A few years ago, long-distance travel in India meant taking the train. I still remember those days when journeys from Mumbai to Kochi, especially during peak seasons, required advance booking. Train tickets were hard to come by, and the journey could easily take a full day.

Interestingly, not much has changed in terms of railway services, but it is now noticeably easier to get tickets, even at the last minute. This signals a clear shift in lifestyle. The growing preference for air travel has reduced the dependence on trains. In a world where time feels increasingly scarce, flights have become the default option.
But beyond just speed, air travel today also carries a sense of social status. Many people, some who can barely afford it, now choose to fly regularly. Flying has become a symbol of modernity and mobility, not just a means of transportation.
That said, let us look more closely. A trip from Mumbai to Kochi may take just over two hours by flight. But in reality, the entire journey, from leaving your home in Mumbai to arriving at your final destination in Kochi, often takes between eight to ten hours, if not more.

It begins with battling city traffic to reach the airport. Then comes the mandatory early arrival, at least one and a half to two hours before departure, often with additional buffer time. Flight delays have become quite common, and boarding rarely happens at the exact scheduled time. After landing, there is the wait to deboard, collect baggage, and then deal with traffic at the destination. If your home is far from the airport, whether it is in Andheri or Aluva, the travel time increases significantly.
So when you weigh the time, the stress, the waiting, and the uncertainty, the question arises: is flying truly faster or more convenient?
Personally, my answer today is no. And I am not alone. Many people I know are beginning to question air travel, especially for shorter trips where viable alternatives exist.

People often ask me, “Are you afraid after the Ahmedabad incident?” My answer is not straightforward. It is not exactly fear. I am someone who avoids stress and chaos wherever possible. So yes, the accumulation of unpredictable elements, delays, turbulence, mishandling, or emergencies, does add pressure. Perhaps that pressure stems from fear. But it is not just about fear of death. It is about the question of whether such stress is worth it. Is it worth giving your life over to an avoidable risk? Personally, I would rather be eaten by a tiger in the wild than experience a slow panic in the sky.
This shift in my own thinking is rooted in what I have seen change over the years. Flying today is not what it once was.
Climate change has had a tangible impact on aviation. As someone who has been flying since the early 1990s, I can say with certainty that turbulence and technical issues were far less frequent then. Today, it is rare to board a flight that does not begin with a jolt or experience a period of intense shaking mid-air. The skies have changed, and it seems even modern technology is struggling to adjust. he global warming and the environmental changes have affected this significantly. We have disturbed the sky too, through our own actions.
When something goes wrong, in my opinion, there is no real basis to immediately blame pilots. They too, like everyone else, are navigating a world filled with distractions and pressure. It is true, and I fully agree, that even they are often frustrated and less focused in these times. I have said this countless times: it is the technology-integrated brain that we are all living with. After all, they too are scrolling their phones, right up to the moment they switch it to flight mode.

There have been multiple incidents recently that underline this concern. In July 2025, an IndiGo flight from Delhi to Varanasi was forced to return mid-air due to engine vibrations caused by a suspected bird strike. Just a few months earlier, in May, a SpiceJet flight departing from Kochi encountered severe turbulence that left several passengers with minor injuries. In April, a Vistara aircraft faced a hydraulic failure while landing in Mumbai, which brought runway operations to a standstill. In March, an AirAsia flight from Bangalore had to be diverted shortly after takeoff due to a cabin pressure issue. These are not isolated cases. Incidents like these are now being reported almost every week.
Of course, the aviation industry is vast and closely guarded. Many minor incidents are managed quietly. But after the highly publicized Air India incident, flyers have become more alert. Even the smallest disruptions are now being discussed on social media and reported in the news. Aviation, once a symbol of progress and sophistication, may now be one of the most visibly affected industries in the era of global warming.

Despite all of this, air travel continues to thrive. Airports are still crowded. Flight bookings remain high. The trust, at least on the surface, does not seem to have eroded. Some airlines have taken a burden, but overall, the numbers are stable.
That is perhaps the most troubling part. We notice. We talk. But nothing changes.
However, for those of us who genuinely care about travelling safely and meaningfully, for those who want to see more of the world and return in one piece, this is a conversation we must keep alive.
The skies we fly through, the aircraft we board, and the professionals who operate them must be safe, well-equipped, and properly maintained.
Not just for convenience. Not just for speed. But for the simple and powerful reason of staying alive.
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