There is so much talk of how the passengers on the Emirates flight from Thiruvananthapuram to Dubai rushing to rescue their cabin luggage instead of themselves.
I have lived in the Gulf for many years and have traveled on these flights.
Most of the people on the flight especially from Kerala are low paid workers/labourers.
They pay huge amounts to unscrupulous manpower agencies to get these jobs.
These jobs are their lifeline to a better life.
For anyone who has been in the Gulf would know that without proper papers life is hell.
These passengers especially if they were first time employees would know that, those who were returning would know it.
It’s easy to mock them but look at it from their point of view.
Without passport & papers which would be in cabin luggage would their lives be worth living?
They would have debts to repay from their salaries which they took to pay the manpower agencies to get the jobs and the papers for those jobs are in the cabin baggage.
Also many maybe flying for the first time so unaware of dangers.
Many may or may not have understood the cabin crew’s instructions.
How many times I have filled their immigration forms and seen their desperation for a better life. Seen them clutching their papers without which they may be deported. Back to the life they want to escape.
My anguish was voiced only by few who knew what working in the Gulf actually means. Below is one such tweet.
I have been thinking about this Emirates flight thing, and how everyone is indignant that passengers were trying to take bags while exiting.
— PGK (@peegeekay) August 4, 2016
Amateur video taken inside a crashed Emirates Boeing 777 shows chaos as passengers tried to grab their luggage.
Watch video:
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