I recently had a chance to travel out on business to Boston and London. While overseas travel is eye popping stuff at this time, I was called on to travel because of business critical reasons. One of the key considerations when I had to make the booking was obviously cost. I am a big fan of booking tickets online – sadly though, my preferred airline, Jet Airways, didn’t hop through direct and with date issues across, I didn’t have a choice but to use an agent. I started the haggling process asking them to come back with options and obviously, rock bottom fares!

With a line on the bottom line, the option that I chose was the Jet Airways offer with options to hop on to code share flights operated by American and Kingfisher! Yes – I wonder how KF fitted in, but it did! I get laughed at for taking a few hops to get to Boston quite often. While I know straighter options exist, my preference is to fly with Indian carriers! It’s not the patriotism to tell you the truth though; it’s just the fact that a veggie like me is guaranteed good Indian food! Good to go, I was speaking to my boss who casually enquired about my schedule -  hearing KF in there, his eyes popped up too.. “Good on you mate” said the Aussie with a sheepish smile, pausing to add that he too had heard a lot of good things about the airline! Isn’t it time to compliment the KF marketing guys? If I ever had to hire a marketing chap, I know where to poach on from!

I did on onward legs, hopped on a crazy 6 hour, overnight flight that eventually made it to London in a little over 5 hours, thanks to tail winds! Jet lagged, I finished by busy schedule and hopped on to this much awaited flight of mine! I felt like a 7 year old hopping on to his first ever flight! I am assuming that all this excitement was because of the hype that has been created about the airline and their service – 5 star says an ad with some of India’s prettiest faces! Having never flown on this airline before, I was super excited. Anyone seeing me would have for sure wondered if I was smoking pot!

I checked into a front row seat, was given a lounge card and given the opportunity to also pass through the fast track for the security check. Travelers from London’s Heathrow will tell you what a nightmare it can be to get through security. Fast track was super cool though – I was out in less than 3 minutes and found myself comfortably seated at the “ holi deck”, waiting to get on to the plane! Did the wait seem eternal?

The moment when the rubber hit the road did arrive! They announced boarding and I was one of the first guys to get to the gate. Finishing off the itsy bitsy paper work, I walked right through to the gate where I was welcomed by a stunningly pretty girl.  “Welcome sir!” she said escorting me to my seat. I followed her wondering where do these folks stay in Bangalore – I never get to see them in most places that I go to!

The next few moments were a sense of déjà vu!  Most of the procedures were what I thought were just an attempt to ape Jet!

• Hot Towels – same temperature, same cologne!
• Drink – Slightly different choices, different shaped glasses, KF being better though
• Comfort Kit – Bvlgari in Jet Vs Salvatore Ferragamo in KF, my vote is for Bvlgari, maybe because it is a better known brand!
• This one is different! – Welcome video from the chairman of KF with a personal commitment to hiring every single air hostess and having them treat us as his personal guest!
• Gender Diversity – Jet wins, though the visual aspect on KF will make heads turn! I saw one male as a part of the crew, but won’t complain
• Cutlery – for starters, I was served food on cutlery that had some fancy gold design. I don’t know if they were faded or was it design, especially since these days, everything is design! But the cutlery on jet wins here
• Main course – KF any day! They served a meal on a silver thali as opposed to the standard wares on Jet! I made sure to come and tell my mom that! She never did that to me!
• Quality of food – Jet! The food they serve is just lovely!! While the lead up to the food in terms of presentation and style is high, the taste was pretty disappointing
• Wine List – I don’t know if these guys use the same printer and same suppliers, maybe the same caterer, but that can’t be because the food tastes different!
• Deserts – I’m convinced that HÄAGEN-DAZS has a global contract with all airlines
• Seating comfort – The seats on Jet are in a herring bone design, meaning more privacy and a flat bed. At KF, these are shared 2+2+2. While the flat bed option is there, certainly not as user friendly as Jet
• In-flight entertainment – Jet will win hands down here
• In-flight shopping – Same printer, different prices! Jet is cheaper!
• Take off and landing – Ah, sorry, I forgot I had to stop!

The staff is certainly friendly. Mallya sets the cue on this one saying food is his passion and drinks his business! They have a bar with a bar tender serving drinks at a little seating area that has been designed! Aiya! I got it now!  Was this why the lone male staff was hired?!

Dealing with jet lag is a little hard. Unable to get some sleep and being a bit distracted, I walked around and was instantly in a conversation with the girl who welcomed me in. She introduced herself to me as the in-flight director, talk about sexy designations! I was pretty curious to ask her about Mallya. There are local versions of how the airline hires and I don’t know how authentic they are. I dare not ask her the obvious, but very casually checked with her on the authenticity of Mallya’s commitment to hiring!  “ Yes sir! He does. You don’t get hired into the airline as a cabin crew until you have an interview with the chairman. Amazing isn’t it?”. I was like, Yes! Yes!! What kind of a HR guy am I? Isn’t this best practice!??

I realize I can go on and on. But the essence for me was how I “felt” on the flight back home after a grueling week of meetings, jet lag, lack of good veggie food and of course, some unbelievably cold weather! Through the flight and in hind sight, I’d stay loyal to Jet. They truly are Indian – have the elements of style and comfort to actually make you feel at home, compared to the pomp and style that makes you feel very artificial and uncomfortable at heart!  I don’t know if this is just me, but my first experience will remain my only one for a long time coming!

Image Credit: Jim Reeves

Popularity: 21%

You can love him or curse him or worship him. But you can never ignore him – The scion of  Senas, the messaiah of the poor, the Robinhood of the chawl, the Kingpin of Maharashtra – Call him whatever you want, he is definitely in the news for all reasons – wrong or right I don’t know. But that’s Raj Thakeray for you.

He moves like a kingpin, his followers are spread across Maharashtra and the country. Opposition is extremely careful in dealing with him. Media loves him as he creates some very important TRP for them. Employees worship him and so is the unemployed.

Centre dubbed him and said “Raj Thakeray is the symbol of regional terrorism“. He does it openly, dares the government and continues to hurl attacks on celebrities, businessmen and politicians alike. Even the civilians are not spared. Explain why, otherwise, innocent people are beaten to death or ransacked or ripped like nobody’s business.

If you have seen Godfather-1,2 or 3, then you don’t need analogies. Raj is to real life what Al Pacino is to reel life.

Wonder if we would have to live in a country where one man decides the fate of a million others. If Bal Thakeray was the abysmal force of the regional jingoism for over three decades in Maharashtra, then Raj is the uncrowned king in current affairs in Maharashtra.

The way things are going, I will not be surprised if there is widespread violence all over the country.

In the last two days, there has been so much of national coverage about his arrest. I read about his arrest on IBNLive on Tuesday and now, I read that within minutes of the news of his arrest, there were hooliganisms across Maharashtra – burning vehicles, ransacked shops, injured civilians etc. Even journalists are not being spared.

And if you thought Police took pride in arresting him, hear this out, as one of the bloggers said.

I have never seen anything like this. The Maharashtra Police has turned the arrest of an upstart of a MNS politician into a media event. They are doing their best to make him into a hero by giving his cohorts and the time to plan, reorganize, and rebuild their strategies in the event of his arrest. It is a tactical blunder and the most stupid thing to do in these circumstances.

I am yet to see a politician or any individual speak up against Raj.

Yes, there have been a few instances of Laloo shouting at the top of his voice or the Bihar CM crying foul from a few thousand miles away.

In Maharashtra, everyone seems to have given it up on Raj. Even the business clan has budged in to this jingoistic trends – How else would you explain a sobbing Naresh Goyal, with pseudo tears in his eyes, welcomed his so-called extended family back to work ? He is ready to lose Rs.20 crores a day but not ready to take head-on with the man who stands between him and bankruptcy.

If a solution is not found immediately, then the India of our dreams will remain a distant dream. There would be widespread violence, regional fights owing to regional jingoism – We have already been divided into 30 odd states.

Now there is an effort to further divide us. Our unity is definitely under threat. We were Indians first and then Biharis, Marathis, Malayalees, Telugus etc. Looks like that order will be reversed soon- thanks to the ever growing regional jingoism.

With every passing day it is seemingly becoming difficult to lead a normal life, added to the woes of the financial crisis, surge in petro prices, increase in realty prices , stock market crash and what not.

Sometimes I wonder – Is it the return of the Jungle Raj ?

For now, take this – Raj goes to jail, gets bail, now ready to hail – All within minutes. Howzzatt ?

Ram Gopal Verma – By the way, are you thinking of Sarkar Raj 3 ?

Popularity: 9%

On Monday 13^th October, in a major development  Vijay Mallya, The King of Good Times jetted into the Corporate Office of Jet Airways and met Naresh Goyal, the Chairman of Jet Airways.

The reason – Quite obvious! The King of Good Times was having a bad time. With rising fuel costs, bloodbath on stock markets, economy sinking and the continuous decline in investor confidence, Kingfisher chairman seemed to have had no other option than to join hands with his erstwhile competitor

Two days later, Jet Airways announced a lay off of about 900 employees with immediate effect and another 1000 on the anvil. Read the complete story at IBN Live

As per IBN Live

Jet Airway CEO Wolfgang Prock Schaeu and Executive Director B Saroj Datta held a press conference in Mumbai where they explained the company’s decision to terminate the services of company employees.

Rubbing salt on the wounds, the “Amchi Mumbai” brandwagon a.k.a. Raj Thakeray was seen fuming, threatening to ground Jet Airways.

Raj apparently said

If they are adamant about the issue then I too will ensure that no Jet Airways flight takes off from Maharashtra

To this the Jet honchos made a politically correct statement,

We do not see any political party involving themselves with this issue. They are rational people and would understand themselves how important this termination is

In my opinion, Jet Airways has taken a decision to lay off its employees. Jet Airways is a company with large public share holding. It has every right to do what it feels is best for its survival and its shareholders. As long as they do not violate the laws of the land and adheres to the contract that they had entered to with its employees, I think they have a legal standing.

It is definitely not the business of politicians to teach businessmen how to run business. They are good at what they do best – digging issues out of non-issues and creating unnecessary controversies just to be in the limelight.

On another note, Raj has maintained his effort in keeping up his brand image, by hook or by crook. In preserving the interest of Mumbai and Mumbaikars, he sure has earned respect (errr.. should I call disrespect ??) of the billion Indians who are residing outside of Mumbai. At least, they now know who Raj is – even if it is for the wrong reason.

That opens up another topic of discussion – “The Return of the Jungle Raj”.

Saved for another day !

Popularity: 7%