Baggage Woes!

All of you have been privy to my battle of the bulge. Some friends have also been my companions on the long, arduous journey I have undertaken over the past few months during which I have not fared too badly. The amount of weight I shed is almost 1.5 times the normal cabin luggage allowance on most airlines.

Now I have always maintained that airlines should weigh owner and baggage together, thus pitching in to promote healthy living. Going by that logic I should be getting a much better baggage allowance when travelling by air.

Well, where did airlines and baggage suddenly put in a guest appearance into my train of thought? Not an unreasonable question on your part, I would say. It is like this. I have of late been badly bitten by the travel bug. I was not born with any natural immunity to this disease. If I do not travel much, it is only because I have been on strong "circumstantial antibiotics" down the years which have kept the disease under check. Now that I am off those antibiotics, the immunity is also a matter of the past.

I have a long list of places to visit and friends to meet. Always better to begin small, or so I have been lead to believe. Going by that logic, the best place to visit - the nearest - with the maximum number of friends on the "to meet" list is Chennai.

So it was that I was just checking out some air fares to various destinations this evening and chanced upon some phenomenally low fares being offered by a certain airline from Bangalore to Chennai and back. One way fare is around Rs. 635. Now that is simply unheard of. Of course there is a catch. On going through the terms and conditions, it turned out that there is no scope to change the date or time of the flight. No premium meals served, it says, which I take to mean that they will rip the passengers off for every cup of coffee (s)he drinks. Good idea actually. That will keep passengers off eating or drinking anything unnecessary, thus keeping their weight in check. So the airline has done its bit in the interests of public health by taking care of passengers' weight. They have also ensured that they need not get aircrafts to lift unnecessary amounts of food or drink which means a lot of fuel will be saved and so, in turn, will our ecology . What would we all do without airlines, I ask you!

The next issue, talking of weight is the baggage allowance. BAGGAGE ALLOWANCE - "-" it said. Which means I either carry no baggage - no, no clothes, no toothbrush, no toothpaste, no soap ..... nothing. Or I pay a whopping sum for every kilo of stuff I carry with me. I can't bring you any goodies from here, nor can I bring you any of that homemade ghee. (No, I am not being miserly, it is the fault of the airlines). Now what about that 1.5 X cabin luggage allowance that I have shed? Does this not amount to cheating? I have absolutely no intentions of paying the airlines for weight I have shed off my person and decided to carry in a box in my hand.

Now, you, my friends have a decision to make. No worries! I won't take offence if you decide against meeting me. Let me tell you why. Given the above state of affairs, I can arrive there in just the clothes I am wearing. No baggage, you see! So, I would have to borrow your clothes, your soap and more. Now the kinder ones amongst you would either lend me all the stuff or would switch on your exhaust fans the moment I enter the vicinity of your area. The less tolerant ones would have the option of driving over to the airport to say "hi, bye" and packing me off on the return flight the same day. Rest assured, I shall not hold that against you. It is the airline's fault after all!

 

Profitable for whom kishore??? thinkingsmiley

 

Haha Bhavna, never invite trouble. But now you have, rest assured, BIG TIME TROUBLE will be at your doorstep before you have the opportunity to say "Jack Robinson"! :-D

 

Navs, I could buy all that new stuff and discard it at the airport or leave additional clutter in your homes when leaving. I can't carry it back, you see?

 

Will certainly plan a trip sooner than later Sister Saisakthi. Airlines or no airlines. :-D