Aye retired from Air India on 31 Oct 2008 after 35 years and 9 months of service.
My last posting was in Mumbai as Executive Director Cargo
I joined Air India in Delhi in 1973 and travelled all over the world with AI both for business and pleasure
Out of a total of 35 years of service I spent 12 years abroad in various stints at Muscat (Oman),Durban(South Africa),London (UK)and New York (USA),Paris(France)
In addition I spent time in Mumbai and Bengaluru On the domestic front.
With this brief background....on with the start of my journey in Air India
My first memory of Air Travel dates back to mid fifties
when my father,a government contractor had taken up construction assignments in Agartala
We used to study in Delhi and visit him during our summer holiday
In those days the quickest way to get to Agartala was by train from Delhi to Calcutta(Now Kolkatta) and then fly from there to Agartala by Indian Airlines in a Dakota aircraft over Now Bangla Desh (earlier East Pakistan)
We used to stay overnight at the Railway Station in Kolkatta before taking the early morning flight to Agartala
The evening in Kolkatta used to for be spent Shopping in the new Market,stick jaws at Firpos n shoes from JennKi...a Chinese shop.
Little did I know that I will join the airline industry and be a part of the Indian Aviation for over 35 years..More of that later
