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akb · Member Joined: 08 Apr 2013 Posts: 5

It was late in September 2013 that one learnt of a certain critical illness of my only surviving paternal uncle. A flurry of bookings over the internet duly aided by our in house expert Jishnu, I was ready to travel once again to India on 5th October.

We had invited some guests for dinner on the 4th of October. So one really had very little time to prepare for an early morning departure (3 am) from Colombo to Chennai. However, 0030 hours on 5th October found me crossing the portals of Colombo Airport straight to the check in counters of Jet Airways. Smooth check in, smiling check in staff (bit unusual because the SriLankan Airlines staff who manage the Jet Airways counters pretty frequently appear to be overwhelmed by the content on their computer screens). So formalities done and immigration (as usual - very very quick) and I headed at around 0100 hours in the morning for the Foot Spa, in order to avail myself of perhaps the most heavenly foot and shoulder massage available any where in the world at that time in the morning. That completed, I headed for the duty free shop to pick up the usual quotas of liquor and chocolates for distribution to friends and relatives in India. I headed for the gates at 2 am and boarding commenced very punctually at around 0215.

I headed for my usual emergency exit seat (in house expert for these matters tells me that on board VT-JGZ, there is only one such row.) and seated myself for the mandatory instructions for opening the emergency door. Chock-a-block flight, audible announcements and a smooth take off - other than a few rounds of turbulence while climbing, while the cockpit crew negotiated some low level clouds. Everything very very Jet Airways so far - nothing flamboyant, but cool and efficient. My request for a blanket and pillow almost immediately granted, I went into a very enjoyable aero engine induced stupor, to be awakened in about 15 minutes by a member of the crew saying - 'Good morning sir. Here is the meal you ordered.' I had no recollection I had ordered anything at all, so imagine my surprise when she followed it up with...."bland non-vegetarian". It was chicken wrapped in a sort of roomali roti and dear holiness, it really was the height of blandness,setting me to think that now a world wide shortage of salt and spices must have taken hold! That itself was not so bad at that time in the morning, but bland AND thermal shock potentially made my arm go for the exit door!!! The chicken came at about 100 deg C while the wrap around it was around 25. As I took my first and only bite, my tongue, my cheeks and my palate felt as though they were working on a piece of burning charcoal. End of the meal and virtually the end of the flight thankfully with nothing untoward. We circled over Chennai and landed land side (as against seaside), which was very smooth, but not without the usual drama of passengers opening baggage bins well before parking (since the aircraft had come to a halt following another one). Disembarked into a bus and I hope Jet Airways does something to improve the steps climbing into the bus, presently very very deep and inconvenient, for people with knee and back problems (as I do).

A word now on the immigration area in the Chennai Terminal, where the counters are always 40-50 deep in queue, and toilets initially no where to be seen and,on serious observation, be found near Chennai's Marina Beach! But all clear in about 20 minutes, down escalator to the customs area where very strangely only hand baggage is put through xray detection, and registered baggage checked randomly, as far as my thinking goes, based on the size of the bag and the whim of the officer at the gate. But no issues for me. In a few minutes I headed for the exit and towards a waiting electric vehicle that'd cart me to the new domestic terminal.

I reached the domestic terminal, sought out an ATM (I had not one INR in my pocket, and I needed to buy breakfast). Then to the check in areas and the serpentines in front of the IndiGo counters. I found several people being accommodated outside of the queue, so I raised my hand to ask a ground staff member if I could get priority since I had checked in online. Sure enough, in about 2 minutes, she drew me out of the queue and i went to a counter to put my bag to be weighed. Thankfully, and with great relief I discovered that my bag weighed in at 14.8, just 200g under the permitted limit. Smooth check in and then I started looking for a Maggie noodles counter which I had seen last time around in June, only to find out that the space has been reallocated to something like a Haldirams Bhujia, completely inappropriate for a night flight wearied traveller seeking a little breakfast. However, succour was soon sighted in a neat little shop dispensing fresh idli vada and filter coffee, with the most polite service people managing it. The IndiGo flight to Calcutta was very very IndiGo, except this was one of those few A320s with sharklets (VT-IFI) and quieter than the usual 320s (I dont notice usually, but this time around, perhaps assimilating all that is said about the Dreamliner, indeed I felt that the craft was indeed quiet. Result, duly enhanced by the sleepless night that I had spent, I slept like a baby and snored like a grown up!

Onto Terminal 2 in Kolkata and wonder of wonders, as we moved from the aerobridge that would take us to the gate that would take us to the arrival hall, we found the gate bolted and locked. No one to be found. As a result, some 150 passengers were stuck behind the gate and the narrow aero-bridge behind. The attendant emerged after 2 minutes of trepidation, and off we were into the fantastic appointments of the new Calcutta terminal. Tastefully decorated, colour co-ordinated and supremely functional, the new airport is truly an experience (it probably offers the best plane spotting opportunities amongst all metro airports in India, but that's another story.)

ameya · Posted: Fri Oct 18, 2013 10:55 pm Post subject:

akb, welcome to airliners-india. Whenever you get time, do introduce yourself in the thread

Thanks a lot for the TR.

Looks like you had some interesting food on 9W Very Happy

I remember the 6E statement few months ago - boringly same always like federer and I can relate your description of the flight to it

How did you like the seats and tray table on VT-IFI ? I have personally not liked the seating and the tray table

Thanks again for the TR

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

Wow - let me guess, now.
I guess this is the first Father-Son duo we have on AI.net, both superb photographers, and graphic writers, with the wit, humour and inimitable writing style going across generations, in the genes. Mr. Basu - thank you very much for taking time off from your busy schedule, to write for this forum!
Jishnu: a big thanks to you as well, for convincing Mr. Basu to write for us!
We had only heard of Mr. Basu's talents at taking ome lovely pictures, and some grand descriptions, from the exotic intra-Sri Lanka trips.
You had the reader rivetted to the screen with your descriptions, right from the airport, to the plane, and out of it, too. As for the snack counter at the MAA domestic terminal, yes - I can vouch for the Sapthagiri group restaurant counter (who surprisingly have on in the CCU new Domestic part, as well). They serve nice Idlis and Filter coffee - the former in the nice coconut palm leaf-husk-based plates! Your son would know that I am the resident glutton of this forum, and how much food and flights keep me happy Smile

SSir, I'm no that sure about whether CCU T2 offers the best spotting opportunities, but if one has a bazooka lens, CCU T2 does offer some nice views of the tarmac, and the three oldies parked at the South end of the main runway, sadly in very bad condition (this includes Biju Patnaik's DC-3).
Mr. Basu, thank you once again for a lovely report, and let me, on behalf of all of us AI.netters here, who span a wide range of ages, but like aviation like kids, and snore out the rest like adults (to steal your words, and use them in a totally wrong context Smile

), hope that you continue to enthrall us with many more. From Jishnu, we know that you travel a lot!
Admiringly, Sumantra.

akb · Member Joined: 08 Apr 2013 Posts: 5

Hi Ameya - thanks for your comments and encouragement. My son Jishnu is a hard taskmaster, and so I shall post the next one very shortly. Shall, in a day or two, also post my profile - the reason for not doing so thus far is the fact that you will be bored to distraction!! The tray table and seat on IFI, frankly no comments, just optically different.

Hi Sumantra - Thanks!! Look forward to posting again if only to read your fabulous responses !! I had no clue that the DC3 in Kolkata is Biju Patnaik's. I have looked at it longingly, trying to figure out a person with influence who can lead me up to it for some photography!!! Yes, Kolkata T2 is probably not the best for spotting - its just that in my eyes, Kolkata can do no wrong!!! And please, call me Ashok - Mr Basu is far too formal for a fun forum such as this!!

Ashok

ameya · Posted: Sat Oct 19, 2013 11:07 am Post subject:

Thanks Mr.Basu. I read Sumantra Sirs post and came to know about your identity.

Welcome to the group ! and we look forward to some more fantastic TRs !

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

Sir, I recount seeing a picture of the F-28 Fokker Friendship, the HS-748 and the Biju Patnaik DC-3 as taken by a Delhi spotter with a monster bazooka lens at CCU T2, when a CISF guard asked him to refrain from photography. The closest I found otherwise, is this:
https://fbcdn-sphotos-b-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn2/1234854_10151838143901054_370818118_n.jpg
[All rights with the photographer - I am, as usual, passing on a link without the photographer's permission Smile

]
Sir, we have been enamoured by Jishnu's effervescent enthusiasm, in addition to his great skills of photography and writing, which he has obviously inherited from his parents -we can clearly see that. He has also been promising us that he will try to urge you to share your talents with us. I am really glad that is has borne fruit.
It really feels nice Sir, to have senior people like you on the forum - like many young people of my generation, I too have been quite insolent towards senior people. However, I have the greatest respect for experience, and I am really glad you are here with us. My father taught me to identify a DC-3 from an HS-748, a VC-10 from an Il-62M, a DC-8 from a 707, and a DC-10 from an L-1011 when I was a kid, and stared at the sky while sitting on his lap. Sadly, he almost completely lost interest in planes soon after. After that, it was only `big plane' and `small plane'. I noticed a brief flicker of interest after his first AI Dream)liner trip, but I do not see much of it now, again. He travels quite a lot too, and I guess I inherited the travel bug at least, from him. It is not very common to have two generations being interested in the same hobby - and Jishnu is really lucky, Sir!
Cheers, Sumantra.

sabya99 · Posted: Sat Oct 19, 2013 9:08 pm Post subject:

@ Mr.Basu, welcome to the forum and thanks for making it a father son forum. Probably the only forum to have that credential I have visited. We enjoy your photography and the post. Please keep doing it for long time. I also faced this locked up gates at the international wing that you faced. That part of the international terminal was still under construction at that time ( last April ). There should not be any lock up now. I am sorry you to face this situation. But thanks for your pictures again.
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Sabya99

sabya99 · Posted: Sat Oct 19, 2013 9:12 pm Post subject:

stealthpilot · Member Joined: 19 Dec 2006 Posts: 2325 Location: BLR, DXB

Great TR!
I havnt been to MAA in ages. The terminal looks much better- I like the carpeted floor altho the roof looks a bit blah.
Great descriptions + style of writing.
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eP007

Nimish · Posted: Mon Oct 21, 2013 6:32 pm Post subject:

Awesome TR - thanks for posting! And a long overdue welcome to the forum Smile

.

Seems like a typical 9W flight on CMB-MAA - any reason you did not choose 9W onwards on MAA-CCU? Wouldn't that have helped with the baggage transfer/ allowance etc.?
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We miss you Nalini!

shivendrashukla · Posted: Mon Oct 21, 2013 7:19 pm Post subject:

Hello Sir and welcome to Ai.net and also for a superb TR. looking forward to more from you.

Shivendra

jbalonso777 · Posted: Mon Oct 21, 2013 8:55 pm Post subject:

I'm glad the inevitable has finally happned.
It has taken a bit of time, but with the will to do this, it has happened.

Hello Dad, and welcome Smile

Nimish sir, since I am the in charge of our family's travel, I would be happy to answer that.
We always look for 'broken up' itineraries, ie, SG/9W into MAA and another LCC from there on. We may be aviation fanatics, but budget is a key thing we look at. We rearely consider the 9W/UL options into BOM or the direct UL flight to DEL (hint hint - Dad is flying to Delhi at the end od this year Razz

9W and SG). Those direct flights are expensive.
Getting back to your point, if the MAA-CCU-MAA was with a connecting flight on 9W, a lot of money would have had to be shelled out.
Secondly, as this was a short trip, baggage allowance was not a worry (or maybe it was, as mentioned in the TR!)
Last but not least, timing. 9W usually had 2 flights, but now, its down to just one. And that one flight is at 2100. Not ideal considering the fact that an entire day would have had to be spent in MAA, and another night flight. Although the return is much favourable, connecting well to 9W252 (MAA CMB), a one way ticket is not a good idea.
Sumantra sir, as always, a delight to read your replies!
Others, thank you ever so much for your support both to me and my father!
We really really appreciate it!

Regards
Jish
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http://www.youtube.com/c/JishnuBasu777

akb · Member Joined: 08 Apr 2013 Posts: 5

Hi Nimish, Shivendra Shukla, Stealth Pilot, Sumantra, Sabya and Ameya

I wish my English teachers in school had so many good words to say about my writing style !! I would have been a hero in their reckoning rather than vagabond they had actually to contend with, what with failsafe undotted i's and uncrossed t's!!

I owe this forum an introduction - roughly 57 vintage, I am about to hang up my boots in the banking business in about three and a half years !! Of course, if my employers were to observe that I contribute to forum posts like these, that period would be considerably foreshortened! My family and I have lived all across India (getting bored at any one location every so often) and I do take pride in counting a footprint in all states and UT's in India other than J&K and Pondi, in my professional pursuit ! I do a bit of wildlife photography and one hell of a lot of spotting aero and rail (complete disclosure - I would, even now, stop at a railway crossing and attempt a pic of the oncoming engine - for the younger members of this forum, may I add that it is only the photography that I am about, so there is a safe distance from the line that I always maintain, and am not suicidal about conversion to mince under the wheels of a WAP 5 !)

We presently live in Sri Lanka and it is a country full of delights - aero and otherwise - the aspects of domestic aero I have covered in a post and hopefully there should be more in the not too distant future, including perhaps one in a seaplane with landing and takeoff from a lake at about 7000 ft alt !

In our generation, the tryst with aero began not with an actual flight, but reading about it. For me it happened right out of a rapid reader story prescribed in school about a biplane with 2 passengers negotiating a night flight from Madrid to Lisbon !! Hooked, line and sinker and all! Our school was in the flight path about 3 km away from the Ranchi Airport and it was sheer delight to observe an Indian Airlines DC3 from Calcutta, perhaps thrice a week.

Aided by an elder sibling, we did some aeromodelling as well - but sadly, my first flight was to happen at about the age of 20, thanks to then recently introduced LTC facilities in my Fathers organisation. Prior, it was buses and train (royal class, as my Father put it !) and travel never exceeded 200 km !! But my first flight (rather the first 2) took me from Ranchi to Bombay !!

I suspect I have bored you all enough with these stray remembrances - please permit me another post a few days later to recount some of the hilarity and exuberance of my first flights !!

Ashok

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

shivendrashukla

Nimish

PAL@YWG