Airplane Mode: A Passive-Aggressive History of Travel

Airplane Mode: A Passive-Aggressive History of Travel

Airplane Mode is a thought-provoking exploration of travel, identity and belonging through the eyes of a woman raised in the Global South. Blending memoir, cultural criticism and history, Shahnaz Habib challenges conventional ideas of tourism and wanderlust while examining how colonialism, capitalism and privilege continue to shape the way we move through the world.

📖 About the Book

What does it mean to travel in a world shaped by colonial histories, unequal access and climate change? In Airplane Mode, Shahnaz Habib offers a fresh and deeply personal perspective on one of humanity's most cherished pursuits. Through wit, insight and honesty, she explores who gets to travel freely, who gets to tell travel stories and how privilege influences every journey.

Interweaving personal memories of family holidays in India, life as an immigrant and experiences travelling across continents, Habib examines the hidden power structures behind passports, tourism, guidebooks, trains, airports and even the idea of wanderlust itself. Her reflections reveal how travel has often been shaped by Euro-American narratives while opening space for more diverse and inclusive voices.

Both deeply reflective and delightfully engaging, Airplane Mode reimagines travel as more than leisure or consumption. It is a compelling meditation on movement, migration, identity and connection in an increasingly interconnected yet unequal world.

✨ Key Highlights

• A unique blend of memoir, travel writing, cultural history and social commentary.
• Examines how colonialism, capitalism and privilege continue to shape global travel.
• Challenges conventional ideas of tourism, wanderlust and travel literature.
• Features thoughtful reflections on identity, migration and belonging.
• Combines personal stories with insightful analyses of everyday travel experiences and symbols.
• An engaging and original debut for readers interested in travel, culture and contemporary social issues.

✍️ About the Author

Shahnaz Habib is a writer and translator based in Brooklyn, New York. She translates literary works from Malayalam into English and is acclaimed for bringing important South Indian literature to a global audience.

She translated the JCB Prize-winning novel Jasmine Days as well as Al Arabian Novel Factory. Airplane Mode is her debut book, showcasing her distinctive voice as both a storyteller and cultural critic.

📚 Why Read This Book?

Airplane Mode is an essential read for anyone who loves travel but wants to understand its deeper cultural, political and historical dimensions. Intelligent, witty and refreshingly original, it encourages readers to rethink movement, privilege and belonging while celebrating the joy and complexity of discovering the world through new perspectives.