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As shocking as the leak, whose origin was unknown and unexplained, Dr Puri says, was A-I's response: the crew spread out newspapers so that they could soak in the water, and after one set of papers turned soggy and were torn, they were carelessly pushed in a corner by the crew and replaced by another. An A-I spokesperson confirmed the leak. "There was a minor water leakage from the galley towards e-zone (the tail of the aircraft), due to which a small area of the carpet got wet. The water was soaked by placing newspapers," the spokesperson said. He, however, denied the water had entered the passenger area and said there was no foul smell either.
"I was appalled at the sight. This is by no means close to even the basic international standards of flying," a harried Dr Puri, who had booked the A-I ticket for $1200 (approx. Rs 48,000) and who was flying to the city for his wedding this week, said. According to him, an aged couple who had kept their bag below the seat in the front were furious when they realised the bag was almost fully wet.
Dr Puri alleged some of the seat-belts too were torn, some overhead cabins did not shut at all, the seats in the toilet were soiled and the wash-basin clogged. "It was all so bad that I was forced to take pictures," he noted. The A-I spokesperson said: "As far as toilets are concerned, they are cleaned at regular intervals and we also run a safety film on the usage of the washrooms. But more often than not, some passengers fail to observe them." As if to top it all, the aircraft had not even stuck to schedule, Dr Puri said. Supposed to leave New York at 7.30 pm, it left only close to midnight and reached Mumbai five hours late, at 3.30 am on April 29, he stressed. Puri said he did not want to file a formal complaint with A-I for reimbursement of fare but merely wanted to highlight the poor standards the airline had. |
Kumkum Bhagya
