A few updates on this route:
- Later this year (1-2 months?), the A319 currently serving this route will be replaced by a BBJ. A FA commented on my PNQ-FRA flight that this is the last A319 still in service by PrivatAir and it is being returned to the lessee soon. PrivatAir is trying to standardize on Boeing aircraft.
- This route continues to have wild swings WRT loads. Last Tuesday, the PNQ-FRA flight had ONE passenger. Talk about service! Loads have been better this week. There were approx 40 folks on my Monday FRA-PNQ flight and approx 24 on my Thursday PNQ-FRA leg. (I was told the PNQ-FRA flight will never be canceled due to low loads - the FRA-PNQ flight is another story. If the plane gets to PNQ, it will fly back to FRA regardless of passenger load).
- The seats on the A319 are awful, and I won't miss them a bit. They are comfortable enough in the sitting position, but the "lie flat" angle isn't really flat at all, and the angle itself is entirely too steep. The seats on the BBJ's have less adjustability, but are definitely more comfortable.
Even with the seat negatives, having a non-stop flight from FRA-PNQ to avoid the hassles of transiting international to domestic within India far outweighs most any shortcomings with the service itself.
The FA's and their service is consistently good.
- T