India is a country of over 1.2 billion people and lets face it, its evident all around. We spend most of our adult lives thinking ways to avoid most of those billion people so that we can be on time to school, college or work. If a crowded dance floor thrills you, the same crowd on the streets or shopping malls makes you want to pull your hair out in frustration. Every morning scores of people like you & me head out onto the streets after a hearty breakfast & head to work. Everyone seems to be in a hurry to reach their their destination & somehow almost no one reaches on time. Auto rickshaws are filled with school going children packed like sardines, so much for safety. As I drive towards hospital on the highway I see people brush against my car hanging onto the sidebars on the door of buses. If they get any closer they would be probably riding on my rooftop. The taxis are still around with 3 passengers crammed in the front seat with the driver and God knows how many in the back! The only saving grace (if you can call it that) is that I am not living in a city like Mumbai where everything is three to four times or probably 10 times what I see here. And I don’t need to describe the crowds in trains there, do I? In the words of Barney Stinson….Its Legendary! We Indians are adept at adjusting. We can adjust to almost anything and everything. No power supply, we’ll adjust. No water….No problem, we’ll wake up early and fill the buckets. No room in the bus….No problem, we’ll just “hang around” the window. Body odour and foot stamping are no issues at all!
So when you ask “Why bigger is better?” The answer simply would be BECAUSE THERE ARE SO MANY PEOPLE! And just not enough facilities.
Well… size does matter and hence tongas were replaced by autos rickshaws, auto’s by cars, cars by buses, buses by trains, trains by airplanes. And airplanes…..well for now by even bigger airplanes! Indian air space is studded with both domestic & international flights which have grown exponentially over the past few years. While the focus has been on smaller planes & hence reduced air fares, the quality of service provided is highly questionable and at some point so were the safety norms. At such a time Lufthansa has brought its biggest airplane, the A380 to India. Its great news to both the frequent and not so frequent travelers. Indian flyers are on the rise with businessmen, young professionals & for that matter even families willing to shell out a little extra for a better and safer experience. With growing number of air travelers (with of course our PM leading the way) bigger indeed is better.
Now when we buy a phone, the first thing we do is look up the specifications. I am no expert on planes but the A380 seems like a monster compared to the rest. Add to that it has the Indian delight of being a double decker(I loved double decker buses, don’t know about you!) its like the icing on the cake. Here is an in depth look at the specifications of the A380 thanks to www.airbus.com
Its one thing being big. but its a whole other thing being worth it. That’s where Lufthansa’s A380 stands out. With the double deck being divided into the Business & Economy class, it has something for everyone. I got to know about exactly what they provide through www.seatguru.com which I have posted below.
But with great power comes great responsibility. While it is exciting times for Indian aviation, it should also be equipped to handle such big planes. Such a statement might be laughable to some, but has great significance from where I come. A few years back there was an air crash in our airport, the investigation of which revealed that the airstrip was too narrow and dangerous to airplanes. The fact that the realisation came after such a tragedy is a tragedy in itself. That has long been rectified now with a new International airport. A lesson learnt. So let this always be a reminder before such a venture.
All in all this is fantastic news for Indian air travelers. And a much needed one. Or else a day is not far when people will be jostling for space even in an airplane.
Author’s Note: This post is for Lufthansa’s WHY BIGGER IS BETTER FOR INDIAN AVIATION contest hosted by Indiblogger.in
For a virtual tour of the Lufthansa A380 visit their website here – The Lufthansa India Website
The Time Lapse video : https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=1010481858977855&set=vb.139211742771542&type=2&theater
Read more posts with the hashtag – #LufthansaA380
