Travel, everybody wants to breeze through the hours, confined to a seat in peace. Right? So, it becomes the responsibility of the fellow co-passengers to make sure that people around do not feel any sort of discomfort. But does that happen? The Indian population, at multiple times, have showcased behaviour that not only has caused inconvenience to other fellow passengers but has also left the nation with the question: Are we Indians really the worst passengers in the world?
There have been multiple occasions when airplanes have had to make emergency landings just because a few people had to get their own way.
1. A man made it to the news when he tried to enter the cockpit to charge his phone.
This obviously goes against the protocols and the subsequent arrest was imminent. These kinds of ‘genuinely honest mistakes’ puts everybody at risk.
2. Another man caused panic among the passengers after confusing the rear door of the plane with that of the toilet.
Yes, it is confusing for first time fliers, but it should be realised that the brunt, as a result, will be borne by everybody else too.
3. Quite recently, a drunk man allegedly urinated on an elderly woman’s seat on an Air India flight.
The airlines did not do much to look into the harrowing experience and the daughter of the woman had to take to Twitter to get some sort of response from the aviation company. He possibly shouldn’t have had been allowed to board the plane in the first place.
4. Another Indian man was accused of sexually assaulting a woman on a flight from Las Vegas to Detroit.
The woman, when she woke up, found her shirt and trousers unbuttoned and the man’s hand inside her pants.
5. Two drunk Indian men were found to create a ruckus, causing a nuisance to both to fellow co-passengers and the cabin crew.
The lack of travel etiquette and the uncouth behaviour of the two men attracted police attention after the plane landed.
6. A cruise was overrun by 1,300 men who held wild parties with women dressed up as Playboy bunnies, turning what should’ve been a family affair, into a nightmare for other passengers.
The men occupied the pool decks, bars, and buffets, turning what should have been a family affair for the other passengers, into a nightmare. The cruise company, as a result, had to provide refunds to the passengers.
7. In a shocking reveal, data released by the Western Railway showed that 1.95 lakh towels, 81,736 bedsheets, 55,573 pillow covers, 5,038 pillows, and 7,043 blankets were stolen by train passengers in 2017.
The numbers should put every Indian to shame. The selfishness cost Indian Railways a shocking amount of Rs 62 lakhs. Can’t we just appreciate the good things that are given to us for our own convenience?
8. Post the maiden run of Tejas Express, it was reported that the entertainment aids went missing or were in a bad state, windows were found to be broken, toilets soiled, and the coaches littered.
This, among other incidents, just goes on to prove that we Indians really do not deserve good things.
9. An IRCTC staffer was thrashed to paralysis by two passengers onboard the Sealdah Rajdhani Express.
The IRCTC staff had a scuffle with the two passengers over a very minor issue. They roughed him up to such a degree that he received severe injuries to his spine and the brain.
Why is being a decent passenger such a difficult thing to do? While we blame the Government for everything, maybe, sometimes, we should take a look at our own actions. Do our actions qualify as being dignified? So why is that we continue to do it?
It leaves us all with a strong introspective question: What sort of progress are we heading towards?
