Mumbai to Bangalore in 270 minutes!!

It was 6th June 2008.

A hard day’s work, some good meetings and thrill of coming back home after spending 3 rainy nights in Mumbai was unbelievable. Keeping the BIAL in mind and I had booked a 17.10 flight back from Mumbai, hoping that we land in Bangalore by 7.00 pm and home by 9.00pm.

All worked as per plan, web check in, so that I need not hurry to airport, finish my meeting and have a late lunch at aunt’s place and then reached airport around 4.30pm. Cleared the security check and waited for the boarding announcement.

My eyes kept looking around, if I could bump into a friend on a Friday evening and catch up on old times. Suddenly an announcement struck my attention; it was for some Mr. Kishore, who was being asked to board the Jet flight schedule to take off at 15.50 announced at 4.40 pm.

I was wondering what shall be the fate of my flight, and as I got up to see the display board to catch up on the time, I saw a dark man in a beige suit running, and it was Kishore, my old colleague from Oracle. We both left Oracle round the same time and could manage to exchange our cards with a promise to call each other; both of us are yet to keep them.

I settled to take out my Khaled Hosseini, and get involved with his breath taking and moving narrative style; another announcement caught my ears, “9W441 delayed by 20min”; I thought to myself “is this a start to my long evening”? To my surprise Jet announced its boarding at 5.20pm, and I was happy to board the aircraft not realizing that there are more surprises due that evening.

I had an exit isle seat, and a gentleman sitting at the window. The middle seats seem to be empty. I prayed that hope we hit the runway fast and may the middle seat be empty to sit more relaxed. I never knew that God was not in a mood to oblige me that evening. But he had some plans.

I found a tall gentleman, well built with salt and pepper hair and beard approaching that middle seat with a smile on his face. I thought to self, “Have I seen him somewhere”? I gave him time to settle down, and then I realized, that’s Mohandas Pai, ex CFO and now HR head of Infosys.

That was the first surprise.

I acknowledged his presence and the honor of having him as my co passenger. He was friendly guy, we struck a discussion and he asked me about my work and I shot him some questions on different things. His thoughts about how things are now, with the rising inflation and recession in USA, the new Bangalore airport, the time he took to reach from electronic city etc.

In midst of all these conversation, we did not realize that the plane did not move, and we were already inside the aircraft from 40 min now with the doors shut. He was getting some calls and checking his email on his smart phone; I respected his privacy and went back to Khaled Hossaini. At times got impatient as we were still not moving and looked at my neighboring seat to find Mr Pai, engrossed in reading some chit chat news from Bollywood to Business.

Finally, the plane moved and it took it another 15 min to take off, and as always I dozed off when the flight hit the runway till it took off leaving behind the dusk on Arabian Sea. We were in the aircraft for 90 min waiting for the ATC clearance in Mumbai.

In less than 90 min we were in Bangalore and the flight was pleasant with the jet hospitality and the captain made up for some lost time and reached Bangalore in less than anticipated flying time. The landing at BIAL was smooth, and it was time to bid good bye to my elite company. We exchanged cards in hope that he remembers me and I have another opportunity to bump again.

The ride from BIAL to home was another 90 min, which I presumed was in good time and less than expectation of traffic problems that has been hyped for Bangalore. But yes the cost of traveling quickly comes at a high cost which actually needs attention.

Finally at around 10pm it was Home Sweet Home, and I rested after long working day, looking forward to the weekend and with passing thought, may be 10 years hence will some one blog about meeting me on a flight?

I hope so!! Amen.