True Blue

Trip to Chennai…

Sep 12, 2006 – 9W445 – Seat 21E…the seat back was just not holding straight, I would press the button and pull it up (as per flight regulations) and lean back and the seat will just slide back with me. One of the many airhostesses with a semi stern voice will, “Sir, Seat back upright, please”. Meekly I would mumble that it is not holding up and in response, she would give a disapproving look as if it is somehow my mistake. This repeated some 3-4 times, with all the airhostesses taking turns.
Oct 2, 2006 same flight… and I was on 23B seated diagonally across 21E, had the pleasure of being an audience to this drama unfold again with another hapless soul. Mind you this is not the no frill, bring-your-lunch- along, cheap (fare) airlines, this is the true Blue - Jet Airways!!! Bit news, one of the air hostesses name was Konica, wonder if she has a sister who goes by the name Kodak!
This really reminds me of my days (in 1997-98) when I used to travel by Venson Transport between Chennai and Bangalore, while booking the tickets, I would list out the seats that I don’t want as they will have some fault (not sliding back, arm rest broken, etc). Next time while checking in, I would do the same to Jet, when the girl at the counter asks me for “window or aisle?” I would say - anything but 21E!
What is the matter with the captains from the “Deck”, why do they always mumble when they make an announcement, you really have to strain your ear and brain (which has already gone dull at 35000 ft @ 70% of mach) to make any sense out of their rambling, and in any case, who is interested to know the outside temp and “for your comfort the cabin temp is 22 degrees” otherwise they are fine with -40 degrees (which, if you are interested, is the outside temperature).
I guess the terrorist threat perception is not there anymore, we don’t have this silly “no liquid, solid and gas, jut you and your ticket in the cabin” revoked and back to good old days of the security officers going thru the routine and not really worried about what I’m carrying.