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Can't Cut Calcutta Calls! CCU, Mar'12

 
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sumantra
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Joined: 28 Oct 2007
Posts: 4685
Location: New Delhi

PostPosted: Mon Dec 31, 2012 12:44 am    Post subject: Can't Cut Calcutta Calls! CCU, Mar'12 Reply with quote

Can't Cut Calcutta Calls! CCU, Mar'12
-------------------------------------
As the year 2012 comes to a close, trust Sumantra to come up with
a lame alliteration on the title. After my last visit to Chennai
with a national hero in command, I was looking forward to being
able to photograph an Air India A330-200 in natural light,
relatively unimpeded by airport structures: To Chennai, Mar'12
with a Celebrity Captain!
http://airlinersindia.s4.bizhat.com/airlinersindia-ftopic12196.html

This was a trip to Kolkata/Calcutta again. An official meeting
was on the cards. I was looking forward to having a look at the
construction progress on the new integrated terminal at the
NSCBI airport, Kolkata. This report can be found at the following
URL:
http://www.airlinersindia.s4.bizhat.com/airlinersindia-ftopic12909.html

The itinerary for my onward journey was as follows:

Set out 22 Mar (Thu) for Kolkata from New Delhi
AI 764: Air India (A320) [Seat: 10F; PNR: HH17P]
IGIA T3, New Delhi - NSCBIA Domestic Terminal, Kolkata
New Delhi (DEL) - Kolkata (CCU)
[05:00 pm - 06:55 pm]

IGI Airport, T3 was its beautiful self, as usual.
After the security check, T3 greets the passenger with more than
a bouquet of flowers.



There was a handsome A319 in the new Flying swan livery, standing
in front of me, as I came up the ramp, and headed to the right.



I had reached the airport quite early, as my favourite cab had
arrived an hour in advance (the gentleman had some work an hour
on, and had requested if he could advance the pick-up time by an
hour). Additionally, I got an SMS from Air India, and a phone
call, announcing the late departure of AI 764. It would now
depart from Delhi at 06:00 pm. I have found Air India to be quite
prompt over both SMS as well as phone calls, in case a flight
gets delayed. An aviation freak does not get bored at airports.
The laptop came out, the camera parked itself beside me, as I sat
down to work, and observe the world around me.

There were some rather interesting planes on view. An Air India
`masked bandit' (CRJ-700) had just come in, and joined its
companion on the domestic apron, between the Air India domestic
finger, and the private airlines' one. Two Air India 777-300ERs
(`77W's) landed within a short while of each other. One parked at
the international finger opposite to the Air India domestic
finger, looking west, while the other went behind it. A blue Safi
Airways Boeing 767-200 pushed back. It had been parked right next
to a very clean Mahan Air A300-B6. The Safi Airways B762 went
towards the main runway for take off. Planes were coming in from
the east, and taking off towards the west. The main runway 10-28,
and the new runway 11-29 were in use.

I had a long SMS chat with a friend, a regular ritual on my trips.
Let us call him Mr. All-Stare MacLean, for reference.
A curious reader may wonder at the weird etymology, above.
The explanation is even more weird, by the way.
The `All-Stare' comes from his being our eye-in-the-sky. He seems
to know about all movements at all times of the day and night.
He loves good food, but is a picky eater, and maintains his lean
and thin figure. Hence, he avoid the big Macs, and stays Lean.
Ghastly puns, what do you say?
The reader who knows the person in question, would also note the
lame pun on his name, above.
Mr. MacLean often indulges readily in these chats, some others
also join in and give me useful information, which makes the trip
all the more worth it. Mr. MacLean was somewhat aghast at my poor
puns on the two airlines from west Asia, the `Blood purifier'
airways Safi (`Shukriya, Safi', as the old advertisement went),
and of course, the great Mahan Air.

Some other interesting planes came in, and went out. There was
the `alphabets' plane, VT-ABC - an Air India ATR-42, in the old
Alliance Air colours. One Air India `masked bandit' (CRJ-700)
was assigned the flight to Guwahati at that time.



A Kingfisher (Red) Airlines ATR-72 (VT-DKK) set out for Dehradun.
The VT-SCQ `the lonely plane' (CQ standing for `seek you') waited
for the Kingfisher plane to go out, before it came into the
domestic section common to the three main carriers.
A JetLite Boeing 738 taxied out toward the active runway.




Knowing my liking for full meals on Air India,
Mr. MacLean teased me about it.
He asked me if my ride for the day, had come in.
``No, I replied. The Eagle has(n't) landed (yet).''
``Hungry li'l bird,'' I told him, ``waiting for Mummy big-bird to
come in with...a snack.''
One of Mr. MacLean's favourite cellphone games happens to be
`Angry Birds', by the way.
I was disappointed as an old A320 in the new colours, (pH, the
old `base/acid' plane: VT-EPH) came in for flight AI 801 to
Chennai. With this, gone were my hopes to photograph an Air India
A330-200 in natural light, taxi'ing into position! Perhaps loads
were thinner on this day, which did not necessitate the use of a
larger aircraft for this flight. My friend wondered if I would
get one of the four new Air India A320 (in the new Flying Swan
livery of course), which had the PTVs.

We boarded from gate 29A. Our plane going south-east from Delhi
to Calcutta, was the `South-East' (SE) plane, VT-ESE. This was an
old Indian Airlines A320, which had been painted in the new
Flying Swan livery, and had the new ochre-and-vermillion coloured
seats, inside. To our left was was an Air India A321 VT-PPW,
the `engines' plane, no, not with P&W (Pratt and Whitney)
engines, but CFM-56 ones. As we pushed back, a bandit landed, and
made its way to the common domestic section. We went past the
parked bandit, VT-RJC, the `Records' plane (JC: J. C. Owens,
better known as Jesse Owens).

The load factor was good - the economy cabin was about 70%
occupied, with 7-8 people in the business class. The plane was
quite cool when we entered. It had just come in, and the air
conditioning had been kept on. Captain Pawan Kumar was in
command. I have flown on a plane with Captain Kumar in command
last year, on the MAA-DEL sector on a trip to Madurai.
(`The Fish-Eye Beckons! Madurai, on Air India. Jul 2011.',
http://airlinersindia.s4.bizhat.com/airlinersindia-ftopic12136.html)

I saw VT-SJG, the Boeing 737-800 in the new JetKonnect' livery -
light blue, with the term `Jet' written in graded shades of
yellow, on the fuselage.
Mr. MacLean had told me that there would be three 777 arrivals at
that period of time. VT-ALC `Assam', a Boeing 777-200LR (`77L')
had just come in, as VT-ALJ a Boeing 777-300ER (`77W') made an
impressive take-off into the sunset.
There was no other wide-body in sight.
Of course, except the writer of this piece.
I was referring to wide-bodied aircraft, in the above context.

The flight was an hour late. I have taken this particular flight
quite a few times, and have seen some very reactive passengers,
who make their displeasure felt, at the slightest instance of the same.
This was an old A320, without PTVs.
Hence, no electronic In-Flight Entertainment (IFE).
Note the adjective, `electronic'.
I told Mr. MacLean that there would be some IFE, after all.
``Snakes on a Plane,'' I said.
Snacks, Snakes, Bhojan, Bhujang...I rattled off. (pun intended!)
Captain Kumar made a very powerful take-off towards the west, on
the new runway. We turned left over Dwarka, and headed towards
Kolkata.

The food aboard the flight would be a snack.
As I have written above, I was hungry (but then, is the reader
even surprised?). Pleasant smells permeated through the cabin,
from the galleys. `Veg, or Non-veg, Sir?' asked a pleasant young
gentleman, a member of the cabin crew on this flight.
The reader may have memorised my usual choice, by now.
The meal started off with a sandwich made of a mixed
white-and-brown bread, with a generous cheese spread filling
inside, with shredded pieces of carrots and lettuce in it.
The main box had a nice flattened vegetable chop to the left.
What was nice about it? It had a potato base, with some
coriander, and carrot blended in. There was some channa dal
(`Bengal gram pulses') also inside - no, not in the form of a
boiled mash. This was not a soft mass, but had been lightly
tossed in oil after being boiled, to give it a slightly harder
consistency (and a great taste!). Had it been raw, it would have
had a raw smell, and taste, too. The entire creation had been
lightly fried in oil. Heavenly!
Giving it strong competition was the piece (de-resistance?) in
the middle - this was the usual tart-like creation that Air India
catering excels in, a quiche, for the cliche, above. However,
this item was a bit different today. In addition to the
spinach-and-cheese filling on a very soft and fresh base, there
was more than a smattering of sweet corn around. The cheese
tasted like a cheddar variety, which had a heavenly molten taste
(unlike the mozzarella-based usual Air India offering, which I
have lovingly described in earlier trip reports). To the right
were three pieces of skewered chicken, which did not seem to have
any spices on the outside, when I saw them. I was completely
mistaken. The pieces were very soft, and had been marinated to
perfection. The flavour of a combination of spices (among those I
could identify were roasted cumin and ginger paste) was superb.
By the time I was about to pounce on the dessert, the beverage
service started. I chose the coffee. This was a bland brand of
coffee that is usually served on flights, which comes from the
famous Swiss multi-national company. At least, it was strong and
hot. As I saw the cup colouring with the coffee being poured in,
I had guessed the brand and type, which was evident from the
taste (the lack of it, actually), and the aroma (which was
missing in equal measure). Coffee usually ends a meal, right? No,
not quite. I pounced on the sweet. It is ironical that I had
partaken of a similar dessert on my previous flight, from Chennai
to Delhi, just a week back
(`To Chennai, Mar'12 with a Celebrity Captain!'
http://airlinersindia.s4.bizhat.com/airlinersindia-ftopic12196.html)
This had a not-overtly-sweet desiccated milk base (`rabri' to us
Delhi'ites), with a generous smattering of the material of which
the boondi laddoo/modak is made up of, with the grain size being
extremely minute. Bongs refer to this as `mihi dana'. This was
excellent, simply excellent, a treat for both the tummy, as well
as the senses.

There was a bit of chop before the landing, but Captain Kumar put
the plane down like a feather. We hardly felt anything, as the
plane came in from the South side, and landed on the main runway.
We then taxied to a remote stand, beside the International
terminal. This plane would continue as an international
connector, to Delhi. Beside us was a Bangladesh Biman B737-800,
in the new livery. Beside it on the aero-bridge, was an Emirates
A330-200. And beyond it was...an An-124 `Ruslan'!
I believe that this massive cargo jet has often been spotted at
the International ramp, instead of the cargo ramp. I wonder why.
As we got down from the stairs, the Neolithic era (error?) buses
made their presence felt. What? I saw an air conditioned bus
leaving right in front of me, as an `afterburner' bus made its
way towards us. The reader may remember that some of the
Neolithic era buses at stations such as Chennai and Calcutta have
an afterburner mode, where thankfully they do not light up the
fuel at the end.

At the airport, I stood in the line for the pre-paid taxis, and
took one to where my official accommodation had been arranged.
I resumed my SMS conversation with Mr. MacLean, again.
He asked me about the flight time.
The published block time was 01:55.
The announced flight time was 02:10
The actual flight time was some 01:45
There must have been some tailwinds, I told him.
Or, as I naughtily told him,
had I gone without food for a very long time?
He asked me what the menu was, and how I found the food.
``Reasonably filling,'' I said, though I am usually not reasonable.
However, it was an hour to Jadavpur, I told him.
It would be miles to go, before I eat,
and smiles to go, unless I eat!
I was sleepy, too.
A full dinner later, the above common human failing
overtook me, and I hit the bed.

One and a half days of meetings had left me quite exhausted,
physically, and mentally. The venue was the impressive Jadavpur
University campus, where in the midst of some run-down buildings,
were some water bodies, with fish inside, and lotus in full
bloom. The Jadavpur University Guest house as a lovely pond
beside it, with a local train railway line just behind it.



Towards Gate no. 4, is another pond, with a bridge over it, and a
lotus bloom under it.



This alone, would entice one to visit the beautiful campus.
While most of the structures inside the campus are more
archaeology than architecture, the physical beauty in and around
the campus is a treat to the senses.

The itinerary for my return trip was as follows:
Set out 24 Mar (Sat) for New Delhi from Kolkata
AI 701: Air India (A321) [Seat: 11A; PNR: HH1B8]
NSCBIA Domestic Terminal, Kolkata - IGIA T3, New Delhi
Kolkata (CCU) - New Delhi (DEL)
[05:00 pm - 07:10 pm]

When I finally boarded a taxi from in front of Jadavpur
University, I was running a bit tight on my schedule. Would I
prefer to go via the VIP road, or Rajarhat? Both names sounded a
bit familiar, but given that I am not familiar with the city, I
volunteered a brave,
``The VIP road route - it is shorter, right?''
I was in luck that day.
At the end of the trip, I was not overcharged.
I also got a printed receipt.
The taxi rates at the time of the trip (March, 2012) were twice
the meter reading, plus Rs.2. In my case, it came up to a round
figure of Rs.250/-. the night before, I had been absolutely
ripped off my a taxi on a very short distance from where I had
gone for dinner, the South City Mall. Lest I forget, my gracious
host had taken me to `Mainland China', for a dinner buffet. The
buffet was a stuff-it, as I over-ate well beyond my normal
appetite, and visited the dessert section a shameless four times,
leaving my gracious host gasping in embarrassed awe.

I had just made it at 04:00 pm, for a 05:00 pm flight departure.
I rushed into the airport, and checked in. The elderly Air India
supervisor looked at my bag which I wanted to check in, and made
some snide comments, in a harsh tone,
`See-curity tag? See-curity tag?? Please go and get it X-rayed.'
He then told the check-in agent in the chaste vernacular,
`These careless passengers...'.
I happened to understand what he had said, and gave him a sweet
smile, and pointed to the tag at the side.
`Today, the plastic tape was not put around it,' I said.
My cheerful behaviour somehow softened the senior man,
and he immediately apologised, smiled back at me, and wished me a
pleasant flight.
I headed towards my favourite haunt in the terminal
- the newest corner. Gates 2 and 2A.
There is a very good view of the action on the tarmac, and has
numerous power ports as well. There was a Spicejet 737 in front
of me.



No, the ramper is not trying to kick-start the ancient jeep, nor
is his er...pissed off with it, he is just trying to board it.
And yes, that is not a plume of smoke over the rear end of the
plane, it is a smudge on the glass panel, through which I was
trying to click a picture.

We boarded from Gate 1, a bus gate.
As I advanced towards a Neolithic-era bus, the doors closed, and
it headed off, leaving a obnoxious cocktail of carcinogenic
chemicals in its wake. I was in for a pleasant surprise. Behind
it was a nice new bus, with an aerodynamic shape, and air
conditioning. It went to the international tarmac, where I found
the `not-so-funny' plane waiting for us, VT-PPJ.
Yes, I have flown on `PJ' before!
The international apron had this plane (possibly having come in
from Delhi has the domestic leg of AI 112, the Air India
London Heathrow flight), and was nice and cool, inside.
At the extreme right end was an Air India ATR-42, in the old
Alliance Air colours. Was it BO, the `smelly' plane: VT-ABO?
An Air Asia A320 came in with registration AHY. This plane parked
at the old aero-bridge gate of the international terminal. The
other gate is a bus gate, with stairs leading down to the tarmac,
from what I have seen before. I had seen the depressing
surroundings on my previous Calcutta trip (`To the City of Joy
and back, on Air India'). I will spare the reader the dreary
details, this time. The plane was about three-fourths full in
economy, and there were about 6 people in the Business class.
Captain Rohit Borwankar was in command. The plane pushed back at
04:42 pm, as we waited to enter the main runway 19L-01R. We had
gone past a Blue Dart B757-PSF VT-BDM. We waited for an Indigo
A320 and a Jet Airways ATR-72 to land, and took off towards the
south. I wanted to photograph the three derelict aircraft (Biju
Patnaik's DC-3 Dakota, a HAL-748 and an F-27 Fokker friendship),
but we had rotated, and I wasn't able to click a picture fast
enough. We turned 180 degree after taking off, and got a hazy
view of the Howrah Bridge in the distance.

Yes, it would be a snack on board.
As I opened the transparent polythene pack with the metal cutlery
inside, I glanced at the card. It said, Taj-SATS.
The first item was a coleslaw salad filling-based sandwich.
What made it stand out?
The (white) bread was extremely soft, and tasted very fresh.
The filling had some pickled cucumber inside it, in the midst of
a coleslaw salad. It was an unusual combination, but tasted superb!
The main course had two small vegetarian chops, which had a nice
potato-based filling with sweet corn. This was not too oily, and
tasted very nice, indeed. Vegetable patties in the middle - this
was quite nice, with the thin layers being soft, and fresh.
There were three pieces of skewered chicken on the right. The
pieces had a yellow visage, and were well-marinated. the pieces
were soft, and succulent. Now, here comes the best part of the
snack - the dessert. I had been hungrily eyeing it ever since the
tray landed up on my seat tray. It was a slice of chocolate cake!
And what a piece er...piece-de-resistance it was.
I did not offer any resistance, whatsoever, and completely gave
in to temptation. The slice tasted extremely fresh, and even
describing it gets me salivating. There was some chocolate
filling in the middle layer, but what took the cake (ah!) was the
top layer. Solid chocolate, with some chocolate chips sprinkled
on the top, which had been set there when the cake was hot (and
somewhat molten), the pieces had stayed put.
Till the treat melted in my mouth, that it.
A somewhat ordinary instant coffee rounded up the meal.

The touch-down on the new runway at Delhi was possibly the
smoothest I have ever experienced. It was simply incredible. As
we taxied towards the gate, I simply had to meet Captain
Borwankar, and express my appreciation for the same. There was
another reason for this - the name rang a bell. If he was who I
guessed, our parents would have known each other for close to
half-a-century now (and I would have seen him once, sometime in
the 1980s). I rushed up front, and put forth my request
to the senior lady, who was wishing passengers good bye, up
front. A bit surprised, she agreed to pass my visiting card to
Captain Borwankar. After his paperwork was done, the Captain came
up to where I was standing in the cabin. I was in luck.
I had a long talk (and walk, too!) with the Captain till the
baggage claim. As the reader would have anticipated, I was the
excited ten year-old, bombarding him with questions. What planes
he flew, what sectors he usually did, and many more. It also
turned out that he is a very talented person: he plays the
guitar. Asking him his favourite plane was more like asking a
parent who his/her favourite child was. He likes the A321s as they
give a `big plane' feeling. The old A320s are very robust, with
their V2500 engines - they do very well in hot climes. I guess
this is why Air India often rosters the old birds on the Gulf
routes, and other hot places. He likes the A319s as one can
really feel the power of the CFM-56 engines on the small and
light plane. I was in a dreamworld, as I bid him good-bye, and
walked towards the baggage carousel.

A snack. Yes, the difference between a snack and a meal, is
exactly proportional to the amount to which my (somewhat
bottomless) tummy gets filled. Or rather, the above should be
not be taken at its face value - it is actually the perception of
my (perennially hungry) mind, as to how much of the middle is
actually filled. As I was in a taxi going back home, much to my
dismay, I noticed that I was getting hungry again.
Random thoughts went through my mind, and some memories flashed
by. Could I ever go through a period of voluntary fasting?
What a distasteful thought, I said to myself.
On the day of our marriage,
The Wife had asked me if I had fasted that day.
``I only fast in between meals,'' I had announced proudly.
The reader now knows the genesis of our altercations.
---
Links to my previous trip reports:

34. Tinsel-town ahoy! Mumbai, Mar'12
http://www.airlinersindia.s4.bizhat.com/airlinersindia-ftopic12885.html

33. Indoor/Indore in 2012
http://www.airlinersindia.s4.bizhat.com/airlinersindia-ftopic12835.html

32. Colour Range over the Orange City: NAG, Jan'12
http://www.airlinersindia.s4.bizhat.com/airlinersindia-ftopic12803.html

31. AI strike(,) PAT in the back: Patna, Jan'12
http://www.airlinersindia.s4.bizhat.com/airlinersindia-ftopic12781.html

30. Regressive TR: Shuttling between Delhi and Mumbai
http://www.airlinersindia.s4.bizhat.com/airlinersindia-ftopic12742.html

29. No Eyesore in Mysore; Part II: Mysore Memories; HAL Museum
http://www.airlinersindia.s4.bizhat.com/airlinersindia-ftopic12730.html

28. No Eyesore in Mysore; Part I: Mysore
http://www.airlinersindia.s4.bizhat.com/airlinersindia-ftopic12686.html

27. Hampi Hamper, Part 2: Hampi!
http://www.airlinersindia.s4.bizhat.com/airlinersindia-ftopic12661.html

26. Hampi Hamper, Part I: Banashankari, Badami, Pattadakal, Aihole
http://www.airlinersindia.s4.bizhat.com/airlinersindia-ftopic12623.html

25. JAI Ho! Jaipur, Sep'12, My Double Standards?
http://www.airlinersindia.s4.bizhat.com/airlinersindia-ftopic12592.html
(This is out of sequence, only to report on something that is
very recent, circa Sep'12)

24. PNQ: PeNning Queued Reports, Dec 2011
http://www.airlinersindia.s4.bizhat.com/airlinersindia-ftopic12557.html

23. Little BHO-Peep, Nov 2011
http://www.airlinersindia.s4.bizhat.com/airlinersindia-ftopic12496.html

22. The Call of the Vaigai! Madurai, Oct 2011
http://www.airlinersindia.s4.bizhat.com/airlinersindia-ftopic12465.html

21. Eats, Shoots, and Leaves: Beijing, 2011 Part 3
http://www.airlinersindia.s4.bizhat.com/airlinersindia-ftopic12452.html

20. No Panda-monium: Beijing, 2011 Part 2
http://airlinersindia.s4.bizhat.com/airlinersindia-ftopic12389.html

19. North By Northwest...er, AI and CA: Beijing, 2011 Part 1
http://airlinersindia.s4.bizhat.com/airlinersindia-ftopic12348.html

18. Going Bananas over Oranges: Nagpur, Aug'11
http://airlinersindia.s4.bizhat.com/airlinersindia-ftopic12333.html

17. To the City of Joy and back, on Air India: Aug'11
http://airlinersindia.s4.bizhat.com/airlinersindia-ftopic12238.html

16. To Chennai, Mar'12 with a Celebrity Captain!
http://airlinersindia.s4.bizhat.com/airlinersindia-ftopic12196.html
(This is out of sequence owing to sheer excitement, and nothing
else!)

15. Marble Rocks, Marbles Rock; Jul 2011
http://airlinersindia.s4.bizhat.com/airlinersindia-ftopic12157.html

14. The Fish-Eye Beckons! Madurai, on Air India. Jul 2011
http://airlinersindia.s4.bizhat.com/airlinersindia-ftopic12136.html

13. To Russia, with Awe: Moscow, 2011, Part 3: Monino!
http://airlinersindia.s4.bizhat.com/airlinersindia-ftopic12091.html

12. To Russia, with Awe: Moscow, 2011, Part 2: The Central Museum
of the Armed Forces
http://airlinersindia.s4.bizhat.com/airlinersindia-ftopic12016.html

11. To Russia, with Awe: Moscow, 2011, Part 1: The Overall Trip
http://airlinersindia.s4.bizhat.com/airlinersindia-ftopic11717.html

10. The City of Lakes: Mother's Heart, Heart of the Motherland
http://airlinersindia.s4.bizhat.com/airlinersindia-ftopic11556.html

9. Mostly Indoors, in Indore:
http://airlinersindia.s4.bizhat.com/airlinersindia-ftopic11533.html

8. Inter-metro Shuttling on AI: DEL-BOM on AI810, BOM-DEL on
AI888
http://airlinersindia.s4.bizhat.com/airlinersindia-ftopic11449.html

7. On the cusp: DEL-BOM on IC863, BOM-DEL on AI660
http://airlinersindia.s4.bizhat.com/airlinersindia-ftopic11160.html

6. DEL-BOM on IT308, BOM-DEL on IC166
http://airlinersindia.s4.bizhat.com/airlinersindia-ftopic10986.html

5. DEL-MAA on IC439, MAA-DEL on IC802
http://airlinersindia.s4.bizhat.com/airlinersindia-ftopic10809.html

4. DEL-PNQ on IC849, PNQ-DEL on IC850
http://airlinersindia.s4.bizhat.com/airlinersindia-ftopic10510.html

3. DEL-MAA on IC429 (A321), MAA-DEL on IC7602 (CRJ7)
http://airlinersindia.s4.bizhat.com/airlinersindia-ftopic10401.html

2. DEL-NAG-NDC, NDC-BOM-DEL on G8
http://airlinersindia.s4.bizhat.com/airlinersindia-ftopic10169.html

1. IGI T3, AI 314 DEL-HKG and AI 311 HKG-DEL
http://airlinersindia.s4.bizhat.com/airlinersindia-ftopic10018.html
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ameya
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Joined: 09 May 2007
Posts: 3671
Location: Pune,Maharashtra

PostPosted: Mon Dec 31, 2012 11:38 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Nice TR Sir !

The timing difference with winds and without winds is huge for sectors in the east.

The food served looks limited though Smile

DOes the international connector flights have different rules for food ?
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jbalonso777
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Joined: 05 Jul 2012
Posts: 1501
Location: Never, never land

PostPosted: Mon Dec 31, 2012 11:54 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Amazing! A Sumatra TR for the Year End & New Year!
Wow, there is so much to type here, but this looking like my last reply to your TR, I shall take pride (and time!) in doing the same!

-First, looking at your tarmac pictures, I have to go to DEL T3 ASAP. I didn't take any pictures on my one and only visit to the DEL T3, because I wasn't sure. Oh well, damn it. Just through curiosity, AI has red aerobridges, 9W has yellow, what did IT have? Red as well?
-Interesting aircraft you spotted, pity there aren't pictures. But I think I've harrassed you too much already in buying that big black thing with a lens Wink
-Nice pun to an interesting conversation with that person! Haha!
-I flew on the alphabets plane exactly 6 years and 4 days ago (27th December 2006) from GAU to CCU, my second last flight out of CCU before I changed base to Mumbai. Ah, looking at livery once again got me back my 06-07 memories, which I mentioned in my Durga Puja TR! That was my last ATR flight, and I was amazed by everything on the flight!
-let it be the old pH scale or the new pH scale, I hope NEVER to fly on EPH or PPH! I have had enough of chemistry nightmares! Speaking of disappointments, I hope not to be disappointed tomorrow when I see the Cathay Pacific 747 freighter go by at Negombo!
-Surprising that ex-IC A320s have a J class! I thought they were all single class!
-HAHA wide bodies! Made my day for sure!
-Is it just me? Or do the typical bongs always get pissed off by AI delaying flights? I have heard it many times before and I have experienced it myself! (Dont mean any harm to my fellow bongs..just an observation!)
-Fantastic descriptions of food!
-Wow, more exotic stuff! I've seen the An-124 too, back in 2010..
-I didn't see the description of the blue and yellow public buses, which are not only jaw rattlers but spine tinglers as well! Mr. Green
-Never been in the univ campus, thanks for the pics!
-I find the '2x+2' equation of taxies quite funny and interesting! Was still the same in end October!
-Oh no, that can't be a SG plane in an AI dedicated gate which I proved through my pictures!
-Another nice descriptions of all, food, tarmac scenes, etc..
-Nice little conversation description also!

While I may not be able to read or reply to your next TRs, I hope you keep writing more and more of the same!

Kindest Regards
Jishnu.
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Nimish
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Joined: 16 Dec 2006
Posts: 9757
Location: Bangalore, India

PostPosted: Mon Dec 31, 2012 12:38 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Lovely TR - thanks for posting. Must have had a blast chatting with the Captain - and I hope you bump into him on future flights as well! JU seems very pretty - especially the lotus pond/bridge picture - gorgeous.

That AI official who was pushing you back to See-curity - gosh - what a pain that must have been. At least he was trying to help, but the right way would have been to ask you politely if you've had your bag XRayed already - instead of assuming you to be an uneducated lout who needs to be chased back to see-curity...
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sabya99
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Joined: 19 Dec 2011
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Location: New Jersey/CCU

PostPosted: Mon Dec 31, 2012 7:48 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

A very mouth watering trip report. Rabri/mihidana being served on airlines food ? These delicious sweets are served for new brides/grooms. What did you do to Air India? Next time I visit India I must have them in flight.
I notice a large number of flights are using south approach for both take off and landing. Did you notice any activity on secondary runway or it is still closed?
I also noticed that An 124 parked right in front of old international terminal. Probably for the ease of power in and push out parking. But Kolkata cargo area equipped with four or five wide body bays. They could have parked there also.
Happy New Year!
Very Happy
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Spiderguy252
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PostPosted: Mon Dec 31, 2012 9:40 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Good report, though missing pictures of the food again!

Not long to go before the VT-EPHs of this world are phased out, so I wouldn't be too disappointed if I were you. Smile
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sumantra
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Joined: 28 Oct 2007
Posts: 4685
Location: New Delhi

PostPosted: Tue Jan 01, 2013 5:34 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks a lot for the kind words, Ameya, Jishnu, Nimish, Sabyasachi and Varun!

ameya wrote:
The timing difference with winds and without winds is huge for sectors in the east.

The earth's rotation, I guess, along with some regular wind patterns. Could you throw more light on some typical values for a DEL-CCU and CCU-DEL leg, for instance? That will be of immense help to many of us armchair enthusiasts!

ameya wrote:
The food served looks limited though Smile
Does the international connector flights have different rules for food?

I don't think so, Sir, but frankly, food on the average, has been superb at Air India and Indian Airlines, then!

jbalonso777 wrote:
...I have to go to DEL T3 ASAP. I didn't take any picture...
You have a way with `the big black box with a lens' Razz I look forward to your next report about DEL!

jbalonso777 wrote:
AI has red aerobridges, 9W has yellow, what did IT have
Jishnu, I had never thought of it like that! the colours were more to do with 4 colours deeply associated with India (Saffron and Green from the flag), with the red and yellow coming from spices: red chillies and turmeric, if I remember correctly. Different parts of the terminal have different colours, this is not airline-wise.

jbalonso777 wrote:
That was my last ATR flight, and I was amazed by everything on the flight!
Jishnu, do you smell the request for a detailed trip report, here? You may have also flown with a Captain on this forum, Optimus.Prime.

jbalonso777 wrote:
I have had enough of chemistry nightmares!

Me too Smile

jbalonso777 wrote:
Surprising that ex-IC A320s have a J class! I thought they were all single class!

Some of them such as ESI and ESJ were converted to single class possibly for domestic Air India Express operations, a plan which was shelved twice, the second time, for good. On my trips in them, they were in excellent condition from the inside. There are some in a two-class configuration as well.

jbalonso777 wrote:
I didn't see the description of the blue and yellow public buses, which are not only jaw rattlers but spine tinglers as well!
You got that description perfect. No, I did not have any ride on them this time, or for a while, actually. The last time was one from Baranagar to the Shyambazar 5-point crossing. As some of my Bong acquaintances put it, the `annaprashan rice came out' Razz (`Annaprashan' is the symbolic first feeding of solid food to a baby)

Nimish wrote:
Must have had a blast chatting with the Captain - and I hope you bump into him on future flights as well!

Thanks, Nimish, I hope so too!

Nimish wrote:
instead of assuming you to be an uneducated lout who needs to be chased back to see-curity...

Ha ha! Actually, Nimish, coming to think of it...I cannot really blame him if he thought so about me, from my external appearance Razz Unkept hair standing on my head, shirt out of the trousers, dirty shoes, a day-old stubble, and a dirty handkerchief, to boot Very Happy

sabya99 wrote:
Rabri/mihidana being served on airlines food ? These delicious sweets are served for new brides/grooms.

Wow - this is somewhat incongruous to what I have written in the above point - my unkept appearance! Please read on, below.

sabya99 wrote:
What did you do to Air India? Next time I visit India I must have them in flight.

Patronise them ;-P
Seriously, of late, I have noticed a tremendous amount of experimentation going on in the desserts on Air India, in addition to their traditional offerings such as the rare but heavenly Firni. This is something I have not forgotten to mention in my trip reports, given that I travel by AI quite often.

sabya99 wrote:
I notice a large number of flights are using south approach for both take off and landing. Did you notice any activity on secondary runway or it is still closed?

Sabyasachi, sadly, I have not seen the secondary runway in operation of late, at least on my trips. Earlier, I used to think of this only as a taxi-way, before one trip in 2010, when I saw the staggered parallel operation that you have described so beautifully in your posts. Now-days, I concentrate more on Sabyasachi specials such as the Kilo taxiway, the turning pad, the lights, and much more, though I wish I understood more of the last item Smile

Spiderguy252 wrote:
though missing pictures of the food again!

Varun, I sincerely apologise. I have not taken pictures of the food often, though I made an exception this time, on my 20 Dec DEL-MAA Dream)liner flight, in J. I will surely scan that in, and put it into the corresponding trip report. The only time my cellcam has been operational in flight has been in the `Flight' mode, on UA 890, ICN-NRT, 10 Nov 2012, since using a cellphone on a domestic flight is usually sure to raise eyebrows. As it is I carry my large SLR along with me, and the sight of me having a meal - is a spectacle in itself Razz

Cheers, Sumantra.
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avbuff
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Joined: 22 Dec 2006
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PostPosted: Wed Jan 02, 2013 1:37 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Nice TR sumantra , thanks for sharing ... loved the pics as well.
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sumantra
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Joined: 28 Oct 2007
Posts: 4685
Location: New Delhi

PostPosted: Wed Jan 02, 2013 9:40 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

avbuff wrote:
Nice TR sumantra , thanks for sharing ... loved the pics as well.
Thanks a lot, Ojas!
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stealthpilot
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Joined: 19 Dec 2006
Posts: 2325
Location: BLR, DXB

PostPosted: Sun Jan 06, 2013 3:07 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I read half .... ill finish the rest in a few days Smile
Thanks for the TR.
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sumantra
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PostPosted: Sun Jan 06, 2013 4:17 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

stealthpilot wrote:
I read half .... ill finish the rest in a few days Smile

Thanks a lot, Captain - I guess I am just a bit too verbose. I wish I could keep it nice and short as many TR specialists do on this forum! I guess my gluttony takes up too much space, and others's time, too!
Cheers, Sumantra.
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