coming.” Of course, I wasn’t surprised. Another lie from New Delhi staff, a staff of which was clearly in kahoots with each other. It was a no-win situation and basically I realized those three are just horrible people and their lives must be miserable in and out of work, so I handed it over to karma. It will get them. Of that, I have no doubt. Horrible people.
Feeling so gaslit and frustrated, and sad, really for how awful humans can be…I went over to charge my phone and a woman sitting down asked me how I was doing. I sat down and talked to her and before we knew it, it was time for me to go back to the transfer desk. It was already that time in the morning. She is Bangladeshi and she was literally a godsend at the time. Exactly what I needed in order to feel good about humanity once again. She invited me to visit her in Bangladesh any time. So, I made a friend for life in those twilight hours. Knowing that I was heading to Bhutan, inshallah, she said “Don’t worry. Once you get to Bhutan, you will instantly forget about New Delhi.”
And, she was right.
