Now, a salon at the Mumbai airport

Stylist Jawed Habib is set to open another at the Sahar international airport too.

India’s first airport salon has finally opened. Renowned hair stylist Jawed Habib has started a salon at the Mumbai domestic airport. It’s the first airport salon in the whole of South East Asia. Now, while you’re in transit, you can get a haircut on your way to a business meeting in Hong Kong.

You might wonder how the airport authorities allowed scissors and razors within the high-security area. Habib says it took him three years to convince the authorities. “We have to use knives, scissors and razors in a salon,” he says. “But then they realised that there are salons at airports in the rest of Asia, so why make India an exception? We’ll also start one at the international airport in Mumbai. It should open in three months’ time.”

To ensure the safety of passengers, Habib says that only the most experienced and trustworthy professionals will be working at the salon. He has also ensured that the services offered are well researched. "We’ve designed some packages of five, 10, 15 minutes, and so on. Depending on how much time you have before boarding a flight, you can choose your packages. Usually, the morning hours from 5 to 9 am are the busiest, with businessmen traveling all over. So those who can’t get a shave or shampoo could head to the salon for a quick grooming session."

There are over 200 Jawed Habib salons all over India and 43 academies to train prospective stylists. There are 20 branches in Mumbai alone. They are present in eight countries abroad, and Habib plans to open more. “I’ll have one on the moon too,” he jokes.

Grooming, according to him, is mandatory. “It’s a corporate world where apart from how you carry yourself, a lot depends on how look. And when you look good, you feel good; it’s the positive vibe that matters.”

Ask him which current Bollywood actor has the best haircut and he answers diplomatically, “All actors, Salman Khan, Shah Rukh Khan, Aamir Khan… are well groomed. They all have to look young and glamorous. Today’s styling is more character-based. So I can’t really name one actor as such.”