Flying to Mumbai? Go strictly veg
Racial discrimination has touched the Indian skies too, albeit with a difference.
By Manju V, TNN |
MUMBAI: Racial discrimination has touched the Indian skies too, albeit with a difference. On Jet Airways flights from Mumbai to Gujarat, non-vegetarian food—which the airline calls an ‘upgraded’ meal is served only to the white-skinned. If you are an Indian and have opted for a non-vegetarian meal, you either have to argue with the cabin crew and hope that you get lucky or make do with the vegetarian fare.
Frequent flyers say it has now become a regular feature on Jet Airways flights from Mumbai to Rajkot, Bhuj and Ahmedabad. “Once inside, they tell you that this is a ‘vegetarian flight’ and they do not serve non-vegetarian food on board,’’ says Dr Harish Shetty, a frequent flier.
But this is not revealed while booking tickets, when meal preferences are taken down. However, what has angered frequent fliers is that non-vegetarian meals are served to foreigners. Details were available of the October 8 Rajkot-Mumbai flight and October 31 Bhuj-Mumbai flight.
“On the Rajkot flight, a group of foreigners were served non-vegetarian food, as if it was a routine thing,’’ Shetty says, adding that after he argued with a crew member, he was reluctantly given mutton curry. On the Bhuj flight, the same thing happened. Only this time, the crew was bold enough to refuse him non-vegetarian food, while his co-passenger , a foreigner, was served.
“Again after arguments, a crew member came and said that my meal had been ‘upgraded’ and I was served mutton curry. They made it sound like a privilege. I had to tell them that I had a right to this food as I had specifically chosen the non-vegetarian option while booking the ticket,’’ he says.
“On the Ahmedabad-Bhuj flight, the Jet crew told me that only vegetarian food was available,’’ says Dr Y Machiswala. He makes it a point to ask for non-vegetarian meals during ticket booking. “Last month, on a Saturday flight, only foreigners were served non-vegetarian food.’’
Frequent flyers say it has now become a regular feature on Jet Airways flights from Mumbai to Rajkot, Bhuj and Ahmedabad. “Once inside, they tell you that this is a ‘vegetarian flight’ and they do not serve non-vegetarian food on board,’’ says Dr Harish Shetty, a frequent flier.
But this is not revealed while booking tickets, when meal preferences are taken down. However, what has angered frequent fliers is that non-vegetarian meals are served to foreigners. Details were available of the October 8 Rajkot-Mumbai flight and October 31 Bhuj-Mumbai flight.
“On the Rajkot flight, a group of foreigners were served non-vegetarian food, as if it was a routine thing,’’ Shetty says, adding that after he argued with a crew member, he was reluctantly given mutton curry. On the Bhuj flight, the same thing happened. Only this time, the crew was bold enough to refuse him non-vegetarian food, while his co-passenger , a foreigner, was served.
“Again after arguments, a crew member came and said that my meal had been ‘upgraded’ and I was served mutton curry. They made it sound like a privilege. I had to tell them that I had a right to this food as I had specifically chosen the non-vegetarian option while booking the ticket,’’ he says.
“On the Ahmedabad-Bhuj flight, the Jet crew told me that only vegetarian food was available,’’ says Dr Y Machiswala. He makes it a point to ask for non-vegetarian meals during ticket booking. “Last month, on a Saturday flight, only foreigners were served non-vegetarian food.’’
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