LIGHTNING STRIKES TWICE

Flight 9W 229 arrives early from JFK, normally good news, but this only lengthens the original 12-hour layover in the domestic terminal at New Delhi. We land just ahead of the worst fog of the season at DEL, which causes widespread flight cancellations, a disruption to national transport, and more than a little chaos in the terminal. Passengers to Srinagar are finally notified late in the afternoon that there is no chance of flying, so I end up spending nearly 17 hours in an airport I am getting to know too well. (Thankfully I opted for a shower at the Premier Class lounge in Brussels!)

During the waiting period at DEL there was plenty of opportunity to dangle in waiting halls (or lounges, depending on seat class) and browse the other travellers. It became possible to identify passengers to Kashmir as they had been twice cancelled on all daily flights into SXR and were focusing into familiar faces.

The profile of over-size luggage and smart winter clothing made visitors to Gulmarg easy to spot and in this way I meet people who share my fate and frustration. Others are done worse than I having already passed three days grounded at DEL, incurring city hotel and transport costs (thankfully Jet Airways covers all my expenses for these delays).

Two lads from Oz are the first that I meet and talk to at length. We discover the Hotel Alpine Ridge is our shared destination at Gulmarg and make a loose plan to share a taxi out of DEL but are separated in the chaos following an announcement cancelling all flights.

The cancellations initiate a siege by passengers upon the airline staff for previously checked baggage, information and expense vouchers. I lose the lads, I’m on my own, and in the hunt for my bags, a new, confirmed onward ticket, and the vouchers for meals, hotel, and transportation.
Photo credit: MHIP