Stand, Fly and Parachute

New Delhi: June 6, 2008: 1000hrs
I once traveled STANDING in an aircraft. The experience convinced me that “airbuses” for poor people were definitely in the realm of the possible.

My story dates back to 1985. I boarded an air force cargo plane in Chandigarh – and was asked to stand in the cargo hold, holding on to whatever ropes I could find. The plane took off and headed for Leh.

When it landed, the same experience repeated itself: I was standing in the hold, holding on to some ropes.

This singular experience convinced me that air travel for poor people who do not mind standing during the flight is eminently possible.

What with some parachute training, flights could take off from some fields in Bihar-UP and the passengers could parachute themselves down to Mumbai or Delhi, where landing would be unaffordable to the really poor.

How would Raj Thackeray react to bhaiyyas parachuting into Mumbai en masse?

Dunno ‘bout that!