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Bengaluru Techie Hacks into IndiGo Website to Get Back Lost Baggage

Indigo adds 6 new flights to bolster connectivity between India and Middle East

At airports, mismatched luggage is typical, but this Bengaluru man’s endeavour to locate his luggage is unusual. Nadan Kumar, a Bengaluru-based software developer, decided to utilise his abilities to track down his lost luggage by hacking into the airline’s website.

Nandan not only located his luggage, but he also described the situation and informed the airlines of the website issues.

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Being unable to identify your luggage on an airport baggage belt or having your suitcase picked up by mistake is one of the most underrated worries.

To make matters worse, the airline is unlikely to assist you in retrieving your luggage. However, after experiencing a similar situation, a Bangalore resident channelled his inner hacker to solve the problem.

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Hey @IndiGo6E,

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Want to hear a story? And at the end of it I will tell you hole (technical vulnerability )in your system?

Soo I traveled from PAT – BLR from indigo 6E-185 yesterday. And my bag got exchanged with another passenger. Honest mistake from both our end. As the bags exactly same with some minor differences.

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I realised it only after I reached home when my wife pointed out that the bag seems to be a different from ours as we don’t use key based locks in our bags. PS: We have too much faith in airline staff So right after reaching home I called your customer care. 

After multiple calls and navigating through @IndiGo6E IVR and of course a lot of wait I was able to connect to one of your customer care agents and they tried to connect me with the co-passenger. But all in vain.

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So long story short I couldn’t get any resolution on the issue. And neither your customer care team was not ready to provide me the contact details of the person citing privacy and data protection .  @Ankurkrtweets take note of this, it gets interesting

After the call did not work, the agent assured me that they will call me back when they are able to reach the other person. (I am still waiting for that call )

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So I slept the night without any resolution to the issue. Thinking I may get a call in morning. And after I did not get any calls from @IndiGo6E I decided to take the matter in my own hands.

Bengaluru Techie Hacks into IndiGo Website to Get Back Lost Baggage https://www.news18.com/news/buzz/bengaluru-techie-hacks-into-indigo-website-to-get-back-lost-baggage-4925300.html

Image : Nandan kumar bag and his Co-passengers bag

So, today morning I started digging into the indigo website trying the co passenger’s PNR which was written on the bag tag in hope to get the address or number by trying different methods like check-in, edit booking, update contact, But no luck whatsoever.

So now, after all the failed attempts, my dev instinct kicked in and I pressed the F12 button on my computer keyboard and opened the developer console on the @IndiGo6E website and started the whole checkin flow with network log record on.

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And there in one of the network responses was the phone number and email I’d of my co-passenger. Ah this was my low-key hacker moment and the ray of hope. I made note of the details and decided to call the person and try to get the bags swapped.

And thankfully I was able to reach my co passenger with the phone number I got from the logs and luckily we lived in a close proximity of 6-7 KMs. So we decided to meet at a Center point and got our bags swapped. Dear@IndiGo6E , take note of my next tweet and try to improve.

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@IndiGo6E take note 1. Fix your IVR and make it more user friendly 2. Make your customer service more proactive than reactive 3. Your website leaks sensitive data get it fixed.
Fun Fact: When I asked my co passenger if he had got a call from indigo , he denied it saying he did not get any calls. While the agent claimed to me that They called three times.
I will try to help, will count on something they have missed out in their security audit. If they do have any.

 

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He is an aviation journalist and the founder of Jetline Marvel. Dawal gained a comprehensive understanding of the commercial aviation industry.  He has worked in a range of roles for more than 9 years in the aviation and aerospace industry. He has written more than 1700 articles in the aerospace industry. When he was 19 years old, he received a national award for his general innovations and holds the patent. He completed two postgraduate degrees simultaneously, one in Aerospace and the other in Management. Additionally, he authored nearly six textbooks on aviation and aerospace tailored for students in various educational institutions. jetlinem4(at)gmail.com

Aviation

All passengers killed in plane crash, after pilot let his children to control the plane

All passengers killed in plane crash, after pilot let his children to control the plane

When boarding a plane, passengers entrust their safety to the skilled hands of the pilot. However, tragedy struck when one of the flight ended in disaster as all passengers lost their lives in a horrific plane crash.

In 1994, during a flight from Moscow to Hong Kong, tragedy struck as an Aeroflot relief pilot made a fateful decision. In a move that would have devastating consequences, the pilot invited his own children into the cockpit to play with the controls. Little did anyone know, this seemingly innocent gesture would lead to the loss of all 75 lives aboard the aircraft.

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It was a seemingly innocent act that led to catastrophic results. The relief pilot, Mr. Kudrinsky, invited his two children, Yana, 12, and Eldar, 15, into the cockpit during the late hours of the night. Little did anyone know, this simple gesture would set off a chain of events that would end in tragedy.

Once in the cockpit, the children were allowed to sit in the captain’s chair and play with the controls, unaware that they should have been disabled as the plane was in autopilot mode.

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Eldar, perhaps in a moment of curiosity or innocence, held the control column down for a mere 30 seconds. Yet, in those brief moments, the autopilot disengaged, thrusting the aircraft into manual control.

By the time the pilots regained their seats and attempted to regain control, it was too late. Despite their efforts to pull the plane out of a dive, they overcorrected, causing the flight to climb almost vertically, ultimately stalling it.

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Final moment Flight 593 crash

In the final moments, as the pilots struggled to stabilize the aircraft, Flight 593 crashed into the Kuznetsk Alatau Mountain range in southern Russia, completely obliterating the plane and claiming the lives of everyone on board.

Investigations revealed a chilling truth: there was no evidence of technical failure. Instead, the crash was attributed to the unthinkable decision to allow inexperienced hands to manipulate the controls of a commercial aircraft.

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The black box recording captured the harrowing sequence of events, providing a grim reminder of the human cost of a lapse in judgment. In just over two minutes, the lives of all on board were tragically short, leaving behind a legacy of sorrow and unanswered questions.

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Aviation

American Airlines Flight Attendant Orders First-Class Traveler to use Economy Restroom

American Airlines Flight Attendant Orders First-Class Traveler to use Economy Restroom

On a recent American Airlines flight from Chicago O’Hare to Phoenix, Pamela Hill-Veal, a retired circuit court judge, found herself at the center of a disturbing incident.

Despite traveling in First Class, she was directed by a flight attendant to use the Economy Class restroom, sparking allegations of racial discrimination. According to Hill-Veal, the ordeal began when she used the dedicated First Class lavatory during the flight. A flight attendant approached her, accusing her of slamming the door and issued a warning.

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Despite remaining calm, Hill-Veal faced further confrontation when she attempted to use the First Class restroom again later in the flight. The situation escalated as the flight attendant persisted in berating Hill-Veal, who felt targeted due to her race. She highlighted the disparate treatment, noting that white passengers were not subjected to similar directives.

In a distressing turn, the flight attendant followed Hill-Veal to her seat and allegedly touched her while threatening arrest upon landing. This alarming encounter left Hill-Veal feeling humiliated and traumatized, impacting her ability to rest even after the flight.

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American Airlines has responded, expressing a commitment to investigating the matter and addressing discrimination claims seriously. However, the incident underscores ongoing concerns about racial bias in air travel and the need for accountability in ensuring all passengers are treated with dignity and respect.

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Aviation

Southwest CEO Signals Major Shift: Farewell to Open Seating

Southwest CEO Signals Major Shift: Farewell to Open Seating

Southwest Airlines is contemplating a significant shift away from its traditional open seating policy, a move that could signal a departure from its long-standing business model.

The potential change, which would introduce assigned seating and premium seat options, is being considered to appeal to a younger demographic of travelers. This adjustment would mark one of the most substantial alterations for the carrier since its inception in 1971.

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Unlike its competitors who have embraced premium seating offerings, Southwest has stuck to its open seating approach, albeit providing the option for early boarding at a fee. However, with rivals like United Airlines witnessing revenue growth from premium seating, Southwest is reevaluating its strategy. According to Forbes, the airline industry has seen a shift in customer preferences over time, prompting Southwest to reconsider its seating model designed during an era of lower load factors.

While Southwest CEO, Jordan,told to CNBC that he has neither confirmed nor denied the possibility of premium seating, he acknowledges that the company is exploring various options. He emphasized that while it’s still early in the decision-making process, the initial results are promising, hinting at potential changes in the future.

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Southwest currently operates with a single economy class cabin across its all-Boeing 737 fleet, with no assigned seating. However, the airline does offer the option for early boarding for passengers to secure their preferred seats for an additional fee. Over the years, Southwest has maintained a focus on simplicity and user-friendliness in its offerings, striving to minimize costs and complexity.

In contrast, competitors like Delta and United have capitalized on revenue growth from premium seating options such as business class, demonstrating strong upsell rates. Analysts have repeatedly questioned Southwest about the potential for introducing premium seating or additional fees, although the airline has traditionally refrained from charging for the first two checked bags.

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For now, the only way Southwest passengers can secure their preferred seats is by paying for an earlier boarding position, as the airline continues to operate without assigned seating, allowing passengers to choose their seats upon boarding in a predetermined order.

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