India, Sept. 2 -- In today's world, the more boarding passes you possess, the higher you ascend the ladder of perceived success and global relevance. And if your airline status card glitters in platinum, you have arrived, and you have learned to turn mobility into virtue. A flight is then never just a flight; in the corporate jungle, it's a "client visit," a "strategic meeting," or perhaps a "business development opportunity." And let's not forget the weekend getaway in another city is never indulgence-it's a "wellness trip," a necessary recharge of the batteries before you return to the grind. Making memories is just another euphemism for multi-city holidays, a way to collect Instagram-worthy snapshots of yourself in exotic locales, all while maintaining the illusion of a balanced life. In the government circus, flying for a "stakeholders meeting" or an "interstate review meeting" is as routine as morning coffee, a necessary evil in the grand scheme of things. And if it is election time, flying as "an observer" is of course sacred national duty. The frequent flyer is then not just a traveller; he is a whole portfolio of loyalty and rewards, a walking, talking loyalty card. Frequent flyers can spot the best seat from a mile away, remember the baggage allowances like a pro, and know the best app to check discounted fares faster than you can say "mileage redemption." They are the chosen few who have mastered the art of air travel, navigating the complexities of check-in counters, security lines, and duty-free shops with ease. Ask them about their carbon footprint, and they become philosophers, waxing lyrical about the complexity of numbers, the uncertainty of science, and the impossibility of any econometric model to determine the true environmental cost of a flight ticket. Climate change is, therefore, acknowledged but ignored because an itemised bill isn't available. They agree that burning aviation turbine fuel at heights of 30,000 feet where there are no forests to absorb the emissions isn't the best thing to happen to planet Earth, but really, there is no alternative. After all, one cannot be expected to stop flying just because the planet is overheating. There are several committee and strategy meetings to attend, and most importantly, more cities yet to be conquered. And then comes the piece de resistance: Offsetting. Let's plant a tree sapling to counter my climate footprint, they say, not realising that it will take a decade for a tree to absorb the CO2 emissions of a single flight. Planting a sapling, at least it makes them feel better, right? We've done our part, we've offset our emissions, and now we can go back to our lives without guilt. Or even better, let's post a green slogan or buy a certificate for protecting the Amazon river and continue booking the next flight. Meanwhile, the climate crisis remains unimpressed by the frequent flyer loyalty points, and this is the greatest irony of the era: We have made convenience look virtuous. We have all dressed emissions in the garb of efficiency, ambition, and connectivity. We've convinced ourselves that flying halfway around the world for a two-day meeting is not only necessary but also a sign of our commitment to the global economy. Nobody expects renunciation but yes, small, and sincere changes like fewer flights, combining multiple meetings and taking trains for convenient routes may help. Or maybe, just maybe, we should rethink our priorities before the planet decides to cancel our frequent flyer programme for good....