How big can be beautiful

WHILE finding friendly cabin crew on a flight can be a game of Russian roulette - like when you find a grumpy bunch, say on the pink-eye to New Delhi - travellers take much for granted at hotels that are expected to create a uniform experience by hiring with care and then dinning into young minds that the customer (barring boorish bloggers who may be waterboarded at will) come first.

Humans are the "H" in hospitality, and it is always they who are responsible for the quality of the customer experience, not some highfaluting mission statement or high-tech marvel.

As travel hits a dull patch with terrorism and economic slowdowns swamping headlines, the travel industry has found itself in a difficult spot, having promised the earth but delivered little in the way of enhanced service to attract coy customers.