November 21, 2024

People are talking about how low cost airlines are treating people like dirt. People say that the airlines think that since they are carrying passengers at rock bottom fares, they do not have any obligation towards them. People are shocked at the way a passenger was manhandled and offloaded from an Indigo flight on April 10 for protesting against mosquitoes inside the aircraft. But have the passengers asked for the fares to be low? Was there an agitation by flyers that airlines should keep these fares? Or was it a realization in the airline industry that volume-based profitability would be better than percentage-based?

In any case, people say that when fares were lowered, the airlines cut out all the frills associated with flying. Old timers remember how cotton (for passengers with air problem in ears), lozenses and wet tissues, along with excellent meals would be given on all flights before the low cost airlines changed the rules of the game. But people say that maintaining cleanliness in aircrafts and being courteous to passengers are two things, among others, that no airline can dispense with. People also point out that these low coast carriers charge astronomical amounts for all other services. People say that passengers pay what the airlines ask them and they deserve better treatment.

People are asking that if the airlines can have a no-fly list that will have names of rude passengers who will not be allowed to fly, there should also be a detailed guideline issued to these airlines for the behavior of their staff in any given situation. Any staffer found misbehaving with passengers must be suspended. The airlines and their staff must not behave as if they are doing a favour by carrying passengers. If it is not remunerative for them to fly passengers at these fares, they should either increase the fares or shut operations but on no account should they treat passengers like beggars and maintain basic cleanliness in the aircrafts.