That Place Called Transit | OPEN Magazine

That Place Called Transit | OPEN Magazine

That place called transit - a letter for those that forgot the lone passenger to Havana

Letter from transit

Dear Condor and Lufthansa and Frankfurt Airport Authority, and Germnay,

Since I couldn't take the flight to Havana from Frankfurt because of the industrial strike in Germany on Feb. 21, and Condor staff wasn't there to tell me anything in person or on the phone about rebooking, please let me know if you will reimburse my ticket money to Delhi via Kuwait and Mumbai, and rebook me for Havana from Frankfurt on some other date or reimburse that too. I am a journalist and was going to Cuba to write a story about a country where time is frozen, and where people are waiting forever, and about love and freedom. I tried my best to figure out the next option but the Condor staff wasn't there to help. They said they can put me on a flight to another city in Cuba and I could take a bus from there but you see, Pico Iyer wrote in his Cuba and the Night that buses almost never come, and I also don't know Spanish. They told me the flight would only be available on Monday. To Havana, a flight was available on Feb. 26. I was asked to stay at the airport in a transit zone because I had no German visa and the Condor staff said if I fell sick, there was an ambulance I could call. That's all they could do. They would only get me to Havana. It didn't matter how long I stayed at Frankfurt airport. I have been stuck in many airports. Because of tornadoes, and snow storms but we were treated kindly, and with dignity. For all my issues with the US, they are very professional, and ready to help out. The Germans said it is a legal right to strike in Germany, but it is not a right to treat people like animals. it is also a human rights issue. Your airlines can't just sit and not pick up the phone. That's no way. You can't forget your lone passenger to Havana. For months, I had been collecting money for this trip. I had people waiting in Havana for me. I was carrying toothpaste, and soaps for them. They couldn't believe Germany was such a bad place with such people, and Condor, such a bad airlines.

I had no option but to return to Delhi because I had no German visa and Condor was unavailable to provide any assistance.  I am still in transit, and now in Bombay because there was no seat available in the flight to Delhi. Who will pay for the damages? It is easy for you, and Lufthansa and German authorities and airport company to shift the blame to legal right to strike but we were clueless, and for no fault of mine, I couldn't reach Havana.I am very disappointed in the services of your airlines. I would request you to reimburse my fare to Delhi and rebook me to Havana on some other date and give me a voucher. How can your staff ask me to stay at the airport for six days until the next flight to Havana? Can you do that? Is it the best option? It is inhuman, and a very unprofessional thing to say to a passenger who is stranded in transit zone with no food, or anything. Germans gave us soda water, and snickers, and some sandwiches late in the night. I got fever because there was no blanket, and no proper bed. I have seen some prisons. They are better. As a reporter, I have been through many places, and cities, and I think this attitude is racist, and devoid of compassion. I have never come across such a pathetic treatment meted out to passengers. Lufthansa was not ready to help me. Condor representative was nowhere. Last time I managed to get through to Condor on 28666, I was told to stay at the airport until Feb. 26, and if I felt ill, I could get the ambulance. Sir, this is no way to operate. I would treat my animals better than this. How do you run an airlines with such callous attitude? I had put in all my hard-earned money into buying the tickets to Havana and then to Mexico, and from there to Seattle. I was to write a story on the country that I have always been intrigued by and because of your strange way of operating, I ended up returning to my country. But I am a writer. And we write about experiences. It remains in public domain. So others can read, and experience these things. I would never return to Frankfurt because they are such callous people there. It was the worst nightmare of my life being there with no assistance. Condor forgot about a passenger, and remained out of bounds. 

I don't know which country you come from and what your values have been, but let me write this to you. I am an Indian. It is never good to forget people. I was traveling alone. I had no change of clothes, no medicines, and not much money. They were waiting for me in Havana, Sir. I had to give them soaps and toothpaste, and some hope, and we were going to share our stories. It probably sounds ridiculous to you but to me, this was my life's dream. I had to buy them a nice dinner at Hotel National, and see the Hemingway Bar and bring back coasters from there. But because you forgot the lone passenger stuck in Frankfurt's terminal 1, or didn't care much about my dream and my limited means, I lost my story, and theirs. I have been to other countries, and have been at strangers' mercy, but I have never been let down. The only staff who was helpful was Shariq Nasir, an airport manager. He is Pakistani. We probably are enemy nations but we love each other. That's being human. He stayed with me, helped me find a convenience store on the other side, and gave me his coupons to get dinner. At the Lufthansa service centre, I saw staff shouting at the passengers. A few passengers had fainted. Children were wailing. Don't you have a heart? They told a woman they would corner her if she insisted on getting back. If it is not racism, what is it? I met a man from Bahrain but an American citizen who said if you were American, you'd be treated well. Is it only a matter of passports, sir. 

On the return flight, with a broken heart, I was greeted by a happy face on Kuwait airlines. In our part of the world, and you call us fundamentalists or extremists or uncivilised, or underdeveloped, or whatever, we care. The food was better. They gave me water when I wanted to take my medicine unlike the Lufthansa staff who told me they had no water on my way to Frankfurt. The Kuwait airlines staff woke me up and gave me coffee and muffin, and I felt I was respected. I now believe that every encounter changes you and there is no place like home. It is country or whatever it is but it is where they love you for what you are. We maybe poor, but poor have dignity too. We are honest.

Unfortunately, Cuba lies on your side of the world. I am sure people are nice. They are. Like Albertto who says he is there always. He waits for me in Havana. And since I am not rich, I must find cheap fares on websites, and this one was booked via cleartrip.com. But I also deserve to be treated with dignity. I don't make a lot of money. This was trip planned in love. With the country, and with the revolution, and with Jose Marti, and with whatever Havana stands for. I am in Mumbai after numerous harrowing hours at the airport with no food or water. I hope you will give me a chance to reaffirm my faith in professionalism. 

I hope I can travel back to Havana. And I hope I can travel on Condor.

regards,

Chinki Sinha

Assistant Editor

Open Magazine

New Delhi