Shoptalk

With the state-owned airlines close to sell-off, wonder if the private ones too are going the sarkari way? A Delhi professional discovered this while travelling to Pune. Since the Pune flights on all three domestic airways operate within an hour’s timeband and seats are easy, most regular travellers keep options open and carry coupons for more than one. At Delhi airport, he went to an empty Sahara counter to check in, only to be told that it was business class and he’d have to shift to the next with a fairly large queue. When he told her that if she minded checking in an economy class passenger so much, he’d probably be better off checking in at the empty Jet counter. The lady agreed that yes, he should exercise his choice. Stupefied that such a comment should come from a private operator now on an overdrive to woo passengers, the man shifted to Jet. Rueing that even Indian Airlines 10 years ago would not have let go of business quite like this!