I was scheduled on an Indigo flight from Chennai to Muscat on the 5th of August 2023 (PNR: QNKMTI, Flight no. 6E 1277). Onward from Muscat, I had a flight to the United States on a different airline (3 hours of layover).
After issuing my boarding pass at the check in desk, the operator at the desk became confused regarding my eligibility to travel to Muscat. I was en route to the US for my studies. They made me wait at the counter for nearly 2 hours with little information regarding the delay in sending me through. All my queries were met with "please be patient". They also confiscated my passport from me while circulating my details on their back channels through WhatsApp. After 2 hours of deliberation, they handed me the boarding pass along with my passport. By this time I was extremely frustrated and panicking.
After this, the Indigo staff at the desk advised and warned me that I did not have enough time (3 hours of layover) at Muscat to board the next flight. They immediately put the burden on me and advised that I make a decision on the spot, whether I should board the flight or otherwise. They started putting out disclaimers like, if I boarded the flight, it would be at my risk. Faced with the real threat of deportation and mental anguish I was subject to for nearly 2 hours, I decided not to continue with my journey.
Presently, I found that the information provided to me by the Indigo staff regarding the requisite time at Muscat airport was false. The Muscat immigration suggests that a person requires just 40 minutes to complete all formalities at the airport to board the subsequent flight (I had a layover for 3 hours).
As a layman, I was unaware of the exit procedures at the airport and the Indigo staff did not provide me any documentation for my exit.
Currently, I am informed by my travel agent that the official noting by Indigo regarding my exit is attributed to "Passenger self-offloaded for personal reasons". This explanation is inaccurate and incomplete. I hope you can provide me a more detailed documentation.
All the details given above can be verified through the conversations in the Indigo backchannels and timestamps obtainable for processing my case at the airport along with the video footage of my presence at the check in desk in the airport.
Kindly provide a suitable documentation for the events, so that I may seek compensation from my travel agent for selling an untenable itinerary.
Most sincerely,
regards,
Beno Jacob
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