Volcanic ash aftermath...

'Volcanic ash keeps 41000 stranded at Delhi and Mumbai airports...'

This is the news that I've been getting everyday in Kathmandu since 14th... Everyday you hear so many stranded stories..

First 2 days still acceptable, because the international rules say that airlines have to provide accom and food n my flight is on the 21st Kathmandu - Delhi - London with Jet airways, still some time to go.. hopefully things clear up by then...

As days goes by, Day 6 and passengers are still stranded in Delhi airport!!

People are suffering from heatstroke, and its difficult for them to even get water.. N those without India visa were were forced to leave the hotel to wait at the airport, some were grounded in hotels, some had their passports suspended by jet airways and don't know how to get them back!

The transit lounge was over crowded, ppl don't even have place to sit, n you are cut out from the world, cos NO INTERNET!!! siao liaooo.. how laaaa!!! I don't want to be threatened to be arrested at night because no visa and passport, don't want to be sandwiched at the airport become monster panggang.. noooo...



Flight status on 20th night: confirmed...

But it was like that for the flights the day before.. but flights on 20th all got canceled in the morning!

I could not even check-in online! no printer, no internet... cyber cafes close during powercuts, n finally when it opens, printer not running.. wtf..

7am Kathmandu airport: As soon as I walked in, few ppl were walking out...
'It is not possible to fly, flights delhi-london got canceled..'

The most spoken phrase in Kathmandu : 'It is not possible, its not possible...'
1 major rule: when they say that, it simply means it is possible, you just have to try harder...

Some passengers got persuaded and just left the airport for hotels (once you do that, bye bye liao... I'm surprised that those people left..unless you have a week to spare... the next available flight is 8th May!! hell no, my visa expires tomorrow and I have finals exam coming la )

8.00 am Kathmandu airport: The check in counter finally opens... They would not even let us fly to Delhi, because the flight might be canceled...and we do not have Indian visa, so the max that we can stay is 24 hrs n they might send us back to KTM.. But they have been issuing landing passes for those who are stranded.. no, we are not trusting anything that he say anymore from the moment he told us that the flight was canceled..

'You would rather get stranded here than in Delhi...'

(erm... Dai, who are you to decide where we want to get stranded?)

We all knew that the condition in Delhi is hell as hell, but that's the only key to returning to UK... if the flight decides to go today and we r not in Delhi... we will miss our only chance to get back..

Thinking that we are stupid, they don't want us to get to Delhi for that reason, so that even if the flights are running, they could use our seats to clear the back-logs..

8.35 am Kathmandu airport: Trying to convince the counter staff that 'THE FLIGHT IS NOT CANCELED YET...' you can't deny us a flight that is not canceled yet..

8.40am KTM airport: The staff then gets her senior, whom then gets his senior... and finally we had to wait for their 'manager' who is supposed to come at 9am, but din turn up till 9.35am...

He is then unable to convince us also.. with all the ' we will give u the priority to fly tomorrow bullshit'... Things get more nasty.. 'Yes, we will bring this to court and if you deny us this flight it is against the rules, and we will make you lose your job..' bla bla.. n there's one guy that worked for BBC took out his card n promised that this will be on the news tonight..

He went off to make a few phone calls.. which we wonder if he is ever gona come back...

There is a lady whom flight was canceled on the 17th and she has been to the airport every single day and yet not allowed to fly...

After all that, at 10.30am we begin to lose hope.. the flight was at 1045am...we are already making contingency plan.. wad if.. The next thing we expect then is him coming back and say that the flight is gone, it is not possible now...

But, he finally came back at 1040, and CHECKED us all IN!!!!!!!... wohooo... and not only to Delhi, all the way to LONDON HEATHROW!!! We were all rushing because apparently seats will be opened to the rest at 1030am in delhi.. We still couldn't believe that this is happening..

As the first guy walked away with his boarding pass, the whole crowd gave him a loud cheer and applause...

We all knew that there are thousands of people waiting in Delhi but if we miss this chance, we will be last on the list to fly back.. It is still acceptable if your flight is canceled due to natural disaster, but not if you are denied a flight because you assume that it is going to be canceled.. and he dare say 'we can't work on assumption that it is going to fly..' oh, and that lady earlier, she din get to fly in the end.. God knows when she is goin back...

Its on BBC news today, 'who is given the priority to fly now that the flights are running?'

'Passengers who have always been booked on a specific flight get priority'...

We are right after all...thats not the end.. now we are only able to get 1hr55 closer but we're not sure if the flight is really going to take off in Delhi...

When we arrived, we waited for a bit before someone came to take care of us..

I am not sure what is with the security but they checked our bags so many times.. even in KTM as well at least 5 times.. open close open close.. it feels like they were trying to find fault to deny our flight.. We all felt like any minute now they were gona say 'no, you can't fly'...

Wow.. all canceled except for ours...9w122.. if in Malaysia sure i buy 4D liao..


When we reached another security point, that nasty custom guy there refuse to let us enter..

'Your tickets are not valid.. it is Nepal Airlines and not Jet Airways ticket...'

OMG is this a prank from the beginning? just to get rid of us by giving us the wrong ticket?
Cant you see 50 of us have the same ticket how can it be fake? argh.. There is just no negotiation.. Flight 9w122 is making its final call for passengers..


We could see the gate from here, I feel like just running in and have security pointing guns at me.. haha.. crazy thoughts running through my mind..

Finally:
Its just there.. but Delhi is so so hot... they drove us to the flight with a bus..

I really pity those that were stranded there.. 40degrees


I spoke to some of the passengers who were stranded there since the first day.. and they were on the same flight as us...

Wow.. I am feeling so so lucky... Must be the 2 Buddha statue that I bought...
I only chose 21st april to fly because it is the cheapest.. and now I'm sure ppl will die to get my seat...

As soon as the flight take off, applause in the air again... same as we landed.. what a relief..

and all my luggage arrived!!
This is when you can see which airlines handle disaster better.. no offence, but Ryanair just close the counter at the airport.. no place for you to complain even.haha.. and BA getto stay in nice hotels, donating food to the rest...haha..

'namaste'

I'M BACK!!!