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Vacation notes

From Feb 24 to March 16, we were on vacation in India, to visit our family. Got some time to post some photos from the trip. We had a good time there. Spent most days watching Cricket World Cup. It was quite hot in Kerala. We went to Coonoor - a hill station in the Nilgiris - for 3 days. All told, a much needed 3 week break from work.

After all the travelling under hot sun, we didn’t have much energy left to do anything fun. So, I just slept 10-12 hours per day

The Good

• Air-India’s in-flight service. Their 747-400 jets have terrific legroom even in economy class. The hostesses are very friendly, considering the frequency with which typical Indian passengers press the call button. They even filled out the immigration forms for elderly passengers.
• Airport security in India. They go through well defined, standard and thorough processes. It can be a nuisance, but they *are* thorough.
• Kochi airport. It is very nice. The staff (surprise!) - even customs - were very friendly.
• Improving practicality of the Keralites.
• Nilgiris is now plastic free! Good for nature.

The Bad

• London Heathrow, terminal 3. I’ve been through Schiphol, Charles De Gaulle, Zurich and Frankfurt airports. LHR is crowded, ugly and staffed with arrogant people.
• Bombay airport. It is as bad as ever. Though it is better than LHR.
• Air-India’s ground staff in Bombay. Phew - too many people trying to co-ordinate simple things. After waiting in the queue for 30 minutes, I found a quiet guy in another counter - went to him and got my boarding pass in 2 minutes.
• United Airlines' ground-staff in London. Very arrogant.

The Ugly

• United Airlines' food. On my return flight, it was freezing cold inside the aircraft. May be that is why I’m down with fever today.
• Security check in LHR. It is a big joke. They wasted 1.5 hours checking people randomly, then getting people to de-board the aircraft in batches and then re-board them.
• The "harthals" (strikes where public life is disrupted) sponsored by LDF in Kerala. These idiots seem to have only one goal in life - to screw the common people who vote for them.

1. Kochi airport is very beautiful and well maintained. Even after a year or two it has not become a transport bus stand like Calicut International Airport.

   Posted by: JK on March 19, 2003 12:19 PM

2. I agree. The staff are very professional. I still remember the first time I took a flight from Trivandrum to Singapore. The guard doing the body check (a Malayali) took hold of my wallet,opened it and asked for Rs.50/- just like that!

   In Kochi, the guards are not even allowed to look into your wallet or ornaments. What is more, the notice regarding this is displayed right where everyone can see it.
   

   Posted by: (\/)ystic on March 19, 2003 07:42 PM

3. HELLO:

   FOR THE BENEFIT OF THOUSANDS OF KERALITES CAN WE HAVE DIRECT FLIGHTS FROM COCHIN OR TRIVANDRUM AIRPORTS TO EUROPE, CANADA & USA??? CAN THE POLITICIANS IN KERALA AND AIRPORT AUTHORITIES IN KERALA MAKE THIS HAPPEN? CAN THE BOMBAY LOBBY, AIR-INDIA OR ANY OTHER POLITICAL LOBBY BE DIFFUSED WHO ARE AGAINST THIS TO WORK IT OUT? IT IS TIME TO SIT AND TALK AND RESOLVE THIS MATTER.

   WE HAVE 3 INTERNATIONAL AIRPORTS (CALICUT WILL BE APPROVED SOON) IN KERALA AND IT IS A SHAME THAT THERE IS NO SINGLE DIRECT FLIGHT TO EUROPE, CANADA OR USA. AFTER GUJARAT, KERALA STANDS SECOND IN TERMS OF HAVING KERALITES IN USA. AHMEDABAD AIRPORT IS GIVEN MORE PRIVILIGES FOR US PASSENGERS AND AIR-INDIA FLIGHTS.

   THE PROBLEM: WHY SHOULD THESE KERALITES WHO ARE TRAVELLING TO AND FRO FROM USA, CANADA OR EUROPE HAVE TO NECESSARILY GO THROUGH MUMBAI, CHENNAI, BANGALORE OR DELHI AIRPORTS??? WHY?? THIS IS JUST A SEVERE PUNISHMENT AND STEREO TYPING KERALITES. IF THE NEGATIVE ATTITUDE LOBBIES OR POLITICIANS INTEND TO HAVE KERALITES GO THRU THIS PUNISHMENT - WHY CAN THEY AT LEAST START DIRECT FLIGHTS FROM KERALA VIA MUMBAI, CHENNAI OR BANGALORE??? WHY IS NOT THAT POSSIBLE?? STILL KERALITES ARE NEGLECTED AND IGNORED?? WHY??

   KERALITES EARN THE TOP FOREIGN EXCHANGE FOR INDIA ALONG WITH GUJARATIS. THAT MONEY IS GOOD AND NOT EVEN PROPERLY APPRECIATED, BUT ON THE OTHER SIDE THE KERALITES FROM USA, EUROPE AND CANADA ARE NOT ALLOWED TO HAVE DIRECT FLIGHTS. IT IS SO VULNERABLE AND TIRESOME TO TRAVEL LONG HOURS AS A FAMILY ESPECIALLY WITH SMALL KIDS THRU MUMBAI, CHENNAI OR BANGALORE AND THEN WAITING THERE FOR SEVERAL HOURS TO BOARD THE NEXT FLIGHT. WHAT DID THE KERALITES DO TO DESERVE THIS PUNISHMENT???

   LET US WORK IT OUT.

   - KERALITES FROM USA
   

   Posted by: JOHN KARINGATIL on July 19, 2004 10:54 AM

4. Yes, Malayalees in USA definitley need DIRECT Flights from Kerala to USA and back. The genuine reason is, it is very difficult, tiresome and exhaustive to travel with family & kids thru Mumbai or Delhi or any other cities in India.

   SOLUTION: Either, let the "BIG Maharaja" operate from Kerala starting DIRECT flights to USA or Allow foreign carriers to operate to Kerala and back to USA or Europe. There is an old saying in Kerala - "The dog does not allow the cow to eat the grass nor does the dog eat the grass". This is the real situation and as Malayalees we all know who is behind this agenda.

   Our dear Maharaaa....aa..aj please let that "EGO" go and instead try to help these Malayalees. It will be a BIG FAVOR and a GIFT you can present. If dear Maharaj wants to have the monopoly in having DIRECT flights from Kerala to USA that is fine. Please do start and do not delay.....! Thank you Maharaj...!

   Posted by: PETER VENGALOR on October 17, 2004 11:23 AM