Soon you are strapped in on the flight, imagining how you would have handled the tragic eventualities of MH370? Besides yourself with excitement at going home a voice interrupts: “Excuse me?” and an enticing tray of hot food passes under your nose – straight to the person in the seat next to you. You feel side-lined.
Is that a smirk you discern as he airily explains, “I ordered this on-line when I booked my ticket…” This only adds to your chagrin. You turn and swallow as he tucks in. At least the kids, understandably served first, are quiet but it seems like an eternity before you are offered “Meat or fish?” Alert, you bolt upright. Its decision time! You smile, “Fish, please?” Flight attendant crouches down and searches trolley, then replies, “Sorry. Fish is finished – beef or lamb?” The choicest vegetables seem to go down a lot better rather than the micro-waved-trolley aluminium-wrapped ready meals. Grudgingly you opt for beef, chicken or lamb.
Other than the 28kgs luggage allowance, where is the embracing policy of Equal Rights for all in Economy? Do you know anyone, confined to their seats for 10 hours, who has ever comfortably digested in-flight meals? Meanwhile, vegans stroll nonchalantly between aisles, unintentionally blocking anyone chance of getting to the toilet.
Long-haul airlines continually brainstorm for ways in which to attract passengers. Why not offer extra luggage allowances? Australians are allowed 38kgs, whereas southern Africans are allowed 28kgs in total.
There is not one African I know who would rather not have a choice of fish, beef or lamb and instead have extra kilograms added to their luggage! After all, on arriving home it will be organic meat on proper plates with steel cutlery to cut through – not plastic!
Africans are a tenacious lot, and after clearing security and waiting three hours in duty-free, we can easily wait another ten hours for a delicious home-cooked meal with extra helpings of really fresh meat… We would rather have 30kgs luggage instead of steel cutlery, meat, chicken or fish be it halal or otherwise. – Donette Read Kruger, by email
Post published in: Letters to the Editor