After singing praises of Delhi's new domestic terminal, I caught my Jet Airways (actually Jet Konnect) flight to Guwahati, made my way to my hotel and as I was about to check in, I noticed a small gash in the cloth bit at the top of my bag. Strange, I thought, but then again it might have just torn a little bit in transit.
I decided to open it up to see if anything had fallen out, but suddenly found my old combination didn't work anymore. I tried not to get frantic as I was right in the middle of checking into my room. Also, the bag still felt as heavy as when I left it, and there wasn't anything inside that I would be too upset over losing.
Still, it's one of the worst things to to discover, especially when you're travelling alone, you've just arrived in a new city (albeit one you've been to before), your mobile phone has stopped working (the sim I bought in Delhi doesn't work in the North-East), and it's already late in the afternoon and you're meant to leave early the next morning.
At one point the guy at reception gave me a list of airline phone numbers and I found myself dialling both the Jet Airways airport and city offices, but getting no response.
After putting my bags in the room, the hotel manager suggested I go to the Jet Airways office in the city, with the bag. So off I went in an auto (they're the same as Thai tuk-tuks), and got to the office with about half an hour before closing time. The lady at the desk told me that because I had already left the airport, there was very little they could do. I said all I needed was a form or something to give to my insurance company, but there were rules. Still, she put me through to someone who worked at the airport office who told me he'd do what he could and ring me at the hotel in half an hour.
So it was back to the hotel with the bag. No call, as I expected. But I figured I needed to open my old suitcase and get a new bag. The hotel bellboy brought me to a nearby bag shop where he explained the situation to the shopkeeper who proceeded to use a knife to pry the lock open. At the same time, I found a new bag (a very big duffel) which I was offered 550 Rs for, so I just slumped to the floor and looked like I was about to cry, and he gave it to me for 450 - still a bit steep I thought, but there was only so far I was willing to go with the pathetic act.
As for Jet Airways, I finally got on to them from a nearby PCO (phone). The guy at the airport said he could send me some form but that I was no longer eligible for compensation, given that I had left the airport and that there were 'rules'. I said that was fine, because I just needed something for my insurance company and that there wasn't a police station nearby where I could report this - I'm not really sure what I'll need, but something's better than nothing. Technically, nothing was stolen, but the bag has been damaged.
So now I need to call the guy at Jet Airways again, once I have a local mailing address for him. Not sure if he'll send the form, but it's worth a shot. I am half tempted to use the same suitcase I've lugged it with me to Nagaland with the duffel inside - on my next flight back.
I decided to open it up to see if anything had fallen out, but suddenly found my old combination didn't work anymore. I tried not to get frantic as I was right in the middle of checking into my room. Also, the bag still felt as heavy as when I left it, and there wasn't anything inside that I would be too upset over losing.
Still, it's one of the worst things to to discover, especially when you're travelling alone, you've just arrived in a new city (albeit one you've been to before), your mobile phone has stopped working (the sim I bought in Delhi doesn't work in the North-East), and it's already late in the afternoon and you're meant to leave early the next morning.
At one point the guy at reception gave me a list of airline phone numbers and I found myself dialling both the Jet Airways airport and city offices, but getting no response.
After putting my bags in the room, the hotel manager suggested I go to the Jet Airways office in the city, with the bag. So off I went in an auto (they're the same as Thai tuk-tuks), and got to the office with about half an hour before closing time. The lady at the desk told me that because I had already left the airport, there was very little they could do. I said all I needed was a form or something to give to my insurance company, but there were rules. Still, she put me through to someone who worked at the airport office who told me he'd do what he could and ring me at the hotel in half an hour.
So it was back to the hotel with the bag. No call, as I expected. But I figured I needed to open my old suitcase and get a new bag. The hotel bellboy brought me to a nearby bag shop where he explained the situation to the shopkeeper who proceeded to use a knife to pry the lock open. At the same time, I found a new bag (a very big duffel) which I was offered 550 Rs for, so I just slumped to the floor and looked like I was about to cry, and he gave it to me for 450 - still a bit steep I thought, but there was only so far I was willing to go with the pathetic act.
As for Jet Airways, I finally got on to them from a nearby PCO (phone). The guy at the airport said he could send me some form but that I was no longer eligible for compensation, given that I had left the airport and that there were 'rules'. I said that was fine, because I just needed something for my insurance company and that there wasn't a police station nearby where I could report this - I'm not really sure what I'll need, but something's better than nothing. Technically, nothing was stolen, but the bag has been damaged.
So now I need to call the guy at Jet Airways again, once I have a local mailing address for him. Not sure if he'll send the form, but it's worth a shot. I am half tempted to use the same suitcase I've lugged it with me to Nagaland with the duffel inside - on my next flight back.
