WENT AIR by "GO AIR"

During the last week of June 2010 Renjan, Anna, Susan and I were in Mumbai. Renjan had to join the Tata Institute Of Fundamental Research (TIFR) for the PhD programme, on the 26th of June. We boarded the Nethravathy express on the 24th so as to reach Mumbai on the 25th. But a landslide on the Konkan railway track upset all our calculations. The train was held up before Madgoan at a small station. (The details of what happened then, in another post). We started by train from Kochi and reached Mumbai by a brand new red Tata Sumo driven by the young handsome Mr Mahajan. From Ratnagiri to Mumbai it was a six hour wonderful drive along the beautiful ghat road, the NH-17 Goa-Mumbai highway. Ten minutes into our journey from Ratnagiri, from where we hired the taxi, the heavens were opened and there was torrential rain resulting in poor visibility. But undeterred Mahajan drove his Sumo at an average of70 km/h. He was too well aware of our urgency in reaching Mumbai. And finally when we reached the TIFR campus on the evening of 26th Ribu and Sangeetha were there to receive us. Tired and exhausted a return journey by the Nethravathy express (for which we had our reservation) was unimaginable. We all sat together and in our collective wisdom we took the important decision-We shall fly back.Anna, Susan and I had never seen the inside of an air plane. We had seen these flying machines only as small little things there, far up in the skies. An online booking by the "GO AIR" airlines was done. The next day Renjan joined TIFR. We remained in the beautiful campus till noon and in the evening went to the Nariman Point. With a turbulent sea on the one side and sky high buildings on the other, the place had a very exotic look that we refused to believe that this is a part of India. But then we were standing before Hotel Trident which was in news with 26/11. When BMW's sped past us in large numbers, I pinched myself to convince myself that I was not dreaming.
28th June. We reached the Santa Cruze airport. We went through all the formalities with all the diffidence of first timers. Once inside the plane I saw passengers seated with stiff necks and tight lips. None was talking. I felt very uncomfortable. "No questions", I said. Just mimic the seasoned air travelers. Though not with flying colours, I passed every hurdle starting with the seat belt. The plane took off. An hour and forty five minutes later came the announcement. "We are reaching Kochi and are ready for landing. Please fasten your seat belts". I obliged. Not a minute elapsed. The plane descended with frightening speed and tilted violently. The ladies screamed. The purse in my pocket was thrown off. Somebody else's mobile phone came flying to me and landed on my head. But for the seat belt I woud have ended up a flying object. The pilot apologised for the "small inconvenience" and put the blame on air turbulence. Once the plane stabilised people had a sigh of relief. I gave a pat on my back congratulating myself because in the turmoil I was the only one who remained cool.
You know how? .......er.....because......you know.....to tell honestly......
I thought, this was how planes land!!!

NOTE: Today( 31st June 2010) my niece Nidhi came flying from Bangalooru, again by the "GO AIR". She too experienced the same landing problem. A veteran of so many flights around the world she could not stomach the air turbulence theory. My friend Dr Sreekanta Kurup says that he has read that this is a dirty technic employed by private air lines to save fuel. If that be true, then this is a crime that deserves to be brutally punished.