Taking flight...fast

• On my flight from Delhi to Chennai on Wednesday I happened to sit next to an attractive young lady, dressed in a traditional salwar kameez. I started reading my Holmes, and I heard a flight attendant say "Is this your suitcase, Sir?" I looked down and noticed that there was a suitcase on the aisle, placed next to my seat. I should have said "No ma'm, but did you check if your name is on it?" Instead I said politely that it was not mine, and that it should be removed. Security was called in, and while this hungama was going on, my neighbor and I exchanged introductions. Holmes always serves one key purpose- provides a great topic for discussion. We talked about a number of topics, and exchanged our good movie lists. Eventually the topic turned to Kutub Minar, and I mentioned to her that there were some pillars from Hindu temples with the faces of the Hindu gods chopped off. She then told me that she was a muslim, and gave me some more insights into the Islamic culture for which I am grateful. A very friendly woman, she was smart and provided great company, and made the flight time pass quickly. She provided another great on-board learning experience.
• I flew Indigo air from Chennai to Delhi, and the senior flight attendant made an announcement about the airline. She cited some awards Indigo had won, including being voted as one of the "best" places to work in India. After a few minutes, I corralled a friendly attendant and asked her to 'spill the beans' and tell me if employees really liked working there. She gave me some insight into the business- that management, including MDs, listen to employees, that she can raise any issue with her senior attendant and it would be addressed, they have not been asked to take pay cuts or go on leave, and that employees go the extra mile. She herself did not take a leave day even though her mom was sick, because she had gone more than six months without a leave day. Management is not hard- respecting people, listening to them, and charging reasonable prices for reasonable service. One can learn a lot just by flying...