One of the perks of my job as a Boeing 787 pilot for British Airways is the opportunity to explore the cities I fly to around the world. The challenge is to make the most of my frequent short layovers — typically 24 or 48 hours — and to balance favorite hangouts and precious downtime with new adventures.
Mumbai is one of my favorite cities and I’ve flown there dozens of times. Here’s how a visit last spring unfolded.
First stop: Hotel
We touched down in a light headwind on Runway 27 at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport at 8:30 a.m., but it was 10:15 by the time my colleagues and I reached our hotel north of Mumbai’s traffic-clogged historic core. In every city I follow my 10 a.m. rule: If I reach my hotel before then, I’ll sleep for three hours (we get early check-in). If I arrive after, I’ll stay up until a reasonable bedtime. So, no nap for me.
My other rule — pilots love rules — is to try to banish jet lag with a swim. After 1,500 meters of freestyle in my hotel’s nearly deserted pool and an instant coffee in my room, I headed down to the lobby.