Lead, kindly flight.

How quick we are to disparage AirIndia. Does anyone realise that the airline also has a vast global crew of competent, professional, trustworthy professionals who would do any global airline proud? They work in silence, keep the airline in the air. Do we know Air India flight and engineering crew are also acknowledged to be world-class?

Has anyone noticed that the airline is really shaping up? I flew AirIndia a few weeks ago and was impressed with its punctuality, service and general competence. The food, vegetarian, was perfectly decent and even for a determined non-vegetarian, tasty and refreshing.

A friend flew in from New York two months ago, and flew the airline back. Both ways, he was adamant in saying, it was a perfectly decent experience. He was quick to add he would gladly fly the airline again. I concur.

There is the random occasion when something goes wrong and it is covered breathlessly by media. Thousands of flights go right and while that is not newsworthy, it is not to be disdained either.

Thank You, AirIndia, for getting it right so many times.

If that friend is God, you’re set for eternity.

Soup …. in a.

Outside food in cinemas. Know your rights. And fight for them.

From: Parvez Damania <parvezdamania>

Date: Sun, 12 Aug 2018, 8:35 am
Subject: Outside food in cinemas.
To: <Chaitanya.Marpakwar>
Cc: <mirrorfeedback>

Dear Chaitanya,

I have been following the story you are doing with ref to "Outside food in Cinemas". Excellent work.

Last evening I went with my wife and her sister to Inox Laserplex CR2, Nariman Point for the 5.15 pm Mama Mia ! Here we go again, show. I deliberately carried 2 packets of Bingo Potato Chips bought for Rs. 10 from outside.

I was stopped at the security at 5.10 pm and told that I could not carry the Chips inside, as I was not permitted to. I requested them to say it on my cell phone camera which they avoided. Still I tried to record whatever I could. A security officer called Mr. Shubham said I needed to speak to the manager. As the movie had already started I left the chips with the security and went in.

In the interval I rushed back to Mr. Shubham and told him I wanted to see the manager. Mr. Shubham made me meet Guest Relation Manager Ms. Mishkat. I was very calm and told her that you were violating my rights and according to Section 121 of the Mahrashtra Cinema Rules 1966 there was no prohibition on taking food in multiplexes. I also informed her that I would send her company a legal notice first thing on Monday morning.

The 2 bags of Bingo Chips were promptly returned to me which I took in the Movie Hall Screen 4 and ate the same. The Bingo Chips never tasted this good.

I took a picture of the packet of Chips in the Movie Hall.

Since you are following up on this story I wanted to share it with you.

Advocte Aditya Pratap is doing an excellent job of fighting on this issue in the Bombay High Court.

If you wish to speak to me please feel free to call me anytime.

Warm regards,

Parvez Damania
9820212345

Fresh ho jao.

That’s not what it means.

This piece came by WhatsApp, that great global distributor of important news and nonsense masquerading as important news. But as much as it might elicit a chuckle, it makes for a worthy piece of hilarious consideration. The literal meaning of local puns is worth a moment of consideration because it makes perfect sense to the locals and no sense at all when translated.
One tiny example:
Daal mein khuch kaala hai. Translation: There is some black in the pulses.
You’d have to explain to someone that this is the idiom for saying: something is amiss, or this looks suspicious. But then you would have to be a resident of a country that eats daal to know that when the daal is made, there is no business for a black spot of anything to appear. A cook would immediately fish the offending bit out and examine it closely. The entire bowl of daal would be summarily trashed if the intruder (so to speak) was an insect.

Do you have any such delightful mis-interpretations of idioms? Please share.

Craning our heads at work.

Keep your lips sealed.

It’s paid for.

Blood Moon.