Business class!!!! yeeeeeeah,...
My joy had no bounds when I knew that I`d be travelling in Business class soon... thanks to my old pal Mr Deepak, next to the top guns at Etihad who made it happen!
Rushed to Melbourne airport directly from work, with my formal suits on, as the airline mandates business attire to travel on a standby staff ticket in Business.
Business Attire! Though it is in Australia, it isn't common back then at my work to wear a suit unless you appear for a job interview or a conference with a client! In a normal day, its usual for colleagues to ask "Hey how was the interview? ", and I had to face all of them as I dressed up in the morning , to be able to go to the airport straight after work.
Melbourne to Abu Dhabi. 13 hours. Again Abu Dhabi to Kochi. 4 hours - All in Business! Wow!
The Wow didn't last long! I went to the special check-in counter at Melbourne for Business passengers, just to know that I have to wait for another two hours. As it was a staff ticket, if the flight is booked out, I'll be kicked out as well and have to return next day! I sat near the check-in counter with a large group of hippie travelers heading off to Bali to drink and make merry, and some of them had a puzzled look at me on business attire! I picked a Dan brown novel Inferno from my bag, to escape from the embarrassment!!!
Inferno was an amazing read, the hero travelled from US to Florence and Amsterdam, but I was still in the airport waiting to know if I could travel. At last an officer came to me, sir you are lucky, there is one business seat, with an express card that took me to the boarding gate faster! I was relieved, went to the loo and jumped out of joy, to celebrate my excitement! Soon I was accompanied by an airline official all the way to the gate within minutes via secret passages, jumping all immigration queues.
As I boarded the flight, the air hostess escorted me to the seat, offered a drink and magazines to read. I was amazed by the size of in-flight entertainment screen, and the flat bed.
In a few minutes another air hostess came to me and knelt herself down, and I was baffled again thinking what service would that be!
"Sir can I see the menu and order please? "
I told her if I could see the menu first. Its a norm to fill out order card from the menu in advance - She cocked her head and slid her hands into the sleeves in front of my seat to pick up a menu card and asked my preference on the dinner menu!
It had three options, and only one was the vegetarian among them.
"Calamatta olives and rice infused with coconut milk and sauce and garnished with minced Rosemary. "
I would translate it as "Pazhankanji (porridge with rice cooked on the previous day) with some leaves!
After dinner, its time for a dessert! It was an arabian item Um Ali, akin to Carrot halva served with rose milk in a cute little shot glass! It was yummy, and I couldn't resist for another serve, and forgot the main meal fiasco!
A few minutes later the air hostess came to me and offered a set of pyjama and pants. It was weird as I`ve never seen this in any flight, the air hostess would have felt sympathy in seeing me wearing tight suits when it is close to midnight. I accepted it gracefully and went to the toilet to change, and as soon as I stepped out I could see many old uncles and aunties on pyjamas already. The business class for a moment looked like prisoners in a jail, with so many pyjamas sneaking around!
I started exploring the remote control of the seat which reclined forward and backward, and it was incredible to press a button and the base and side fully reclined to a bed!
There was a massage button as well! Will it call the air-hostess? Oh no, don't be over ambitious, I said to myself! It had different options Wave, up and down, left and right and so on, which functions within the seat, it was interesting!
I slept for a while, only to be woken up by the crew. They requested me to change my seat, as another passenger's in flight entertainment was faulty. Since I am a staff traveler, the preference would be given to the comfort of other passengers who paid full fare. I didn't mind, and quickly swapped the seat. The in-flight entertainment over there was working perfectly, I guess that passenger would have been smashed by the holy spirits served in the last few hours! I had a sound sleep, at end of a long day!
Its morning - I sensed it with the aroma of espresso served in the next seat. I ordered one too, which was served along with a chocolate. The breakfast came along, and the presentation of the food and the service was just awesome, and will tempt you to travel again.
In a short while after the breakfast, the captain announced "We are about to descend towards landing in Abu Dhabi", and the flight landed at 7 am.
My next flight was after 6 hours, so I went out of the airport to Abu Dhabi city and met my friend Deepak after many years - I still remember the cricket we played together as kids. He gave a running commentary of the landmarks of Abu Dhabi, and its opulence!
It was a hot day, and the best way to explore Abu Dhabi is to head off to different eateries!
Brekky at Saravana Bhavan, lunch at Yas mall, and he dropped me at the airport to depart to Kochi!
Seats are full to Kochi!
The only way - Kozhikode instead! Within minutes, Deepak organised my change of destination to Kozhikode instead of Kochi - Deepak, you are a champ!
I dreamed of a Mammookka or Sreenivasan in the Kozhikode Business sitting next to me, but it was a Kadhar ikka from Narikkuni.
He asked, Ingalu koikodaa? (Are you from Kozhikode?) We had a very interesting conversation throughout the trip, as both of us had lived in the city for some time, and relished our nostalgic moments. People from Malabar regions of the state are well known for their hospitality and innocence, the short local trips in and around Kozhikode to attend friends' weddings during college days were fun-filled, and I didn't have enough tummy back then to consume all delicacies served by the hosts!
A mint-lime juice and the flavour of fresh Biryani made me feel that I am at Kozhikode already!!
The airport staff were very friendly, and I exited the immigration minutes after the arrival, without standing in any queues. Sometimes the
As soon as I got out, I saw Payu aka Fayas Abdulla, my roomie during college days, as he was waiting for his bro in the same flight - What a surprise to meet him after years, unexpectedly!
Reached Palakkad safely early in the morning after a couple of hours of taxi ride - Had I gone to kochi, I would have gone to my wifey Chitra's place - instead I rocked up at my own home in the morning in business suit, which took the whole family to a surprise!
Business class is one time worth experiencing, it is fun !
My joy had no bounds when I knew that I`d be travelling in Business class soon... thanks to my old pal Mr Deepak, next to the top guns at Etihad who made it happen!
Rushed to Melbourne airport directly from work, with my formal suits on, as the airline mandates business attire to travel on a standby staff ticket in Business.
Business Attire! Though it is in Australia, it isn't common back then at my work to wear a suit unless you appear for a job interview or a conference with a client! In a normal day, its usual for colleagues to ask "Hey how was the interview? ", and I had to face all of them as I dressed up in the morning , to be able to go to the airport straight after work.
Melbourne to Abu Dhabi. 13 hours. Again Abu Dhabi to Kochi. 4 hours - All in Business! Wow!
The Wow didn't last long! I went to the special check-in counter at Melbourne for Business passengers, just to know that I have to wait for another two hours. As it was a staff ticket, if the flight is booked out, I'll be kicked out as well and have to return next day! I sat near the check-in counter with a large group of hippie travelers heading off to Bali to drink and make merry, and some of them had a puzzled look at me on business attire! I picked a Dan brown novel Inferno from my bag, to escape from the embarrassment!!!
Inferno was an amazing read, the hero travelled from US to Florence and Amsterdam, but I was still in the airport waiting to know if I could travel. At last an officer came to me, sir you are lucky, there is one business seat, with an express card that took me to the boarding gate faster! I was relieved, went to the loo and jumped out of joy, to celebrate my excitement! Soon I was accompanied by an airline official all the way to the gate within minutes via secret passages, jumping all immigration queues.
As I boarded the flight, the air hostess escorted me to the seat, offered a drink and magazines to read. I was amazed by the size of in-flight entertainment screen, and the flat bed.
In a few minutes another air hostess came to me and knelt herself down, and I was baffled again thinking what service would that be!
"Sir can I see the menu and order please? "
I told her if I could see the menu first. Its a norm to fill out order card from the menu in advance - She cocked her head and slid her hands into the sleeves in front of my seat to pick up a menu card and asked my preference on the dinner menu!
It had three options, and only one was the vegetarian among them.
"Calamatta olives and rice infused with coconut milk and sauce and garnished with minced Rosemary. "
I would translate it as "Pazhankanji (porridge with rice cooked on the previous day) with some leaves!
After dinner, its time for a dessert! It was an arabian item Um Ali, akin to Carrot halva served with rose milk in a cute little shot glass! It was yummy, and I couldn't resist for another serve, and forgot the main meal fiasco!
A few minutes later the air hostess came to me and offered a set of pyjama and pants. It was weird as I`ve never seen this in any flight, the air hostess would have felt sympathy in seeing me wearing tight suits when it is close to midnight. I accepted it gracefully and went to the toilet to change, and as soon as I stepped out I could see many old uncles and aunties on pyjamas already. The business class for a moment looked like prisoners in a jail, with so many pyjamas sneaking around!
I started exploring the remote control of the seat which reclined forward and backward, and it was incredible to press a button and the base and side fully reclined to a bed!
There was a massage button as well! Will it call the air-hostess? Oh no, don't be over ambitious, I said to myself! It had different options Wave, up and down, left and right and so on, which functions within the seat, it was interesting!
I slept for a while, only to be woken up by the crew. They requested me to change my seat, as another passenger's in flight entertainment was faulty. Since I am a staff traveler, the preference would be given to the comfort of other passengers who paid full fare. I didn't mind, and quickly swapped the seat. The in-flight entertainment over there was working perfectly, I guess that passenger would have been smashed by the holy spirits served in the last few hours! I had a sound sleep, at end of a long day!
Its morning - I sensed it with the aroma of espresso served in the next seat. I ordered one too, which was served along with a chocolate. The breakfast came along, and the presentation of the food and the service was just awesome, and will tempt you to travel again.
In a short while after the breakfast, the captain announced "We are about to descend towards landing in Abu Dhabi", and the flight landed at 7 am.
My next flight was after 6 hours, so I went out of the airport to Abu Dhabi city and met my friend Deepak after many years - I still remember the cricket we played together as kids. He gave a running commentary of the landmarks of Abu Dhabi, and its opulence!
It was a hot day, and the best way to explore Abu Dhabi is to head off to different eateries!
Brekky at Saravana Bhavan, lunch at Yas mall, and he dropped me at the airport to depart to Kochi!
Seats are full to Kochi!
The only way - Kozhikode instead! Within minutes, Deepak organised my change of destination to Kozhikode instead of Kochi - Deepak, you are a champ!
I dreamed of a Mammookka or Sreenivasan in the Kozhikode Business sitting next to me, but it was a Kadhar ikka from Narikkuni.
He asked, Ingalu koikodaa? (Are you from Kozhikode?) We had a very interesting conversation throughout the trip, as both of us had lived in the city for some time, and relished our nostalgic moments. People from Malabar regions of the state are well known for their hospitality and innocence, the short local trips in and around Kozhikode to attend friends' weddings during college days were fun-filled, and I didn't have enough tummy back then to consume all delicacies served by the hosts!
A mint-lime juice and the flavour of fresh Biryani made me feel that I am at Kozhikode already!!
The airport staff were very friendly, and I exited the immigration minutes after the arrival, without standing in any queues. Sometimes the
As soon as I got out, I saw Payu aka Fayas Abdulla, my roomie during college days, as he was waiting for his bro in the same flight - What a surprise to meet him after years, unexpectedly!
Reached Palakkad safely early in the morning after a couple of hours of taxi ride - Had I gone to kochi, I would have gone to my wifey Chitra's place - instead I rocked up at my own home in the morning in business suit, which took the whole family to a surprise!
Business class is one time worth experiencing, it is fun !
