Communicasia diary, Singapore, June 2014--A revisit 12 years later, to a block-buster event

I: Prologue

Films, television, radio, internet, mobile phones, satellites…Communicasia has a wide ambit. Twelve years ago, I visited the exhibition in its earlier Broadcast Asia avtaar at Singapore’s quite new Expo centre near the Changi airport, while I was based in that country. It was big even then. Attractive staff at the booths led you on to explore the products and technology on offer. A beautiful young woman at such a booth paid me a compliment by asking her friend to take my picture with her (see photo). I was thrilled. But the euphoria was short-lived. The lady in question later showed the picture to her boy-friend, perhaps to tease him or arouse jealousy. He asked for my number, and she obliged, having kept it aside from the visitors’ visiting cards collection. He called me and threatened me for having an affair with his gal. The fact was that I did not even remember the girl’s name and never met her or spoke to her before or after the event and had no contact details at all! Mercifully, the matter ended without further developments. Thankfully, nothing so dramatic happened at Communicasia 2014.

After my return to India in 2004, my annual visit to Singapore, the city-state I know best after India, is in the period June-July-August. The reason is primarily the affordable air-fare during the non-peak season (here), offered by some airlines, either via Kuala Lumpur, or, if you are lucky, from my native Mumbai too. Singapore Airlines, easily the most premium of the carriers operating on this route, has, in the past, offered tickets for as little as Rs. 10,000, two-way, all inclusive. In 2014, the same sector, for a single traveller, cost at least three times the above figure on SIA. Luckily, Air India came-up with an irresistible fare, under Rs. 15,000, for travel during June-July. I was tempted enough to book my ticket. Soon afterwards, I learnt that Communicasia, incorporating Broadcast Asia, was being held in Singapore during June 16-20 this year. Ministerial level consultations were scheduled for June 16, and the conferences and exhibition would be held during June 17-20, at the magnificent Marina Bay Sands hotel and Conference/Expo Centre. I thought, why not attend? It had been a long time. Ramzan (the Muslim holy month of fasting, also spelt Ramadan) could begin on July 1 in India. I needed to stay for 12-13 days, enough to allow the obligatory 2 days for jet-lag and departure rush, catch-up with friends, take a side-trip to Indonesia or Malaysia, finish all the (shoe-string budget) shopping I had planned, and to return by the commencement of Ramzan (though I am unable to fast). So, the ideal dates would be June 16-30.

I had already booked June 16-July 1, and thought of changing the dates to June 17-30, primarily to save a one-day hotel stay on arrival (I could not attend the ministerial meeting, obviously) and make it in time for Ramzan on the return. There was a Rs. 2,400 penalty for a change of date, but it was still worth it. Moreover, I found that my baggage allowance shot up to 30 kg from 20 kg if I made the change from June 17 to 16. Excess baggage rates on Air-India, on my travel sector, are Rs. 900/kg! If, however, I changed only the return date, the allowance remained the same. What was the catch? Spending hours over days on the internet and on the call centre numbers of Air-India, I was told that the problem could neither be traced nor resolved. As a last choice, I visited the Air-India head-office in Mumbai, and learnt that the allowance had been recently (after my booking) increased to 30 kg, but only if I made a fresh booking or changed my departure date. If I merely changed my return date the extra allowance would not apply! I tried to impress upon the staff there that this was anomalous, since passengers who booked earlier, same sector same fare, would be allowed 20 kg whereas those who booked later would be given an extra allowance, on the same flight. Obviously, this is contrary to all airline practices, which reward early bookers, not late-travellers. I lodged a severe protest, and left.

Barely 48 hours before my departure, I got a call from Air-India, on a Saturday afternoon, through which a lady staff-member who I had met in the office and who was now calling, informed me that my protest had been noted and considered, and the extra baggage allowance had been granted. It would reflect in the booking at the check-in counter computer at Mumbai’s Sahar airport’s Terminal 2, and I could carry 30 kg both ways. Air-India being helpful? It was too late to take advantage of the boon on the Mum-Sin journey, but could still prove useful, as I suspected I was carrying 20/21 kg here too. When I checked-in late on Monday evening at the airport, the lady staff at the counter noted my baggage as 18.5 kg, so “just under the limit”. I pointed out that my allowance was 30, to which she responded, “No. Your allowance is 20 kg only.” I asked her to double-check in her system, and told her about the sequence of events. She did, but “20”, she re-confirmed. Really? I located the Air-India office at the airport and confronted the staff. They checked some records and gave me a print-out, confirming 30 kg. I went back to the check-in counter and showed it to the lady. She still insisted that there was no such record in her computer.

Having done the best I could, I proceeded to immigration and boarding. The flight was late, staff was rude, service disappointing and I was not impressed by the toilet being located in the basement, by eliminating the middle service area, causing innumerable problems to both crew and passengers. It was an old aircraft, with most markings and notices in Spanish, no TV/video, shook a lot, and could not provide sufficient air-conditioning either on ground or in mid-air. Moreover, I was told that peanuts could not be served to anybody, even those who did not want alcoholic drinks, till about four hours after take-off, the route being Mumbai-Chennai-Singapore. Two hours to Chennai, Chennai halt for about 90minutes, and about 30 minutes after that. This was because peanuts were locked with alcohol, and alcohol could not be served till we cleared India boundaries. Moreover, Air-India has long discontinued offering (expensive??) gifts like the Air-India ball-pens, Air-India shaving razors, Air-India combs and Air-India tooth-paste+toothbrush packs. Needless to say, all these items mainly served as advertising tools of the airline, logos engraved, with costs in the area of Rs. 2-10 per piece, in wholesale. The reason was cited as “cost cutting”. Public Relations anybody?                                                                                                                                                                                                   (continued)