Sunday, February 20, 2011

Airport

I wonder why people get upset and rave and rant when a train or plane gets delayed. (if you have a connecting flight then I can understand the anxiety)

Or else a railway station or an airport is a nice place to observe people, their movement and their mannerisms.
Just look around you and you can see a sea of faces. Each one in their own world.
If you can ignore the most common irritant factor (the cell phone) then its an art to observe people.

I traveled from Mumbai Airport to Cochin recently and found it rather interesting. This young man looks oblivious to all that’s happening around him, thanks to the music that he is enjoying.


Then here is this guy who kept checking this monitor every five minutes, must be desperate for some information. Could he be a scientist? But we cannot classify people from their hairstyle, can we?



Meanwhile here was this staff being super efficient (as is required at a bustling place like this)





It is interesting to see how people approach the body search platform. Some step on to the platform with the attitude of “why the hell do they want to search me”






Gone are the days when the pilot could walk in through a private door, run across the tarmac, hop up the steps, jump into his cockpit seat and start fiddling with all the switches and knobs (Frank Sinatra style) Now they too have to go through the routine, like a regular passenger (and their bags too get scanned)



Kids are a different story. They are amused by the whole episode (and the guy who inspects them try to put them at ease by talking to them in a friendly way)

Once in the aircraft, people get restless and is almost on the verge of asking “why are we not taking off?”

They don’t realize that once we were "pushed back" we were taxied to the take off side lane, waiting for that Indian Airlines (Express) plane to land.

Once that has landed, there is another Indigo aircraft waiting in line to take off .


It is only then that your pilot takes you to the start point of the take off tarmac.

It is no mean feat that a flight takes off (or lands) every 3.5 minutes at the Mumbai airport (I timed it) You should be thankful to the guys at the control tower for managing it so well. I mean reading Arthur Hailey’s “Airport” is one thing and to see it being actually carried out without a flaw is another thing.

It is amusing to see the airhostess going through the motion of showing you how to inflate a rubber dinghy or operate the oxygen mask. Can’t blame them as they have to repeat the same drill on every flight (as it is mandatory as per the safety rules)

Take off is one thing which brings different expressions on the passengers. Some cling on to the hand rest with eyes closed and a short prayer on their lips, while others just relax and take out their reading material and start reading.


Once you are airborne people relax and either settle down to have a nice snooze or catch up with their reading…….




while the staff go about their usual work of distributing food…..(I found the staff quite efficient)



As for me, I prefer looking out of the window to catch up with some wonderful scenes and wonder if the Wright brothers got to see the same things that I see today from high up above……..



 

38 comments:

Tomz said...

nice idea..taking snaps f people and posting on ur blog..i too want to do the same way..but will it make problem if any of them sue u over unauthorized use of photographs taken in public places without the consent of the people?

anne said...

A lot of people, a chance to see around the world. Thanks for the visit.

Rama Ananth said...

This was too good. Even I don't understand why people make so much fuss about waiting, yes sometimes it do gets irritating if the delay keeps happening.
Like you i have spent hours just people watching, watching elderly couple open their food packet brought from home, and the way they polish it off, then some pretty lady talking on a cell phone, Oh God there are so many things to watch, instead I see people like my husband go off to sit where there is TV, and keep watching the same news or sports. I really feel they are missing out on so many things, even if they are not delayed.
It is cool of you to take so many pictures. That fellow glued to the monitor looks like some arty pharty fellow, maybe he is going to some art festival. Why is the person listening to the music looks so disturbed.
Well I for one get my ideas from just people watching.
Even I am going to catch people in their activities in my camera.
You have really written well.

Neha said...

I love the way you observe people so well!! And your descriptions are superb! I too love waiting on a railway platform or airport. For that matter, even walking through a busy market street and observing people is real fun. Sometimes I catch myself smiling or even laughing!

Seepz said...

I love this post! Its my favorite activity at airports - to observe people. You always find interesting ones around! :)

Jeannette said...

Hi there...waiting is a fascinating topic...it seems one must either have a sense of inner peace or highly developed self restraint to wait without looking bothered. Here is a you tube video that you might truly enjoy...it is about waiting and people watching with a heart for others. best wishes! If you can't see the link, you could search for "get service" on you tube.

Unknown said...

I absolutely loved this post. I second Seashell here. I would also like to spare a thought for those faceless officials in the ATC tower for their contribution to ensure flights take off and land safely in Mumbai airport. It is definitely a tough airport to manage.

Charie C. said...

Hi!
thanks for passing by at my blog.I love your photos and seems you enjoyed your trip same as I.
Nick Vujicic really inspire me alot,hope you too!
take care.

Christine H. said...

I don't mind delays so much as long as I'm not stuck on the plane. I was on one of those once for many hours on the tarmac and it was awful. Many people do have connecting flights or other plans...a meeting, a wedding, a cruise etc. that can be messed up by delays, so I understand the frustration, but often there's nothing you can do anyway.

CAntony said...

Very well written, as usual. I used to work at the airport and would spend hours observing people in the same manner.

Genie -- Paris and Beyond said...

I travel almost every week and sometimes have to remind myself that I will eventually get to where I am going... I tell myself, "any day that you get to your destination in the same day in which you expected.... is a GOOD day" Then you are never disappointed... Manage your expectations and life is much more relaxed.

Nice post, observations and photos...
Genie

hamaarethoughts.com said...

very nice click...all different people and professions...specially the man who was looking or waiting for some information..different moods and people!

Unknown said...

Nice pictures and observations. When we travel, we see many things and situations - our world becomes bigger.

Connie said...

Great post, Joe! I like the way you told a story through the pictures. Very interesting.

carinamodella said...

very nice story and pictures of the people around you during your travel.

Indrani said...

You spent your time well at the airport. :)

Purba said...

Observing people is good fun, each one has a prospective story.

I liked how you narrated yours with pictures.

S. Susan Deborah said...

Another delightful offering.
How much ever I enjoy people watching, I do get a wee annoyed when the flight/train is late. First, our mind is prepared to leave a particular place by a time. When that does not happen, there is a slight shift in the set pattern of the mind. This agitates me. Second, the efficiency of the system gets on my nerves. When there such changes happening within, one finds it difficult to people watch. I can do people watching effortlessly when everything goes on well. Time for me is important, irrespective of whether I have a connecting flight or not.

Nevertheless, through your eyes, we were treated to watching some amusing scenes on and off the flight.

Joy always,
Susan

deep said...

very interestingly observant!!
i really like the way you capture the simple and mundane details of life and still keep the reader absorbed..

sm said...

great shots
seems you enjoyed them while taking shots

Pinku said...

nice shots, nice observations....

and reading people whether with a camera or without is a hobby of mine too.

Thanks for visiting my blog :)

Madhu said...

My hubby is into Aviation's and so I have some nice time pass whenever our flight get delayed. He explains me everything about a plane (which I forget as soon as I hear it) and thus we make some good timepass.

kiran sawhney said...

what an interesting post and observation. Great pictures saying many things.

Sara Louise said...

As long as I have money in my pocket and am not missing a connecting flight I can happily spend an entire day hanging out in an airport, people watching and browsing around duty free. Always interesting things to see

Shadow said...

aaaah, a fellow people-watcher, nice observations and pictures!

steveroni said...

Hey, Shadow, Susan D and sm are here also? Thanks for visiting my blog, Haddock. I'm glad to have come here--loving airplanes. Love to FLY, WATCH, to see PICTURES, even love waiting for my boarding. And your commentary is even better than all that--well, except for actually FLYING!

And no, I never people-watch...pardon me? What were you saying! Sorry, I got distracted, ya see, there was this gir....

PEACE

Betsy Banks Adams said...

Hi There, I like the window seat also --so that I can look out... Airlines in our country are just HORRIBLE these days (lost luggage, costs are too much, delayed or cancelled flights, etc. etc. etc.).... I do most anything I can NOT to fly anywhere.

Have a great remainder of the week.
Betsy

magiceye said...

that was lovely!!

Anuradha Shankar said...

Definitely a great way to pass the time while waiting for a flight... or even a train for that matter... the only thing is that I wonder what the people i am clicking will think :)

sanju said...

this was fun,people watching generally is for me..lovely pics ..the headphone guy with some kind of bird expression.. einstein was a great click..im sure he'd buy that pic frm you..the kid being frisked was really having a ball..loved the oldies settled n reading ..the sunset was a super finale.

Bikram said...

hmmm I love to travel so much.. and I have made some very interesting friends on m travles i guess i TALK tooo much :)

taking pics i would not be ableot do that here they will object to me taking pics :)

Bikram's

Meera Sundararajan said...

Really nice..! I am a first time visitor to this blog. The point is that we are so self absorbed that we fail to notice things around us. So life just passes us by. A journey is a wonderful opportunity to see life as it is .

Deidre said...

I've never understood why people are so upset by a delayed flight either. I mean it's better than having technical difficulties in the air (if that's the problem with the plane)...

I loved the little snap shots into passengers!

kimbirdy said...

i love watching people at airports. you also get to see interesting people from all over the world, and i love to think about where they are from, where they are going, and who they are. so fascinating!

S. Susan Deborah said...

Hey Steve:

Glad to see you here. We are everywhere on Blogosphere. Wow!

Joy always,
Susan

sangeeta said...

liked the golden horizon shot...i have tried taking this shot a few times too and i love being in the plane at the sunset or sunrise time , specially taking off or landing ...when we can see an endless golden horizon...

Anonymous said...

Hi

Nice post

Last photos is great

thanks for sharing

Anonymous said...

Hello Joe..
Why don't you visit the U.states.U will be able to write a big PicNovel. I wish seerding it.

We Invite you . By the way do they still serve food in the bomb-coke flight?

I love your blog
kunjjachan