The Hindu Business Line : Flying to the US on September 11

Being bearded and brown, with a surname like "Malik", should be enough to persuade most others fitting the bill to stay at home on September 11. Since this correspondent, however, is not like `most others', and travel for work is essential, a proposed routing Delhi-London-New York on British Airways (BA) with a connection by American Airways from JFK, New York, to San Jose, California, on September 11 replaces the Aeroflot routing from Delhi via Seattle into San Francisco, lined up for September 10. Dire predictions from assorted well-wishers notwithstanding, here is a brief report.

There is, as always, a traffic jam at the departure disembarking point at Delhi's IGI-2. Why cars and buses entering the area cannot be regulated at the ramp before they reach saturation point at the kerb, is something one has never understood. Maybe there is a margin for somebody, somewhere, in keeping crowds milling about. Inside the terminal, there is the usual mad rush, as most international flights tend to leave around midnight. If there is additional security, then it is not visible. A self-important protocol person escorts the visibly spoilt offspring of some functionary through all forms of security and immigration checks without any deflection. Another armed Delhi Police three-star Inspector sees his family off in style, up to the sanitised pre-boarding airside lounge.

For an airport where visitors are simply not permitted into departure areas, there seemed to be vast numbers of non-travellers and obvious touts all over the place. The British Airways counter staff at Delhi is pleasant, but they take forever to check in passengers. They seem to be more interested in giving passengers who have forgotten to send their baggage through X-ray a tough time. Likewise, if a suitcase exceeds the stipulated 32-kg maximum limit. The passenger is asked to take things out only after reaching the counter. Why both these problems, and others, cannot be handled before entering the queue, is not understood, especially as there seems to be no shortage of airline staff hanging all around.

But there is absolutely no hint of any additional security throughout. Departure emigration and customs have their hands full, it seems, with the usual bunch of suspects with potentially rigged passports and jury visas. The beauty of the system, of course, is that they all get through. Eventually, before embarking, even the pre-boarding final frisking is dispensed with. And this is BA, ostensibly one of the most threatened airlines today. Luckily, our routing takes us over safer Afghanistan and thence Russia.

If there is any sort of extra special security for September 11, the authorities have disguised it very well. And contrary to expectations, the airplane is full, choc-a-bloc. Many passengers, especially those dressed well, get upgraded.

On to Heathrow

Meanwhile, at London, plans having been changed towards San Francisco directly, one faces a six-hour layover in the transit lounge at Heathrow-4. Feeling more at home here than one would at Amritsar's Raja Sansi International Airport, this correspondent decides to sneak out for a quick trip into the city. It is around this time that one actually starts feeling very proud of one's Indian passport, as a smiling immigration officer waves one through without any sort of double-check, and even without an entry stamp on the passport. This, incidentally, is something one is observing in the rest of the world too... the increased acceptance of Indian travellers at face value.

Of increased security consciousness at London due to the date, there seem to be no trace. Even the usually smart and visible British commandoes sweeping through the terminal accompanied by their sniffer dogs, fingers ready on triggers, are absent. The tube is packed, there is talk of a strike by assorted unions at the Airport, and the standard issue junkies hovering around peering into dustbins and cadging change off travellers appear to be healthier.

A quick trip into the city to see the latest attractions (Blaine doing a fasting Mahatma in a plexi-glass box suspended over the Thames near the London Bridge, organic salads sold on the pavement) and it is back again by the tube to Heathrow-4. One breezes through security by waving the "in transit" folder without being challenged for documents except for an extra polite Police Officer seemingly more interested in trying to assess how much cash people were trying to leave the country with.

Trot across to the boarding gate, board the aircraft, and settle down into the seat assigned while checking in at Delhi. That's it. Here, incidentally, is where as a passenger one draws issue with the airline and the airport. At no point before boarding at London was I asked to show my passport, a flash of the boarding pass was enough. Amazingly, the BA gate staff did not even tear off their portion of the boarding pass. For all the security consciousness, wonder how the Brits slipped up on this one.

Recap... good old swarthy-in-transit-bearded me came out of Heathrow Airport arrivals, floated around London for more than a couple of hours, re-entered Heathrow Airport departure with a cursory wave of a boarding pass, and then boarded an aircraft for the US without being challenged or checked. Must have been a September 11 special!

On the flight to San Francisco

Here again, London to San Francisco is absolutely full. The very native American sitting next to me pulls out a Swiss knife from his toilet bag and proceeds to wade through an amazing collection of sausages, assorted cold cuts, cheese and fruit he has brought along. Much in the manner of Indian vegetarians travelling, he simply does not trust airline food, and likewise, shares everything with me and other fellow travellers after issuing "pork warnings".

The movie on the screen is Anger Management, a rather cryptic tale of unintentional air-rage and consequences therein. An indulgent cabin stewardess looks at the party going on, Swiss knife and all, and chooses to keep her peace. The Roquefort is amazing.

Arrival at San Francisco is a breeze. Immigration authorities are busy sending almost one out of 10 people through to "secondary", but here again Indians of the affluent sort seem to be whistling through. It must be the IT revolution. Suitcases full of Indian Old Monk and Sikkim rum carried as gifts for thirsty purveyors are let through without duty because the Vietnamese American Customs person has heard of Diwali, and significance of rum therein.

The only references to September 11 seem to be in the newspapers and on television.

Putting pen to passport

That there is an air-war on between the Europeans and the Americans is now visible to long-suffering Indians who have filled forms for everything, everywhere. Unused to filling up arrival/immigration forms, groups of Americans and Europeans wander and strut around in each other's airports with indignant looks on their faces as they put ball-pen to passport number. There is some sort of justice in this for us.

A world of economy?

British Airways, which has more seats from India into UK, than any other airline, has two classes of travel between ultra expensive First Class and basic Economy class on its 747-400 aircraft.

One is called "World Traveller Plus", costs about 50 per cent more than Economy, and has comfortable old-style Business Class seats set out 2-4-2 with Economy Class food. No lounge, no separate check-in. You can fall asleep before take-off as the 38-inch legroom works wonders.

The other is called "Club World", costs three to four times more than Economy, and has very uncomfortable short and narrow beds set out also 2-4-2, with half of them facing the rear. The special food is no great shakes either. Lounge and separate check-in mean nothing anymore.

On the flight back from London to Delhi, three passengers chose to downgrade themselves from Club World to WT-Plus.

Verdict on the BA Club World bed — atrocious and uncomfortable for anybody over five-ft-four-inches in height and 50 kg in weight. Tolerable for the rest.

The middlemen are gone

Back at home, fare wars seem to be the flavour of the day. Direct purchase, off Internet or from the airline by phone/counter sales, bypassing the agent, is the new mantra. Here again, while Deccan Air has its niche around Bangalore, on a national basis Air Sahara seems to be leading with a workable delivery model that keeps credit card transactions safe. Indian Airlines also uses the same gateway, but adds a few steps in the purchase process that make it slightly more complicated. Jet Airways, unfortunately, hasn't caught on as yet, it seems.

The benefit to you and me of direct payments is not just lower fares but also an elimination of the service tax charged on commission profits payable by travel agents, wrongly passed on to travellers.

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

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