cruising_heights_january_2011

www.cruisingheights.inJanuary 2011 � ` 90

FLIERSAND THEIR

FLYINGFAVOURITES

THE JOYS AND THE IRRITANTS OF AIR TRAVEL FROM THE LIPS OF HIGH FLIERS

Special Issue

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CRUISING HEIGHTS January 2011

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF’S NOTE

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It’s the weather, stupid!Just to paraphrase a term more often used todescribe the economy! But with the weatherplaying such a crucial element in the business offlying, perhaps, there is really nothing toparaphrase. The weather and the business offlying!

If one were to take a 12-month cycle, itbegan with last winter’s fog (and one isn’ttalking about Delhi or North India where it’s astandard feature each December-January) atHeathrow that literally shut down the UK alongwith the huge pile-up of ice and snow that leftmillions of people stranded all over Europe. It’sbeen much more severe this year — extendingand expanding to include the Eastern seaboard ofNorth America (the Yanks love to call it ablizzard). To get back, the cycle after the snowand ice last winter, one then had theEyjafjallajokull meltdown from Iceland that putthe world in a spin for over ten days and billionsin lost revenue and, finally, now the snow andfog has once again wrought havoc all over.

It’s no surprise that Heathrow and otherairports in the US and Europe are getting amouthful for their poor response to thesituation. The chickens literally have comehome to roost for those who abused us foryears for being so poorly prepared to face theuncertainties of the weather when actually weare far better at handling it.

In a different way it’s the uncertainty ofwhat to expect from a trip, the sheer romanceof a ride by air that’s at the core of this issue.We have 30 well-known Indians to tell us allabout the joy and romance of flying, theunexpected, the obvious and the titillating. We

loved putting it together and we are sure youwill love it too.

Season’s greetings and best wishes for 2011!

Here’s for a better 2011

NATURALLY OBSTRUCTIVE: (Top to bottom)Europe was grounded by volcanic ash in May2010 and December saw on one side, widespreaddelays and cancellations of flights in Europe andAmerica due to snow and blizzards, and on theother long delays, diversions and scrapping offlights into Delhi due to fog.

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Unsafe scanningUS scientists have warned ofmild to potentially serious healthrisk, especially to skin from thatthe full-body scanners used toscreen passengers and airlinecrews at airports.The controversy over the fullbody scanners is never-ending.At first, the passengers wereunhappy to go nude under thescanners and now the reportsfrom the US scientists suggestthat the body scanners aredangerous for the skin. Thechoice for the US passengersand crew lies between a machinebombarding you with radiation,if not go through the securitythreat. The scientists say the X-rays could pose a risk toeveryone from travelers over theage of 65 to pregnant womenand their unborn babies, to HIV-positive travelers, cancerpatients and men. TheTransportation SecurityAdministration (TSA) beganrolling out 315 full-bodyscanners and currently 65 are in use.It’s a typical catch-22 situationwherein if you don't get asecurity check done, then thereis the security threat but if youdo, then one goes through therisk of getting skin cancer.Either way, it is a riskysituation. According to DrMichael Love, who runs an x-ray lab at Johns HopkinsUniversity School of medicine,“They say the risk is minimal,but someone is likely to get skincancer from these X-rays… atthe airports where people are soeager to fly that they will risktheir lives in this manner.”Biochemist John Sedat said mostof the energy from the scannersis delivered to the skin andunderlying tissue. The Office of Science andTechnology responded saying thescanners have been “testedextensively” by US governmentagencies and were found to meetsafety standards.

Zipping in and out of airports and airplanesis an accepted fact of life. To some, it is stilla matter of wonder and awe while to othersit is boring. While each one of us has ourlikes and dislikes about air travel, flying in anairplane is pure magic and one that cannotbe ignored. What do our high fliers think offlying? Is it still a wonderful experience forthem? We coaxed a handful of celebs toreveal their flying secrets…

Off

the

cuff

FLYING TALES p18

FIRST TIMERS p53Flying has become sucha beautiful experience,especially when you getto hear from people whohave flown for the firsttime.


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Editor-in-ChiefK SRINIVASAN

Managing EditorTIRTHANKAR GHOSH

Group Consulting EditorR KRISHNAN

Consulting EditorNANDU MANJESHWAR

Deputy EditorP C SINGH

Special Correspondent (Mumbai)ROOHI AHMAD

Copy EditorASHOK KUMAR

Editorial CoordinatorLAKSHMI SINGH

Sub-editor-cum-reportersJASLEEN KAUR

PUNIT MISHRA

DesignRUCHI SINHA, PRADEEP JHA

SHIV

Picture EditorPRADEEP CHANDRA

Photo EditorH C TIWARI

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For advertising and sales enquiries, please contact:+91-9999919071, 9810030533

EEddiittoorriiaall && MMaarrkkeettiinngg ooffffiiccee::Newsline Publications Pvt. Ltd., D-11 Basement, Nizamuddin (East), New Delhi -110 013 Tel: +91-11-41033381-82All information in CRUISING HEIGHTS is derived fromsources we consider reliable. It is passed on to our readerswithout any responsibility on our part. Opinions/viewsexpressed by third parties in abstract or in interviews arenot necessarily shared by us. Material appearing in themagazine cannot be reproduced in whole or in part(s)without prior permission. The publisher assumes noresponsibility for material lost or damaged in transit. Thepublisher reserves the right to refuse, withdraw or otherwisedeal with all advertisements without explanation. Alladvertisements must comply with the Indian Adver-tisements Code. The publisher will not be liable for any losscaused by any delay in publication, error or failure ofadvertisement to appear. Owned and published by K Srinivasan 4C Pocket-IV, Mayur Vihar Phase-I, Delhi-91and printed by him at Nutech Photolithographers, B-240,Okhla Industrial Area, Phase-I, New Delhi-110020.

CRUISING HEIGHTSVolume V No 9

Cover Design: Ruchi Sinha

ARTICLES NEWS VIEWSEDITS INTERVIEWS CLIPPINGS PROFILES

SNIPPETS p57Wonder what’s happeningwith the airlines and whichairlines is maintaining thetop spot. We bring you thelatest from the aviation andtravel world: new launchesand special packagesacross the globe.

BACK PAGE p70Ever heard about a manufacturer of an aircraftindulging in paratrooping?Tom Enders, CEO, Airbusdoes just that and this time,Enders jumps from the newAirbus Military A400M with nine others.


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PERISCOPE

The story “We need a frame-work for the next decade”(December, 2010) was thought-provoking and incisive. NasimZaidi is an experienced campaigner when it comes toaviation and I believe he will dojustice to the coveted positionof Civil Aviation Secretary.Civil Aviation in India is boom-

ing like never before and hence his role becomes all themore important. His vast experience in the sector wouldbe handy as he joined the civil aviation ministry as JointSecretary and also represented India at the InternationalCivil Aviation Organisation for three years, before takingcharge of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation.

Raja Ram Seth, New Delhi

Engine failure is indeed a serious issue as was explainedin the story A Rolls-Royce of a problem! (December,2010). The Qantas A380, which suffered an engineflame-out, has put a big question mark on the feasibilityof Rolls-Royce (world’s second-largest aircraft engine-maker) engines. As a matter of fact, Rolls-Royce engineshave been in demand from many aircraft manufacturers.The Qantas A380 incident calls for introspection espe-cially in the context of aviation safety all over the world.If the engine doesn’t deliver, then serious accidents arebound to happen.

Shashi Sanyal, Kolkata

On with the happy days! (December, 2010) column waspleasure to read. The story that a minister wanted `15crore to allow the Tatas to set up a domestic airline inIndia is indeed shocking. The revelation in the story is aneye-opener as the Tatas is the biggest business group inthe country, and if it had to go through so much turmoil,one can only imagine what could have happened tosmaller companies. It is praiseworthy that Ratan Tataexposed the rot. But he should go a step forward andname the culprits, otherwise the whole episode would beput on the backburner.

R Raghupathy, Sonepat

All correspondence may be addressed toEditor, Cruising Heights, D-11 Basement, Nizamuddin (East),New Delhi -13, OR mail to [email protected].

LETTERS TO EDITOR

Illus

trat

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: M

amta

Trip

athi


Brand promotion “Air India is a brand, which has been on theaviation scene nationally and internationallyfor almost eight decades. It is, therefore, aglobal brand more recognizable in terms ofrecall. Hence, our corporate name is in syncwith our global identity and aspirations.”

Air India Chief ARVIND JJADHAV specifying the need for using the brandname Air India.

Going gaga “Our mature international routes are doingvery well and have an average load factor of82 per cent. We do have plans to expand to all primary gateways in European

gateways.”

Jet Airways Chief Commercial Officer SUDHEER RRAGHAVAN on the JetAirways’ performance on international routes.

Bridging the gap“The cream is in the 65 million other people who don't have a chance to fly,who don't have credit cards or insurance.I always saw the masses.”

AirAsia Group CEO TONY FFERNANDES after winning Forbes Asia's Businessman of the Year 2010 award.

Towards greener skies “Lufthansa will be the world's first airline toutilise biofuel in flight operations within theframework of a long-term trial. This is a further consistent step in a proven sustainability strategy, which Lufthansa has

for many years successfully pursued and implemented.”

Lufthansa Chief WOLFGANG MMAYRHUBER while unveiling Lufthansa’s plansof using biofuel in future.

On the backfoot “Economic downturn and unforeseen inci-dents like 26/11 terror attacks point out thevulnerabilities of the airline business. Onenegative happening and the sentiment goesdown across the country, which means the airlines have to becautious when adding capacity.”

Makemytrip.com’s co-founder KEYUR JJOSHI on the vulnerabilities of the airline business.

Corrective measure “We just want everything to be made public,including giving DGCA the parameters of num-ber of seats getting sold and fare moving to nexthigher level. In case of any sudden jump, we will

be able to check if lower bucket fare seats have been soldand then spot fares are at the highs or is it something else.”

DGCA Chief EK BBHARAT BBHUSHAN on the transparency of airfares to be followed by domestic airlines.

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Flights, flights and more flightsThis is a list that does not take into account the number ofpassengers served by an airport. The Airports Council Internationalhas compiled a list that categorises airports according to the number of flights handled. By that account, the number one airport in the first half of 2010 (January-June) was Atlanta, also theworld’s largest by number of passengers. Airports like Heathrow and Tokyo, however, which show up in all lists when airports are ranked by passengers, do not make it even to the top ten. The ranking, however, is dominated by US airports, reflecting the size and importance of the domestic US aviation market. The top ten with aircraft movements (in brackets) are:

Atlanta (470,725). This also makes the airport — the world's busiest airport, both in number of flights and passengers. Chicago holds position No 2 (427,107). Dallas ranks third (321,155). Denver airport takes fourth position (307,100).Los Angeles airport is on No 5 (284,572).Houston airport comes sixth (262,670).Charlotte airport claims seventh position (254,517).Beijing airport comes at number eight (251,607).Las Vegas follows at ninth position (247,075).Paris airport is at No 10 (242,152).

COLD STATS


Clipping the wings“There is no case of capping airfare in a liber-alised environment, be it at upper or lowerband. It is a function of demand and supply.”

Kingfisher Airlines Head VIJAY MMALLYA on the capping of airfares.

On the face “All airlines have a level playing field and Mr Mallya is no exception. He better learn to runhis business more efficiently than advise thegovernment on what to do. He has no business

doing this. He got into aviation knowing there was tax on ATF.”

Civil Aviation Minister PRAFUL PPATEL on the statement made by Vijay Mallyaregarding the airfares.

LOOKING GLASSRupeeless, shirtless and shoeless...all for the sake of an air ticket and a planeride. What will theairlines think ofnext...?

”

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Kerala Chief Minister VSAchuthanandan laid the foun-dation stone for the fourthinternational airport of the state

at Kannur on December 17. “The airport,to be commissioned by 2013, will cater toone-third of the two-million strong Ker-alaite workers in the Gulf and trigger fast-phased economic development of thenorthern-most part of the state,” the ChiefMinister said after lighting the traditionallamp marking the beginning of the workon the `100-crore airport project.

“Currently, 14 per cent of the Gulf-bound migrants are from the districtand the airport would be a boon for them.People from the neighboring districts ofKasaragod, Wayanad and Kozhikode willalso benefit from the airport besides the bor-dering areas of Karnataka state,” he added toapplause from the overjoyed crowd.

Praful Patel, in his address, said allpending problems of the state relating to airconnectivity would be solved within amonth when the Air India Express headquar-ters is shifted to the state. The central government would do everything to ensurethat the state got all the attention it deserved,

he said. “India now is the ninth aviation mar-ket in the world and at the current rate ofgrowth, the country would be third after theUS and China. Aviation is another sunrisesector that offers huge employment potentialand Kerala has much to contribute,” he said.

Kerala launched the country’s first corporate airport a decade back in Kochi,which is no the fourth busiest airport in Indiain terms of international traffic after Mumbai, Delhi and Chennai. Besides Thiru-vananthapuram, Airport Authority of India(AAI) runs another international airport at Karippur, some 120km from here.

The state government has 26 per centstake in the Kannur International AirportLimited (KIAL) held by the Kerala Industri-al Infrastructure Limited (Kinfra), while 23

per cent shares are with the state and federalpublic sector enterprises. About two per centare with the Infrastructure Kerala Limited(InKEL) promoted by NRIs and 48 per centshares are with three Mumbai-based groupsleaving one per cent for individuals and co-operative societies to subscribe.

“Since 2004, the Indian aviation indus-try has grown by 400 per cent. Airport is notonly about bringing passengers home. It alsobrings a lot of economic development,movement of cargo and that is what we haveto create,” Patel said. “Kerala and the hard-working people of Kerala, who are outsidethe state especially in the Gulf region, haveimmensely contributed to the economicdevelopment of our country. India recordsthe highest foreign remittance by any coun-try anywhere in the world and a large part ofthat contribution comes from the people ofKerala. So we decided to clear this projectdespite the fact that Calicut and Mangaloreairports are nearby.”

The KIAL Managing Director V Thulasidas, a former secretary of avia-tion and chairman of Air India, said at 3400metres the airport will have the longest run-way in the state and a taxi bay along theentire stretch of the runway. It would becapable of handling aircraft of any sizeavailable in the world. The airport, whichclaims to be the first environment-friendlyone in the country, hopes to handle 1.8 mnpassengers in the first year of operationsand an annual growth of eight per cent isexpected in the passenger traffic. Six four-lane roads are also planned to the airport.

Leela Group Managing Director VivekNair, who along with his father, CaptainNair, is the brain behind the project, saidthat for them it was a dream come true.

8 CRUISING HEIGHTS January 2011

KANNURAIRPORT

GETS GOING

BRIGHT FUTURE: Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel addressing the gathering.

BRIDGING THE GULF: Kerala Chief Minister VS Achuthanandan lighting the lamp during the stone-laying ceremony.

NEWS DIGEST

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The International Air TransportAssociation (IATA) recentlyannounced that its Board of Gov-ernors has selected Tony Tyler,

CEO of Hong Kong-based Cathay PacificAirways, in a unanimous decision to fill thepost of IATA Director General and CEOfollowing the retirement of the currentDirector General and CEO, Giovanni Bisig-nani, in 2011. The Board will recommendTyler’s appointment to IATA’s Annual General Meeting planned for June 6-8,2011 in Cairo Egypt. Tyler’s duties as the Association’s head are scheduled to commence from July 1, 2011.

Speaking about the appointment,David Bronczek, CEO of FedEx Expressand Chairman of the IATA Board of Governors, said: “The IATA Board agreedto recommend Tony Tyler as the nextDirector General and CEO of IATA.Tyler’s leadership of Cathay Pacif-ic through challenging times pre-pares him well for the job. Hisknowledge of Asia will helpIATA take advantage of opportu-

nities in the industry’s largestmarket. His global

experience gives Tony theright perspective for ourglobal associa-

tion. Since taking the helm of IATA in2002, Giovanni rebuilt the association,restored its relevance and set a very highbenchmark for its leadership. Finding a suc-cessor was a challenging task for Board’ssearch committee. We are absolutely confi-dent that Tony is the right person to take theassociation to even greater heights.”

On his part, Tony Tyler pointed out thatthe confidence of the industry in recom-mending him for the position was a greathonour for him. “I am excited at theprospect of leading IATA and fully mindfulof the responsibility that this importantposition bears. Giovanni Bisignani hasmade IATA’s role critical to the industry bysuccessfully managing IATA’s $300 billionfinancial systems while delivering impor-

tant industry-wide changes. Theseinclude making IATA a quali-

ty association with theIATA Operational SafetyAudit, delivering 100 percent e-ticketing with theSimplifying the Businessinitiative and IATA’sleadership on climatechange,” Tyler said and

added that he looked

forward to the opportunity to build on thesolid foundation. “Aviation,” he said, “is adynamic industry. We constantly have toadapt to changing market conditions, newbusiness models, different traffic patternsand frequent crises. I am fully prepared tolead future changes to help all participants inthis great industry be even more successful,”said Tyler.

The 55-year-old Tyler has been ChiefExecutive of Cathay Pacific since 2007. Hejoined the Swire Group, parent company ofCathay Pacific, in 1977 and has workedwith the group in Hong Kong, Australia, thePhilippines, Canada, Japan, Italy and theUnited Kingdom. He is also Chairman ofHong Kong Dragon Airlines Limited andDirector of both John Swire & Sons (HK)Limited and Swire Pacific Limited. FromJune 2009 to June 2010, Tyler served asChairman of the IATA Board of Governors.

TYLER ISALL SET TO STEP INTO

BISIGNANI’SSHOES

NEWS DIGEST

(Left) Tony Tyler, the new DirectorGeneral and CEO designate, IATA;(right) Giovanni Bisignani



official carrier


NEWS DIGEST

Almost 26,000 new passenger andfreighter aircraft valued at $3.2trillion will be needed between2010 and 2029, to satisfy

demand according to Airbus' Global MarketForecast (GMF). The demand is primarilydriven by replacement of aircraft for newermore eco-efficient models in mature markets, dynamic growth in new emergingmarkets, low-cost carriers particularly inAsia, further market liberalisation andcapacity growth on existing routes.

The 2010 GMF forecasts that 900 addi-tional new passenger aircraft deliveries overthe 2009 GMF, reflecting a slightly highergrowth rate of 4.8 per cent compared to 4.7per cent in 2009. These aircraft will mainlybe in the single aisle sector in which theA320 family competes.

Moreover 10,000 additional passengeraircraft will replace older less eco-efficientaircraft and some 15,000 will be for growth.The world passenger fleet will rise from14,000 to some 29,000 aircraft by 2029.This will not only absorb traffic growth,minimise congestion, but it will also reducecosts to increase eco-efficiency.

“The recovery is stronger than predictedand reinforces both the resilience of the sec-tor to downturns and that people want andneed to fly. Especially the single aisle sectoris particularly strong, and our A320neomeets this future demand by providing ourcustomers with the latest innovations andtechnologies whilst maintaining maximumcommonality,” says John Leahy, ChiefOperating Officer, Customers.

In passenger traffic growth terms,emerging economies are leading the recov-ery. Domestic Indian traffic growth (9.2 percent) is the fastest of any major market andthe third-fastest growth overall. Seven out ofthe top 20 fastest growth flows connect China (PRC) to the rest of the world.

“Airlines in Asia Pacific including China and India will carry one-third (33 per

cent) of the passenger traffic by 2029, mak-ing it the largest region, overtaking the US(23 per cent) and Europe (23 per cent),” saidChris Emerson, Head of Product Strategyand Market Forecast.

Freight traffic is recovering at an evenfaster rate (5.9 per cent) than passenger traffic growth. In 2010, freight traffic isexpected to rebound closer to 18 per centbefore levelling off at more typical growthlevels by the end of 2011. Combined withfleet renewal, this translates to a demand

for around 2,980 freighters. While some870 will be new aircraft valued at $211billion, 2,110 will be converted from pas-

senger aircraft.Demand for Very Large Aircraft (VLA)

passenger and freighter aircraft like theA380, is more than 1,700 valued at over$570 billion (this represents 18 per cent byvalue and 7 per cent by units). Of these, some 1,320 will connect the world’sincreasing number of 'mega' cities.

In the twin-aisle aircraft segment (seating from 250 to 400 passengers), some6,240 new passenger and freighter aircraftwill be delivered in the next 20 years, valuedat some $1,340 billion. Of these, 4,330 aircraft will be small twin-aisle (250 to 300-seater) and about 1,910 intermediate twinaisles (350 to 400 seats). These segments arecovered by the A330/A340 family. From2013, the A350XWB family will cover the entire spectrum of twin-aisle marketrequirements.

In the single-aisle segment, almost17,900 aircraft worth some $1,274 billion(40 per cent by value), will be delivered inthe next 20 years. This is an increase overprevious forecasts due to the acceleratingdemand for single aisle aircraft particularlyin Asia Pacific, the emergence of low-costcarriers and increased route liberalisation.


AIRBUSFORECASTS26,000 NEW

AIRCRAFTINDUCTIONS

BY 2029

SIZE DOES MATTER: More passengerand freighter aircraft are to be inducted tomeet the demand.


Newspaper reports suggest that theAmbani brothers have separately written to the Civil

Aviation Ministry, asking it to review itsdecision to shift helicopter operationsfrom Mumbai airport to the Juhu aero-drome, said sources in the Civil AviationMinistry. Apparently both Mukesh andAnil are unhappy with the infrastructure(parking bays and maintenance facilities) at Juhu. Since December 10,helicopters have not been allowed to takeoff and land at Chhatrapati Shivaji Inter-

national Airport, a move aimed at de-congesting the country's second-busiestairport.

The rule, however, does not apply tochoppers used by VIPs such as chiefministers and Union ministers. Choppermovements eat into the take-off andlanding slots that can be used by a sched-uled flight. The airport’s main runway ispresently undergoing repairs. In October,the airport's domestic flight handlingcapacity was reduced by 12 slots dailyfor the winter schedule till March 26.

“The move to shift chopper operations is a good one to cut downcongestion. But, the difference wouldclearly show only after private jets arealso moved to Juhu,” added an ATC offi-cial. Currently, around 28 private jetsbelonging to big business houses regu-larly use the airport.

NEWS DIGEST


WHAT’SWRONG

WITH JUHU?

DECONGESTION MOVE: Helicopters arenot allowed to take-off and land atChhatrapati Shivaji International Airport as itis the busiest airport in the country.

International Air Transport Associa-tion (IATA) revised its industryoutlook for 2010 to a net profit of

$15.1 bn (up from the $8.9 bn forecastin September 2010). Similarly, theAssociation revised upwards its pro-jections for 2011 to a net industryprofit of $9.1 bn (up from the $5.3 bnforecast in September). Net marginsremain weak at 2.7 per cent for 2010and falling to 1.5 per cent in 2011.

“Our profit projections increasedfor both 2010 and 2011 based on anexceptionally strong third quarter per-formance. But despite higher profitprojections, we still see the recoverypausing next year after a strong post-recession rebound. And the two-speednature of the recovery is unchangedwith European airlines continuing tounderperform other regions,” saidGiovanni Bisignani, IATA's DirectorGeneral and CEO.

Bisignani also characterised theimprovements in terms of profit margins, which continue to disappoint.“Margins remain pathetic. With a 2.7

per cent net margin in 2010 shrinkingto 1.5 per cent in 2011, we arenowhere near covering our cost ofcapital. The industry is fragile and bal-ancing on a knife edge. Any shockcould stunt the recovery, as we are see-ing with the results of new orincreased taxation on airlines and trav-elers in Europe,” said Bisignani.

Shifts in the industry forecasts canappear dramatic in absolute numbers.It is important to relate them to thesize of the industry to understand theirsignificance. The $6.2 bn increase inIATA’s projection for the 2010 netprofit (compared to the Septemberforecast) is equal to just 1.1 per cen ofthe industry’s projected $565 bn in revenues.

“Any increase in profits is a wel-come step in the right direction. Butthe fact that we can increase our prof-it forecast by 70 per cent and still beleft with a net margin of just 2.7 percent shows just how far this industryhas to go to achieve a normal level ofprofitability,” said Bisignani.

PROFITS IMPROVING BUTMARGINS ARE LOW: IATA

As part of its corporate socialresponsibility, the AirportsAuthority of India (AAI) has

made efforts to provide drinking waterto residents of Lossing and Dikling,who had been facing an acute watershortage. The people were drawingwater from local springs that are in theAAI's area of operation. The othersources in the villages are not perennialand go dry during winter.

Responding to the needs of the peo-ple, the AAI has facilitated a rural watersupply scheme at a cost of `39.90 lakh.It has been designed to cater to a popu-lation of 2400, the Dikling Senior Sec-ondary School and the monastery in thearea for a period of 30 years. Water fromthree different spring water sources —Shajbotey, Bhandari and Uttishey — isnow supplied through reservoirs, head-work and water distribution tanks. This

water supply includes three water tanksof 10,000 lt. capacity, five tanks of5,000 lt. capacity and two tanks of 2,000lt capacity. The project is expected tosolve the problem of potable water sup-ply of these villages, situated on the airport boundary to a significant extent.

WATER FOR THE PEOPLE: AAI SHOWS THE WAY

CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY:AAI provides drinking water to residents ofLossing and Dikling villages.



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NEWS DIGEST

With 23 per cent annual passen-ger growth, BengaluruInternational Airport hasemerged as the fastest-grow-

ing airport in the country. Drawing the high-est number of new airlines this year — sinceits opening — the airport has recorded thehighest number of passengers on a single dayin December.

The reports from BengaluruInternational Airport Limited (BIAL) showthat with revived business travel andincreased leisure travel, the upward growthtrend continued from July last year withannual figures touching 11.24 million asagainst the passenger traffic in the last quar-ter which was 3.06 million. Also interestingto know is that the airport handled 38,134passengers which is the highest-ever report-ed since the airport's opening in May 2008.

With an annual growth rate of 31 percent, cargo too showed an upswing this year.These figures show indications of the marketrapidly recovering from the slowdown. Inaddition, new freighter services — FedExconnecting India to Europe and DeccanCargo connecting Coimbatore, Nagpur andHyderabad — were added to the cargo oper-ations in 2010.

With 8.2 per cent growth reported in theair traffic movement, it also confirms thatBengaluru International Airport continues tobe an attractive destination for both domesticand international carriers to increase frequen-cy and add the city as a new route. With thegrowing demand in the domestic sector, thefrequency of airlines has increased. The newconnections in the domestic sector are 30while there are 19 international connections.

The focus will be on connecting Bengaluruto South East Asia, China, Africa and the US.Also, airlines are expected to increase thebreadth of their connectivity in the domesticmarket, with low-cost airlines connectingBengaluru to newer destinations.

A new airline that will begin operationsas early as January 2011 from BengaluruInternational Airport is Etihad Airlines toAbu Dhabi. Additionally, Thai Air Asia, ThaiTiger, DHL Cargo, TNT Cargo, ChinaSouthern and ANA Airways have expressedinterest to fly to Bengaluru in the near future.

BIAL ISFASTEST-GROWINGAIRPORT

TRAF

FIC D

ATA

The total number of passen-gers carried by domesticairlines from January-November, 2010 was

468.09 lakh as against 393.53 lakh inthe corresponding period of year2009 thereby registering a growth of+18.9 per cent.

The total domestic passengerscarried by the scheduled airlines ofIndia in the month of November2010 was 48.75 lakh. The totaldomestic passengers carried by thescheduled airlines of India in themonth of October, 2010 were 46.17lakh. The break-up for the month of

Airline-wise details of market share of sched-uled domestic airlines for the month ofNovember 2010 is as follows:

MARKET SHARE REASONS FOR CANCELLATIONS

Go Air6.9%

Indi Go 17.3%

NACIL(I)17.1%

Jet Airways 19.2%

Jet Lite7.0%

Technical 28.1%

Operational8.4%

Operational9.4%

Weather17.5%

Consec/Misc26.6%

Kingfisher19.1%

Spicejet13.3%

The numbers keep rising

16

FLYING HIGH: BIAL has emerged as the fastest-growing airport in India.


The aviation industry in Indiaturned a hundred on December10, 2010. Marking a important

'historical milestone’ and in keepingwith well-established traditions, theAirports Authority of India (AAI), celebrated the moment in a ratherunique way — it dedicated its calendar and greeting cards for 2011to Indian Aviation.

For the first timeever, a calendar hasbeen produced onrecycled paper pro-duced from wastepaper collected fromthe offices of AAI.What makes the calendar even morespecial is the fact thatthe water used in therecycling processwas also put to usefor watering theadjoining lawns nearthe recycled paper unit. That made theofferings truly ‘green’.

Highlighting the ‘Theme of Aviation’, the cards and calendar havevintage aircraft and the state-of-the-art airports created by the AAI. In this

venture of celebrations AAI has beenably and duly assisted by the AirportsAuthority of India Women’s WelfareAssociation AAIWWA (Kalyanmayee),an extended arm of AAI, under whoseaegis the CSR projects are being executed. AAI is the first PSU in thecountry to establish a paper recyclingunit under CSR.

VP Agrawal, Chairman, AAI,released the calendar and cards at thecorporate office of the authority inpresence of the AAI Board members,the President AAIWWA and seniorexecutives.

A CENTURY IN STYLE: AAI celebrates hundred years of aviation industry in a unique style.

AAI MARKS 100 YEARS OF AVIATION

NAVI MUMBAI ONTHE FAST TRACKExactly a month after the Union

Environment Ministry gave agreen signal to the proposed

Navi Mumbai international airport,another milestone was crossed bythe ambitious project recently.Maharashtra Coastal Zone Manage-ment Authority (MCZMA) cleared aproposal for environment and CRZclearance for offsite physical infra-structure required to be developedaround the airport site.

Cidco, the project’s implement-ing agency, had moved for eco-clearance to set up roads andother infrastructure to improve con-nectivity to airport. Apart from roadconnectivity, the authority plans toset up physical infrastructure thatwould facilitate connectivity to aproposed metro rail network andother transport modes. The clearancewas sought as setting-up of the facil-ities would have affected more than10 hectares of mangrove land.Besides, the site is also located onthe CRZ zone. Following the MCZ-MA clearance, the proposal will nowbe forwarded to the Union Environ-ment Ministry in Delhi for finalclearance.

November, 2010 is as follows: Air India (Domestic) — 8.36 lakh, JetAirways — 9.34 lakh, Jet Lite — 3.43lakh, Kingfisher — 9.32 lakh, SpiceJet —6.50 lakh, Go Air — 3.37 lakh, IndiGo —8.43 lakh.

The percentage share of the carriers inthe month of November, 2010 was: Air India (Domestic) — 17.1 per cent,Jet Airways — 19.2 per cent, JetLite —7.0 per cent, Kingfisher — 19.1 per cent,Spice Jet — 13.3 per cent, Go Air — 6.9per cent and IndiGo — 17.3 per cent.

Capacity vs DemandAnalysis of Capacity (ASKM) andDemand (RPKM) data on year-to-yearbasis indicates that although the capacityremained almost at the level of October2010, the demand in November 2010 wascomparatively more.

Seat FactorLike October 2010, the month of Novem-ber 2010 also witnessed comparativelyhigher seat factor primarily due to peakseason.

CancellationsThe overall cancellation rate of scheduleddomestic airlines for the month ofNovember 2010 has been 1.5 per cent.Airline-wise details of cancellations areas follows:

Passenger complaints during the monthDuring November 2010, a total of 1402passenger-related complaints had beenreceived by the scheduled domestic airlines. The number of complaints per10,000 passengers carried for the monthof November 2010 was 3.0.

REASONS OF PASSENGER COMPLAINTS

IT Related2.7%

Others 56.0%

StaffMisbehavior

10.2%

Lost Baggage26.0%

Refund5.1%

17


INTERVIEW


N AIRPLANE RIDE IS TODAY AN ACCEPTED FACT OF LIFE. EVERYONE — WELL, ALMOST EVERYONE — WE know,whizzes in and out on planes. Each one has their likes and dislikes about air travel: the airlines, the seats, the airports and thelounges and, of course, the irritants as they take their flights.

There are many of us who are fascinated by airports and airplanes as kids. The fascination continues till one day, we make apromise of getting into one of those huge silver jets zooming off beyond the horizon to countries unknown. Years later, when the plane ridebecomes more of a necessity than a wonder, the eagerness and fascination for the flying machines seem to diminish. Yet one, never loses theeagerness to get to another airport and to wander around during stopovers. There’s always something different about every airport and it is notjust the shopping and the food courts but in the wide variety of people who pass through them. Aside from serving as take-off points, today mostairports are jewels of modern architecture and often showpieces of the host country.

The idea about watching scenes from above may not excite most of us, but once the plane starts taxiing and finally takes off still holds asense of awe. How about your first plane ride? Perhaps, you can’t even remember when you took one. Perhaps, you were still in kindergarten andcan’t even recall being afraid of flying thousand kilometres above the ground. Perhaps, it wasn’t such a big deal for you that time.

It is not merely airports that we are interested in. At CRUISING HEIGHTS we look at the total flying experience. To start off the year, we wentthrough research, interviews, media profiling and more to identify a few High Fliers. Though it is by no means a definitive list, these men andwomen, nevertheless, are those who dominate their chosen fields.

While flights are often uneventful and boring for most of us, our High Fliers try to make them a fun travel experience. We coaxed them tolet us into their flying secrets. A quick peek into the flying lives of High Fliers who were cajoled by Roohi Ahmed in Mumbai, Sharmila Ghose inKolkata, Pamela D’Mello in Goa, Prakash Bhandari in Jaipur and Renu Mittal and Lakshmi Singh in Delhi.

ANo fear of flying

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INTERVIEW

20

Your first flight and why was it memorable?

It had a very exciting experience. Ienjoyed the thrill of flying. Even today, Ienjoy the take-offs and the landings.

Your favourite domestic airport?Hyderabad and Bengaluru are

wonderful airports but I must say that Delhi is fantastic. The facilities are great —no massive queues, enough food options,one can even have a beer, enough space toroam around, extremely clean airport especially the washrooms!

Your favourite international airport? Changi airport in Singapore. It is very

orderly — user-friendly and passenger specific. In spite of the fact that itis not a new airport, it is extremely well-maintained.

Your favourite domestic airline?I bond with Jet Airways, as I fly that

airline a lot. Also, IndiGo is catching myfancy because of its punctuality. If I ampressed for time, I fly IndiGo. However, its

comforts are limited.

Your international airline?Singapore Airlines. Extremely efficient andnever late. The flight crew is courteous andwarm. The experience is very satisfying.

Your favourite airline story? In 1982 I was going to attend a Simon

& Garfunkel concert in Wembley, England,en route to Spain for the Soccer World Cup.In Kolkata, I was told that the British Air-ways flight was overbooked and that Icould not get a seat. After some initial rea-soning with the airline I lost my cool. Fromthen on they looked after me well. I wasflown to Delhi on an Indian Airlines flightso that I could catch the BA flight toHeathrow. They even arranged for me tobe driven to Wembley just in the nick oftime to attend the concert! So it turned outto be a very memorable experience.

Your favourite aircraft?Any wide-bodied aircraft is preferred

for its space. Other than that I do not haveany preferences.

Which domestic airline do you think hasthe best Business Class?

Kingfisher Airlines definitely has thebest facilities. The cuisine is great. It isswish, suave and classy.

Which international airline do youthink has the best Business Class?

Jet Airways on the international sec-tor. Very comfortable seats and I sleepas on a bed. Since I am a vegetarian, Ifind food on the international sector notquite evolved. But the cuisine served byJet is tasty and suits my palate.

Which, according to you, is the bestairline lounge?

Changi in Singapore. It is quiet, restful and reserved. You are keptinformed about flights. There is plenty toeat and drink with a well-stocked bar. A

very nice lounge indeed!

ARUN LLALArun Lal, a former right-handbatsman is a popular cricketpersonality. He played for theIndian cricket team from 1982-1989. A prolific run-getter,Arun Lal scored 6760runs at an average of53.23 in domesticcricket. Today he iswell respected asa coach andcommentator ofthe game.

“EVEN TODAY, I ENJOYTHE TAKE-OFFS AND THE

LANDINGS”Arun Lal, the run-getter of India, explains his

fascination for domestic airports for their food, wine and cleanliness.


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22

INTERVIEW


I have absolutely no memory of myfirst flight, as I was less than a year oldwhen I travelled with my mother to SanFrancisco. But I do remember flying formy first professional assignment in 1989. Itravelled to Japan with the entire band ofmy father’s famous Calcutta DrumOrchestra. It was a lovely journey, inter-estingly, on Air India with great meals andgreat service. The flight was on time too!

Your favourite domestic airport? My favourite airport at the moment has

to be Mumbai — the Jet side of it is espe-cially nice. The lounge is comfortable andthere is a fair bit of shopping options. Thechecking process is very quick and nowa-days the airport is quite well-managed. Ilike the façade, the dome-like structure,the natural light filtering in and the outdoor area where one can grab a bite to

eat. Bengaluru airport also deserves amention. There is much to do there withhuge bookstores and a veritable mall toshop in.

Your favourite international airport?Changi in Singapore is almost like a

home. It is huge, extremely well-main-tained, great shopping options.

Your favourite domestic airline?My choice oscillates between King-

fisher and Jet. The Club service of King-fisher is really good with huge leg space,fantastic food and great service. But someof the Jet crafts are worth mentioning too.

Your favourite international airline?I would consider Jet for the internation-

al sector and of course Singapore Airlines,which is my all-time favourite. The serviceis impeccable and the whole experience isgreat. I find the hosts and hostesses to be

very amicable and forever smiling.The East is known for its

hospitality, so beingan Oriental countrythe warmth is

always there.

Your favourite airline story? The customs officials didn’t know what

to make of my tabla at Tokyo airport in1989. It seemed that they had never seensuch an instrument before. They X-rayedit, turned it upside down but didn’t knowwhat to make of it. Now, a tabla has awooden base, which is hollowed out andthat always leaves a bit of wood dustinside. This was being mistaken for drugs!After much consultation, they drilled ahole through the bottom of the tabla, dis-covered the dust and obviously no drugsinside, and then took some putty to seal thehole! And here I was screaming and shout-ing, as I helplessly watched my instrumentbeing totally ruined. Today I can laugh atthe hilarity of it, but at that time the experi-ence was horrifying.

The favourite aircraft of your choice? I think it is still the double-decker Boe-

ing 747, also called the Jumbo Jet. I likedthe fact that it had two levels. Psychologically, the sense of space andbeing able to move around made it lessclaustrophobic.


Best Business Class is on Kingfisher.There is great energy on board; the vibran-cy of the red colour makes you wake upand prepares you for the day ahead.

Which international airline do you thinkhas the best Business Class?

Besides Singapore Airlines, I wouldchoose Emirates. Especially from Dubai,the Business Class is very good. The tiny

edge Singapore or Emirates has overthe others is the human touch.

Which, according to you,is the best airline lounge?

From great food anddrink options, superb bar,massage chairs, areas whereone can fall asleep, to thewide space — Changi has allthe creature comforts

imaginable.

“TOKYO AIRPORT CUSTOMSDIDN’T KNOW WHAT TO

MAKE OF MY TABLA”Famous for his fusion music the world over, Bickram

Ghosh laughs today as he shares his horrifying experience with the Customs officials at Tokyo airport,

who broke his tabla.

BICKRAM GGHOSHRenowned percussion and tablamaestro Bickram Ghosh is both aclassical musician and a contemporary artiste. Equally brilliant within traditional as well asexperimental genres, BickramGhosh has performed with the legendary Pandit Ravi Shankar. Hehas played in the Grammy Award-winning album ‘FullCircle’ along with PanditRavi Shankar.

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INTERVIEW

Your first flight and why wasit memorable?

My first flight was in 1967 when Iwas national champion in squash. Iwould remember it because I was wearing India's colours, representingthe country in the 1967 world squash championship at Melbourne.

Your favourite domestic airport?I love Delhi airport. Particularly

the new terminal which has come up sowell. It's really international class andis vast and spacious.

Your favourite international airport?I love Heathrow airport of London.

It is an amalgamation of the old worldcharm and modernity. It offers best offacilities to all the passengers.

Your favourite domestic airline?My favourite airline is Jet Airways.

I live in Tilonia, near Ajmer and I takemy flight from Jaipur. Jet Airways is

very convenient to me because it isvery well connected. The in-flight staffis well-behaved and well-trained andtakes utmost care of the passengers onboard. Moreover, Jet Airways alwaysmaintains its time schedule.

Your favourite international airline?I cannot single out on one airline, as

I am a frequent traveller. I frequentlytravel to Africa. My selection of international airline depends on convenience of connectivity. Whiletravelling to Europe, I usually fly byKLM Swissair or Lufthansa. Whiletravelling to East Africa, I prefer flying by Ethiopian Airways andwhile travelling to Western Africa Iprefer to fly by Air France.

Your favourite airline story?Many times because of

inclement weather I had experienced the trauma of travelling in jerky conditions.

But thankfully it never ended in amishap. Yes, once while travelling I hadmet some of the leading personalities ofthe world. Most often, I happen to meetmy long-lost friends.

Your favourite aircraft?I would rate Jumbo as the best. It is

a vast aircraft that can carry a largenumber of passengers and you feel youare travelling with your own family.

Which domestic airline do you thinkhas the best Business Class?

I never travel in Business Class, butI have heard that Jet Airways has thebest Business Class.


Swissair has the Best BusinessClass, as it provides with 180-degreereclining seats. The food is very goodand I love their chocolates.


I would rate Mumbai's Air India as the best.

SANJIT BBUNKER RROYSocial activist and educator, Sanjit BunkerRoy is the founder of the BarefootCollege in Tilonia, Rajasthan. He becamefamous for using traditional expertiserather than "bookish knowledge" for theuplift of neglected communities. He wasselected by the TIME magazine as the100 most influential personalities in theworld in 2010.

Social activist Bunker Roy shares his experience ofrough weather, jerks and meeting long-lost

friends in the air.

“I WORE INDIA’S COLOURS TO REPRESENT

THE COUNTRY ON MY FIRST FLIGHT”

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INTERVIEW


My maiden flight was with IndianAirlines in 1981. I was travelling fromDelhi to Chennai, en route to an interview with Fenner India Limited inMadurai. Well, I was able to catch boththe flight and the job, and hence, it wouldbe etched in my memoryforever. I recall that the flight wasdelayed and I quickly discovered that theregular passengers had accepted “delay inflights” as an integral factor of their travel. I must say that in terms of timelydeparture/arrival, passenger comfort andloyalty, we have come a long way sincethose days, but we still have miles to go.

Your favourite domestic airport? Of course, the Hyderabad airport. It

always reminds me of the Munich airport.I must confess that team at GMR is doingstellar work here in all aspects — cleanliness, services, timeliness, comfortetc. And to add to that, culinary outletssuch as the idli factory and a beer withbiryani can always spice up the journey.Baggage-handling is one of the best inthe world.

Your favourite international airport?

I would bet on the Changi Airport atSingapore. Apart from the regular amenities available at any other interna-tional airport, the one thing that makesChangi special is its commitment towardsthe environment. This is perhaps one ofthe few airports, which aims to reduceconsumption of electricity and use moreof recycled water at its terminal buildingsas part of its contribution towards environmental sustainability. Now that iswhat I call “forward looking”.

Your favourite domestic airline? Not only because I truly admire

Naresh and Anita Goyal for their “handsdown” approach to building a brand andbusiness, Jet Airways, since its inception,has always stood out for its professionalapproach and “no frills silver service” forthe Indian skies.

Your favourite international airline? Emirates.

Your favourite airline story? Way back in the 90s, I was travelling

from an arduous tour of the continents,back to India, almost after 45 days. I wastired and homesick. I remember, it wasmy birthday and on this particular desolate early morning, I checked into anEmirates (Dubai-Delhi) flight and must

have dozed instantly. The flight took offon time and once we were mid-air, Iwoke up to this rather hushed singing, asmall group of the in-flight crew washuddled in front of my seat with a smallcake, as they sang “Happy birthday toyou!”. That was not all…i was served aspecial meal of aloo paratha and mangopickles — almost fast-forwarding myhomecoming. Wow! How did they know?One of the airhostesses told me later thatthe ground crew had taken a note of thatfrom my passport while I was checking-in. Now that is what I label as — goingthe extra mile. Imagine that in the days ofnot-so-robust CRM system.

Your favourite aircraft? The A380 — mammoth, gorgeous,

silent and spacious.


I would single out Kingfisher. For itindulges you more than what you wouldexpect from a short-haul flight.

Which international airline do youthink has the best Business Class? Singapore Airlines in my opinion offersthe best seat pitch (its wide seats are leg-endary), efficient service, a good collection of in-flight entertainment andattention to detail.


Although a lot of lounges come to mymind, the Munich Honors Club and QatarAirways at Doha have always been at topof mind, for both offer business travellersample facilities to catch up on workbefore your flight. They truly have thebest of cuisine and fantastic chocolates.

C P Gurnani, CEO, Mahindra Satyam, recounts how thein-flight staff went that extra mile to turn a desolate

morning into a celebration for him.

“I GOT MY JOB IN MYFIRST FLIGHT JOURNEY”


CP GGURNANICP Gurnani headed Tech Mahindra’sGlobal Operations, Sales and Marketingfunctions, and led the development ofTech Mahindra’s Competency &Solution units, prior to heading theMahindra Satyam. CP Guarani’ sinimitable style of leadership combined with his sharp focus oncustomer experience has earnedhim lot of success in whatever hedid. He has strong views on theeducation system, and has plans to eventually overhaul and contribute towards it.

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27


I was a child (if you can mention theage?) when I flew with Indian Airlines for the first time in my life. Wewere supposed to go to Chennai for oursummer holidays by train but we missed itand had to take a flight. We were a mid-dle-class family, my brother, my sister andI were very excited to fly. We dressed upaccordingly. I wasn’t scared at the thoughtof flying for the first time ever, rather was

looking forward to the whole experienceof flying. It was like a dream come trueand a big deal for us. It will always beetched in my memory.

Your favourite domestic airport?Hyderabad airport is my favourite

domestic airport, as it has an internationalfeel to it. Recently, I was very impressedwith the Jaipur airport due to its ambienceand spaciousness.

Your favourite international airport?Dubai airport is the most organised and

state-of-the-art. The new terminals arevery striking and it offers a lot in terms ofshopping.

Your favourite domestic airline?The immaculate service and the inter-

esting food that a Kingfisher airline offers, make it my favourite domes-tic airline. Even the ground staff assistsyou in whatever you need at the airport tillthe time you board.

Your favourite international airline?

Apart from good

service, Emirates airlines has verygood connectivity making it my preferred airline. I am very technology-savvy and like to remainupdated always. Emirates is very modernised and high-tech, and was thefirst airline to install the entertainmentsystem even in the Business and Economy classes. The whole experi-ence of flying with it is very modernand futuristic.

Your favourite airline story?Other than bumping into friends on

a flight, I have not much to share.

Your favourite aircraft?Boeing


Kingfisher Airlines has the bestBusiness Class in India.


I am very impressed with the KLMBusiness Class. It is spacious and theseats are at par with the First Class. AFirst Class in any other airline isequivalent to the Business Class in KLM.


The variety and freshness of food isvery good at the Frankfurt airport. Theydon’t serve stale food and frequently change the food items. Whilesitting in the lounge, one can witness thestaff changing the food items two to threetimes. They are very quality conscious inthis respect. The lounge is very big withcomfortable seats and enough seatingarrangements. The wi-fi section is much upgraded.

DABOO RRATNANILeading Indian celebrity and a fashionphotographer, Daboo Ratnani, isfamously known for his annualcalendar since its first publication in1999. He is the cover photographer forall leading magazines likeCosmopolitan, Filmfare, Hi Blitz, OkIndia, Elle, Verve, Femina, The Manand Better Homes and Gardens.

Fashion photographer, Daboo Ratnani, feels that the flying experience can be made more futuristic, if the

airlines are absolutely tech-savvy.

“I AM VERY TECH-SAVVYAND LIKE TO REMAIN

UPDATED ALWAYS”

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INTERVIEW

Your first flight and why was itmemorable?

I never flew when I was in school:my parents and I always travelled bytrain. My first flight was from Ranchito Kolkata. I was very excited to paymy own fare.

Your favourite domestic airport?Bengaluru. It is clean, spacious and

well managed. Compares well withother international airports.

Your favourite international airport?Dubai; because I am there almost

once a month and am very familiar

with it.

Your favourite domestic airline?I was very disappointed recently

with Jet Airways. At the same time, iam really thrilled that Air India hasimproved so much.

Your favourite international airline?Emirates... all the way. An airline

that aims to make the journey pleasant and enjoyable for itspassengers.

Your favourite airline story?The night I spent on a Mumbai-

Dubai flight “sleeping next to” afamous Bollywood actress… we werein different seats, so please don’t getany ideas… I did not speak to her, butknew it was her!

Your favourite aircraft?Undoubtedly the A380. It glides

through the skies almost withoutmotion. It is completely a differentflying experience.


Air India Business Class in flightservices is much better.Which international airline do youthink has the best Business Class?

Emirates. The facilities are impressive. Comfortable seats, greatin-flight entertainment, wonderfulmeals and friendly flight attendants.The amenity kit for each BusinessClass passenger has a nice range of items.


Emirates lounge in JFK, New York.It is spacious and classy with a superbselection of food and drinks,reading material and free wi-fi.

Derek O’Brien, India’s quiz guru, narrates an in-flightjourney he spent with a Bollywood star and one that he

would like to remember for a long, long time.

“I WAS VERY EXCITED TOPAY MY OWN FARE ON MY

FIRST FLIGHT”

DEREK OO’ BBRIENHe is the Indian television personality, who hosts the longest- runninggame show on television, Bournvita Quiz Contest. The ‘quiz’ guru of India,Derek O’ Brien is a media celebrity for over two decades. His shows arevery popular at home and abroad. In addition to his television quiz work,O'Brien has also authored several quiz books. He has also filmed a new

quiz series in Pakistan called Mind Grind. Today, He is thespokesperson for Trinamool Congress.

28

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29

D RR MMEHTAPadma Bhushan D R Mehta, atop bureaucrat, was Chairman ofthe Securities Exchange Boardof India (SEBI), and is known allover the world as Jaipur Footman. Mehta also served as theDeputy Governor, Reserve Bankof India. On the social side, D RMehta, is actively involved inproviding the handicapped withartificial limbs through his NGOand also has been supportingleprosy patients.


My first flight was in 1969 when I travelled from Jaipur-Delhi-Lucknow as a bureaucrat. When I boarded the flight, I was all excited.

You favourite domestic airport?

My favourite domesticairport is New Delhi. Especially, the new terminal with all itsgrandeur makes it not only India’s number one airport but stands internationallyalso.

Your favourite international airport?I love London’s Heathrow airport.

It has its own old world charm. Youfeel you are in India with so many Indians around.

Your favourite domestic airline?Jet Airways. Its services are very

good. The aircraft are clean andcomfortable and the in-flight stafftreat you as their own guests.


Air India. I like to travel by AirIndia as I feel I am travelling, in

my own country in Indianambience and also like

their immaculately

dressed in-flight staff.

Your favourite airlines story?Once when I was travelling from New

York to Delhi by Air India, the flight hitsome object while landing at Amsterdam.All the passengers aboard were petrifiedwith the impact the flight created. But allthe passengers were safe and the pilotassured everyone that there was nothingto fear at all.

Your favourite aircraft?My favourite aircraft is a jumbo. I

feel as if I am in a big skyscraper hotelwhenever I travel in it.


It's in Jet Airways. The in-flight staff of the Jet Airways Business Class takes utmost care of the passengers. The seating arrangement isvery good and comfortable too. It is also very spacious so that it is very relaxing.


I would rate Singapore Airlines bestbecause of its 180-degree seats theand theservice and food.

Which, according to you, has the bestairline lounge?

It’s Air India. You feel so comfortable with its ambience and thetouch of Indianness.

“MY FIRST FLIGHT WASWHEN I TRAVELLED TO LUCKNOW AS A

BUREAUCRAT”Well known as Jaipur Foot man, D R Mehta, former

Chairman SEBI, recounts his experiences when the flighthe travelled hit an object.

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30

INTERVIEW


My first flight was memorable forme, as I was awarded the KLM-NIFTAward, which consisted of a ticket as asigning amount for a fashion show. Icannot forget this trip, as this was thebeginning of my career in 1992.

Your favourite domestic airport?I like the Bengaluru airport. I was

surprised at the beauty of the airport. Itis away from the city, made in the outskirts. It has its own beauty since itis made out of town without any interference of modern development.The airport has its own charm.

Your favourite international airport?London Heathrow airport has a

great charm about itself. It shows thecolours of the big city. That does

not mean that the smaller cities are notmore luxurious but they are more wel-coming too.

Your favourite domestic airline?There is a tie between

Kingfisher and Jet Airways. Iregard both asthe best.

Your favourite international airline?I find Qatar Airways as the best.

More than the short duration flights, itis in the long-haul ones, which are managed excellently.

Your favourite airline story?Three years ago, I booked my tickets

on the first class of a flight. To myamazement, I found that I was the onlypassenger who was travelling by firstclass. There was nobody other than mewho was going by the first class. Thecrew treated me like a prince. I can never forget the royal treatment Igot on that journey.

Your favourite aircraft?My favourite aircraft is the

Emirates A380 from Dubai. It has ahuge body with a good legroom. There is plenty of space for all classes. A personal satellite phone is fitted to each seat on theA380 aircraft, which also carries aseat-back SMS and email service. Any aircraft, which does not have any entertainment, is a total downer

for me. That way, the A380 is supported by a wonderful

entertainment system.

Which domestic airline do you think has the best Business Class?

I like Jet Airways for itsspace. And Kingfisher is myfavourite too, especially forits service. They take utmostcare of their passengers.

Which international airline do you think has the

best Business Class?I find Qatar Airways as the

best. Even Emirates is good, espe-cially the long-haul ones. Fromthe staff to the service to theentire crew attitude, everything iswell taken care off.

Which, according to you, isthe best airline lounge?

I like the lounge of theVirgin Atlantic Clubhouse at

Heathrow airport. It is full of styl-ish features and interiors, with servicedesigned to feel like a private mem-bers’ club. In Qatar, I like the Dohaairport lounge. From the food to staff,everything is so well managed. TheDoha lounge is very special as it has acoffee shop and it pampers you with hand and foot spa service as well.

J JJ VVALAYA The Monarch of IndianFashion. That is what J J Valaya, the trend-setterof the fashion fraternity, isknown as. His splendidcollection of handembroideries and exquisitebridal trousseau is a rage in thefashion world. He launched hisbrand under his own name, “J J Valaya”, in 1991,comprising couture line of attirethat gained accolades from thefashion fraternity. This wasfollowed by “Valaya Home” in1996 and a prêt label “StudioValaya” in 1999.

Fashion designer J J Valaya, known for his rich, embellished couture lines, recounts his royal

treatment in the air.

“MY REWARD WAS MYFIRST TRIP ON AIR”

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31


I was 44 at the time when I flew withIndian Airlines for the first time onMarch 1, 1973. I was being sent on adeputation from Mumbai to Hyderabadto take over as the DIG of the CentralReserve Police Force (CRPF). Since itwas my first flight, it was a very noveland exciting experience, as I had alwaystravelled earlier by train and ship (to my hometown Goa for holidays).

Your favourite domestic airport?I find all the airports almost similar

but at the Mumbai airport, I get preferen-tial treatment, as they know me well.

Your favourite international airport?I have been visiting London once

every year for the last 15 years. So, I usethe Heathrow airport quite often.Although I am not a great shopper but Ishop for a few bottles of liquor andchocolates at the airport.

Your favourite domestic airline?I mostly travel by Jet Airways. The

Indian Airlines treat me well too butsince I regularly travel by Jet, I acquirefrequent flyer points. But the day I won’tbe able to utilise these points, I wouldn’tmind flying with any other airlines, mostprobably Kingfisher Airlines with whichI had travelled once and quite liked it.

Your favourite international airline?Although I travel to Heathrow by Jet

Airways, as it has good connectivity, Ilike Lufthansa and British Airways too.

Your favourite airline story?When I was the Ambassador to

Romania, I had to travel once fromBucharest to Warsaw, Poland. I flew withthe Romanian airline, Tarom Airlines thathas no First Class or Business Class —only the Economy Class. I handed overmy ticket at the counter and they gave metwo boarding passes, for me and for mywife. I never checked the ticket counter-foils and we boarded the plane. Thenthere was an announcement that one passenger was missing and so they tookout our entire luggage for security pur-poses. Ultimately, they announced thatthe missing passenger hadn’t checked inany luggage. Then we flew to Warsawand we spent around a week there. Whilereturning to Bucharest by the same airlines, I presented my tickets at the airport. The executive told me that Icould fly but my wife could not. I wasastounded to hear this and wanted toknow the reason. The executive said thatthere was only one ticket. Then it struckto me that while coming, the executive atBucharest airport had torn an extra ticketby mistake. This was the reason theyfound one passenger missing while coming in. Then I explained the situation to the senior officials and had togive in writing that if anyone elsechecked in on that ticket, I would compensate the airline.

Your favourite aircraft?I am not very conversant with the

different kinds of aircraft.


I don’t think there is much difference here.


They all appear similar to me.


Frankfurt Airport, Germany, has afantastic airline lounge.

JULIO FFRANCIS RRIBEIROJulio Francis Ribeiro is a retired policeofficer and civil servant. He has heldvarious responsible positions during hiscareer, and led the Punjab Policeduring a part of the Punjab insurgencyperiod. In 1987, he was awarded thePadma Bhushan. Since his retirement,he has served on corporate boards ofdirectors and performed social work.

Julio Francis Ribeiro, a supercop, has travelled aroundthe world on a number of airlines but he remembers aflight from Warsaw to Bucharest distinctly because hehad not been careful when he took his boarding pass.

“MY FIRST FLIGHT WAS ANOVEL AND EXCITING

EXPERIENCE”


32

INTERVIEW


My first flight was as a kid duringsummer vacations to the United Statesof America. It was the most memorableone as I travelled by Lufthansa Airlines. The crew members took extraefforts to entertain us throughout thejourney. We did not feel any fear thatwe were travelling without our parents.We were given whatever we wanted toeat. That's the reason why my parentsalways preferred Lufthansa for us, as itwas economical as well as the kind ofpampering that we used to get.

Your favourite domestic airport?The Delhi airport is any day my

favourite: right from the airport to thewashrooms, everything is neat andclean. The multi-cuisine food joints arevery interesting. The same goes forHyderabad. Although a huge crowduses the airport, the management is sogood in handling that the ambience isvery calm and relaxed.

Your favourite international airport?London’s T5 Heathrow airport is the

best international airport. Being theworld’s busiest airport, it has a hugecapacity to handle the passengers andtheir needs. It is user-friendly and has a

huge shopping arcade with more than100 outlets. Self-service check-in isalso available. It is simple and safe touse and can save you a lot of time atthe airport.

Your favourite domestic airline?As I take at least 120 flights a year,

I like to fly Jet Airways and Kingfisher.They are my favourite domestic air-lines. Jet Airways is very good in termsof efficiency and usually the flights areon time while Kingfisher’s ground staffis very good. They take the utmost carefrom the baggage to the in-flight seat-ing arrangement.


Singapore Airlines hasalways been my favourite,as it serves great food withtop-class service.

Your favourite airline story?

Last month I had totravel to four differentdestinations in four daystime. And I had the won-derful chance of travellingby the A380 to London,Emirates and Singapore. It

was amazing to journey in a huge double-decker.

Your favourite aircraft?The Boeing 777 is my favourite air-

craft especially for long duration travel,as it has nice seating arrangements.


Kingfisher has the best BusinessClass. The ground staff as well as thestaff in the air take good care. The foodin the Kingfisher Business Class issomething I look forward to, as thereare lots of options to explore.


Singapore Airlines has the bestBusiness Class.With spacious seatingarrangements, it is very relaxing forlong journeys. As for entertainment, ithas all amenities like games, TV shows,movies and learning tools too.


Dubai Airport — it consists of awide array of food joints, entertainmentand shopping plaza. One does not getbored if he has to wait for long hours tocatch a flight.

Speedster Karun Chandhok narrates his first flight as a fearless kid as more memorable than any of the

racing events in his life.

“WE LOVED THE PAMPERING ON OUR

FIRST FLIGHT AS KIDS”


KARUN CCHANDHOKIndia’s Formula 1 racer, the Missile from Chennaias he’s fondly called, Karun has taken on themost daunting circuits in the pinnacle of motorsport. He has been signed by the HispaniaRacing Team for the 2010 Formula 1 WorldChampionship.

Photo: H

.C.Tiw

ari



Indian Airlines was my first flight atthe age of five when I was a child artistefor the Hindi movie Burning Train. It wasa very memorable one, as I was flyingwith my own money with top actors likeSunil Dutt, Simi Garewal and otherfamous actors of the Hindi film industryaccompanied by my entire family. Theflight was from Mumbai to Bengaluru.

Your favourite domestic airport?My favourite domestic airport is the

Cochin Airport, as the interiors representthe traditional designs of Kerala, whichno other airport has adopted. This waypeople, who fly through Cochin airport,will be exposed to the beautiful Keralatradition. This way, Indian airports canpromote Indian culture.

Your favourite international airport?Dubai airport. Other than the shop-

ping plazas and restaurants, the airportalso consists of a gym and workoutareas. As I am very regular with my fit-ness regime that I don’t miss this aspectwhen I go to Dubai. Doing this alsohelps me stay healthy during the flight.The Chennai international airport too isexcellent. They have all amenities fromnet-surfing to kids play area.

Your favourite domestic airline?Jet Airways is well regarded for its customer focus and brand value. It hasalways stood out from the rest in terms offood, service, punctuality, and baggagehandling.

Your favourite international airline?Emirates and Malaysian airlines are

my favourite airlines. When I am on along duration flight, I end up gettingfatigued, but in Emirates airlines theyprovide with in-seat massage setting,which is very de-stressing. So by the timeyou arrive at your destination, you arefresh and ready to go. Not only that, theyhave an exquisite menu. Moreover, thebaggage allowance of 30 kg makesthings easier especially when youtravel with two naughty kids.

Your favourite airline story?I was travelling by Kingfisher

to Hyderabad and I was amazedwhen the whole crew on boardwere all smiles and were continuously serving me withchocolates and gifts. Half waythrough the journey, I was presented with a huge bouquetof red roses by one of theairhostesses, as it was my

wedding anniversary. Later, I saw myhusband Sundar sitting behind my seat. Ican never forget this wonderful gestureby the whole crew of Kingfisher whoteamed up with my husband to celebrateour anniversary.

Your favourite aircraft?The Boeing Jumbo Jet is my favourite

aircraft, as it is gigantic as well as theinteriors are so good.


Kingfisher and Jet Airways have thebest Business Class. Especially theircuisines are very attractive. They havealways maintained high standards inmaintaining quality with respect to foodand beverages.


Singapore has the best Business Class.

Which, according to you, is the bestairline lounge?British Airways lounge is one of thebest, as it consists of excellent food aswell as innumerable books for book-lovers like me.

KHUSHBU SSUNDARKhushbu Sundar, actress, anchor, directorand politician, has acted in various Tamil,Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam films,winning numerous accolades for heroutstanding work.

Khushbu Sundar, actress-turned-politician and a fitnessfreak, was pleasantly surprised when she received ros-es from an airhostess. Today, she would like all airportsto have gyms to ease tension during long air journeys.

“I GOT A HUGE BOUQUET FROM THE

CABIN CREW”

33


34

INTERVIEW


My first flight was in the Decemberof 1978. I took a flight from Jammu toSrinagar and the reason why it wasmemorable was because it bumpedextensively, especially when the flightwas over Banihal. I almost felt that thiswould be my last flight, so I guessthat's what made it really memorable.

Your favourite domestic airport?My favourite domestic airport

would be Delhi after it has beenredone. After the whole process ofconstruction is done, the outcomeis going to be a fairly good airport terminal.

Your favourite internationalairport?

To my liking, I have not onefavourite airport but three ofthem. I like Suvarnabhumi airport of Bangkok. I am reallyfond of Florida and the airportin Frankfurt too.

Your favourite domestic airline?Undoubtedly, the Indian Airlines,

which is now called the Air India. Nomatter how many new airlines come,Air India is the most reliable one. It isreliable not only in terms of the spec-trum of connectivity but also in termsof performance too.

Your favourite International airline?Even in international airlines, I

would any day prefer Air India. Especially when you travel by the firstclass in Air India, you get an out-of-the-world experience. There are otherinternational airlines which I considerthe best are Qatar Airways, Etihad,Eastern airlines like Cathay.

Your favourite airline story?The most interesting incident

occurred, in the year 1988, when I wascoming back from Chandigarh. Therewas some kind of miscommunicationbetween the pilot and the co-pilot. Itseemed as if they were not talking toeach other. There was some silly fight,which was going on between them andwhen the flight reached Delhi airport,the pilot forgot to open the wheels ofthe flight. So when the flight landedwithout the wheels, there was a loudthump. What worried me was, the lateDevi Lal was also travelling with usin the same flight. Somehow, nomishap occurred. Every one was safe.

Your favourite aircraft?I flew on the new A380

recently from Singapore to Melbourne and I think that was afantastic flight. A380 is a verygood aircraft.

Which domestic airlines do you thinkhas the best Business Class?

Kingfisher undoubtedly has the bestBusiness Class. Generally, the ambienceof the entire experience is very good sotherefore it deserve appreciation inkeeping the best Business Class.

Which international airlines do youthink has the best Business Class?

I am fond of the Business Class ofAustrian Airlines, Finnair, Qatar Airways and Etihad.


I like the airline lounge of Suvarnabhumi airport of Bangkok. Singapore’s airline lounge too isundoubtedly the best.

Eloquent Member of Parliament Manish Tewari shareshis near death-like experience on air.

“I ALMOST FELT THATTHIS WOULD BE

MY LAST FLIGHT”

MANISH TTEWARIManish Tewari started hisprofession as an advocate in1992. He runs his own law firmand practices in the SupremeCourt of India.The firm hasoffices in all the major metros inIndia and he became apolitician from Ludhiana. He wasthe president of Indian YouthCongress from 1998 to 2000.Today, he is Congress MP andspokesperson of All India Congress Committee. Photo: H.C.Tiwari

Manish Tiwari.qxd 1/3/2011 1:17 PM Page 2


I boarded a flight for the first timein the year 2000, when I got selectedfor Seventh East Indian Championship,which was held in West Bengal. As Iam a farmer's daughter, I have neverbeen outside my village except on ahorse-cart. So when the plane took off,it was a different feeling altogether. Icould see the mountains below theclouds from the flight, which lookedlike heaven for me.

Your favourite domestic airport?I like Delhi airport as I have gone

through Delhi airport for most of myboxing events that took place in India.


During the Commonwealth Games,this year, I had gone through the Delhiairport. It is one of the amazing airports we have in our country. Theinteriors have been so beautifully donethat it has its own class to it.

Your favourite domestic airline?I like Air India. The first flight I

have boarded in my life is Air India.And till this day, I have seen that ithas been consistently maintaining itsstandard when it comes to food andservice.

Your favourite interna-tional airline?

I like Air India andKingfisher. The inflight staff of Kingfisher airlinesare very warm. Theygive the same kind of treatment to everyone.Mostly, the celebritiestravelling in a flight getroyal treatment by theflight staff. But in a

Kingfisher airline, the in-flight stafftake care of all the passengers in thesame way.

Your favourite airline story?Once when I had gone for a selec-

tion camp for the first Asian Women'sBoxing Championships in Bangkok,my luggage and passport got stolen. Atthat point in time, my parents askedme to come back to Manipal. I con-tacted the Air India staff fromBangkok, they asked me not to worry.They quickly arranged for all the nec-essary papers and also they arrangedfor a return ticket that too withoutcharging me anything. When I boarded

the flight, the staff walked up tome and even congratulated

me for my future boxingevents. This is something I can neverforget as I was astranger in a differentcountry and was

really worried as to what I will dowithout money and passport. Attendingthe selection camp was also veryimportant.

Your favourite aircraft?I don’t know much about the

aircraft.


I have travelled once in KingfisherBusiness Class.


I have not travelled in BusinessClass in an international airline so far.


I like Delhi lounge, as I have beenthere many times. From the bookstallsto food joints, everything is interestingabout the Delhi lounge.

The gritty boxer, M C Marycom, recounts how an airline’s staff came to her rescue in an alien country.

“IT LOOKED LIKE HEAVENTO SEE MOUNTAINS

BELOW THE CLOUDS ONMY FIRST FLIGHT”

35

M CC MMARYCOMWith grit and determinationand a never-say-die attitude,M C Marycom is the firstwoman boxer from India tohave won five world titlesconsecutively. She has morethan three Asian titles and 11national titles under her belt.She is a recipient of RajivGandhi Khel Ratna Award,Padma Shri and Arjuna Award.

MC Marycomr.qxd 1/3/2011 1:18 PM Page 3

INTERVIEW

36


My first flight was with the CzechAirlines when I was 12 years old. Atthat time, it was so aristocratic to fly,it was not something one would takeas casually, as is the case now-a-days.During the pre-Independence period,people would plan and dress up for flying in hats, gloves and lovely dresses. Unlike today, where we flywith shorts and slippers, I feel peoplehave lost the value and pleasure of flying today. I was very excited for myfirst flight. I was flying to Prague withmy mother and sister on a tour ofEurope. I went on a half ticket, as Iwas still not 12. And as I was not usedto flying, I was air-sick, which mademe vomit as soon as I boarded theflight. The airline crew gave medicinesand also big gold-wrapped chocolatesthat I still remember. Though I could-n’t stand the thought of food duringthe whole of my flight, the sight of

those big round gold chocolates mademe

very happy. I can’t believe that I usedto hate flying but now I have becomesuch a traveller. And now I actuallyenjoy flying a lot.

Your favourite domestic airport?I like Hyderabad airport. And I

love my Mumbai airport a lot. Butthese days, I have become fond of Delhi airport because of T3 thatseemed very good to me though I stillhave to explore it completely.


I like the Bangkok airport, as it isvery colourful and there are lotsof happening all the time.

Your favourite domestic airline? I hold a platinum card of Jet

Airways and get nice treatment. I usedto be an Indian Airlines traveller butthe service at Jet is very good.


By far, Singapore Airlines is the best due to the impeccable service and kindness of the staff. They are very humble and efficient.

Your favourite airline story?Offhand, I can’t think of

anything dear.

Your favourite aircraft?I really like those old airbus

aircraft where we used to go up and sit in the Business Class in Air India flights though Ilove the aircraft, that fly to Londonby Jet Airways too. The aircraftwhere we used to sit in the First Class and Business Class were gorgeous too. The normal Jet Airways international Business Class and First Class are really superb.

Which domestic airline do youthink has the best Business Class? Jet Airways

Which international airline do youthink has the best Business Class? Singapore Airlines for its service

and efficiency.

Which, according to you, is the bestairline lounge? The business lounge at terminal

four of the Heathrow airport is very good.

Ghazal singer Padmashri Penaz Masani recounts her love for flying despite one horrible experience that

she went through when she was a kid.

“BIG ROUND GOLDCHOCOLATES MADE MEVERY HAPPY DURING MY

FIRST FLIGHT”

PENAZ MMASANIMagnificent and a vibrant performer,Ghazal singer Penaz Masani hasestablished herself as a playbacksinger in the film industry. She is the firstfemale artiste who has held 500 soloperformances running into a record inIndia alone. The state government ofUttar Pradesh— India's largest state —conferred the unique title of “ShehzadiTarunnam” on Penaz, in recognition ofbeing the best ghazal singer inthe country.


CRUISING HEIGHTS January 2011 37


My first flight was with the IndianAirlines at 22 and till that time I had never flown. At that time, I was ShyamBenegal’s assistant. He was shooting fora film at Hindustan Steel in Bhilai andhad to fly to Delhi to shoot an electionmovie for Indira Gandhi. But he couldnot fly to Mumbai to edit the electionmovie. So, I flew everyday up and downfrom Mumbai to Delhi for the next sixdays to get Mrs Gandhi's approval. I flew morning-evening everyday!

Your favourite domestic airport?My favourite domestic airport is the

Delhi airport as it is very spacious andhas a very relaxed atmosphere. Also,there are lots of eating options, as thereare several good restaurants. It offersquite a lot of interesting shopping too.

Your favourite international airport?Changi is one such airport where

you can spend as many as three daysand never realise it. It offers a widespectrum of entertainment and otheroptions for passengers to indulge in.You can watch a movie, book a hoteland catch your much-needed sleep; youcan go for swimming or get a massagedone. It has all the various cuisines youcan think of that exists in this world andyou can actually shop till you drop!

Your favourite domestic airline?Jet Airways used to be my favourite

domestic airline once, as it had excellentservice but now it is cutting little corners that are actually making a bigdifference. But Kingfisher Airlines still

hasn't learnt to do that and I think it willtake a little longer for it to do so. So, atthe moment, I prefer the latter.

Your favourite international airline?So far, Singapore Airlines has always

been my favourite. It has great food andimpeccable service. I also like Emirates for the same reason and boththe airlines have great attitude too.

Your favourite airline story?Once I asked an airhostess if she is a

member of the mile high club and shewas not aware of it. So, I really had agood time pulling her leg.

Your favourite aircraft?The Boeing Jumbo Jet is my

favourite aircraft as it has nice seatingarrangements and is spacious too.


Kingfisher has the best BusinessClass, very innovative with respect tofood and it invests a lot of thoughtprocess behind ordering every fooditem. You won’t get the kind of food atany other airline that you can get atKingfisher's. Now, Jet is also servinginteresting food, as it must have realisedthat it is also an important aspect. Butsomehow, Kingfisher feels better.


Though almost all the airlines havemany similar features but I still thinkthat Singapore Airlines has the bestBusiness Class among all.


Changi and Bangkok airports haveexcellent airline lounges.

“I ASKED ANAIRHOSTESS IF SHE IS AMEMBER OF THE MILE

HIGH CLUB!”

PPRRAAHHLLAADD KKAAKKKKAARRLeading Indian ad film director, most known as thecreator of the famous Pepsi TV commercial withAmitabh Bachchan and Sachin Tendulkar, PrahladKakkar is also the founder-director of Director forGenesis Film Production. An avid scuba diver, in 1995he set up ‘Lacadives’, a scuba-diving school, alongwith his wife Mitali Kakar at Kadmat Island,Lakshadweep, and in 2000, became a CMAS 2-StarScuba Diving Instructor. He also runs a coffee shop,and Casa Amore, a wine bar and restaurant, set up inMumbai in 2001.

Prahlad Kakkar, the adman with a naughty glint in hiseyes, could not help but recount his favourite airline

story when he managed to pull the leg of an airhostess.

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INTERVIEW


I remember, my first flight waswhen I was five years old. I took aflight from Delhi to Srinagar. I hated theear pain which I got due to air pressure.But I was very happy to get sweets on atray. I even hated the cologne that AirIndia sprayed.

Your favourite domestic airport?I find Hyderabad airport the best and

Mumbai stands as the second. TheHyderabad airport is supported with amatchless terminal and passengerfriendly facilities and services.

Your favourite international airport?Dubai international airport is my

favourite airport. The airport consists ofall facilities like hotel, health club, business centre, currency exchanges,restaurants, children’s play area, medical centre and prayer room.

Your favourite domestic airline?

I love to travel by Kingfisher or Jet Airways. Kingfisher has delectable gourmet cuisine and a revolutionary personal in-flightentertainment system onboard.

Your favourite international airline?My favourite international

airline is Qatar Airways, Etihad, CathayPacific and Emirates. Passengers arepresented with dining menus speciallyprepared in leather-bound folders. Aselection of champagne are a regularfeature in both cabins.

Your favourite airline story?Once I had requested for seafood

meal in Air India. But somehow the crewforgot to process the request. But thepilot offered to give his seafood meal,which was a very sweet gesture by thepilot. At another time, once I was travelling from San Francisco to London.I left my wallet in the seat pocket. Butbefore I could realise my loss, the walletwas delivered to me in my hotel before Ireached. When I was on Emirates flightfrom Dubai to Mumbai, the entire NewZealand cricket team welcomed me inthe first class as I was the only girl sitting with them, it was the mostsuper fun flight.

Your favourite aircraft?My favourite aircraft is Airbus

A318. It has a shorter cabin andsmaller capacity. The aircraft provides extra five inches of

legroom, which makes travelfor long hours comfortable.

Which domestic airlinedo you think has the bestBusiness Class?

I like to travel by Kingfisher. The BusinessClass of Kingfisher isunique in the sense that ithas USB connectors on eachseat, which makes travel convenient, as one can connect with the USB and dohis work. There is mood lighting, web chatting and e-mail facilities also available, which make it thebest Business Class.

Which international airline do you think has thebest Business Class?

I like the BusinessClass of Qatar airlines.

Which, according toyou, is the best airline lounge?

I feel Dubai international airport has the bestairline lounge.

Fashion Designer Pria Kataria Puri recalls her flyingexperiences that were, most often, colourful.

“I WAS HAPPY TO GETSWEETS ON MY FIRST FLIGHT”

38

PRIA KKATARIAA savvy fashion designer,Pria Kataria Puri has alwaysstrived to keep India’sancient heritage of finecraftsmanship alivethrough her outfits. She isa recipient of Bharat YuvaRatna Award and theBharat Vikas Award.


Pria Kataria.qxd 1/3/2011 1:19 PM Page 2


My first flight was from Kolkata toDelhi in the sixties. I was a very youngman then and went to meet my publisher.He had promised to publish my poems,and he did but a few years later. In themeantime, I found a publisher in Kolkata. But I remember that flight clearlyin my mind. It was full of so much magicand expectation. I felt as if I had suddenlygrown wings, like Icarus.

Your favourite domestic airport?Currently, Mumbai airport because it

means coming home… I love travellingand I do it all the time. But I love cominghome even more. There is something spe-cial about that.

Your favourite international airport? Heathrow, not because it's the best

airport in the world but because it is theairport I am most familiar with and mostcomfortable in. I love London. It's likebeing in India.

Your favourite domestic airline?I like Air India, which includes Indian

Airlines, because of the warmth and comfort they always offer. Everyone thereknows me, comes and says hello, tries theirbest to look after me. Even the porters arelike friends. But yes, I travel Jet Airwaysmore often these days because the flightsare better timed, the delays are less, andyes, you get better ticket prices. WhichIndian doesn't like a good deal? The problem with Air India is that it still havethat Government-undertaking mindset. Ithas not changed with the times.

Your favourite international airline? I enjoyed Virgin when it was plying on

the Mumbai-London-Mumbai route. It waswarm, charming, lots of fun. The mas-sages, 30,000 feet up in the air, weredelightful, not in terms of great masseurs

but just that someone was clever enough tothink of it.

Your favourite airline story?I must confess I have many. I am lucky

to have met some of the most beautiful and charming women on flights as co-passengers, and in many ways they notonly changed my journeys but my life. Ibelieve in serendipity, and there is no placebetter than an aircraft and occasionally, an airport, to meet someone you never

thought could make such a difference toyour world. I have been lucky enough tomeet several such people on my journeys,all women, interestingly.

Your favourite aircraft?I love wide-bodied aircraft. I hate flights

like New York-Washington DC or, evenworse, the flight to Telluride, which I oncetook from Denver on such a tiny aircraftthat I was told to check-in my laptop. Ofcourse, check-in meant loading it yourselfin the aircraft’s belly. The local flights inthe US are all pretty awful really. They arelike our buses.


I like both Jet and Kingfisher. Bothfunction very well in terms of their timings.However, they are not always convenientand these days their flights don’t alwaystake off.


On an international flight, when you aretravelling Business Class, you want a 100per cent flat bed. Most airlines lie abouttheir flat beds. They offer seats that godown almost horizontally. That is not flatbed. I remember flying to LA by Cathay inFirst Class. That was what I call a true flatbed experience.

Which, according to you, is the best airline lounge?

All airline lounges are pretty awful —they are usually overcrowded, the food is miserable and the staff, when available,even worse. I have often wondered why noairline pays more attention to its lounges.It’s a nightmare changing planes or waitingin-between flights simply because loungeseverywhere are horrible. But then, probably I feel that way because the loneliest place on the planet is an airportlounge. So, on a to-do list, every airlineneeds to pay more attention to its lounge.

“I FELT AS IF I HAD SUDDENLY GROWN WINGS

LIKE ICARUS”Extraordinarily gifted, Pritish Nandy unveils his

secret about how an airplane journey actually changedthe journey of his life.

PRITISH NNANDYJournalist, politician, painter, poet,media and television personality,animal activist, film producer andmuch more, Pritish Nandy is aversatile and creative person. Hehas also published his numerousworks on poetry and producedmany meaningful films fortelevision.

39

Pritish Nandy.qxd 1/3/2011 1:20 PM Page 3

40

INTERVIEW


I went on my first flight when Iwas seven years old. My father tookme to Kashmir. The flight was veryspecial because for the first time I wasabove the clouds and they looked sobeautiful. What an unforgettable expe-rience that was!

Your favourite domestic airport? My favourite domestic airport is

Hyderabad Shamshabad airport. It hasplenty of open space. The design andarchitecture are impressive. It has beenbuilt with all modern comforts, amenities and international standardsin mind.


My favourite internationalairport is Hong Kong. The view

is spectacular through the huge glasswindows.

Your favourite domestic airline?Kingfisher Airlines for its great

service. The seats are very nice; there

is a good selection of movies and mostimportant is that the flights are on time.

Your favourite international airline? My favourite international airline is

Cathay Pacific. The 180-degree flatbeds give you a very comfortable sleepand provide excellent privacy. The in-flight service is also of a high standard.

Your favourite airline story?My airline stories are mostly bad

ones! I was on a KLM flight from Amsterdam to Texas. My flight hadbeen delayed for more than seven toeight hours and after landing, I discovered that my santoor and bagswere missing. They arrived a day later.

Your favourite aircraft?My favourite aircraft is the Boeing

747 — the Jumbo Jet. Earlier, I used tolove sitting on the first floor. Now the777 is very comfortable. Especially thenew Air India aircraft that fly non-stopbetween Mumbai and New York.


Kingfisher Airlines has the best Business Class in my opinion. Thecabin is cheerful and bright. The in-flight crew is very courteous andthe cuisine is excellent.

Which international airline doyou think has the best Busi-ness Class?

I would definitely chooseCathay Pacific for its service.The helpful and amiable flightcrew, wide choice of food anddrinks and great entertainment— all contribute to makingthe flight extremely comfort-able and pleasant.

Which, according to you,is the best airlinelounge?

My favourite interna-tional lounge is in Hong

Kong for its facilities. Onecan shower and be fresh before

travelling. I would also mentionthe lounge in Frankfurt that is con-

nected directly to the departuregate, which is very convenient forpassengers. I also like the lounge

at Hyderabad airport. It is verycomfortable, spacious and

has a pleasingview.

RAHUL SSHARMASon of renowned santoormaestro Pandit ShivKumar Sharma, Rahulis hugely successful acrossthe globe with hisexperimentationswith pure Indianclassical music andthematic music. Hehas also excelled him-self as a music director inIndian films and hasnumerous albums tohis credit.

“IT WAS THE FIRST TIME I WAS ABOVE THE

CLOUDS”Rahul Sharma, the young musical braveheart, recallshis unpleasant experience when he lost something

close to his heart: his santoor.

TAUFIQ QURESHI interview.qxd 1/3/2011 1:25 PM Page 4


I had my first flight along with myfriends Ravikant and Shashikant Jargarin 1972 when we were in school. TheJaipur-Mumbai trip cost us `300 each.I remember it was a hopping flight andwe were very excited. On our returnour friends in school treated us likeastronauts and for days together weused to narrate our first flight experience.

Which is your favourite domesticairport?

It’s the new terminal at New Delhi.I like it for its spaciousness, goodrestaurants and lounges that gives youa very pleasant feeling. I thoughtMumbai was better earlier, but now Iwould rate New Delhi as number one.


Amsterdam. I like its lounges andvibrant shops, casinos, food courts andthe shops even sell tulips there. I hadan opportunity to stay one full day atAmsterdam airport, which had anattached hotel. It was a good experi-ence and the staff of the airport mademy stay very comfortable.

Your favourite domestic airline?Kingfisher with its new bright red

and cream-coloured aircraft and ambi-ence. The ground staff as well as thecrew are very well trained and wellbehaved. I like the way they take careof the luggage. Of course, I like theirfood also.

Your favourite international airline? It’s a difficult question to answer

because I like Emirates and KLM. Butwhen I travel to London and New YorkI opt for Jet Airways because of itsIndianness. The crew treats you like itsown guest. The seats are very comfort-able where I can stretch out.

Your favourite airline story?I was travelling by Jet Airways

from Mumbai to Jaipur with someleading jewellers. Suddenly the aircraftchanged altitude and came down 1,500feet down. We all thought it was ourlast journey. But we landed safely. Ialso remember my flight from Nairobito Lusaka when the tyre of one of thewheels burst, but the efficient pilotstill managed a safe landing.

Your favourite aircraft?It’s the Jumbo 747. I like it

because of its double deck and there isa lounge feeling.

Which international airline do you think has best Business Class?

I would say Air India, which fliesto the US and Emirates.


The KLM lounge at Amsterdam isthe best because of its spaciousnessand ambience.

“OUR FRIENDS TREATEDUS LIKE ASTRONAUTS

AFTER OUR FIRST FLIGHT”Exporter Rajiv Jain shares his near death-like experi-ence when the aircraft plunged 1,500 feet in the air.

RAJIV JJAINRajiv Jain, an exporter of gem and jewelleryfrom Jaipur, heads the Gem & JewelleryExport Promotion Council. Jain, with astrength of 5,000 members spread all overthe country, is primarily involved inintroducing Indian gem and jewelleryproducts to theinternational marketand promotes theirexports. He is adirector of theInternationalColored StonesAssociationwith itsheadquartersin New York.

41


INTERVIEW


I was a school kid and the Goa airport was a lovely little stone cottage built by the Portuguese, andthe flight to Mumbai was in a tinypropeller plane. I can never forget thethrill of seeing the then virginal Goawith her endless green fields and empty golden beaches from the skyfor the first time. I shoved the provided cotton so deep in my ears,my aunt in Mumbai had to pry it outwith pincers the next day.

Your favourite domestic airport?Kohima! I think I last went there

in the 90s. It seemed the cutest, tiniestairport in the world, snuggled amongbeautiful mountains. The Naga decorations were genuine and original, not created by an interiordesigner. It reminded me of that oldstone cottage airport in Goa… havethey built an impersonal ‘modern’one now?


The other extreme: Singapore. I

feel it beats most Western airports interms of user-friendliness.

Your favourite domestic airline?Kingfisher. Not only is it

extremely efficient, it’s got the friendliest staff on board and on the ground.

Your favourite international airline?Singapore Airlines. The

friendliness, efficiency and quality are impeccable.

Your favourite airline story?An ancient domestic airline

made pompous announcementsabout its commitment to safety,‘ordering’ everyone to fastentheir seat belts before take-off— when I noticed my seathad no seat belt at all. Theairhostess I summonedwasn’t shocked or evensurprised; she justasked me to changemy seat. As you canguess, the airlinehad plenty of empty seats.

Your favourite aircraft?The Concorde. Besides the

incredible interior, I found the exterior extremely aesthetic and futuristic — much more so than latteraircraft. Like something out of space odyssey.


Kingfisher. I’m not a personal fanof Mallya, but the devil must be givenhis due!


Of course, I would nominate Sin-gapore Airlines once again. Why, theirEconomy Class, which my band hastold me about, seems better than manyother airlines’ Business Class!


I like the Dubai Business ClassLounge, as it is spacious, and the fullglass wall gives it an almost outdoorfeel. There are more luxurious andbetter equipped lounges in the world,but most tend to feel a bit claustro-phobic during a long wait.

Contemporary music legend Remo Fernandes remembers Goa airport when it was a lovely little

stone cottage, his first plane ride to Mumbai as well as another flight where many of the aircraft’s seats

had no seat belts.

“MY SEAT HAD NO SEAT BELT AT ALL”

REMO FFERNANDESA pop/rock/Indian fusion artist and playback singerfrom Goa, Remo Fernandes is one of the very fewartists in India who performs fully live, without backingtracks or lip-sync, whether he’s performing alone, withhis band, or with just half his band. His performancesare known for high-voltage excitement and totalaudience involvement. He has taken part in manymusic festivals around the world and today writes andsings his songs in five different languages: English,Hindi, French, Portuguese, and Konkani.

42



My first flight, as I can recall, was ona Dakota. In mid-flight, the door of theaircraft suddenly opened and had to behurriedly closed by the airhostess.

Your favourite domestic airport?I have yet to travel through Delhi’s

Terminal 3. That is an experience I hopeto have in the near future. Otherwise mychoice is Hyderabad. Clean and spacious,the airport is well-maintained. There areexcellent facilities with free wi-fi and lap-top areas. Security and check-in conven-ient and fast. Hyderabad competes wellwith many international airports.

Your favourite international airport?Changi in Singapore. It is a model air-

port. Complete passenger comfort andvarious entertainment facilities are the bestfeatures of the airport. There are greatshopping options and the lounges areimpressive. The Transit Hotel is the per-fect place to have a nap and get refreshed.

Your favourite domestic airline?I prefer Kingfisher because of its atten-

tion to detail. I also like the decor and thebright interiors.

Your favourite international airline?Emirates. The in-flight service is of

excellent standard. The seats are comfortable with an attentive crew and great cuisine.

Your favourite airline story?A few decades ago, I was

travelling to Ambadi (Jalpaig-uri) near Darjeeling inWest Bengal.

Believe it or not, there was a bunch ofgoats as our co-passengers!

Your favourite aircraft?A380. The seats recline to a fully flat

bed. Entertainment system is state-of-the-art. Very smooth flight. Overall, a verypleasant experience.


Kingfisher because it has class. Goodfood, plush interiors and courteous flightattendants— all contribute to a very smooth flight.

Which international airline do you think has the best

Business Class?In my opinion

Kingfisher offers the best option. The leg space is very good, food is tastyand well served and the flight attendantsare attentive. On the whole, it is a veryenjoyable flying experience. I wouldalso like to mention Air India for itswarm and friendly service, tasty cuisineand comfortable sleep so that I am freshand rested on arrival.


British Airways First and ClubClass Lounge at Heathrow. Quite spacious, it has a good selection ofpapers, magazines, etc. There areample food and drink options. Thereare plenty of quiet spaces to relax in.The staff is polite and helpful when required.

Sabyasachi Hajara, a veteran in the shipping industry,shares his onboard experience of travelling with

unusual sets of co-passengers.

“THE DOOR OF THEDAKOTA SUDDENLY

OPENED ON MY FIRST FLIGHT”

SABYASACHI HHAJARA Sabyasachi Hajara is the Chairman andManaging Director of the Shipping Corporation

of India. A veteran of the shipping fraternityfor over three decades, Hajara has vast

experience of the maritime business.Associated with a host of management

and industry associations, Hajara isalso part of the Board of Trustees ofthe Mumbai Port Trust.

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INTERVIEW


It was in the early years when I wasdoing graduation. It was a memorabletrip as a very beautiful airhostesswalked up to me to ask whether I was amodel as I was physically fit. I was veryexcited to get such lovely complimentsand that too from a beautiful airhostess.

Your favourite domestic airport? Mumbai airport. Especially, its

interiors have been beautifully designed.I like it for its neatness and its bookstores. The food at the restaurantsthere is very tasty.


Heathrow. My children and wifelove Heathrow airport as we visit London once every year. My familyloves the food there especially the special brownie, which they serve in

their pastry shop. I love anything thatmy family loves.

Your favourite domestic airline?Kingfisher as the ground staff and

the airline crew are so warm and helpful. The best thing about flying onKingfisher Airlines is that they takeutmost care of the children’s needs.

Your favourite international airline? Earlier I used to like the Air India for

its services. But of late, I have been totallyfascinated by Kingfisher for the kind ofreception you get once you are in the air. It is a great pleasure to fly in a Kingfisherplane, as one gets a royal treatment.

Your favourite airline story? Once I boarded a Kingfisher airlineand as the flight took off, I realisedthat I left a bag, which containedgifts for my kids at the Delhi airport.Looking at my face, the airhostessenquired why I looked so worried.When I told her about my bag ofgifts, she pleasantly smiled and askedme not to worry at all. I cannot forgetthis incident, as within a few hoursof reaching my house in Mumbai, thebag had reached the airport, as theairhostess had arranged for my bag tobe brought to Mumbai. I cannot forget this kind gesture of theairhostess, as she was the cause ofthe smiles on my children's face.

Your favourite aircraft? The A380, as it looks beautiful as

well as flies absolutely without anyjerks. That’s the best part.

Which domestic airline do youthink has the best Business Class?

It's Kingfisher Airlines again, asit serves good food with lots of variety and options to choose from.The airline maintains its quality interms of service and food.


I like Kingfisher, as it is very spacious and one feels very relaxedas there is enough leg space too.Moreover, the food served is the best, which no other Business Class has.

Which, according to you, is thebest airline lounge?

The Emirates lounge in Mumbaifor convenience, comfort and luxury.It has all the amenities from massagerecliners to complimentary internetsurfing facility.

“A BEAUTIFUL AIRHOSTESS ASKED

ME IF I WAS A MODEL”Bollywood hunk Suniel Shetty, best remembered for his

muscles and action roles, recounts his soul-lifting experience when he misplaced gifts for his children.

SUNIEL SSHETTYFilm actor, producer, hotelier and liquorand fashion boutique owner SunielShetty is famously known as the machoman of the Bollywood movies. He alsoowns some hotels specialising in Udupicuisine and a clothing boutique namedMischief and has launched a companycalled Popcorn Entertainment topromote Bollywood actors touringabroad for stage shows and/orconcerts.




My first flight was in 1998, when I went for World Cadet Championship. My father was a busdriver and I have never travelled in aflight ever. So my first trip on flight is memorable because I was going for world championship and that too in a flight. So I was all excited when the flight took off. It was like a dream come true sitting ina flight.

Your favourite domestic airport?

I love Delhi airport. I have alwaysbeen fascinated, especially the wayDelhi airport manages so many peoplefrom all over the country.


I love Delhi Interna-tional airport. As far as Iam concerned, it is one ofthe best in the world. Inspite of being a huge airport, it has been well-maintained till date.

Your favourite domestic airline?

My favourite airline is Air India.The in-flight staff is well-behaved andwell-trained and takes utmost care ofthe passengers on board.

Your favourite international airline?It is Air India again. The one aspect

about the Air India staff is that they areclad in traditional Indian attire ‘sari’ thatmakes them look graceful. Moreover, thefood served in any other internationalflight is usually western, but in AirIndia, I get to eat what I really like. I amso fond of Indian food and so I usuallyget ‘rice’ and ‘dal’, which I really like.But in any other airlines, I find it very difficult in terms of the food served in

the flight. Usually, I get food that Idon’t relish. So Air India has

throughout maintained thisstandard, as far as the Indian cuisine part is concerned.

Your favourite airline story?In India, the Indian cricketers are

very popular. After receiving the Arjuna Award in 2005, I didn’t havethe faintest idea that anybody evenknows about wrestling. After the flight took off, there was an announcement by the flight captainsaying that they were proud toannounce that Sushil Kumar is travelling in this flight. One of the airhostesses asked me to stand up, as allthe passengers were eager to knowwhere I was sitting. When I stood up,everyone clapped for me. Not onlythat, the whole journey was spent bypeople coming to me for signing autographs. When the flight landed,the whole staff requested me for agroup photo. This was one of my bestjourneys on air and I rate it as thebiggest award I ever got.

Your favourite aircraft?I like jumbo, for it can actually

accommodate a large number of people.


I have never travelled in Business Class.


I have not travelled in BusinessClass at all.


I like Mumbai’s Air India lounge.

“I WENT FOR WORLDCADET CHAMPIONSHIPON MY FIRST FLIGHT”

Wrestler Sushil Kumar recalls how he earned one of thebiggest awards he got on air.

SUSHIL KKUMARSushil Kumar Solanki started training at the ChhatrasalStadium’s akhada at the age of 14. At the age of 18 he

became a state champ. His first success came at theWorld Cadet Games in 1998 where he won the

gold medal in his weight category. Hewon the gold medal in the 66 kg

freestyle competition at the FILA2010 World WrestlingChampionships and a bronzemedal in 2008 Beijing Olympics.He is the recipient of India’shighest honour for sportsper-sons — Rajiv Gandhi KhelRatna Award and Arjuna Award.

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INTERVIEW

Your first flight and why was it memorable? Can’t remember the year but I

was with my father and he allowed meto carry an Asian Games Bag with me.It was way too cool a bag.

Your favourite domestic airport? Varanasi. Fantastic chicken sand-

wiches in the restaurant. I even wentup and complimented the chef. Real-ly, the culinary brilliance that can popup in certain places is amazing!

I also like Changi — it’s a great airport.


Heathrow. There are amazingbookstores, like W H Smith, whichallow me to browse in leisure since Idon't find that kind of free time whenin London. Medicine shops like Bootsare also there in case of an emer-gency. On the whole, there is an awfullot to do.

Your favourite domestic airline andyour reasons for selecting it.

IndiGo. Ubercool in all respectsbut the food.

Your favourite international airline? British Airways has great service,

at least to me. In spite of all the hatemail that the airline receives, the ined-ible food, the odious wine, and thefrosty airhostesses, I still think BA isfabulous. You see, it is all about theequation of relationships. Once that is perfectly balanced, flying then is a pleasure.

Your favourite airline story?

I boarded an IndiGoflight that was ostensi-bly going to Delhi anddiscovered that half thepassengers there weresupposed to go toKolkata. I pointed itout to the cabin crew. Imust have got at least ahundred blessings thatmorning!

Your favourite aircraft? A320: I like to fly in an

aircraft I feel comfortable in— exactly which button topress for services, entertain-ment, etc. Familiarity is impor-tant to me.

Which domestic airlinedo you think has thebest Business Class?

Kingfisher Airlines, which servesnice food. The airline has quite a class.


Singapore Airlines. You get decentwine on board. The petite, servile,Asian hostesses are sweet as sugarand they make your journey all themore comfortable! The food served onboard is also worth mentioning.


British Airways First Class Lounge,Heathrow. The spread is good. Theyserve great bacon; just as I like it —streaky and regular fried. Speedy Internet connection is another featureworth mentioning.

SWAPAN SSETHAdman, socialite and founder of an advertisingagency, Swapan Seth became famous withTATA's catchline: “Ispat bhi hum banate hain”Having worked for almost all prominent brandssuch as Max New York Life, Kingfisher Airlines,Whyte & Mackay, Taj Hotels, VLCC, ABN Amro,Tulip IT, Forest Essentials, DCB, etc, Seth hasbuilt his entire career as a creative man.

Swapan Seth, the ace adman, shares his experienceabout the flight he was travelling in that had

passengers for two different destinations.

“…BUT I STILL THINK B A IS FABULOUS”

CRUISING HEIGHTS December 2011


47


My first flight was in the early sixties in a DC3 aircraft, which waspopularly known as the Dakota. Forthe information of readers, this aircrafthas had the best safety record and thelongest. It was a flight with my fatherwho took us for a trip. This was amemorable trip, as this wasn’t apressurised aircraft and could only flybelow 10,000 feet. But it was a verysmooth flight and one could actuallysee details of the ground through theporthole windows.

Your favourite domestic airport? Earlier my favourite domestic

airport was Begumpet, Hyderabad. Iam talking about the one that washoused in a bungalow and those dayswe could walk up to the aircraft on thetarmac to see off and receive visitors.It sounds so weird now, doesn’t it?It was like a homely atmosphere.And in the present day too, I likethe new terminal too, which is a

state-of-the-art.

Your favourite international airport? My favourite international airport

would be difficult because a lot of factors have to be considered. I wouldsay one of the best layout and plannedones is the airport in Atlanta.

Your favourite domestic airline?My favourite domestic airline is

Kingfisher. It has the best cabin service and ground staff.

Your favouriteinternationalairline?

Surprisingly,

Air India. The reason is the service Iget is one of personalised attention. Most of the time, the crew recognises me. Although many people would disagree and I am surethey will have their own valid reasons for it.

Your favourite airline story?My favourite airline story is about

the Air Canada pilots who managed toland a heavy Boeing 767 without anyfuel on a World War II runway on aflight from Toronto to Vancouver. Byan error by the ground staff, due to achange in the measuring system fromthe British to the metric, they had lessfuel than required and when it ran outmidway they had to make an emergency landing without any poweron this old, unused, II World War, vintage runway, using their angle ofdescent precisely to keep their airspeed just enough so they wouldnot stall and made a perfect safe landing. This was nothing short of amiracle and a tribute to the courageand cool head of the commander andhis co-pilot. This is recorded as one ofa kind in the annals of civil aviation. They were accorded the highest civilian honour for their featby the Canadian government.

Your favourite aircraft?Amongst the heavy aircraft no

doubt the Boeing 747. Recently I hadflown a small eight-seater single

turboprop aircraft. It’s Swissmade and is known as the Pilatus. Its cockpit configura-tion and avionics are a minia-ture of the Airbus 319. Ishould also mention thatpilots specially the youngergeneration like the Airbusfor the cockpit configura-tion and fly by wire tech-nology.


Kingfisher Airlines.

Which internationalairline do you think hasthe best Business Class?

Singapore Airlines.

Which, according to you, is the best airlinelounge?

Emirates Airlines.

The legendary singer Talat Aziz reminisced how he wasonce entranced by a Canadian pilot for his fascinating

and exemplary heroic feat in air.

“ONE COULD SEE DETAILSOF THE GROUND THROUGH

THE WINDOWS”

TALAT AAZIZSinger, Actor and composer,the Ghazal maestro learntmusic from the famousMehdi Hasan. He becamea phenomenal successwhen he mesmerizedeveryone with his singingin the movie Umrao Jaanand Bazaar. He composedmusic for teleserials likeDeewar, Aashirwaad and themagnum opus, Noorjehan.

Singer Talat Aziz with his wife.

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INTERVIEW

48


My first flight was when I was studyingin the sixth or seventh standard and wastravelling to London on Gulf Air with mymother and sister. After a long transit waitat Kuwait, we finally took off. I was veryapprehensive when the plane hit air pock-ets. But the most memorable moment waswhen we were over London and I couldsee the beautiful rows of bungalows andthe landscape beneath all through my win-dow and wondered where I had come to!

Your favourite domestic airport? Most certainly Mumbai. When my Dad

would travel abroad, we would all go tosee him off and have ice-cream from theKwality kiosk in the departure lounge.Today, I find both the Kingfisher and Jetlounges at Mumbai equally good. Since Iam a frequent flier with Jet, the airline staffis friendly and familiar to me. You can

relax, as they will always inform you whenit is time to board.

Your favourite international airport? Changi in Singapore. From the huge

shopping area to the lounges and spa,everything is great about Changi airport. Itfeels good that an Asian airport is so fan-tastic. Whenever I fly to the US, I take anairline, which flies through Singapore.

Your favourite domestic airline?I like Jet Airways since its staff is very

courteous. The personal touch in AirIndia’s service is also nice. As far as cuisine is concerned, Kingfisher is the best.They are very innovative with the foodthey serve. For example, on most airlinesthere will be no choice of eggs for break-fast, but aboard Kingfisher there will bechoice between Egg Benedict or flavouredomelettes. Cereals are always served forbreakfast. They try to introduce variety intheir meals.

Your favourite international airline?Emirates. When you consider

cleanliness, it beats every other airline.Also the first-class cabin suites have shower spas. Like Virgin, it also has anonboard masseuse.

Your favourite airline story? I was travelling by Premium Economy

on a full British Airways flight to London.I was in the first row, which had good legspace in front. In the third row, there was

an old lady who was not at all comfortablein her seat. No passenger was willing toexchange his seat with her. Out of consid-eration I offered my seat to her. Later, Iwas thanked profusely by the Flight Purserand was offered a complimentary gift ofmy choice from the in-flight duty-freeshop. Upon his insistence, I chose a smallfalcon of perfume for my sister, who I wasgoing to visit. I thought that the gesturefrom the airline was a very nice one.

Your favourite aircraft? I would have loved to fly in the

Concorde, since it reminded me of a grace-fully floating eagle. Now, having flown inthe A380, I am very impressed with thewide space even in Economy Class and theextra width of the seats.


Kingfisher because it is very spaciousand the interiors are bright. The satellite TVbrings all the news channels that I like.


Emirates. The cabin is sleek and beautiful. The headphone output is in a convenient place. Seats are equipped withmassage switches. Charging facilities ofmobile phones and laptops are provided. Champagne and great wines are served.Appetizers like dried fruits are offered. Iprefer continental food and get a goodchoice of different kinds of salads and pasta. The range of desserts are superb:from cheesecakes, baklava, fresh fruits,chocolates all the way to gulab jamuns.The cuisine is exceptional.


British Airways lounge at London. It is ahuge lounge therefore not con-

gested. Very clean showerareas. There are plenty offood options like choicesof soups, Indian food likeChicken Tikka and differ-

ent varieties of cheesewhich I simply love.

TAUFIQ QQURESHIHailed as the ‘Prince ofPercussion’, son of legendaryUstad Allarakha and brother ofmaestro Ustad Zakir Hussain,Taufiq Qureshi is a master atblending the intricacies oftraditional Indian rhythm withcontemporary world beats. In1985, Taufiq created his ownfusion band ‘Surya’. Hisimmense versatility has earnedhim accolades. There are several compositions and an award-winning Grammy album to his credit.

“I WAS APPREHENSIVEWHEN THE PLANE HIT

AIR POCKETS”Fondly known as the ‘Prince of Percussion’, Taufiq

Qureshi recounts how a small kindly gesture by himearned him a gift in the air.


49


Funnily enough, people probably thinkI was born flying but in fact I flew for thefirst time after I earned my own money. Itwas after my first or second contract whenI flew from Madras to Bombay on a Caravelle, way back in 1969. The price ofthe ticket then was `.126 only. I rememberwe were served oranges on the flight andthe lady next to me asked in Tamil,whether she could open the window tothrow out the peel. Today I am a completeflier, a Flying Eagle — the emblem withwhich my birth sign, Scorpio, is associated.

Your favourite domestic airport? The amazing advancements made by all

the major airports in the country are won-derful. Airports at Mumbai and Chennaiare very welcoming. Delhi and Hyderabadare fantastic too. To me, Bangalore is defi-nitely on the top of the list. The warmthand recognition that I receive there, makesit a very special place for me.

Your favourite international airport?I simply adore London. The organised

madness is what I love about Heathrow. It'sgot a buzz of its own. Though the hugenessof the new Dubai airport makes it a little

bit cold, I like it as well. The East Asianairports are also great like Bangkok. I findSingapore airport very stylish .

Your favourite domestic airline?I am a very proud Indian, so a part of

my heart will always remain 'Air India'. Ihave this secret feeling in my heart thatIndian Airlines will revive once again andit will be the Mother Airline of India once

again. However, I wish the maintenance ofAir India planes would improve.

Your favourite international airline? For my international journeys, I would

choose Jet Airways — 100 per cent. Thereis a class about it and the comfort level ishigh. What upsets me about most airlinesis that food choices are not often suitable.As a vegetarian, I dislike salmon andCaviar being thrust under my nose. So it isnecessary for all airlines to devise a wayby which choice of meals is personalisedand choosing one's meal is made easier.

Your favourite airline story? Almost all my airline stories are pleas-

ant ones. When I fly I prefer to have anempty seat next to me. Usually the airlinesaccommodate my request. But sometimeswhen the flight is full, it isn't possible.Once when I was flying to Mauritius onAir India, I was seated next to an amazinghuman being — Dr. Christian Barnard,which was an absolute privilege. Thetopics we spoke on were varied and I

wished the flight had lasted forever. Therewas one line he told me which to me wasan eye-opener. He said, “In life if youlearn to accept, then it is easier to cure. Butyou must get the diagnosis right; only thencan you cure an ill.” I am immensely grateful for having learnt this valuablelesson from him. I remember and apply itin everyday life.

The favourite aircraft of your choice? I like the seating on an Airbus. I also

like the new line of Boeings introducedby Jet in the international sectors. TheA380 is superb. It is very spacious. Thetoilets are amazing.

Which domestic airline do you think hasthe best Business Class? The staff of Jet is very kind and

courteous. Another airline that impressesme is Paramount. The service is of ahigh standard and the staff wears freshwhites and smells fresh, which is veryimportant to me.

Which international airline do you thinkhas the best Business Class? Jet Airways again. Though the seats

are not always to my liking, I also enjoyflying Emirates. Food is excellent onEmirates and my preferences are wellcatered to.

Which, according to you, is the best air-line lounge? For me, a warm welcome is very

important. Lounges of Thai, Qatar Airways and Emirates are spectacular.

USHA UUTHUPIf there is a legend bridging the Eastand the West it is Usha Uthup. Amusical ambassador to foreignlands, she has recorded manyalbums and is a successfulplayback singer. She has beenfelicitated with several awards overthe years, like the Rajiv GandhiPurashkar for National Integration forquality music and Mahila Shiromoni Purashkar.

Pop Queen Usha Uthup gets nostalgic when she recallshow life came full circle when she had chance meeting

with a fellow passenger during a flight.

“ONE LADY ASKED IN TAMILWHETHER SHE COULD OPEN

THE WINDOW”


INTERVIEW


My first flight was from Jammu toSrinagar. It was memorable because Iwas travelling for the first time in anaircraft and that too with my parents.And we were going to Srinagar forholidays. My father availed leave travel concession which was such a bigthing those days. And they asked me toaccompany them.

Your favourite domestic airport?My favourite domestic airport is

Shamshabad airport. And now, Delhiairport's Terminal 3.


Well, I have seen many internation-al airports. I like Bangkok, Dubai… Icouldn't care for Heathrow… I couldn’t really care much for John FKennedy also… I would say Bangkokand Dubai.

Your favourite domestic airline?Budget airline mein Indigo and

otherwise Kingfisher.

Your favourite international airline?Emirates. They make your travel

very comfortable unlike the

British Airways.

Your favourite airline story?Well… When I had this Pakistani

cabin crew member on Emirates Airlines... I asked him to look after mewell. And he understood very well what I meant andhe kept supplying me good whiskey.

Your favourite aircraft?The B747 remains my good old

favourite aircraft. I have travelled byB777 also. I have not travelled in Airbus 380. But between the 777 andthe 747, I prefer the 747.


Kingfisher Airlines.


I will stick to Emirates Airlines.


Ooh… They all look the same. But,I like some airlines’ lounges wherethey have the facility of foot mas-sagers, and where they clean yourspectacles also along with a shouldermassage. So between Virgin and Kingfisher. I would say these two.

A frequent flier, journalist Vinod Dua gets nostalgicabout his happy experiences while travelling in air.

“THE PAKISTANI CABIN CREW KEPT

SUPPLYING ME GOODWHISKEY”

VINOD DDUAWell-known media personality, Vinod Duadons many hats as an anchor, politicalcommentator, election analyst, producerand director in his illustrious career.Starting his career as a TV anchor forDoordarshan, he has worked for many TVchannels. He has garnered appreciationfor his programmes like Tasveer-e-Hind,Chunav Chunauti, Kaun BanegaMukhyamantri, Vinod Dua-Live and ZaikaIndia Ka. For his pioneering work in jour-nalism, he was awarded the Padma Shrifor Journalism in 2008.

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CRUISING HEIGHTS December 2011 51


It was in 1970, I had a concert in Delhi and the organiser gave me to andfro ticket from Jaipur to Delhi. Believeme, the fare for one way was `70 only.

Your favourite domestic airport? Hyderabad airport is the most stun-

ning airport in India. It’s very spaciouswith a neat and sophisticated look. Theshops have everything there fromsweets to toys, food, even electronics, etc. I love its massivestructure of glass and steelwork, whichis really marvellous. I feel happy andproud that India can have an airportlike Hyderabad.


Vancouver, in Canada, is myfavourite since it is the most artistical-ly built airport. It is very spacious andfull of brilliant artwork displayed onit. The best part is the flooring and theinteriors are nicely lighted, whichgives a very warm and soothingappearance.

Your favourite domestic airline? Kingfisher Airlines is the best

domestic airline of our country. It hasthe newest planes, best crew to takecare, very good in-flight food, goodseating arrangement, very friendly staffand timely departures. Moreover, it hasthe best in-flight entertainment also.

Your favourite international airline? Swiss Air is my most loved

airline. They have the friendliest staff,the best aircraft, good food, fullyreclining seats in Business and FirstClasses, very timely departures, all this clubbed with the typical Swisshospitality.

Your favourite airline story?On my flight to US in 1994, while

flying to New York for the GrammyAward, I met an astrologer on board. Themoment he saw my palm he remarkedthat luck would smile on me and that Iwould become a celebrity soon. Perhaps,he could foresee the Grammy Awardcoming my way, which I never expected.The astrologer asked me to close my eyesand visualise what was coming. I closedmy eyes and I saw myself amidst brightlights holding something. It was theGrammy Award, made of pure gold. Little did I know then that the GrammyAward was coming to me.

Your favourite aircraft? A380, the super jumbo. It is a

superb aircraft, which is an aeronauticalmarvel.

Which domestic airline do youthink has the best BusinessClass?

Kingfisher, it has thebest space and reclin-ing seats and very

cosy ambience and the service is excel-lent with polite warm air hostesses takingcare of you.


Jet Airways, the 180-degree flat bedseat is the best in it. It has lots of space tostretch hands and legs, the best TV screenand the controls are really great. I lovedmy flight from Delhi to London last year 2009.


Among domestic airlines, there is no other airline to beatKingfisher. Amonginternational airlines,I would rate SwissAir as the best.

VISHWA MMOHAN BBHATTOne of the few Indians, who has mesmerised the world with his creation of the musicalguitar Mohanveena, Vishwa Mohan Bhattis considered an innovative musicianof the country. His virtuosity andlimitless supply of melodies have wonhim the Grammy Award in 1994 alongwith Ry Cooder for the world musicalbum, ‘A Meeting by the River’.

“BELIEVE ME, THE FAREFOR ONE WAY WAS

`70 ONLY”Grammy Award winner, Vishwa Mohan Bhatt, whobelieves that music is the medium to talk to God,

shares his life-changing rendezvous with a soothsayer in the air.


52

INTERVIEW


My first flight was memorablebecause it was the first time I sat inan aircraft. I bought a ticket on SabenaBelgian airlines to Brussels and London. It was in 1981. I paid a princely ` 8000. I had never been in anaircraft before and since this was aninternational flight, I was all bug-eyed.When the plane shuddered and took offlike a big bus, I was elated. Everythingheld my attention— from the drink andfood service to the onscreen movie. Ihardly slept with the excitement.

Your favourite domestic airport? Hyderabad. It is too posh. But

personally I love Dabolim—if onlysomeone blasted away the dreadful pastiche statues of men with breasts onswans and women in orange foundationwith Greek drapes.

Your favourite international airport? Copenhagen. It is designed in a

style I like. Minimal and wonderful.

Lots of wood, very sparse and chic.

Your favourite domestic airline? Do I have to choose between Jet

Airways and Kingfisher? Both made meproud to be an Indian.

Your favourite international airline? For various reasons Singapore Air-

lines, Etihad, Jet Airways, Kingfisherand Qatar. Not neccessarily in thatorder. I can't pick one because someairlines do a great job on one sector,while others do a better job on others.At the moment, Qatar is favourite, as itleaves from and arrives in Goa.

Your favourite airline story? On an Air France flight from New

York to Paris, a terribly behavedPastor was upgraded to Business Class.He began troubling all the crew mem-bers. He spoke so loudly that everyonewas getting disturbed by his bantering.He drank so badly that he misbehavedand dozed off. But when he fell asleep,the crew turned very naughty. The crewtook the camera dangling from his lap,

went to the galley, took down theirpants, lifted their blouses and shot photos of all the girls and boys in thegalley. Those were the days of camerarolls. I would have loved to see his facewhen the local shop developed the pho-tos in the French Alpine village.

Your favourite aircraft? Kingfisher Premier International.

As a Goan I am fond of bars. Kingfish-er's bar is a one of the best bars. Theyhave lounge seats like sofas and astandup bar with bar stools too. It beatsevery international bar I know of. Andthe service is great.

Which domestic airline do you thinkhas the best Business Class? The tea served on the Indian Air-

lines Business Class lounge is the best.I like the Business class of Jet Airwaysand Kingfisher too.

Which international airline do youthink has the best Business Class? I like the Business Class of Singa-

pore Airlines, Etihad, Jet Airways,Kingfisher and Qatar too.

Which, according to you, is the bestairline lounge? The Virgin Atlantic lounge in Lon-

don has the best airline lounge. I don'tlike Heathrow lounge of London. So itcomes as a great luxury to enter theVirgin lounge. From a spa, a gym to ahealth juice counter. It has it all. I evenhad a haircut once at the salon. I likeCharles de Gaulle in Paris but I am alsofond of Qatar Business/First lounge andthe Singapore Airlines lounge inChangi airport.

WENDELL RRODRICKSGoa’s most famous fashion designer, Wendell Rodricks is listedamong India's top ten designers. Designing and styling for reputedcompanies such as Garden Vareli, cosmetic giant Lakme anddiamond corporate DeBeers, Wendell Rodricks established his ownlabel in 1990. He moved to his ancestral village in Goa in 1993,creating memorable collections each season inspired by manyemotions: Tibetan Monastries, Tribal symbols of Shiva and Vishnu, theHarem at Istanbul, Tattoos of the Lambadi tribe, Clothing the Soul andthe internationally unique VISIONNAIRE collection transferring Brailleonto fabric for the visually challenged.

Famously called the Guru of Indian Minimalism, fashiondesigner Wendell Rodricks can't help but share his

funny experience on air of how the tormentor becamethe tormented.

“THE EXCITEMENT OF MY FIRST FLIGHT KEPT

ME AWAKE”



TAKE-OFF


It takes a bit of guts to tell yourCEO where he gets off. It’s a firstas far as we know in the airlinebusines. A pilot for low-cost

carrier Ryanair has come up with anextraordinary money-saving idea:replace the airline’s boss with a flightattendant. The ideas came soon afterMichael O’Leary suggested that it wastime to fly with one pilotand that flight attendantscould be trained to do thejob in emergencies.

Captain MorganFischer, a senior pilot basedin Marseilles, southernFrance, in a letter to theFinancial Times newspapersaid he was aware of thecompany’s desire to reducecosts “whenever feasible”to keep ticket prices downfor the travelling public.” I wouldpropose that Ryanair replace the chiefexecutive with a probationary cabincrew member currently earning about$19,000 net a year. Ryanair wouldbenefit by saving millions of dollars insalary, benefits and stock options,” hesaid, adding that there would be no

need to get approval from regulators forthe appointment.

O’Leary acknowledged that a flightattendant would be a “far moreattractive” CEO and said it was beingexamined. “Michael thinks that cabincrew would make a far more attractiveCEO than him — this obviously isn’t avery high bar — so we are going to

seriously look at thesuggestion. After all, ifwe can train cabin crewto land the plane, itshould be no problemtraining them to doMichael’s job as well.”Ryanair spokesmanStephen McNamara wasquoted as saying in theFinancial Times.

For the record, though, it must be mentioned that

the 41-year-old American pilot, who liveswith his family in the town of Aix-en-Provence, was then offered a transfer toKaunas, Lithuania’s second-largest city.Perhaps, in a first-ever punishment moveof its kind, Fischer was one of almost 30Ryanair pilots working at Marseilles whohad to move after the airline announced

in October that it was closing the basefollowing a disagreement with Frenchauthorities.

“Kaunas is considered Siberia forRyanair pilots. It’s very unpopular to besent there. It’s the back of nowhere with acompletely different language. You’re inEastern Europe and the money isdreadfully bad,” one of his colleagueswas quoted in the media.

FLIGHT OF FANCY: Ryanair flight attendantshave fun with a cutout of a bikini-clad model.

A FIRSTAGAINSTO’LEARY!

Captain Morgan Fischer

The first time is always fascinating: whether it is a first flight for a ‘crorepati’ or a

marriage in the air or...

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In a first of its kind, India’s veryown Jet Airways has started servingits premiere guests on the airline’sfull- service flights between

Mumbai and Delhi gourmet four-coursemeals, plated in iconic Rosenthal crock-ery. Simply put, that means unmatchedluxury and elegance on board Jet

Airways’ selected domestic flights. This new era of in-flight dining and

service delivery is in keeping with theairline’s tradition of consistently settingand exceeding new industrybenchmarks.

The delectable new menus have beendesigned and prepared by the masterchefs of the famed Oberoi Flight

Kitchen, offeringPremiere guests anunparalleled diningexperience onboard

the airline’s flights.Economy guests

may choose from a selec-tion of delicious Indian and

continental favourites, served on atrendy, new range of Dutch tableware

known as ‘The Landscape’, acclaimedfor its contemporary and fresh design.

According to Sudheer Raghavan,CCO, Jet Airways, “As India’s leadingairline and a trailblazing pioneer in sev-eral aspects of the Indian aviation indus-try, with the introduction of our new din-ing service on flights between Mumbai

and Delhi, Jet Airways has yet again raised the industry benchmark, re-defining the dining paradigm in theIndian skies.”

The new service, while currentlyavailable only on Jet Airways’ Mumbai-Delhi flights, will progressively be made available on the airline’s other major domestic metro services aswell. That would indeed be classy!


TAKE-OFF

Another first! Air New Zealandmuch-anticipated Skycoucheconomy and Spaceseatpremium became a reality with

the arrival of its new Boeing 777-300aircraft last Christmas eve.

“The new aircraft was designed withpassengers' flight personalities in mind,resulting in an in-flight experiencetailored to meet the needs of eachpassenger,” says Air New Zealand. Nowglobally known as the 'cuddle seats', AirNew Zealand is in talks with otherairlines wanting to use its new “cuddleclass” economy seats.

Air New Zealand chief executive RobFyfe said new premium economySpaceseats on the aircraft would re-definethat class of travel. More than 30 airlines

had been in contact with Air New Zealandand its seat manufacturers about the newseats, Fyfe said. Formal negotiations wereunderway with carriers from Asia, NorthAmerica and Europe to license the seatsafter Air New Zealand had 18 months ofexclusive use, he further said.

“Four long years of planning anddesign are about to become a reality andthere is a great deal of excitement withinthe airline about the game-changingaircraft we are about to introduce,” headded. “Few if any airlines have investedtime and money in re-designing theeconomy experience and we've done it forboth economy and premium economy.”

The 338-seat aircraft, which will have60 economy seats, can create 20Skycouch combinations. The first routesfor the aircraft would be on returnservices between Auckland, Los Angelesand on to London from April 2011.

CUDDLEUP ANDFLY

ROSENTHAL IN THE SKIES


He speaks little English butEdison Pena, one of 33 Chileanminers who were trapped morethan 2000 feet underground

and rescued after 69 days, took his firstflight to New York to appear at the LateShow with David Letterman and toparticipate in the New York CityMarathon a couple of days later.

Speaking about his job, Pena toldLetterman: “The first time I walkedinto a mine, I wanted to turn aroundand get out, but that wasn’t really anoption. So I just kept going deeperand deeper in the mine, and I keptsaying, ‘couldn’t we just turnaround?’ But it didn’t work outthat way.”

Pena used to jog sixmiles a day in themines when he wastrapped. “I wasrunning to be anactive participant inmy own salvation. I

wasn’t just waiting around. At first itwasn’t even possible,” he said, but finally,he took his first steps and to make iteasier, he cut down his knee-high miningboots with his pliers, “then I was all set”.

Running through the dark, hotpassageways of the mine,

Pena said, “Ithought, I wasgoing to beatdestiny. I was saying

to that mine, ‘I canoutrun you.’ I am

going to run till you’retired and bored of me,

and I did it. The messagehere is, I found a way torun.” He said. “I didn’tsay, ‘I can’t.”

When Pena landedat New York City’s

JFK Terminal 4 — onhis first flightoverseas — he wasnot alone. About100 Chileans froman earlier flightwere lined upcheering, Chi-chi-chi, le-le-le.

CROREPATI’SFIRSTFLIGHTRahat Taslim from the sleepy

town of Giridih in Jharkhandbecame the first woman to winRs one crore in the popular

game show Kaun Banega Crorepati. Ahousewife running a sewing centre alongwith taking care of her children, Rahat isa graduate but her passion is sewing.

Never having flown before, themother of two took her first flight totake part in the show. Making herhusband Imtiaz, who was posted atKochi, agree to let her travel fromRanchi to Mumbai was an effort butRahat’s grit and determination got herthrough. Speaking to the media, Imtiazrecalled, “There were so many questionsracing around in my head…Sherequested me a lot. But I said no.” Later,he regretted it and called back to ask.“How will we manage?”

“Don’t worry. Just say yes, I’llmanage the rest,” she had said.

The Kingfisher direct flight toMumbai cost her `7,000 and at onepoint when she was checking in herluggage the thought that was uppermostin her mind. What was if the suitcase gotlost? But she forgot her bag when theplane took off. In fact, she told themedia, she enjoyed the view. “Take-offand landing reminded me of the times I played on the swing as a child,” she said.

FIT AND FINE

55

Rahat Taslim withAmitabh Bachchan

(Above) Edison Pena(third from left) at thestart of the marathonand in a pensive mood(right).


TAKE-OFF


We have heard of weddings inthe air but AirAsia recentlyhosted a unique in-flightIndian wedding — the first of

its kind — on December 9, 2010. Thegroom was one of the airline’s long -servingemployee and AirAsia AllStars familymember, Kamaleswaran Sarveswaran orIswara, as he is well known while his bridewas Thanusyia Ramakrishnan.

The traditional Indian wedding,complete with drums and nadaswaram,was attended by friends and relatives ofthe bride and bridegroom. Also presentwere members of the AirAsia family, ledby its Chairman, Aziz Bakar, whosurprised the couple by conveying his bestwishes in true flight attendant style — viathe aircraft public address system!

We’ll leave the rest of the story to the

entry in the Air Asia blog. “We received ourboarding passes at Gate Y1-Y2 andproceeded to the boarding area where weawaited the bride and groom’s arrival. Yup,we even had a boarding pass! Everyonewas excited to be part of the memorablewedding. After all, how often do you get achance to attend wedding in the air?”

The blog goes on to mention the livelydrums and nadaswaram music thatsignalled the arrival of the bride and groom.“Suddenly, the scene turned into a mediafrenzy as the media went all out to takephotographs and video of the couple. Fromthe moment the couple stepped on to theboarding gate till they boarded the plane, itwas a non-stop ‘paparazzi’ moment!”

Guests boarded the special flight at 5pm for a round trip flight back after therites and toe-ring ceremony on the tarmac.

Once the seat belt sign went off, Iswaraproceeded to tie the Thali on Thanusyia at30,000 feet above sea level, in thepresence of the priest. And all the while,the plane circled around in the skies.“When we touched down,” the blog added,“there were more ‘paparazzi’ moments forthe stars of the day... It was a memorablewedding for all the guests who attended.”

HAPPY FACES: The newly weds pose for a photo with guests and AK 009’s crew; Iswara readiesto tie the Thali on Thanusyia at 30,000 feet above sea level to complete a truly memorableevening; AirAsia Chairman Aziz Bakar presents garlands to Iswara and his bride Thanusyiabefore boarding AirAsia flight AK 009, a specially chartered flight for the wedding.

AIRASIAFIRST:A WEDDINGIN THEAIR


DOMESTIC AIRLINES


One lakh fans on Facebook for Jet AirwaysJET Airways has become the first Indian, and among the top fivecarriers in Asia to add over one lakh fans on Facebook.

The airline marked the crossing of this important milestone,which was achieved in less than a year, with the launch of anexciting new Jet to Milan contest, until December 14, 2010, onFacebook at www.facebook.com/jetairways, to celebrate thelaunch of its maiden service to Italy on December 5, 2010.

As part of the contest, guests were asked to upload an imageof any destination in Italy, and tell a little bit about the place innot more than 200 characters and answer three simple questionson Jet Airways’ new services to Milan.

Earlier, the airline launched its Facebook community at

www.facebook.com/jetairways on January 19, 2010, with theprimary objective of engaging with the guests and listening tothem, apart from providing guests with real-time news updatesabout flight schedules, new guest programmes, route additions,services and special offers, to name a few.

Tie-up with HDFC bank: Jet Airways now offers HDFCBank credit card holders, the option of converting the paymentof tickets purchased on jetairways.com into six equal EMI’s(Easy Monthly Installment) at no extra cost, spread over six months.

To avail of this special offer, guests may book their JetAirways tickets using their valid HDFC Bank credit card issuedin India, on jetairways.com (India country site), with immediateeffect until June 5, 2011.

Special fares for IAF and paramilitary personnel: JetAirways recently announced special fares for the Indian armedforces and paramilitary personnel. As part of this scheme, allserving as well as retired defence and paramilitary personnel, andtheir families, may now avail of a 50 per cent discount on basefares. The scheme is also valid on the airline’s domestic network(including Jet Airways Konnect), as also on the airline’s codeshare flights with JetLite.

The special fares are now open for booking atwww.jetairways.com. Guests from the Indian armed forces andparamilitary personnel may also avail of the airline’s web check-in facility, for enhanced convenience.

Jet Airways maintains top spot: Jet Airways declared its12th straight month of an impressive jump in internationalpassenger revenues with an over 18 per cent rise carrying 3.82lakh passengers across the globe for the month of October 2010,versus 3.23 lakh in the same period last year, maintaining the topspot with a strong market share of 26.2 per cent and a record OnTime Performance.

In fact, this overall growth, globally and locally, ensured JetAirways successfully maintain its leadership position in theIndian aviation skies with 26.2 per cent market share.

Both Jet Airways and JetLite have further improved their OnTime Performance among the scheduled domestic carriers inOctober. As per Director General of Civil Aviation data, JetAirways and JetLite posted 92.5 per cent and 92.8 per centrespectively on the critical service parameter of On TimePerformance in October 2010.

Driven by improved customer service quality and itsenhanced on-time reliability, JetLite, the wholly ownedsubsidiary of Jet Airways India Ltd, also posted a remarkable seatfactor of 81 per cent, carrying over 3.62 lakh passengers inOctober 2010 as compared to 3.34 lakh in the previous year.

Kingfisher Airlines launches new flightsKINGFISHER Airlines recently announced the launch of 14 newflights on seven routes, with effect from December 15, 2010.

The new flights which were introduced are: New Delhi-Hyderabad; New Delhi-Chennai; New Delhi-Bhubaneshwar andMumbai-Lucknow.

Manoj Chacko, Executive Vice President, Commercial,Kingfisher Airlines Limited, said, “The launch of these newflights will offer excellent connectivity and more flight optionsbetween metropolitan cities and other important cities in India.These flights have been introduced with convenient timings andhave been planned in such a manner that they offer a same-dayreturn for travellers. With this second wave of new flights, thetotal number of flights introduced in the 2010 Winter Schedulegoes up to 36 flights.”

As a special introductory offer, all members of King Club —Kingfisher Airlines’ frequent flyer programme — will earndouble the number of miles if they fly on these new flights beforeJanuary 15, 2011.

SPREADING WINGS: An inside view of a Kingfisher aircraft.

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SNIPPETS

Kingfisher approves Debt Recast Package: KingfisherAirlines Limited recently informed the Bombay StockExchange that the Board of Directors of the company at itsmeeting held on November 25, 2010, has approved a DebtRecast Package (DRP) with lending banks, following a one-time relaxation in restructuring guidelines sanctioned by theReserve Bank of India. The salient features of the DRPinclude: Conversion of debt of up to `1355 crore from lendersinto share capital; conversion of debt of upto `648 crore frompromoters into share capital; reschedulement of repayment ofthe balance debt to lenders over nine years with a moratoriumof two years and reduction in interest rates and sanction ofadditional fund and non-fund based facilities by the lenders.

While Board sanction has been received from severallenders, the same is shortly expected from the others. TheDRP is subject to execution of necessary documentation.

Delhi Duty Free promos DELHI Duty Free Services Pvt. Ltd (DDFS) at T3, at IGIAirport, Delhi, has in collaboration with DIAGEO announcedthe ‘Reward Yourself with Johnnie Walker’ promotioncampaign. It involved scratching a card and entering a luckydraw contest which is on a purchase of $60 worth of JohnnieWalker products. The prizes to be won are Apple iPod, iPhoneand the iPad. Several other surprise prizes were also plannedaround Christmas Eve and on New Year.

In addition, DDFS and Cingari announced the exclusivelaunch of the India edition of the Punch Platino cigar at T3.

Said Nicholas Goddard Palmer, CEO, Delhi Duty FreeServices, “Delhi Duty Free offers two temperature-controlledhumidors (arrivals and departures), called the Habanos, inwhich we store cigars at optimum humidity to help maintainthe flavour of the cigars for the true aficionado. Inintroducing this concept, we were sure, we would receivehigh interest from the travellers and the response received inthe last three months of operations has been overwhelming.We are privileged to be the only ones to offer the PunchPlatino cigars, which have been exclusively produced forIndian consumers.”


IGI Airport gears up for fogDELHI International Airport Limited (DIAL) hasimplemented several proactive measures to minimiseinconvenience to passengers and ensure continuity offlight operations during low visibility conditions at IGIAirport. The new integrated (domestic-cum-international) Terminal 3 (T3) and Terminal 1 D (T1D)at IGI Airport are adequately equipped for the fogperiod to ensure seamless and comfortable passengertravel. The facilities being provided at T3 and T1Dduring this fog season, are aimed at taking passenger

comfort to the next level. DIAL has also put into placeseveral measures to enhance passenger comfort duringdelays and to provide up-to-date information.

DIAL’s T3 bags infrastructure award: The GMRGroup recently bagged two awards at the 3rd KPMG-Infrastructure Today Awards 2010 ceremony. KiranKumar Grandhi, Business Chairman Airports, GMRGroup, received both the awards at the hands of KamalNath, Union Minister of Road, Transport andHighways. The awards belonged to the followingcategory: ‘Most Admired Developer in TransportSector’ — GMR Infrastructure Limited — and ‘PPPProject of the Year’ — Terminal 3, DIAL.

ASAPP Media Information Group, and KPMGIndia came together to recognise some of theexceptional work done in the Indian Infrastructureindustry through the KPMG-Infrastructure TodayAwards. These awards aim to acknowledgeorganisations, including government bodies, whichhave developed, financed and implemented variousinfrastructure projects, through innovative, yet practicalschemes, demonstrating overall excellence in theconceptualisation, development and implementation ofthese projects.

OPTIONS GALORE: A view of the Habanos counter at Delhi Duty Free.

CHALLENGING TASK: Aircraft landing amidst thick fog.

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59

CATHAY Pacific recently brought out its latest innovations in prod-uct and service at a glittering event in Hong Kong attended by morethan 3,000 people.

The airline revealed, for the first time in public, its new BusinessClass seat, and showcased the new uniform for cabin crew and othercustomer-facing staff — created by Hong Kong designer Eddie Lau— that will be introduced in the second half of next year. Also put onshow were the latest innovations in the airline’s Hong Kong passen-ger lounges.

The event, dubbed “Light Up the Sky”, was held at the HongKong Convention and Exhibition Centre with Henry Tang, ChiefSecretary for Administration of the Hong Kong SpecialAdministrative Region, as Guest of Honour. Mr Tang officiated at theopening ceremony together with Cathay Pacific Chief ExecutiveTony Tyler and Chief Operating Officer John Slosar.

Speaking at the unveiling event, Chief Executive Tony Tylersaid: “Tonight we are pleased to unveil product innovations that willnot just do Cathay Pacific proud, but Hong Kong proud. Our newflat-bed Business Class seat was developed after listening to what ourcustomers had to say and it will, Ibelieve, underline our commitment toexcellence in innovation. We are alsopleased to unveil the new uniforms forour frontline staff, and some of ourexciting lounge developments at HongKong International Airport.”

The highlight of the evening wasthe unveiling of Cathay Pacific’s newBusiness Class seat — a passenger-leddesign that aims to refine comfort, ver-satility and function. Every aspect of thenew product has been thoughtfullydesigned around the passengers’ needs,providing a space in which to sleep,dine, work, read, watch TV or simplyrelax.

The new seat offers both privacyand openness, with a wing-back chairthat cocoons passengers in their ownprivate area and has been carefullydesigned to maximise living space. Theseats, which are angled to give passen-gers a perfect view through the windowsand are ideal for those travel-ling with a companion, provide everything passengers need to control either theirwidescreen inflight enter-tainment system or theinfinitely adjustable seat.The seat quickly convertsinto a bed that is one ofthe longest and widest pro-vided on any commercialairline.

Inside the cabin, the

new Business Class will feature artwork — all original designs — byHong Kong artist Maria Lobo. Guests at the gala party were given apreview of Ms Lobo’s creative designs.

The first aircraft to feature the newBusiness Class product will be anAirbus A330-300, which is planned toenter service on some of the flights onthe Sydney route in March. The newseats will be rolled out rapidly, beinginstalled on all Cathay Pacific’s newlong-haul A330-300 and Boeing 777-300ER deliveries and progressivelybeing retrofitted on existing aircraft. ByFebruary 2013, all 30 Boeing 777-300ER and 20 long-haul A330-300s inthe fleet are expected to have the newproduct.

Guests at the “Light Up the Sky”event were also treated to a fashionshow featuring the new Cathay Pacificuniform, which will be worn by allcabin crew, airport staff and other cus-tomer-facing employees of the airlinefrom the third quarter of next year.

The final element of the galaevent was a special section set up to

showcase Cathay Pacific’s latestlounge developments, which

include the recent opening ofThe Cabin, the Group’s

newest departure lounge atHong Kong InternationalAirport, and the compre-

hensive renovations ofits signature lounge,

The Wing, which arenow underway. Theairline set up anexhibition at “Light

Up the Sky” whichincluded scale modelsas well as lounge fea-tures such as the uniqueCathay Solus chair andthe new Health Bar.

INTERNATIONAL AIRLINES

Cathay Pacific unveils new product and service

Vivek Oberoi and Cathay join handsCATHAY Pacific Airways along with renownedBollywood Actor Vivek Oberoi joined handswith Habitat for Humanity, an NGO to buildhomes for the underprivileged at Bawanavillage near Delhi. Twenty five Cathay PacificAirways staff members, volunteers of Habitatfor Humanity aided in constructing walls andcasting of septic tank for the benefit ofunderprivileged people in Bawana village.

GREAT START: Guest of Honour at the “Light Up the Sky” event, ChiefSecretary for Administration Henry Tang (centre), with Cathay Pacific ChiefExecutive Tony Tyler (left) and Chief Operating Officer John Slosar (right).

NEW REFRESHING LOOK:Cabin crew members sport-ing the new attire designedby Eddie Lau.


SNIPPETS


Thai Airways celebrates 50 years of serviceTHAI Airways International celebrated 50 years of service. On theoccasion, Thai Airways announced three new flights from Mumbaion flight TG340. This takes number of weekly flights from Mumbaito 10. In addition to this, Thai Airways International pronounced aspecial fare to Australia in two category — for Sydney, Perth,Brisbane and for Auckland.

As part of this celebration, Thai Airways planned various eventsacross the world like a “retro” flight from Bangkok to Hong Kongand a commemorative book released in July 2010.

Beginning its maiden flight to Kolkata in 1960, Thai AirwaysInternational in India now operates 45 flights. It is operating fromfive most important cities in India — Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru,Chennai and Kolkata.

Lufthansa to use bio-fuel on commercial flights AT a recent press conference, Lufthansa Chairman and CEOWolfgang Mayrhuber, with Peter Hinze, Parliamentary StateSecretary and Government Aerospace Coordinator, and Dr Johann-Dietrich Wörner, Chairman of the Executive Board of theGerman Aerospace Centre (DLR), presented a bio-fuel projectplanned by Lufthansa. The project, estimated to cost the airlineapprox €6.6 million, is backed by the German government within theframework of its aviation research programme aimed atunderpinning the sustainability of air traffic. Under this project,Lufthansa will begin a six-month trial with an Airbus A321 onscheduled commercial flights on the Hamburg-Frankfurt-Hamburgroute in April, 2011.

Broadband bonanza for Lufthansa passengers from India:LUFTHANSA passengers from India travelling on trans-atlantic

flights can now once again enjoy thefreedom of Lufthansa’s exclusiveonline broadband communication.The airline’s on-board internetservice, FlyNet, is now available onLufthansa’s Frankfurt-New Yorkand Frankfurt-Detroit routes.Before the end of 2011, FlyNet willbe available on the entireLufthansa intercontinentalnetwork, including India. As an

introductory offer, inflightInternet access will beavailable for free on FlyNet-equipped aircraft until January

31, 2011. Together with its partners Panasonic Avionics Corporationand Deutsche Telekom, Lufthansa will be the first airline to offer itscustomers broadband Internet access on intercontinental routes. Thisinflight Internet service gives passengers — a WLAN-enabled laptopor a smartphone with unlimited online access.

Melbourne Cup Carnival concludes on a good noteTHE Melbourne Cup Carnival concluded with Emirates Stakes Day,featuring the Group 1 Emirates Stakes won by Wall Street.

Barry Brown, Emirates’ Vice President, Australasia, presentedwinning jockey Hugh Bowman; owners GG Syndicate Ltd, GKVHoldings Ltd & MA Head; and trainer Jeff Lynds with the 2010Emirates Stakes winner’s trophy. With over 77,000 racing fansenjoying the relaxed atmosphere of Emirates Stakes Day, warmlyregarded as ‘Family Day,’ it was also the younger racegoers whojoined in the celebrations, thanks to Emirates Stakes DayFashions on the Field.

Lucky participants Brooke Walter and Dylan Dunn werecrowned Miss and Master Emirates Stakes and won a trip for two toDubai flying Business Class with Emirates Airline.

Tony is Forbes Asia’s businessman of the yearAIRASIA Group CEO Tony Fernandes has been named ForbesAsia’s businessman of the year.

Fernandes is the first Malaysian and Southeast Asian to receivethe award. The hugely popular icon of aviation is credited fordemocratising air travel in the region and for growing a Malaysiancompany into a highly successful global brand.

Forbes Asia’s Editor, Tim Ferguson, said in a press release,“The competition was tough, including from leaders of ForbesAsia’s fabulous 50 companies. Although several mainland Chineseentrepreneurs fully came into their own this year, in general theyare still excelling in a single national market that is subject todomestic booms and busts. Fernandes is expanding his businessoutward.”

AirAsia X announces direct service to Christchurch:AirAsia X unveiled its latest international route from KualaLumpur to Christchurch, New Zealand; the 15th destination for theairline after destinations in Australia, India, Taiwan, China, UK,Korea, Japan, Tehran and France.

AirAsia X will extend its network deep into the southernhemisphere with four non-stop weekly services between KualaLumpur and Christchurch from April 1, 2011.

To mark the opening for sale of the new route, AirAsia X isoffering an unbelievable promotional all-in fare as low as ` 1939one way from Kuala Lumpur to Christchurch for the bookingperiod from December 3 to 5, 2010.

Qatar launches double daily flightsQATAR Airways recently celebrated the launch of its double dailyflight from Delhi. The beginning of the Northern Winter flyingprogramme saw the highly popular Delhi-Doha route securing anadditional daily flight, taking capacity from the capital up to 14services a week. Qatar Airways’ award-winning service from Indiacurrently covers 11 cities across — Bengaluru, Delhi, Mumbai,Hyderabad, Chennai, Cochin, Trivandrum, Kozhikode, Ahmedabad,Goa and Amritsar.

India is by far Qatar Airways’ single biggest market by thenumber of destinations served — and the country alone makes upover 10 per cent of the airline’s international network. All flightsbetween India and the State of Qatar operate non-stop with QatarAirways offering excellent onward connections to a diverse networkof key business and leisure destinations across the Middle-East,Europe, Africa, North America and South America. The carriercurrently operates scheduled flights to 93 destinations worldwide.

Bruce Ashby joins oneworld as CEOBRUCE ASHBY recently joined oneworld asChief Executive Officer. After 16 years workingfor US airlines, later as Senior Vice-Presidentalliances and then Executive Vice-PresidentMarketing for US Airways, Ashby then spent thepast five years, leading carriers in India and the

Middle East, as Chief Executive of IndiGo andthen of SAMA Airlines.

Earlier, oneworld announced the relocation of itsheadquarters to New York under new leadership. As part of thetransition, oneworld managing partner John McCullochinformed the oneworld governing board that for family reasonshe is not in a position to relocate, and after 10 years with thecentral alliance team — the last seven as managing partner —now is as good a time as any for him to hand over.

Bruce Ashby

A P P O I N T M E N T S

ADD-ON BONANZA: Internet accesswill be available for free on FlyNet-equipped aircraft of Lufthansa.



TRAVEL & TOURISM Delhi Radisson’s green efforts recognised RADISSON Hotel Delhi, the organisation’s commitment to environmental practices has been recognised by EarthCheck.Radisson Hotel Delhi is committed to benchmarking local environmental and social issues, such as biodiversity conserva-tion, environmental investment and enhanced community socio-economic benefits. Radisson Hotel out-performed otherswith this holistic view of sustainability practices.

Javed Ali, VP and General Manager, Radisson Hotel Delhi,said, “Improvements in all the EarthCheck indicators will notonly help the environment, but can also help reduce operationalcosts.” Going well beyond a mere tick-box action is not an easytask. It requires the commitment of all staff, visitors and keystakeholders. Radisson Hotel Delhi has emerged as an example ofa community organisation committed to environmentallysustainable living, and the EarthCheck logo serves to demonstratethat its claims are credible.

Monaco woos Indian luxury travellersMONACO Government Tourist Office and ConventionAuthority, showed its interest in the Indian market with anobjective to target high-end luxury holiday-makers to Monaco.The “Destination Monaco”— a road show was organised inMumbai and New Delhi.

Monaco — with itslegendary reputation asthe home to royalty,luxury suites andmultimill ion-dollarpenthouses, is focusing— on five experientialaspects to target thehigh-end travellers,which include Cultureand Event, Spa,Gastronomy, NightLife and Casino.

Guillaume Rose,Deputy Manager of

the Monaco Government Tourist and Convention Authority, said, “Attracting luxury travellers is a hard work. That is not to saythat Monaco will cease to focus on high-end travellers, especiallysince luxury is a tradition in Monaco. The principality will neverstop investing to ensure that its infrastructure remains at thehighest level of excellence, in order to cater to even more visitorsand maintain tourism spending.”

Cheap Luxury honeymoon hotels woo couplesNEWLY-WEDS going on to thehoneymoon for time to rest,recover and enjoy each other’scompany are being offered tophotels at `5,000 a night. The

Crown Goa Hotel,which is located inPanaji is offering at`4,900 per room pernight. Abad Harmonia

Ayurveda Beach Resort, which is located near the KovalamBeach, Kerala at `4,500 per room per night. Apple CountryResorts, located in the log huts area in Manali at `4,300 per roomper night. Main Olde Bellevue Heritage Hotel, located inDarjeeling Rooms, start at `1,208 per room per night. Hotel ShriRam Excellency, which is close to Umaid Bhawan Palace, andMeherangarh Fort at `3,033 per room per night. Holiday Inn GemPark Ooty, at `3,600 per room per night. Radisson Hotel, Shimla,at `4,975 per room per night. The Silver Oak HomestayPonnampet near Coorg at `2,353 per room per night. PeerlessSarovar Portico Port Blair at `4,735 per room per night.

Fortune Select Loudon to come up in Kolkata FORTUNE Park Hotels, the wholly owned subsidiary ofITC, will soon make its presence felt in Kolkata. At ParkStreet in Central Kolkata, Fortune Select Loudon willoffer 68 rooms. This will be the chain’s second propertyin Kolkata, along with 71 rooms in Fortune ParkPanchwati. With the opening of this property, FortuneHotels, which has 61 signed alliances and will have 35operational hotels with 2,870 rooms, spread across 29cities in India.

Fortune’s new venture in Gurgaon: ITC’s fully-owned subsidiary Fortune Hotels brings its special‘select’ brand to one more location in Gurgaon. FortuneSelect Excalibur with 135 elegantly appointed roomsoffering the Fortune brand of hospitality to the world.Fortune’s branded dining options ensure that guests areable to experience plenty of variety. The hotel opens withZodiac the 24-hour astral coffee shop with its live kitchen and Nostradamus the contemporary loungeand bar.

On this occasion, Suresh Kumar, President, FortuneHotels, said, “The city of Gurgaon, has now virtuallybecome a show-window for the rest of India. The 135-room Fortune Select Excalibur may be considered acontribution towards the vision for the evolving new-ageIndian cities.”

PLUSH INTERIORS: An inside view of Fortune Select Excalibur inGurgaon.

WOOING TRAVELLERS: Guillaume Rose,Deputy Manager, Monaco GovernmentTourist and Convention Authority, speakingat the press conference.

NOT A COSTLY AFFAIR:Resorts in Goa are wooing travellers withcheap tariffs .



SNIPPETS

Keys opens sixth unit EVERSHINE Builders Pvt. Ltd. together with Berggruen Hotelsbrand, Keys Resort, launched Evershine, A Keys Resort. This is thesixth Keys hotel in India. This state-of- the art resort, located inMahabaleshwar, a prime holiday

destination, set amidst the scenic, strawberry-coveredvalleys and lush flora andfauna. It has 59 modern stylishrooms with wi-fi, LCD televi-sions, refrigerators, tea/coffeemakers, irons and ironingboards, direct dialing facili-

ties, comfy-beds,duvets, a writing tablewith ergonomic chairsand refreshing powershowers with modernbathroom fittings.Every room comes withlovely views of the sur-rounding flora andfauna, thus offeringguests a rejuvenatinggetaway.

The resort is a“palace in the sky” built with Dholpur stone cladding with an archi-tectural style of a typical Rajasthani palace with all its beauty.

Karnataka Tourism goes internationalKARNATAKA Tourism conducted a series of workshops for thetourism trade in Zurich, Brussels and Paris. G Janardhana Reddy,Tourism Minister, led a delegation that comprised of hotels,

resorts and tour operatorsfrom the state. A ten-memberdelegation presented destina-tion Karnataka to 50 of thewell known and influentialtrade members from Zurichalong with reputed interna-tional travel brand Kouni

were also a part of thepresentation, to coverwider European base.Apart from the tradition-al markets of UK,Germany and France thesearch is there for newmarket in London andFrankfurt also.

Karnataka Tourismpromoted its productsdirectly to over 350

agents in Europe throughits workshops. At the tradefairs it participated in luxu-ry travel fairs also.

Itz Cash with Yatra.com launches online air portal ITZ Cash Card Ltd, recently launched a B2B portalwww.itzmeriyatra.com in association with Yatra.com, making itIndia’s leading online travel website which offers the cheapestairline fares to customers through 40,000 ItzCash world outletsacross India. Yatra.com also launched an exclusive scheme forItzCash franchisees, known as “Book Karo Aur Jeeto” under

which the highest air ticket booking franchisee will win a fullypaid trip to Goa.

On this occasion Naveen Surya, Managing Director, ItzCash Card Ltd said, “ItzMeriYatra is an unique and exclusiveportal for air booking. It provides the best fares and competitiveflight inventory in the industry which thus helps the endcustomer to get the best deal. There are some innovativefeatures like instant refunds, instant query resolution whichdefinitely makes the portal a preferred choice for thefranchisees.”

American Airlines bookings’ surcharge irks TAAI TRAVEL Agents Association of India (TAAI) expressedserious concern over plans to impose a surcharge on AmericanAirlines bookings made through Travelport GDS platforms(Galileo and Worldspan).

There are several worrying aspects of American Airlines(AA) attempt to force a Direct Connect model on travelagents worldwide. It will inhabit consumer choice, drive morecost to travel agencies and ultimately result in a less efficientand fair distribution model. TAAI believes that AA's plan touse ADMs to collect the surcharge is also in contravention ofResolution 850 of the IATA Agency Programme.

TAAI is joining other industry groups — such as theWorld Travel Agents Associations Alliance and peak tradebodies in Europe and Canada — in condemning AA’sactions.

It is not in American Airlines’ interest to hurt the travelagencies, which provide the bulk of its revenues. TAAI is ofthe view that AA should abandon its plan to imposesurcharges on agents and instead resume discussions with theGDS and travel agents to find a sensible way forward.

EYE-CATCHING: The architectural grandeurof Evershine Resort.

Three new Club Mahindra resorts tie-up with RCITHE new resorts include Club Mahindra Nature Trails inCorbett, Uttarakhand; Club Mahindra Royal Demazong inGangtok, Sikkim; and ClubMahindra Whispering Pinesin Mashobra, Shimla. Theseresorts are having a widevariety of attractions includ-ing Corbett Waterfall,Garjia Temple, CorbettMuseum, Dhikala-Machaanand the National TigerReserve Park along withindoor and outdoor games,adventure activities andsightseeing tours withbreathtaking viewsof the majesticHimalayan ranges.

Geoff Ballotti,President and CEO, RCI, said, “Each ofthese resorts exem-plifies the wide rangeof vacation experi-ences that our 3.8 mil-lion members canenjoy in approximate-ly 100 countries acrossthe globe.”

CLASS OF ITS OWN: Snapshotsof Club Mahindra Resorts at various places.

(Top) Tourism Minister G JanardhanaReddy lighting the lamp; (bottom) delegates at a workshop conductedby Karnataka Tourism.



PRS Oberoi is ‘2010 Corporate Hotelier of the World’ HOTELS magazine presented ‘2010 Corporate Hotelier of theWorld’ award to PRS Oberoi, Chairmanand Chief Executive Officer of EIHLimited, the flagship company of TheOberoi Group. The cover story of theNovember edition of HOTELS magazinerefers to Oberoi as ‘the founder father ofmodern luxury hospitality in India’.

Oberoi is credited with placing Oberoihotels on the international luxury travellersmap with the opening of several newluxury hotels in Mauritius, Indonesia,Egypt and hotels in India at important tourist destinations suchas Jaipur, Agra, Udaipur, Ranthambhore and Mashobra in theHimalayas.

Amadeus first to deliver EMD standards AMADEUS recently announced that it is the first to marketwith the IATA’s Electronic Miscellaneous Document (EMD)for travel agencies and first to receive full IATA sign-off. TheEMD is the industry electronic messaging standard. whichenables airlines and travel agencies to more effectively shareinformation relating to issuance, management, distributionand fulfillment of airline services. Amadeus is the first in theindustry to be compliant with the full solution. It has replacedthe current tool with the new electronic version to issuedocuments for stand alone travel-related services such aslounge access, vouchers and so on. The adoption of the EMDstandard for travel agencies reduces costs, enables automated

reporting and accounting of ancillary service, according toindustry standards through the distribution.

“Amadeus is pleased to be the first to offer the industry afull solution for travel agencies that is critical for industryprofitability. Travel agencies will now have a singlestandardised method to issue the sale of all airline services,fully integrated into their system, which will provide a moreefficient way of keeping track of spending,” said the Director,Distribution Product Management, Amadeus, Rudy Daniello.

The Spirit of Egypt in India once again!TO celebrate the rich cultural heritage and to strengthen theharmony between the two countries Egyptian Tourism Officeand the Embassy of the Arab Republic ofEgypt in India organised an “EgyptianNight”. The gala night was a culturalextravaganza organised with the objectiveto promote and showcase the culturalrichness of the country through variousperformances by the contemporaryEgyptian artists. The event, an EgyptianNight, was held at the Imperial Hotel inthe capital’s centre.

Commenting on the Egyptian Night, Adel El Masry,Director, Egypt Tourism Office in India, said, “Like India,Egypt also simply lures on to its rich culture. Just asintriguing as its stories Egyptian dances also convey theunheard. Hence, it's a matter of honour for us to be a part ofthis huge platform in a country like India that already has somuch to offer.”

First-ever food awards from NDTV INDIA’S first lifestyle channel, NDTV Good Times,announced it’s first-ever food awards at a high-profile eventat the Westin in Gurgaon. It honoured the top restaurants,restaurateurs and chefs. The who’s who were among theguest list: Prahlad Kakkar, Rahul Akerkar, Shiv KaranSingh, Vinod Dua, Harmeet Bajaj, Rina Dhaka, RamneekPantal, Timsy Anand and many more.

The jury consisted of Vinod Dua, Chef Ritu Dalmia,Food impresario Marut Sikka, Chef Aditya Bal,Restaurateur Vicky Ratnani and Highway stars Rocky andMayur. The validation process was undertaken by Ernst &Young. The event was supported by a special musicalperformance by Sufi singer from Pakistan, ShafaqatAmanat Ali. The Highway on my plate men, Rocky andMayur, kept the audience in splits with their humor.Highway on My Plate, the brand new book penned by thetwo, was also released on the occasion.

“Indians are a passionate lot and few things unite usmore than our common passion for food. NDTV GoodTimes has promoted a wide range of food shows spanningcuisines, social strata and tastes. The aim of our FoodAwards is to celebrate this insatiable appetite for food andacknowledge those who delight us with their extraordinaryculinary efforts,” said the CEO, NDTV Lifestyle, SmeetaChakrabarti.

The prominent category awards to name a few were:Best North Indian restaurant went to Bukhara (ITC), BestRegional restaurant to Oh! Calcutta, Best Asian to ThaiPavilion (Taj President) while the All-Time Favouriterestaurant was awarded to Karim’s of Delhi.

GARNERING LAURELS:Glimpses of variouscelebrities present at thefood awards.

P R S Oberoi

Adel El Masry



SNIPPETS

Bird Information Systems empowers Jagson BIRD Information Systems Private limited (BIS) recentlyannounced another strategic partnership with Jagson Airlines for theuse of its Airline Inventory and Reservations System (AIRS). Thecontract was signed by Koustav M Dhar, Chief Executive Officer,Jagson Airlines and Ankur Bhatia, Executive Director, BirdInformation Systems.

Under the terms of this long-term contract signed between thetwo companies, Bird Information Systems will provide the bookingtechnology for the AirlinesInventory Hosting, reservation atcity/airport offices, call centre(s) andInternet booking engine. Besides,for airport operations a unique state-of-the-art departure control systemwould be in use by the airline.

AIRS offers airlines a state-of-the-art, user-friendly, turnkey solutionspanning right from the booking stage to the check-in process. Arevolutionary web-based application solution, AIRS providesservices in the areas of inventory control, hosting, reservation,ticketing, Internet booking engine, distribution and departure control.

Ankur Bhatia, Executive Director, Bird Group, said, “We areproud of this strategic tie-up with Jagson Airlines. At BirdInformation Systems, it is our constant endeavour to create bespoketechnology and solutions to add more value to our clients’ business.We are sure that our solutions will help Jagson Airlines streamlinetheir booking procedures and optimise their core processes for a

better passenger service.” Koustav M Dhar, Chief Executive Officer, Jagson Airlines, said,

“In collaborating with Bird Information Systems we have ensuredthat we not only get a common reservation platform but also abooking engine that enables our passengers to book through theInternet, through travel agencies or directly at the airport. Makingbooking as easy as possible for our customers is part of our strategyto make Jagson Airlines, an impeccable regional airline.”

Kale’s REVERA®10.3 Solution achieves certifiedintegration with SAP ApplicationsKALE Consultants Ltd. lately announced its flagship passengerrevenue accounting solution — REVERA® version 10.3 —achieved certified integration with SAP® applications usingKale’s RevConnect 1.0 interface module.

The SAP Integration and Certification Center (SAP ICC)certified that REVERA 10.3 integrates with the SAP ERP 6.0application to exchange critical data with instances of SAPBusiness Suite software.

RevConnect — an easy bolt-on component of REVERA —integrates with an airline’s implementation of SAP solutions,enabling the flow of revenue accounting data such as generalledger, accounts payable and accounts receivable data to and fromREVERA and SAP ERP.

With RevConnect, an airline can now post outputs fromvarious accounts into the SAP ERP Financials solution withoutthe need for manually transferring or uploading files to the SAPsolution. Through this certified integration, Kale Consultants candeliver enhanced customer satisfaction.

2010 ushers in big leap for India tourism THE year 2010 has brought India to become one of the mostpotential tourism markets in the world. According to theMinistry of Tourism, Government of India, the number offoreign tourist arrival in India for the period January toNovember 2010 grew by 10.4 per cent. In the last few years, ithas expanded rapidly and due to the unprecedented and unboundsupport from the government, upgraded income level andinauguration of various international sports events (Cricket20/20 and Commonwealth Games); the Indian tourism industryfruitfully grew in a healthy manner. Commonwealth Games wasan additional opportunity for the travel industry to gainbusiness, by offering special tour packages to the tourists. It wasa peak time for the India's tourism industry, as the foreigntourists were heavily dependent upon for the flight bookings,hotel reservations, travel itineraries and visas.

The growth of India tourism market equally benefittedseveral associated industries such as the aviation industry,medical tourism industry and hotel industry. The percentageof India's share in the global tourism is expected to reach 1.5per cent in 2010. Industry fetched maximum business from Agra (Taj Mahal), Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Keralaand Rajasthan.

On the GDS front, several new technology additions weremade to the system, which helped in optimisation of resources.The technology hence facilitated a handy functioning andaccessibility of the content to the agents reaching the endcustomer. The industry introduced various innovative tools inthe market, which helped in a deeper penetration into the contentavailable and increased productivity. Several product offeringsfrom Galileo helped in penetrating into niche markets andsmaller regions as well to meet the demands of the customersthere; hence building expertise in the sector. ITQ has also

introduced a feature to book budget hotels,which will help agencies augment andenhance their profitability and productivityand effectively tap into the budget hotels market, which has sofar been fragmented.

Another key trend that stood out within the travel industryis the phenomenal growth of the mobile platform. Based onPhoCus Wright report, with over 450 million mobile Internetsubscribers in the Asia Pacific alone, mobile applications arerapidly being developed. As an industry leader, ITQ hasdeveloped the mSmart to enable its travel partners in India tomaximise the potential of the mobile platform.

Positive growth in travel bookings in recent months fuelledoptimism for the industry's outlook. ITQ has experienced 16.5per cent year-on-year growth in total booking volumes as ofOctober 2010.

MONEY SPINNERS: (Top) IPL 2010 and (bottom)Commonwealth Games 2010 contributed largelyin the growth of Indian tourism.

Ankur Bhatia Koustav M Dhar


PPlleeaassee aacccceepptt mmyy ssuubbssccrriippttiioonn ffoorr 1122iissssuueess ooff CCRRUUIISSIINNGG HHEEIIGGHHTTSS

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CH add new.qxd 11/30/2010 11:45 AM Page 1

Pradeep Chandra, our Picture Editor,recently organised an exhibition of hisphotographs at Mumbai. Entitled 50Faces, Pride of Maharashtra, Chandrashowcased his specially chosen

photographs of 50 icons of the state. It was histribute to the state, which is in its 50th year.

The photographs were of the famouspersonalities like President Pratibha Patil,Amitabh Bachchan, Balasaheb Thackeray, LataMangeshkar, Anil Dharker, Ratan Tata,Mukesh Ambani, Sachin Tendulkar, MadhuriDixit, Sunil Gavaskar, Shabana Azmi,Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and many others.

The event was marked by the presence ofseveral celebrities who couldn’t help gaze atthe pictures with admiration. He captured theessence of the living legends in his pictures so

beautifully that they seemed so much likepaintings. The photographs mirrored thevulnerability of the faces behind theirglamour and beauty. He also shared with theguests several anecdotes while shooting withthe celebrities and spiced them up withdelightful narratives.

“Pradeep is an excellent photographer andthese are his marvellous pictures. Theportraits have captured the true spirit of thepersonalities. I liked the one where RatanTata and JRD Tata are conversing,” saidindustrialist Parvez Damania present on the occasion.

Pradeep Chandra shared with his guestsseveral anecdotes while shooting with thecelebrities and spiced them up with delightful narratives.


MAHARASHTRA CELEBRATES

ITS SPIRIT WITH PICTURES

SSNNAAPPSSHHOOTTSS FFRROOMM TTHHEESSHHOOWW :: (Clockwise fromtop) Anurag Bhatnagar,Pradeep Chandra, Veenaand Hotelier FarhadJamal; Anil Dharker; Photoof Madhuri Dixit at theexhibition; PradeepChandra briefing visitorsabout his work; andHariprasad Chaurasiya, aphotograph of flautist ondisplay at the show.

FOCUS FEATURE

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CARGO JOTTINGS


Kuehne+Nagel (K+N) acquires RR EnterprisesTHE Indian wing of Switzerland-based logistics majorKuehne+Nagel (K+N) recently acquired the Delhi-based RREnterprises that had a cold chain logistics business. Though nofigures about the deal were released, it is believed to be around$4-5 millon.

RRE is not too old. Owner Kapil Bhatia, a first-generationentrepreneur, had 50 refrigerated trucks and four reefercontainers. His business was an all-India one and its acquisitionby K+N would help in its move to the perishable and cold chainlogistics business. Industry experts believe K+N has seized theopportunity to step into the $475 millon cold chain market in India.

K+N’s portfolio is wide: from end-to-end supply chainmanagement to sea, air, rail and road freight, contract logisticsand lead logistics. It also does emergency and relief logistics,fairs and exhibitions and even hotel logistics.

The K+N acquisition is the latest in a long line of deals in thelogistics sector in India. First there was Coffee Day buying SicalLogistics for $35.38 millon; Aqua Logistics taking over Star Distribution Logistics for $2 millon and Hitachi TransportSystem Ltd acquiring Flyjac Transport Logistics System for $56.1 millon.

A silver lining for India’s logistics industryINDIA'S logistics industry recently got a wake-up call: createadequate capacity to meet the rising demand for multi-modalfreight movement or be left behind. With an eye on the rapidnational GDP growth, the logistics industry had to counter thechallenges of infrastructural bottlenecks. This was stated byIndia’s Minister for Shipping, GK Vasan at the recent logisticsmeet that discussed how to build India’s logistics infrastructure.The other impediment restricting growth was the high logisticscost which at 13-14 per cent of GDP was way above the level of seven-eight per cent of GDP in the developed countries.

The minister pointed out that thegovernment has taken a number of measuresto support the growth of the logisticsinfrastructure like opening up the industryto 100 per cent foreign direct investment,promotion of a multi-modal transportationnetwork, and public private partnerships(PPP). Among these initiatives were theNational Highway Development Project,inter-connectivity of the 12 major ports,

enhancement of the port handling capacities, the rail freight corridors in the east and west and the dedicated Delhi-Mumbai corridor.

Veteran from the logistics industry Cyrus Guzder, who is theChairman of the Confederation of Indian Industry, NationalLogistics Council, mentioned that infrastructural bottlenecks andprocess lags in logistics were costing the national economyaround $50 bn. He also pointed out that the need was for 20expressways and not five or seven that were being put up. Therewas also an additional need for 750 new last mile road links and a considerable number of last mile rail links. Multi-modallogistics parks also needed to be developed in tandem with thegrowing demand.

Such demands would not remain unheard. Recently,Jyotiraditya Scindia, another minister — in fact the juniorMinister in the commerce and industry ministry — enunciatedthe government’s keenness to build logistics infrastructure andstorage of goods in the villages. He pointed out that rural Indiawas the most developing and robust market within the country,which can act as a catalyst for enhancing the flow of FDI into the country.

The rural economy had a great role in maintaining the 6.5per cent growth rate during the global economic recession. Ifthere was a widespread logistics network in the hinterland, therewould be more opportunities to attract investments from abroad.

ACAAI convention predicts positivity for air cargo“THERE is positive growth this year,” said J Krishnan,President of the Air Cargo Agents Association of India (ACAAI) at the inauguration of the recent three-day 37thannual convention of the association at Bengaluru. He wenton to point out that the air cargo sector in India would see awhopping growth of 12 to 14 per cent this year compared tothe around 6 per cent last year. Ascribing the low volumes tothe recession that had gripped the Western nations, Krishnansaid, “Things are better now.”. This time around intra-Asiatrade has been picking up and so has demand from traditionalmarkets. This, despite the fact that air cargo in India accountsfor six-seven per cent of the freight in terms of tonnage but 35per cent in value, Krishnan said.

He specially mentioned that the growth had been muchbetter in the southern states of India (Chennai in the state ofTamil Nadu, Bengaluru in Karnataka, Hyderabad in AndhraPradesh and Kochi in Kerala) where 12 per cent growth hadbeen seen — much above the national average of 9 per cent.

Speaking to CRUISING HEIGHTS on the sidelines of theconvention, the President said that ACAAI had been servingthe air cargo industry for the past 40 years and had beenholding conventions every year with “rare consistency” atlocations across the country and the globe.

It was to take a critical look at how the stakeholders in theaircargo industry in the country would fare that ACAAI had

chosen the convention theme of resurgence in the air logisticsindustry. In fact, the business sessions at the meet had beendesigned to ensure that all those who were attending the meetwould benefit from them. The sessions looked at the economicgrowth, the airfreight industry, the Indian Air CargoProgramme, cargo infrastructure and technology. Among thespeakers were Swiss Cargo’s Oliver Evans and IATA’s Des Vertannes.

DDEELLIIBBEERRAATTIINNGG TTHHEE FFUUTTUURREE: Bharat Thakkar, Vice President, ACAAI, lighting the lamp to inaugurate the 37th annual convention of ACAAI (AirCargo Agents Association of India). Also seen in the picture J Krishnan,President, ACAAI, and S Gurumurthy, the guest of honour, at the convention.

GK Vasan

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Emirates SkyCargo and DHL drive e-freight agendaEMIRATES SkyCargo and DHL Global Forwarding recentlypartnered to drive the e-freight agenda across their networks, tobecome the industry leaders in implementation. Bothcompanies recognised the strategic value of e-freight; workingin an electronic environment will bring enhanced operationalefficiency and improvement to the supply chain.

“Emirates is a huge advocate of e-freight and is already oneof the leaders in the industry in actual numbers of shipmentcarried on the e-freight lanes,” said Ram Menen, EmiratesDivisional Senior Vice President, Cargo. “The benefits it hasbrought to our business are enormous, which is why we areencouraging others to embrace it. E-freight is the future of ourindustry. By reducing paper and carriage of paper on aircraft, e-freight will help reduce errors and increase accuracy. Webelieve by collectively engaging we can achieve better andcoordinated results.”

“DHL Global Forwarding already handles more than a thirdof all international forwarder-issued e-freight shipments today,”Michael Schaecher, Head of Global Airfreight, DHL GlobalForwarding, pointed out. “We will work with Emirates SkyCargoto ensure that driving e-freight volumes stays a key strategicprogramme for us.”

Emirates wins ‘Air Cargo Carrier of the Year’award: Emirates SkyCargo reinforced its position as anindustry leader by claiming top prize at the 2010 Supply ChainAsia Logistics Awards.

Emirates SkyCargo was named Air Cargo Carrier of the Yearin recognition of the benefits it brings to customers’ supplychains by providing quality innovation solutions with arelentless focus on improving service and containing costs.

After two rounds — including nomination from readersfollowed by final voting by a group of independent judges —Emirates SkyCargo was presented the ‘Air Cargo Carrier of theYear’ award at a gala dinner at the Hong Kong Convention andExhibition Centre.

The annual Supply Chain Asia Logistics awards — attendedby more than 300 senior executives in the logistics and supplychain industry across Asia — recognise corporations andindividuals in the fields of supply chain and logistics.

Said Ram Menen, Emirates Divisional Senior VicePresident, Cargo, “It is particularly pleasing to win an awardwith such diverse criteria, with the decision based not only onthe size of our network, but also on the reliability of service,level of customer satisfaction, approach to sustainability, CSR,

security and risk management. Emirates SkyCargo is honouredto win The Air Cargo Carrier of the Year award and remainscommitted to surpassing the high standards we have set andproviding our customers with world-class service.”

Emirates SkyCargo awards top agents: EmiratesSkyCargo hosted a special evening in New Delhi, recognising itstop agents in the national capital for their efforts andachievements that contributed to the airline’s outstandingperformance this year. The evening was held at New Delhi'sRadisson Hotel.

Emirates awarded the performances of Agility Logistics Pvt.Ltd, Amrit Seair Express Pvt. Ltd., DHL Lemuir Logistics Pvt.Ltd., GAC Logistics Pvt. Ltd., Jenita Cargo Services Pvt. Ltd.,MGH Logistics Pvt. Ltd., SA Consultants & Forwarders Pvt.

Ltd., Schenker India Pvt. Ltd., Scorpio Freight Pvt. Ltd. andSkyways Air Services (P) Ltd.

“Our cargo agents are our most important partners ingrowth across all markets that we work in,” said PradeepKumar, Emirates’ Senior Vice President, Cargo RevenueOptimisation. “They are the frontrunners in our efforts toimprove business in the market. This is a small attempt on ourpart to recognise the great efforts they put in and the valuablecontribution they make towards achieving better results forthem and also for us.”

“We would like to take this opportunity to thank all ouragents for their continued support in the Delhi market. It is dueto their consistent efforts that we have reached the stature thatwe have today,” he added.

The airline carries 506 tonnes of cargo a week from its basein Delhi which includes pharmaceuticals, perishables, valuables,chemicals and imports engineering goods, auto parts andgarments. Overall, the airline carries more than 3,000 tonnes of cargo from the country to various points across the worldevery week.

With 184 flights a week, all operated on wide-bodiedaircraft, Emirates is best suited to connect the country to bettertrade ties with the rest of the world through its hub in Dubai.

Emirates SkyCargo has seen a strong half-year performanceacross the network, posting an increase in revenue of 48.4 percent to AED 4.4 billion, with cargo tonnage up by 23.7 per centto 897 thousand tonnes, compared with 725 thousand tonnesfor the same period last year. Emirates SkyCargo continues topost steady revenue growth, contributing around 17.8 per centof the airline’s transport revenue.

CARGO JOTTINGS

PPIIOONNEEEERRIINNGG GGRROOWWTTHH: Pradeep Kumar, Senior Vice President, EmiratesSkyCargo (sitting second from left), Keki Patel, Vice President-India & Nepal,Emirates SkyCargo (Standing second from right, front row) and HalimModassir, Cargo Manager-North India, Emirates SkyCargo (Standing thirdfrom right, front row) with awarded agents at Emirates SkyCargo Top AgentsAwards in New Delhi.

WELL-DESERVED: Jacky Lau Kim-leung (right), Emirates Cargo Manager,Hong Kong and South East China, received the “Air Cargo Carrier of theYear” award on behalf of Emirates at 2010 Supply Chain Asia LogisticsAwards’ gala dinner.



GHIAL ties up with HMACPL THE pharma sector in India is expecting a whopping growth inthe next few years. That growth was quite evident when PharmaZone — a dedicated cargo-handling zone exclusively forpharmaceutical products — was inaugurated at Hyderabad’s RajivGandhi International Airport recently.

The Pharma Zone is a joint venture between HyderabadMenzies Air Cargo Private Ltd. (HMACPL), a unit of UK’s MenziesAviation, and the operator of the Rajiv Gandhi InternationalAirport, GMR Hyderabad International Airport Ltd. (GHIAL).While GMR holds 51 per cent of the stake, Menzies has 49 per cent.

Inaugurated by Kiran Kumar Grandhi, Business Chairman,Airports, GMR Group, the Zone has the capacity to handle 3,600tonnes annually and will be able to meet the projected requirementof 7,000 tonnes next year and 30,000 tonnes by 2015-16.

According to GHIAL CEO, P Sripathy and HMACPL CEO,Paul Smith, around 70 per cent of the export cargo fromHyderabad comprises of pharma products. The state-of-the-arttemperature-controlled facility has been so designed that pharmaproducts like bulk drugs, raw material, formulations, medicinesand vaccines could be handled safely. Being, the first

airport-based dedicated temperature-controlled pharmaceuticalhandling facility in the country, there are chambers withtemperature ranges from 2-8 degrees Celcius to 15-25 degreesCelcius — both in sterile and in non-sterile zones.

The airport is also wooing Malaysia Airlines Cargo Sdn Bhd(MASkargo), the cargo division of Malaysia Airline System Bhd, tostart using the Pharma Zone. Malaysia, incidentally, has also beenramping up its biotech industry.

Now that Hyderabad has been handling around 1.5 lakhtonnes of cargo annually, GMR has plans to develop the airportinto a cargo hub for the country. According to the plans, a FreeTrade Warehouse Zone (FTWZ) is being developed on 19.8 acresclose to the Aerospace SEZ near the airport.

Hyderabad Airport to have opticoolers: LufthansaCargo and GMR Group recently announced their intention tojointly develop the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport,serving the Indian metropolis into a key cargo hub in South Asiafor the transport of temperature sensitive pharmaceuticals.Representatives of the two companies signed a correspondingMemorandum of Understanding in Hyderabad.

A modern infrastructure will be established at the state-of-the-art Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, in orderto meet the complex requirements of reliable, temperature-controlled transport solutions. Customs procedures at theairport shall also be speeded up in order to guarantee fastertransport.

Under the terms of the partnership, Lufthansa Cargo willprovide the capacity for the transport of temperature-sensitive cargo. To this end, the company will station its ownfleet of cooling containers in Hyderabad.

FedEx enhances service portfolio in India FEDEX Express recently announced the availability of FedExImport services in India. The service enables FedEx to meetthe growing needs of Indian importers looking for reliable andcustomised import express services, in addition to the exportand domestic services FedEx provides.

FedEx Import services provide door-to-door, customs-cleared, customised and time-definite services, whichempower consignees in India with greater choice and controlon their import shipments. With a transit time of typically twoto three business days, the new services are available frommore than 220 countries and territories worldwide-thehighest by any import service provider in India. The servicesalso enable customers to raise invoices and make payments inIndian Rupees. As a result, import customers can now enjoythe same benefits, expertise and high quality service, as withFedEx export and domestic services.

“We have successfully leveraged the strength of our vastnetwork and flexible product portfolio to drive thecompetitiveness of Indian businesses by connecting them toan extensive network of global suppliers and customers. Withthe Import services, FedEx aims to stimulate this growthfurther by providing customers with the widest range ofshipping solutions for all business needs in India — export,import and domestic,” said Kenneth F Koval, Vice PresidentOperations, FedEx Express India.

FedEx acquires AFL with its affiliate: In a move thatcould spell competition forthe Blue Dart-DHLcombine in India, FedExannounced recently that itsbusiness unit was acquiringthe logistics, distributionand express businesses ofAFL Pvt. Ltd. and itsaffiliate, Unifreight IndiaPvt. Ltd. for an undisclosedamount. The acquisitionwould provide FedEx amore robust domesticground network and addedcapabilities in India.

According to Michael LDucker, COO, FedExExpress, “Thisacquisition will providecustomers with moreservice options such asdomestic ground andvalue-added services, including warehousing, logisticssolutions and third party logistics, while allowing them to take advantage of an increased coverage area.”

FedEx expands domestic express delivery service:FedEx continues to reach out to the furthest corners of India.Recently, it announced the expansion of its premiumdomestic express delivery service. The FedEx PriorityOvernight and FedEx Standard Overnight services, whichwere launched in October 2009 (reported in ACNFT); willnow include 331 destinations, up from 58 destinationspreviously. This extension of FedEx domestic footprint isintended to support the growth of customers' businesses byproviding increased reach to key Indian markets.

STRATEGIC TIE-UP: Cyrus GuzderChairman of AFL and Hamdi Osman,Senior Vice President Operations,FedEx Express Middle East Africaand Indian subcontinent.


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CEO, mountaineer, marathon runner, parachute jumper. That’sAirbus boss Tom Enders. The manloves the outdoors and the chal-

lenges as much as he loves his job. TacklingRolls-Royce engines mounted on the AirbusA380 must have been on Enders’ mind butthat did not deter him from taking a jumpfrom an A400M freighter plane.

It was a dream-jump come true forEnders. Along with him was Bruno Delan-noy, A400M programme manager atOCCAR (Organisation Conjointe deCoopération en matière d’ARmement wasestablished by the Defence Ministers ofFrance, Germany, Italy and the UK and itsaim is to provide more effective and efficientarrangements for the management of certainexisting and future collaborative armamentprogrammes like the A400M programme)and eight others. Incidentally, Delannoy andEnders have quite a few jumps to theirnames. The two celebs were part of a highlyexperienced team of Airbus staff and otherexperienced sport parachutists with 35,000previous descents between them. All of themjumped from the ramp of the developmentaircraft named Grizzly 3 near Seville, Spain,at the La Juliana drop-zone. Seville is thefinal assembly site for the A400M and oneof two flight test centres for the programme.

The Airbus CEO was also out there toprove a point: he wanted to test the plane’ssuitability as a paratroop-delivery platform.That is, perhaps, why when talking aboutthe jump, Enders emphasised, “It was anenormous pleasure for me to experience theexcellent qualities of the A400M for paratroop operations…Paratroopers servingwith our customer nations can be confidentthat the A400M will provide a far superiorplatform for their operations in future.” Onhis part, Delannoy too was ecstatic: “It wasa great privilege to be one of the first few people to jump from this new aircraft typeand a very enjoyable experience for all ofthe team.”

A former Bundeswehr paratrooper,Enders is a fitness fanatic who climbs moun-tains, still enjoys the occasional parachutejump, skiing and likes to run half-marathons.

With the jump, the seven nations thathave ordered the A400M military transportaircraft from Airbus Military, and thatincludes Germany and Britain, could revisittheir budgets to up the orders that they havescaled back because the plane has becomemore expensive than anticipated: it was originally slated to cost $27 billion but,according to a recent study, final costs couldnow rise to $44 billion. Incidentally, thejump came barely a week after Airbus parentcompany EADS finalised an agreement withcustomer nations to save the expensiveA400M programme.

Take a jump —

Enders’ style

VIGNETTES FROM THE CELEB JUMP:The 10-man team with Tom Enders use theA400M as a platform for the parachutejump and the jump in progress.

Tom Enders

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