I received Jet airways refund after its bankruptcy. I had bought Jet airways aeroplane tickets in April 2019 with all the savings I had made in the last 3 years. And days after I made the bookings, Jet Airways went bankrupt. Due to the events that followed, I have started believing in the miracles of this universe. Eventually, I received the refund and rebooked my Europe trip. This is a true story of how I received the Jet airways ticket refund. I hope it helps you, inspires you and fills you with wanderlust!
Dreams, savings, plans and bookings
Nothing in life comes easily. The same goes for my 8 day trip to Europe. I dreamt about this trip for more than 6 years. I saved my internship stipend of Rs 3000 per month for over 3 years. Then, I worked for countless Sundays and overworked during the tax seasons. Eventually, I collected enough to go on a trip to Europe from India. Then I had to convince my parents, which took around 6 months of talking, rebelling and fighting.
I had this dream to visit the Eiffel Tower and Louvre museum in Paris ever since I read the book The Da Vinci Code. Then I also wanted to see the Notre Dame Cathedral and Sainte-Chapelle in Paris. I had been dying to go to these places for a long long time. Moreover, the Lavender fields of Provence, France which bloom in July were also in my head, along with the Disney-like castle of Normandy, and French Riveria towns like Cannes and Nice. But due to academics, education and lack of funds I couldn’t get to Paris or Europe from my home in India.
Now, that I had cleared my CA Final exams, academics and getting a degree was done. I just searched for flights from India to Paris immediately. There were many Airline companies to choose from, for the first flight of my life. I was anxious about connecting flights and changing planes in Dubai or Istanbul. I know, I was so silly back then. So, I just searched for a direct flight to France. And found only 2 airline companies providing it – one was our own Jet airways, and the second was Air France.
Jet Airways bankruptcy
I thought it would be better to book my air tickets with India’s most renowned airline company. After all, it was the best choice and most preferred one for international flights before its collapse. Somewhere in April 2019, I booked the flight tickets for a round trip from Mumbai to Paris and back to Mumbai. The plan was to go in July, and first see the sights of Paris and the Palace of Versailles. Then head over to southern France to reach in time for the lavender blossom.
But life is what happens to us when we are busy making other plans. Few days after I had booked the air tickets with Jet airways, I read the news of its bankruptcy with disbelief. My head could not process that the only opportunity I had to see Paris and Europe was lost. At that time it felt like the end of the world. I did not want to believe that the only international trip I had ever planned, will never happen. If you have ever travelled internationally, to places far away from home, you know that the aeroplane tickets are the main cost. In my case, it was almost half the cost of the whole Europe trip.
A day later I received a message at night when I was lying awake. It was from Jet airways, saying that my flight in July is cancelled. Then, I filled up the refund claims form on their website. I also called their customer support numerous times, meanwhile following the Jet airways refund news closely. I waited in line for hours, before my phone call was connected to the customer care representatives. Although the representatives were patient and nice, they didn’t really have anything to say. Other than giving fake assurance about settling refunds on a future date.
Notre Dame fire
If you love Paris like me or follow the news, you know about the fire at Notre Dame Cathedral. On 15th April 2019 at around 6.30 pm a fire broke out at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. I read the news in horror that this 850-year-old church was now devastated. So much of artwork and medieval architecture that I dreamed of seeing since last 3-4 years now no longer existed. Of course, they would reconstruct it again, but it won’t be the same. It was another heartbreaking news for me.
Losing hopes for Jet airways refund
The month of May passed with me reading the news and thinking about the bankruptcy process. Being a Chartered Accountant, I knew that the situation was turning worse day by day. Jet Airways had a huge pile of debt and many other problems. The issue of refunding the customers hard-earned money had taken a back seat. Efforts were being made to bail out the airline which was on the verge of collapse. Day by day I was coming to this conclusion that receiving the refund seemed highly unlikely in the given circumstances.
By the time the month of June started, I was highly demotivated and frustrated. If only I had not chickened out and booked a connecting flight in Dubai, with an airline like Emirates. I would have been packing my bags right now, researching and gearing up for the adventure of my life.
I started praying fervently for the refunds, even though I am not a religious person. Now, I called the customer care from different numbers because they had blocked my cell number. I had already sent emails to all the Jet airways email IDs I could find online. I had done everything that I could think of doing.
Then one fine day I had the idea of tweeting my issue. I installed twitter and mentioned my PNR number or ticket number in the tweet. Then I tagged everyone from Jet airways and our PM Narendra Modi. In anguish, I wrote “Ache din Kaha hai?” which means “Where are the good days?” For context- Our PM Modi had earlier promised us Ache din or Good days will come soon.
Recieving Jet airways refund
By the end of June 2019, I lost all hope of international travel. I started going around to places near Pune. I realised that there’s a lot to explore around my home, even if the Eiffel Tower and Paris were not written in my fate. Since it was monsoon, I went on some treks around Pune. The greenery and the monsoon scenery was soothing my wounded heart.
After I came home from one such trek near Pune I had received a message on my cellphone. I read it again with disbelief. It was from my bank. A large sum was deposited in my bank account, the amount which was equivalent to the aeroplane ticket cost. I frantically turned on the internet and opened up the net banking to recheck my balance. The whole amount of the air tickets to France and back to Mumbai was credited in my bank account.
Rebooking the Europe trip
Now, that I had received the Jet airways refund, I was researching again where to go in Europe. With the Notre Dame cathedral burned out and devastated, a trip to Paris felt useless. Moreover, the lavender fields of Provence in France would have been harvested already. So, there was no point in going to Southern France.
Now, the next plan was to go in August. I searched frantically, picked out the places from my bucket list. Then I went on a trip to 4 countries instead of just one – Switzerland, Germany, Austria and the Czech Republic. I immediately fell in love with the natural beauty of Switzerland and the Alps mountain range. To tell the truth I am not yet satisfied and would love to go on long multiple trips to Europe again.
Heatwave in France and Europe
In July 2019, at the time my trip was planned, there was a heatwave in France and Europe. The highest temperature in France in July was 45-degree Celcius or 113 degrees Fahrenheit! What would I have done in such heat?! When my hometown Pune city had recorded the highest temperature of 43-degree Celsius, in May 2019, I was already dying from the intense heat!
Adversity is the building block of success!
So, this is how I came to trust the ways of the universe. Although you will doubt it initially, feel low and devastated, in the end, all your dreams will come true. (Me secretly hoping in my mind that this pandemic ends soon!) Ahem, so all I want to say is a dream without restrictions. And keep dreaming, because dreams do come true.
