A flying experience

This post was supposed to be posted on 18th April .. but coming today just shows how much time we have been getting... anyways this was on my way to Delhi from Mumbai.

Well I'm on a flight yet again, but for a change this time it is not official. It is a happy occasion that I am going to celebrate in Delhi, that of a marriage of two of my closest friends.

But though the reason of flight may differ what doesn't change is the experience that one may have. This is the first time that I am travelling Spice Jet. A no frills airliner that has already got delayed by around an hour. So much for the punctuality. In addition to that there are these two gentleman sitting right next to me with no intentions of letting me sleep due to which I had to resort to writing this post. With their hands clapping on either of them cracking most amusing sort of jokes (without a hint of joke for me in those words) they are pretty much attentive when any of the petite air hostess approaches. Further, to add to my pleasures of flying, is another gentleman sitting right behind me. He has apparently not been told that there is a button to summon the flight crew in case something is required, so what does he resort to? Snoring off course. With his swan song on, he has obviously been heralded into a dream world which is not in anyway is connected to his fellow passengers. So much for wishing to have a good company in flight.

It is interesting to note however the distinct change in the kind of people I see in this budget airline. The Samsonites and Levis having been replaced by V.I.Ps and Parx or a Numero Uno (yeah its one of the brands which does pretty well in the middle income groups, thanks to its distribution strength, check out their exclusive showrooms in locations like malls in Lucknow's Gomati Nagar). Coming back to my point, how on the one hand these airlines have changed the skyscape of of India and on the other, we are increasingly witnessing a class divide in each aspect of a modern living.

While the rich may go on to afford any levels of expensive services, having crossed the threshold of utilitarian value, this attempt to dive lower in the strata while energizing the economic charge, is also creating a tension in social fabric perhaps. While the dream of equitable growth remains just that, an elusive dream, the aspirational needs are on a high. The need to be distinct and the need to be "progressive" is overtaking the need to live and the need to be content. Obviously the growth oriented may term that as cynical or risk averseness while the puritans may attempt to exacerbate the same into a pseudo-nationalistic cultural protection. Afterall, as a nation we are a nation of extremes perhaps.

So while only time will tell where exactly are we headed, for the time being I'd request these airlines to please use an air freshner at least to save mere mortals like me from the fart machines sitting next to them .. HHHHHEEEEEEELLLLLLLPPPPPPPPP

P.S: As a final note, Jet and Sahara are finally getting merged and Jet is planning to have Sahara as a budget platform. Will that mean the death knell of the best food in the skies? I just hope there comes an airline with the food and flight crew of Sahara, ground staff and punctuality of Jet and in-flight entertainment of Kingfisher. Possible?