Those were the days!

Here is a ‘marketing’ story back from the past, way past, somewhere in 1960s and 70s. In those days, travelling first or business class by air was a big deal; it costed the earth and moon. And naturally then, there was just Air India, when it was a company owned by the Tata’s.

To “tempt” more and more people to travel business and first class, the giveaway used to be a carry-on bag – it was something in between – neither a suitcase nor a briefcase, with a shell neither too soft nor too hard. Greyish-blueish, it was a coveted possession, a bag which stored all precious documents. If you have had relatives in those days travelling then, maybe you might have same this medium-sized bag, used for storing precious documents like property and tax papers, share certificates, bank pass books, FD receipts.

These cases used to made in Jakarta with the words “Bon Voyage” engraved on it. Another gift which was there for a short time was the Salvador Dali ashtray. Salvador Dali was a world famous Spanish surrealist and JRD actually got him to design an ash tray. In return, Dali was gifted a baby elephant!

If anyone of you is lucky enough to still hold these yesteryear gifts, be sure to hold on as what you have is actually a piece of Indian aviation history.