In December 2016, my family’s flight from Mumbai to Gwalior was cancelled due to fog. What followed was a month-long ordeal involving Air India, Cleartrip, and an almost total absence of what I can only call engagement glue — the human empathy that gets things done when processes fail.
What Went Wrong
Air India prioritised policy over passenger concerns during the cancellation announcement. Cleartrip representatives repeatedly promised callbacks without following through. Neither company proactively gathered the documentation needed to process the refund. Staff offered contradictory guidance about endorsement copy requirements.
The user should also actively track this — I am the user and it is my money, after all. But the burden should not fall entirely on the customer when companies have clear process gaps.
The Core Issue
The engagement glue — human empathy, going beyond scripted responses, taking ownership of a problem — was absent. Both companies treated the situation as a process to follow rather than a person to help. Resolving it ultimately required me to visit Air India’s office in person.
Trust in both service providers remained damaged despite the eventual resolution. The cost of a refund is real but bounded. The cost of eroded trust extends much further.