Life is full of surprises. And a pleasant one we had recently was the treatment we received at the hands of the airport and airline authorities in Delhi. A sea change has taken place in the attitude of these officials, as it has in the functioning of the airports themselves. Alas, the only thing that remains disgustingly the same is the state of the toilets! But I digress. Instead, let me tell you of a recent experience.

A couple of weeks ago, returning from a trip to Uzbekistan, we arrived at the Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi. In anticipation of possible delays that could contribute to our missing our connecting flight, we had booked ourselves back to Calcutta on the last Indian Airlines flight. However, the flight from Tash- kent was dead on time, and we realised that we would have several hours to kill before boarding the plane. Despite the very effective air-conditioning in the airport, we decided to try and change our bookings to an earlier flight. Whether Indian Airlines would oblige remained to be seen, but first we had to reach the domestic airport.

Taking the shuttle was the obvious way to transfer from one airport to the other, though taxis were always an option. The last shuttle had just left and once again we were faced with the prospect of cooling our heels for at least an hour before the next was scheduled to leave. However, when the man in charge heard that we were anxious to arrive at the domestic airport in order to change our bookings, he organised a shuttle van to take us immediately. We were the only passengers in the van. Yet, two Sten gun-toting security men accompanied us! They were not there for our protection, we later discovered, but merely to hop a lift to their points of duty!

The shuttle driver stopped at one of the back entrances to the domestic airport, jumped out of the van and disappeared into the nether regions in search of a trolley. He then escorted us to the airlines counter. This surely was service beyond the bounds of duty! Even more remarkable, the trip had not cost us a penny, not even a well-earned tip to the driver. Before my husband could fish out his wallet, he had vanished!

At the Indian Airlines counter, we received the same courtesy and efficiency. Within minutes, our bookings were changed, and though it was still a couple of hours before the flight, and the counter had not officially opened, we were checked in. All formalities out of the way, we sat down in the comfortable cool to watch on a large screen, the one-day cricket match between India and Pakistan that was taking place that day.

Where our airlines are concerned, all of us are very free with our brickbats. Perhaps, the time has come to offer them some bouquets.