So I just came back to Karachi yesterday after spending some days in Islamabad travelling. I was with my brother flying back to Karachi and we booked a Shaheen International flight and the departure timing for the flight were 10:am yesterday Friday. In morning we booked Careem for the airport and the captain took some time to locate us and we were to the airport, now just outside the airport there was some headquarter toll checking booths setup which had a pretty long line of cars and took around 20 minutes before we could clear that and we finally reached the airport at 9:25.
Exactly at 9:30 am we were at the Shaheen checking counter and the guy sitting there was on phone and later told us the flight had been boarded and immediately closed the counter infront of us and ran towards security leaving us there without saying anything else. Right at that moment we saw another guy on phone and he said that he had arrived at 9:20 and they had already boarded the flight and did not allow him either. Now It was 9:30 am and the flight was scheduled for 10:am and we were dumbfounded that we would have to miss our flight and the plane was still standing there at the runway. Now no one was at the Shaheen counter, there airport facilitation office was empty and we stood there for half an hour for someone to come and no one came. The flight took off at 10:15 am.
We spoke to a lady on the other PIA counter and she told us in such cases you would be termed as no show and after some deduction ( Rs 2500 each ticket ) your balance ( Rs 7500, bought each for 10k ) would be either payed back or you could book another flight with the cost difference. Hearing this the other guy booked the next PIA flight scheduled for 12 Pm and paid cash Rs: 15600 ( maybe he was in a hurry to go ).
Since nobody was inside the checking area we went outside to find their reservation office and there we spoke to three of the Shaheen`s agent who first told us that it is written on their ticket instructions to appear 90 minutes before the flight or else you would not be allowed to board the flight. Hearing this we showed the ticket to the agent where it was clearly written Domestic flight travelers need to appear 30 minutes before flight not 90 minutes and then he started blaming us that we were late that is why we were not allowed to board and our flight miss charges would be deducted and we would have to pay difference for the next flight pricing. So after this we created a scene at the counter and started a heated discussion with the agent when it was clear these puppets would only repeat what is within their discretion we told him to call his superior and since we were blocking the counter for others and creating a scene he called someone and spoke with him for 3-4 minutes and later offered us the next scheduled flight for 7 pm without any deduction or extra charges. we took a written confirmation and emailed the tickets to us then spent the whole day at the airport waiting for our flight.
NOW comes the real STORY of this story.
Since we were at the airport we checked in at 5:30 pm and sat in the waiting lounge for the boarding, remember the flight was scheduled for 7:pm meaning boarding should be closed at 6:30 pm by their policy right ? So the check in for this flight completed at 6:50 pm and boarding started at 7:pm and the plane took off at exactly 7:35 pm. Yes this is EXACTLY what happened and boarding the flight we did raise this matter with their crew and they were just hiding their faces and not answering anything.
The purpose of sharing this story to all travelers is that we live in a state with the law of the jungle applied to both governmental and private firms and these institution twist and bend these laws and policies at will and anyone who ever faces such situation should do everything in their power to not give up to their pathetic excuses and if you are right then speak up for your right and do not cave in to these companies bullshit policies as these are a joke and worthless. The guy who missed his flight with us was denied entry, and paid extra for the other flight and would face deduction on his original ticket as well because he decided to let this happen to him. So to all people flying through any national airlines remember not to trust any timings or policies of these companies as they are ready to screw you as per their liking.
Best Regards
