AVIATION IN CONTRAST: From Stunning Skies to Failing Interiors

Transportation is one of the foundational pillars on which the castle of tourism is established in any region. Transportation, whether land-based, aerial-based, or waterborne, is the cornerstone of tourism in any region and acts as its nerve centre. Tourist destination is usually assessed based on 4 A’s, i.e. Accessibility, Attraction, Accommodation and Amenities. Needless to state, the accessibility to any destination marks the first part of the planning process for any tourist willing to visit a tourist destination.

The most preferred option of transportation for tourists visiting Kashmir has always been airlines, due to its geographical location, hilly terrains and the climatic conditions. The other alternative modes of transportation, like the roadways and railways, have always had their share of hurdles over the past decades. The NH-44 has long been a victim of weather, but has shown improvement in recent years with substantial government interventions. Similarly, the inauguration of the much-awaited railway link -Vande Bharat Express between Srinagar and Katra by the Hon’ble PM, Shri Narendra Modi on 6^th June, 2025 is already bringing relief to the commuters.

With the rise of railway connectivity and upgrades to the NH-44, will the aviation sector catering to Kashmir see a decline? Although there is a section of society which will continue to travel by air even with these newer modes of transportation. The moot question here is whether they will continue to exhibit their loyalty to air travel, considering the self-damage that these airlines are hell bent on doing.

Flying over the snow-capped mountains to Kashmir is a complete experience in itself, and the airlines have this responsibility to ensure that this experience is not meddled with. While flying over the breathtaking Pir Panjal mountains, one can expect turbulence in the air, but should not in service. Service per se doesn’t always mean a smiling air steward or a hostess, speaking ever so gently and courteously. It sure is way beyond that. The service delivery also includes the physical space that the passenger spends their time in while flying for hours. The clouds and the mountains are only going to look ever so charming as long as the seat you are sitting in is comfortable.

I happened to travel to Delhi from Srinagar on 17^th July, 2025 and back from Delhi to Srinagar on 18^th July, 2025, on one of the airlines. Coincidentally, I got to board the same aeroplane both times. It should not have been so easy to remember the plane, considering the universal patterns and designs they have for all carriers, had its interiors not spoken creakily so loudly and clearly the first time I boarded. The moment I realised I had boarded the same plane again, I was nervy and now more observant to read into the details of what was wrong in this space. The window shields for at least three seats were not functioning ( I remember the seat numbers too), one of which didn’t even have one. The window frames of as many as seven windows were out of their sockets, merely hanging on as if to save the dying grace of the airline company. The seats were an utter disaster, with many customers requesting a change of seats as their’s weren’t either reclining at all or not reclining properly. The facepalm moment was when one of the passengers, unhappy with the seat, asked to change it.

He was initially asked to pay for it, which he argued, and eventually got a replacement, only to find later that the new one would permanently be only in the reclined position and unable to sit upright. The arm rests have borne a lot of weight over the years, and they are crying for help, just clinging on, as though trying to salvage the reputation, if any, the company has left. The AC ducts in some of the seats, at least the one in front of mine, were loose and non-functional. Imagine playing a game of ‘Will it blow Air?” for straight two hours and losing every time. The vent was loose, lifeless, and no amount of poking and twisting convinced the vent to take part in the flight.

All these loose ends in the interior of the plane could have gone unnoticed, had the landing not caused the noise it did. The moment the plane touched down and the friction started taking its toll, all the parts of the plane started shaking and shattering, with one of the overhead bins breaking open while landing. It felt like a heavy jolt of an earthquake had hit a cutlery display shop with every shelf lined to the edge - chaos clinging all around. The cutlery, I mean the parts of the aeroplane, continued to make a thundering sound until the plane stopped.

All this rambling about my experience in the plane made me think on many different lines. How frequently are these planes checked not only for safety, security but also for in-house comfort and aesthetics? How is it that a customer is so critical about the quality and service standards at a hotel and doesn’t speak a word while on flights? Imagine a customer entering a star-rated hotel and spotting a coffee stain, or a used tissue or a mere stray hair strand on the bed sheet. All hell will break loose on the poor housekeeping guy.

A customer is unaware of the condition of the engines and other safety standards maintained by the airline. It can only create a perception about its safety standards by looking at the physical evidence available to the naked eye. The perception that got created in my conscience after exposure to the available physical evidence is that of fear. A simple query that worries me is, if they don’t have time to check the plane for the appalling state of affairs inside the plane, how serious would they be while checking the engine’s safety standards?

Talking of safety standards, they sure did take a plunge on 12^th June, 2025 with the Air India flight 171, a Boeing 787-8 dreamliner which shattered as many as 260 dreams. This accident sent shivers down the spines of all the flyers. Another recent incident recorded by one of the passengers on the Delhi-Srinagar flight on 12^th July, 2025 claimed a free fall of several hundred meters mid-air, which was, however, later denied by the airline authorities. The rising anxiety due to these incidents in the flights, newer transport options and poor in-cabin upkeep might be an early signs- a classic case of “coming events cast their shadow”.

The possible reasons for this condition can be many, ranging from lack of professionalism, accountability, possible cost-cutting strategies, ageing aeroplanes, etc. These problems don’t seem unsolvable and can be put in order if taken seriously. I am, however, very sure that a robust audit-accountability, grievance-feedback mechanism can help in plugging the gaps and restoring the faith in the quality and service of the air flights. A bright side of flying, however, is seeing these young staff working diligently and staying composed even in times of adversity.

A tourist’s overall experience of the destination starts from the time he moves out of his house to the time he returns back. It is important for the air carriers to be mindful of the services they offer while heading to a destination, as it has an impact on the image of the destination that it is travelling to. The worthiness of an aircraft does not and should not end with its engines and wings; it must include every inch a passenger touches while inside the plane.

Dr Faizan Ashraf Mir, Sr. Assistant Professor, Department of Tourism Studies, Central University of Kashmir.