Worst service ever on the African and Asian continents

Good day.

My name is Nivesh Pahaladh, I am South African and was on your AI507 flight from Bengaluru-Mumbai.

I am writing this review as I feel it is necessary for you to fully understand how poorly I rate the service I received from your company (refer to my subject line).

I will be actively discouraging anyone from South Africa to ever use you.

This is my third trip to India (I am still here currently) and I have travelled extensively throughout Asia and Africa but first time ever using Air India (travel agency booked). I have used Jet, IndiGo, Spicejet etc previously and had no issues.

My trip was booked back in Sep 2019.

However, upon arrival at Bengaluru, I was informed that flights to Shirdi were cancelled due to inclement weather and had been so for about 10 days. It is fully understood that the weather is not in your control.

What disgusted me was the following series of events:

1. Not being informed well in advance that the flight was cancelled (travel agent received no notice as well) so that I could make alternative arrangements;

2. Upon conveying my plight to onflight staff, they indicated staff at the luggage carousel would assist...there were no staff there;

3. I spent the next 2.5 hours being shoved from pillar to post (different counters) where people did not attend to me and even when I was attended to, I had to go on another merry go round for some time before someone finally helped me exit the airport where I made my own expensive public transport arrangements;

4. Your customer service counter staff did not attend to me. When I had to shout to point out I'd been waiting for assistance before 3 other people that they started attending to...they simply told me they can't help and will refund automatically as per policy. I must make my own arrangements. Again, that is fine but then at least finish your process and take me to the airport exit, don't make me wait another 30 minutes before I harass someone else to eventually help me exit.

Your counter was inundated with irate customers which shows you are running your business poorly.

Perhaps it was my unshaven, holiday look that meant nobody bothered to attend to me, even your duty manager (Sherry-not sure of the spelling) but the lack of empathy shown to a foreigner who is not as fami**** with nor has access to services they typically would in their own country was truly abhorrent.

The majority of your staff just kept shoving me along (as long as it wasn't their problem) and then when I made more of a fuss, they spoke to me as if they were paying me for a service (not the other way around which it actually was).

Truly unsatisfied...you don't even have the ability to make customers form a line to attend to their issues...shockingly poor service. I will NEVER use you again.

There's a 1 star rating here because I can't put 0 stars.