The Hindu Business Line : Some flying truths

Politicians and airplanes have always made news in India, especially the gossipy kind of low research stuff. One reason is because, till not very long ago, air travel was considered to be the ultimate in displaying that one had arrived.

Regardless of who you were, you strutted about, while it was `Sir this and Sir that', especially when the ticket revealed that a reservation for a flight otherwise full for the next three weeks had been obtained because you were or knew `Somebody'. You took a domestic flight because you were somebody in the Government or because you were somebody in the private sector. Or you were a foreign tourist. That's it.

Things started changing over the last two decades or so, with the advent of the returning Gulf labourer — the middle-level executive, the small businessman, the domestic holiday maker short on time and lower middle-class parents of NRIs.

Suddenly, everybody was flying. Airline staff, cabin as well as counter, didn't know what hit them, when people who were apparently of a lower social class than them were suddenly flying their planes. Horrors, imagine, in sandals too?

Better international airlines twigged to this emerging trend very long ago. By and large, everybody was treated the same. But not with our own home grown lot.

The result? It was not very unusual to observe differential levels of deference at airports and on board planes. Say, if you were wearing a tie and a jacket, the lady at the counter, the one with the nasal twang and fake MTV accent, would say, "Raju, Sahib ka bag take it aur put on the scale, please ji?" If, however, you were dressed moderately and looked unshaven, it was "Baiyaa, apna bag please scale on put it."

Likewise, on board. You dressed well, you pressed the overhead switch, and hey presto, genie and genie at your service with towels hot and cold. You looked as though you were off a Gulf flight, and you could dehydrate into a desiccated onion in front of them, you would not be served. Non-vegetarian was simply not available.

Thus, in the light of editorials crassly titled `Jat versus Jet' and news reports based on one-sided reportage, I wonder. And some more, when I read this press release on the Jet Airways Web site, "We have seen the Reports that have appeared today in a section of the Press relating to the incident on Jet Airways flight 9W 406 from Mumbai to Delhi on Tuesday, March 25, 2003 concerning the Honourable Minister for Labour, Dr Sahib Singh Verma. The Management of Jet Airways regrets and sincerely apologies for the discourteous behaviour of its staff and the inconvenience caused to the Honourable Minister during his intended travel on Jet Airways... "

I can well believe the Jet Airways management version. They are, after all, honourable people.

I mean, hey, it is SOP for most airlines in India to be rude towards people not dressed like them, not speaking like them. Ask me. In crumpled clothes after a day's slog, perspiring and unwashed on the third sector during the day and home still a sub-continent away, speak with the counter staff in a vernacular, and see, no, feel them wince.

This, incidentally, is a great way to pass time at domestic airports in India. After check-in, watch the counter staff. At the airports in India, the check-in counter staff behaviour can fall into three broad categories, regardless of airline:

Those who will not help anybody unless spoken to in the local language. Or in English.

Those who will help only those who are visibly important or rich.

Those who will help everybody, regardless.

There is a direct co-relation between those parts of India doing better (in the third category) than others.

Still flying retro?

It is altogether another matter that on the day of the incident referred to above, Indian Airlines were merrily taking off on schedule on older uncorrected airport updates with runway visibility limitations restricted to 1,800 metres, while private airlines operating from the next terminal but on the same runway were working on manuals that had been updated to the newer requirement of 2,400 metres.

And why did they require 2,400 metres on that date? Did it have something to do with missing runway lights?

Or is it because our airports and pilots still operate on hard-copy updates, while elsewhere in the world, airport and pilots flying the same new generation aircraft now sport PDAs and laptops, updated automatically every time before they commence a flight?

Questions, questions, and no answers, because as we all know, the flying public in India is now no longer the same.

They are probably better. And if they knew more home truths, they would probably go back to the trains?

A privilege or a favour?

Are frequent flyer schemes really worth the effort?

Put it this way, in addition to watching people and their mannerisms at the airport, keeping a frequent flyer account in good shape is another interesting and reasonably profitable way to stay busy. For you and me, and not for the airline. That apart, this complete colour or precious metal coded system seems to fall apart at exactly the times when it is supposed to work.

Sure, the lounge and extra snacks are always welcome, but the real need, when a really frequent flyer wants an airline to understand that she/he is not in the business of spending all day negotiating something, which would otherwise be simple enough. For example, why are redemptions for family and friend at the bottom of the heap as far as reservation priorities are concerned?

It should be the other way around, considering we've paid for those so-called "free miles" well in advance. Why call them "privilege" if the counter staff treat them like a favour?

Towards this, Indian Airlines announcement that Frequent Flyers or their nominees travelling on "free" tickets shall get the same level of preference as paying passengers is good to hear.

No `formal' uniform please

It would be funny if it weren't so miserable for the victims. Over-dressed cabin crew, perspiring and wobbling while looking like penguins in the desert. Sahara has their crew togged out in some weird semi-politico waistcoat cum bund-gala outfit. Jet makes their staff wear jackets over full-sleeve outfits. These are, fairly obviously, done by "designers" who have not had to hang around on the tarmac in Delhi or Mumbai or Chennai, never mind Jaipur. By contrast, the cool saris and white shirts worn by Indian Airlines cabin crew would probably be the best.

Next only to bermuda shorts and loose cotton shirts, one presumes? Come to think of it, why not? It would probably be a far friendlier way to move through the skies, considering the changing face of the domestic traveller. Some of these "formal" uniforms can be positively intimidating.

Response can be sent to life@thehindu.co.in

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