Racial discrimination in Indian skies by the airline tied to terror...

[The same Jet Airways has been tied to Pakistan-based terrorists and
denied permission to land in the US. Indian law enforcement is weak
when it comes to "minority" interests, but let's make sure the ban
stays in the USA.

Of course these jerks should stop flying Jet Airways and file a few
lawsuits as well. -A]

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/426481.cms

TIMES NEWS NETWORK[ MONDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2006 03:30:08 PM]

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 Œupgraded¹ 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. ³Once inside, they
tell you that this is a Œvegetarian flight¹ and they do not serve
non-vegetarian food on board,¹¹ 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.

³On the Rajkot flight, a group of foreigners were served non-vegetarian
food, as if it was a routine thing,¹¹ 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.

³Again after arguments, a crew member came and said that my meal had
been Œupgraded¹ 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,¹¹ he says.

³On the Ahmedabad-Bhuj flight, the Jet crew told me that only
vegetarian food was available,¹¹ says Dr Y Machiswala. He makes it a
point to ask for non-vegetarian meals during ticket booking. ³Last
month, on a Saturday flight, only foreigners were served non-vegetarian
food.¹¹

===

"Ajanta" wrote in message
...
MUMBAI: Racial discrimination has touched the Indian skies too, albeit
with a difference. On Jet Airways flights from Mumbai to Gujarat,
non-vegetarian food 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.

Even if the vegetarian fare looks better, I tend to ask for non-veg so I
don't make a vegetarian miss out. I don't think that makes me racist ... I
hope. It seems like an Indian media blow-up to me.

Cheers,

George W Russell
Bangalore
(non-veg, non-Indian)

grusl wrote:

Even if the vegetarian fare looks better, I tend to ask for non-veg so I
don't make a vegetarian miss out...

Well, looks like they have plenty of veg food on board; it's non-veg
that's in short supply. Presumably because it is a tad more expensive.

I remember, AA once eliminated the lone olive from its salads; there
was also a complaint from a 1st class passenger that crew were
enforcing a one peanut bag per person policy (Of course, zero bags in
economy).

I don't think that makes me racist ... I hope.

Of course not, the complaint is against the staff. You are not the one
deciding who should be accommodated and who denied.

It seems like an Indian media blow-up to me.

Could be, but if you are white and get treated better than non-whites,
you may never know. After all, if I ask for a glass of juice and get
one, I am happy. I drink it and get back to sleeping or reading. I
don't inquire if everyone who asked for juice also got it, or if people
who looked or dressed certain way were denied etc.

grusl wrote:
"Ajanta" wrote in message
...
MUMBAI: Racial discrimination has touched the Indian skies too, albeit
with a difference. On Jet Airways flights from Mumbai to Gujarat,
non-vegetarian food 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.

Even if the vegetarian fare looks better, I tend to ask for non-veg so I
don't make a vegetarian miss out. I don't think that makes me racist ... I
hope. It seems like an Indian media blow-up to me.


To put this into context, remember that Jet charges far higher fares to
foreigners than it does to Indians. That, I suggest, is the real
racism (except that Indians who reside outside India also get charged
the higher fares). Anyway, it is only fair (and good business
practice) that the people who have paid more (a lot more) get better
treatment. An even better practice would be to call these 'foreigner'
tickets something like first class, and allow all passengers to decide
what level of price and service they would prefer.

It is true that the JET AIRWAYS and other airlines in India charge
higher prices for tickets (domestic flights only) purchased by
foreigners ( i.e. foreign nationals and NRIs). This practice has been
questioned, and at times considered unfair or discriminatory. At its
face it is unusual. But the fact is that foreigners and NRIs have much
higher paying capacity, and since they do not pay any local or national
taxes it is not unreasonable to charge higher rates or fees for certain
places or for certain types of travel. Taxi fares in all cities are the
same for locals and for foreigners. Similar differential rates are
also charged at some of the hotels. Is it racial discrimination? I do
not think so. In USA for example, many colleges and universities charge
tuition fees that are different for in-state students than they charge
for the out-of-state students. Sometimes the difference in tuition rate
is very substantial. Is some universities, foreign students are charged
out-of-state tuition tuition. In countries like France fees for non
citizens (tourists) are higher at certain museums and similar places.
It all depends on who is asking and who is paying. Another example. In
one of the largest and internationally known hospital a US, citizen with
insurance are charged $60,000 for cardiac bypass surgery, while the same
hospital charges around $15,000 (CASH) for the same surgery for a
foreign patient without insurance. But the foreign patient might have
to wait for a day or two. No reason to complain. Inequality is
everywhere. Just live with it or do not travel to India.
..............................BND

wrote:

: To put this into context, remember that Jet charges far higher fares to
: foreigners than it does to Indians. That, I suggest, is the real
: racism (except that Indians who reside outside India also get charged
: the higher fares).

I don't agree with nationality based charges and am glad the government
has decided to get rid of them--don't know when that goes into effect.
People sitting in the same class should get the same service.

: Anyway, it is only fair (and good business practice) that the people who
: have paid more (a lot more) get better treatment...

Only when you buy a higher class. On most flights all over the world,
different passengers sitting in the same class have paid different
fares, but get the same service.

On Thu, 16 Nov 2006 04:40:06 GMT, Ajanta wrote:

: Anyway, it is only fair (and good business practice) that the people who
: have paid more (a lot more) get better treatment...

Only when you buy a higher class. On most flights all over the world,
different passengers sitting in the same class have paid different
fares, but get the same service.

But those people who paid higher prices for the same class only did so
because they needed more flexibility in their itinerary. They probably
needed to book their ticket at the last minute, or needed the ability
to change their flight dates, or even get a refund on the entire
ticket. If they didn't need those benefits they could have bought the
cheaper tickets that the other passengers did.

Chris

Chris Blunt wrote:

But those people who paid higher prices for the same class only did so
because they needed more flexibility in their itinerary. They probably
needed to book their ticket at the last minute, or needed the ability
to change their flight dates, or even get a refund on the entire
ticket. If they didn't need those benefits they could have bought the
cheaper tickets that the other passengers did.

Considering all the confusing jitter in airfares, variety of outlets
through which the tickets are sold, and with so many people making so
many purchase decisions, I do not trust the simple "rational" scenario
you describe.

However, the point I made was that no matter how they got there, the
undisputed fact on most airlines the world over is that all travelers
sitting in the same class get the same service.

Ajanta wrote:
Chris Blunt wrote:

But those people who paid higher prices for the same class only did so
because they needed more flexibility in their itinerary. They probably
needed to book their ticket at the last minute, or needed the ability
to change their flight dates, or even get a refund on the entire
ticket. If they didn't need those benefits they could have bought the
cheaper tickets that the other passengers did.

Considering all the confusing jitter in airfares, variety of outlets
through which the tickets are sold, and with so many people making so
many purchase decisions, I do not trust the simple "rational" scenario
you describe.

However, the point I made was that no matter how they got there, the
undisputed fact on most airlines the world over is that all travelers
sitting in the same class get the same service.



jet air ways like all other airlines had leased out their meals to the
taj in-flight catering company,which had put up a modern plant to cook
up meals,and was an approved supplier to many air lines.....maybe becoz
of the price war on late night and early morning flights coming by down
by almost 50 % and beyond,there may be cost cutting,but by no means
its racial discrimination in the sky,there are 15 new budget airways,to
become active by the middle of 07,and plenty more held up coz of new
airports coming up and over crowding, and traffic handling
problems.....i see airlines doing everything to cut costs.

bdixit wrote:

In USA for example, many colleges and universities charge
tuition fees that are different for in-state students than they charge
for the out-of-state students. Sometimes the difference in tuition rate
is very substantial. Is some universities, foreign students are charged
out-of-state tuition tuition.

An airline is not a university, however; in that the airline presumably
wants to enjoy a good reputations by attracting a lot of repeat
business. Plus, there may not be enough domestic travellers to fill
all the seats all the time.

--
bruce
The dignified don't even enter in the game.
-- The Jam