VIP flights

It is customary for the chief of the air crew or at times even the captain of a VIP flight to stand near the air stairway and be the first one to salute the alighting VIP. But alas, I have yet to see anyone of our rulers and leaders to even acknowledge his salute what to talk of returning it! They just ignore him and even without looking at him saunter to shake hands with the dignitaries standing perfunctorily in the reception line.

In contrast, most foreign VIPs, rulers, etc not only shake hands with the captains but have a word or two with them, thanking them for the comfortable flight and the way he/she was looked after by crew members. But I suppose they have a different set of human values than that of our ‘elite’.

Col (r) Riaz Jafri

Rawalpindi