Article from Mid-day

In the last week of June, Mona Singh took a week off from Jassi Jaissi Koi Nahin after a full year of acting. Having agreed to be the chief guest at private shows on a cruise, Mona was looking to have a blast in Vancouver.

"But I will remember the trip more for the ordeal I underwent during my return journey, rather than anything else," says Mona. It took the actress 72 hours to reach Mumbai from Vancouver, a journey that would normally take not more than 24 hours.

Airport-hopping

Jassi narrates her nightmarish experience. "While going there, I went via Mumbai-Milan-New York-Anchorage. The cruise was waiting at Anchorage and I was taken to Vancouver. But while returning, I was supposed to travel Vancouver-Seattle-Chicago-Milan-Mumbai.

The Vancouver-Seattle flight got delayed and I got stranded at Vancouver airport for five hours, at Seattle airport for 12 hours, at Chicago airport for five hours, and finally, after a three-hour wait, when I was boarding the aircraft from Milan to Mumbai, they announced that the flight had been cancelled." The airline gave no reason for the cancellation.

Consequently, Mona had to change her plans, because she had to be back for Jassi.

"I took a flight from Milan to London. From London, I boarded an Air India flight to Mumbai. Then too, I didn't get a direct flight; it was via Ahmedabad. But I had no choice. I didn't have a visa, else I would have returned from Milan via Frankfurt."

Luggage lost

Mona lost a large part of her luggage in transit. "I lost so many things that I had shopped for enthusiastically. I kept crying at the airports," she rues.

"Thank God I was booked in business class and got a proper bed to rest on. But I did not sleep a wink. To add to my misery, wherever I landed, it was daytime. I did not see night even when my plane finally touched Mumbai — it was 4 pm." The very next day, Mona had to report for the Jassi shoot.

Never say never

Mona says this was the first time she went abroad alone. "I didn't know who to call and what too do. I was walking like a zombie. I vowed never to travel by Alitalia again," she says.

Ironically, within a few days of her return, Mona was again booked on Alitalia. "Sony wanted me to go to London for an assignment. I had no choice," she laughs.

No respite in sight

"I thought I would be able to rework my contract with Sony when the serial received an extension some time back. But it's not happening that way; the script demands me to shoot 23 days minimum," reveals Mona.

Choosing between Abhishek, Akshaye and Salman

Says Mona Singh, "The film has been titled Main To Chala. It is produced by Bobby Pushkarna and directed by debutante Ramanan, who is from LA. I have a role very different from the clumsy Jassi and the fashionable Jessica. But I can't tell you the story. I have been sworn to secrecy."

Pushkarna is talking to Abhishek Bachchan, Akshaye Khanna and Salman Khan for the male lead. Who does Mona prefer? "Any of them would be great. All three are equally wow," she laughs.

hee hee lol something like this happened on our honeymoon trip to newzealand..

my hubby had great deals for NZ from UK but nothing from India .....so.......after our marriage...............................

march 11th we flew for like a whole day from India all the way to London ...naye shaadi shudaa couple...the travel from the airport to a messy bachelors home was like 2 hours...we reached 11th night

12th morning we had to go all the way back to the airport, so we again travelled 2 hours...in the morning back to the airport (5 hours ahead = 2 hours travel + 3 hours international checkin) .......we finished our check in..some duty free shopping and were like all excited.....we were transitting at US....

in the last stage when we were boarding the flight (can you believe it) the guy checking our passports flips the passport over and over again...everyone was proceeding ahead but our passports being checked, we werent allowed.....the staff then told us that we didn't have an american visa....now how were we to know, as our travel agent didnt even bother fixing up that part of the travel...we were just a few hours transit passengers...even the travel agency, didnt know that american visa was required for transit passengers (ever since 9/11)

my hubby tried to hide his sorrow about the 3000 going down the drain, but i could see it

we then called the agency back, they were all panicky and promised to make it up to us....calls went back and forth.....and then the agency booked us new flights via malaysia but the flights were in the night...besides, due to some return booking problems, hubby had to call office to request 2 days additional leave....

we waited till the evening at the airport - 2 zombies we had become....we then flew for 13 hours to malaysia....again waited 3 hours at malaysia....and then caught a 4 hour flight to auckland...again waited at the airport ....again caught a flight to christchurch........again waited at the airport ........again caught a flight to queenstown......

so we were nomadic for 3 days flat............bythe time we reached the hotel, we were like what was all that????😳

new zealand is an amazing place....you must all visit..........😛

hee hee hee

In short, Air travel sucks! 🤢

thats very sad lash,

I wish to come to New Zealand ofcourse to meet u as well , I admire Chris Cairns and always wanted to meet him

Princess thanx for the article

Originally posted by: ketaki_ry

hee hee hee

In short, Air travel sucks! 🤢

Its not thta, Ket,

When i travelled to Egypt , My things were organised well, I enjoyed travellin ,, Even I was alone I dint feel that I was alone .. That was my first visit abroad and that too alone. I was a bit nervous in the beginnin but later I managed well

Awww that must have sucked lash....

Actaully smaish had a similar horrible experience during her vacation to India...but she wud definitely be the better one to narrate the horror.....

If she does not take me to task for telling u all that is😉

cutelovely that was my honeymoon in NZ...and i surely am not honey mooning for 3 years now 😛 so you should come to london if you wanna meet me....

btw ket, airtravel doesnt exactly suck, only cos its the fastest...(thought i would never say its the most comfortable)

oh well i would like to listen to smisha's story as well minnie..why dont you get her here as well???

Yeah minnie i wanna listen to smisha's story too.......😊

Originally posted by: cutelovelygirl

Its not thta, Ket,

When i travelled to Egypt , My things were organised well, I enjoyed travellin ,, Even I was alone I dint feel that I was alone .. That was my first visit abroad and that too alone. I was a bit nervous in the beginnin but later I managed well

I know what u mean cuite... but my experiences are not so good either!!..

ok let me modify, statistically, Air travel does suck!! .. specially when the journey is transit or something.....🤢

aww lash! That is a honeymoon to remember. Well my story does not seem that bad after reading yours.... But anyway, I will mention it here so atleast some of us learn from it.

Guys...I am laughing now...but back then I was so angry, mad, and crying like I could do nothing...

I had to reach b'lore and Air India flights were continuously delayed for more than a week. Nobody bothered to update the passengers about it or fix the problem in Air India I guess.

I left mid-day Friday to Los Angles and my connecting flight to Frankfurt to bombay was at 7 In the evening. I had 4 hours wait in LA. With my little kiddo and those big huge 4 luggages's, I struggled from domestic to International. Finally got a place to sit and thought 4 more hours, things will be fine. I will be on the flight and will switch on the video for my daughter and she can happily watch and let me sleep (I wish).

I saw the worst schedule that said the flights were delayed and it will now start at 11 PM in the night...I was like what the hell. I went down and enquired at the counter and they said it is delayed and checked in my luggages so I have one less thing to worry about. I asked them in the counter that can they please check my connecting flight in bombay and make sure it is OK. Stupid people said, they can't do anything here, I have to go to bombay for re-connecting. What they hell! They are giving me a deal and this is how they talk.

Well, my daughter was already getting cranky and driving me nuts. I gave everything to stop her troubling me...things I should not be giving a kid too like coffee, gums, no count on chocolate etc etc...What to do..I was so tired and wanted to keep her calm.

One stupid India guy started to stalk. I was more freaked out and I met another lady there in the airport and told her about it. She went and gave me a good warning. I was so nervous...(Damn my brain was sleeping...)

He continued to do and then when we boarded it was 12:30 AM (was it 11 PM we were to start). First thing, I went and complained the airhostess and she said she would stay close to me and take care. I think that was the only sweet thing I had heard the whole journey. I feared and slept rarely. My daughter did not want to eat anything to top it. I was so disgusted and tired managing all the stress and the kiddo.

The flight was delayed in Frankfurt again for couple hours. But I did not mind this, I badly wanted to stretch and get fresh with my daughter. She was tired sitting for that many hours....

We reached bombay for our worst experience ever. With my 4 big baggages, 2 carry on and my daughter to check out with no idea when my connecting flights would be. My daughter was exhausted by then and very tired. She wanted me hold her for the whole time and how could I? With all that luggage's. I had to let her cry (poor thing) and just push my luggages. Air India does not have any counters there except the lost luggage counter. No one to guide and tell where to go. Few people were misguided to go to other places and finally they put us all in one room and said a Bus will take us to domestic. (Are these people with out any agenda there?)

A bus came and we got in. He took us through slums (I had just read astitva updates from sree where victor and divya were murdered) with too many thoughts in my head and stress...they dropped us in the wrong place. Again pushing my luggage's we went to a Jet airways counter and they said, this was the wrong place and asked us to go outside and check for another counter. We went to other counter and there they just issued tickets for evening. They said, I have to speak to the supervisor and ask him if the early tickets were available. So I have to go in.

I went inside the domestic airport and it was Sunday and crowded. No seats to sit. It was still 10 Am in the morning and my connecting flight was scheduled for 6 in the evening. i had no energy anymore and I my head was all spinning and I felt I could collapse anytime...

I went to the counter and requested a lady to speak to the supervisor and told her about my condition, kid and everything. She said, they did not have anything till 2 and asked me to come there at 1:30 to see if the seats were available at 2. I got a small place to sit and put my child there to sleep and waited for the clock to turn 1. I had this one elderly lady helping me now. I asked her to watch my luggages and my kid and in turn promised her to help with the tickets too. I went there at 1 and stood there to get an opportunity to speak. Well I know they told me to be there by 1: 30. But there were so many waiting to get in, I did not want to miss out. It was 1:25 PM, I talked to that lady in the counter and she yells back at me saying, she told me to come at 1:30. Come on, we are not beggars there. We have paid the price and struggling. They have to have some decency to talk to us. After all there job is because of us "the passengers".

Well I waited patiently for another 15 min. They started calling other passenger names to fill and they called the lady too who was with me. When I asked they said, I have 4 luggage's and they can't. I was like what the hell. When they can send 3 passengers with 6 suitcases, why not me and my daughter (2) for 4 suitcases, what difference does it make. She was ordered by her supervisor to do so. She had no option I guess. I told them that they should first give an opportunity for family then to singles. They would not listen. I told them that condition was getting very bad and I would not mind paying them any extra amount for luggage's or the seat. I did not mind one seat instead of two. But nope...they did not. They asked me to come back again. I was like what the hell. I been there 2 times now and everytime, they are playing games with me. I told them they would be responsible for anything that would happen to me and I screamed at them for behaving rudely with me.

Just in the other counter I saw a couple from US or UK (white) having a similar trouble with them. The airlines have confirmed the husband's ticket and not the wife. They are asking the husband to board, leaving the wife behind. They have come to india on a vacation and it is new country to them. How can they expect them to do so. Finally the husband cancelled his ticket and took a late flight together I guess.

One of the jet airways guy, who was standing outside the counter was watching my concern and helped me with my luggages and seat and told that he will take care. He said, he himself will come at 3 and will tell me about the status. He asked me to be calm and said, he will do the best he could. Poor guy, his time was to end his work at 2: 30...but stayed there to help me. At 3 the supervisor changed and he went and spoke to this new lady and explained my situation and immediately convinced her to give me a ticket for 3:40 flight. It was 3 then. He came and asked me to get my stuff. I went there and showed them the tickets and checked in my luggage. It was 3:25. 15 minutes to go throughout the security and reach. I asked if I could make a call and inform my folks who were already worried and waiting at the airport since morning. I was supposed to reach bangalore 8 in the morning. It was my dad's b'day and wanted to celebrate it. My parent's phone was dead and they did not know anything until 2. They waited there. They had just reached home when they got a call from someone in airport. They said, I had no time to make a call and I had to rush through the security and get to my gate. I just slipped my number to one of the passengers who were waiting there and requested, if he could call home and notify. So sweet of that person, the message was delivered. They never took money from me for this sweet gesture.

I carried my daughter with 2 carry ON's and ran as fast I could. I had 5 min. Finally I boarded at 3:40 and reached bangalore around 5:15.
Went through the luggage's picked up and was pushing the luggage's. Guess what...everyone runs and holds my daughter and hugs her...and I am standing in another corner looking at them to cheer me up. Finally my mom saw my eyes with tears and she came running to me. She hugged me and said, they did not mean to do that. I literally screamed at everyone for not looking at me. They all laughed at my childish behavior. I guess I wanted all that love and hugs...but the kiddo too had been through so much. We can express what we feel. But how can the kids do. They are not so grown up to express. They just know that they are cranky.

Finally we reached home at 9 PM and felt bad for my dad who had spent his entire b'day waiting at the airport for his daughter and grand daughter to arrive. But I guess he was so happy finally that we all reached home safely.

That is my story. I wish air india and jet airways get more professional and deal things better. They have the worst customer service and people are very unprofessional...except few I guess.

When I was coming back.... believe me guys...there were cockroaches on Air india flight. I did not sleep the whole time, I was so scared. Damn Air-India. I took a voth, I will never travel by myself via air india. They are horrible.