| Complaint filed by | |
| Complaint filed on | September 15th, 2024 |
| Complaint filed against | Emirates Airlines |
- Text of Complaint by Mahesh Balakrishnan
Urgent Complaint Regarding Unjust Excess Baggage Charge and Unprofessional Conduct by Emirates Ground Staff at Mumbai Airport on 2nd September 2024 Flight No EK 0501
My name is Mahesh Balakrishnan I am father of Vedangi Mahesh a 21-year-old student currently studying in the USA since 2022. I am writing to bring to your attention a deeply distressing and unacceptable incident that occurred at the Mumbai Airport on September 2nd , 2024. This incident involves the reprehensible behaviour and unjust excess baggage charge imposed by Emirates Airlines’ ground staff, which has left us not only financially burdened but also Vedangi emotionally scarred.
As someone who has flown frequently across various airlines, we have always expected and relied on a certain standard of professionalism and fairness from airline staff. Unfortunately, what we encountered at the hands of Emirates Airlines’ ground staff at Mumbai Airport was nothing short of appalling. This incident has severely shaken our trust in the aviation industry, and we believe it is imperative that the authorities take the strongest possible action to prevent such abusive behaviour from happening again.
On Septmber 2nd 2024, Vedangi was traveling from Mumbai to New York via Dubai. She had two checked-in bags, both under 23 kgs, one cabin baggage weighing less than 7 kgs, and a laptop bag—all within Emirates’ stated baggage policy. Despite Vedangi’s adherence to these guidelines, she was subjected to blatant harassment by a staff members of Emirates .
From the moment Vedangi approached the check-in counter, staff’s behavior was aggressively confrontational. They insisted that she pays for an additional baggage though the weight of the baggage was well within the permissible limits—a claim that directly contradicts both Emirates’ baggage policy and common practice across all major airlines. Their tone was not just unprofessional; it was hostile, belittling, and deeply disrespectful .Their ego-driven power play culminated in threats to discard Vednagi’s belongings and prevent Vedangi from boarding the flight if she did not comply with their unfair and high-handed demands .Airline is not doing their passengers any favour as they are being paid for it .
Such shockingly inhuman and arrogant behaviour could be distressing for any individual .Vedangi was carrying a mobile which has US number so she was unable to talk to me when this harassment was going on . Somehow she managed to call me with someone’s phone in sheer fear and panic . I also spoke to the ground staff there who were rude , adamant and least bothered about the passengers . They said – you can go and complain to anybody.Despite giving them all the facts they went ahead and unjustly charged us for excess cabin baggage in a clear abuse of authority.
Vedangi as a young student is managing finances through loans and living on frugal means, this incident has not only imposed an undue financial burden on us but has also left a deep emotional scar. The behavior of the Emirates ground staff represents a gross violation of the standards of customer service that passengers should be able to expect at any international airport. It is shocking that such behavior is allowed to persist under the jurisdiction of the relevant authorities, and we demand that this matter be addressed with the utmost seriousness.
This type of misconduct cannot be tolerated. We are calling on the authorities to conduct a thorough investigation into this incident and to hold Emirates Airlines and the individuals involved fully accountable. Such obnoxious behavior demands the strictest disciplinary action to ensure that no other passenger has to endure the same kind of harassment and abuse that we experienced. Furthermore, I request that the unjust excess baggage charge of Rs. 19,845.00 be reviewed immediately and that Emirates Airlines be directed to refund this amount, which has placed an undue financial strain on us.
Please note that as this is a public domain communication, I will not include the PNR number here. However, once the authorities respond, I am willing to email all relevant documents related to this travel, including ticket, boarding passes, and the receipt for the wrongful excess baggage charge.
This incident has severely marred our perception of the aviation industry’s commitment to customer service and safety. I trust that the authorities will take the necessary steps to rectify this situation and restore confidence in the standards that are supposed to govern airline operations.
Thank you for your attention to this grave matter. I look forward to your prompt and just resolution.
Sincerely,
Mahesh Balakrishnan
Mahesh81171@gmail.com
Mobile No 9819570809
