Jet has (almost!) lost their touch
Aug 3, 2012, 1:24 am
#46
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: bombay
Posts: 1,408
I've known enough people (businesswallahs and the family types) who take the train between Bombay and Baroda instead of flying. Cost aside, it's much less cumbersome and definitely less time-consuming than taking the plane.
It all depends on where in the city you are / need to be. If you live in, for example, Colaba or Borivili, the train is almost always likely going to be quicker.
Of course, the reverse can also be true, where a flight is more convenient even though almost everyone else takes the train or a car. I know of someone who takes the flight to PNQ instead of driving.
Aug 3, 2012, 3:54 am
#47
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Really? Isn't that just a 2hr drive? Every time I have gone from BOM to PNQ I have driven. Leaving BOM is a pain but once outside its a breeze.
Aug 3, 2012, 4:24 am
#48
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Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 22,778
Got a very bad feeling as I stepped off the plane yesterday. i dismissed it off as a one off thing on Wed. But yesterday saw it again! Very very bad feeling about this once great airline.
PS: moderators: sir how do i upload photographs? i cant see upload attachment button.
I hear loud complaints about Jet tightin (tightening) up, and criticism of English spoken by Jet's employees, as if English ability determines quality.
The touch was lost among cries of free upgrades when upgrades led not to appreciation and higher revenue, but entitlement.
Aug 3, 2012, 4:33 am
#49
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Posts: 22,778
If air travel becomes misery, driving or taking a train could be viable options.
There are premium models of premium cars too, not to speak of premium class on trains.
You ARE overwhelmed by the word "premium". Premium class, premium model, premium this or premium that. It would be nice if people who complain loudly were willing to pay premium for premium class.
Aug 3, 2012, 5:07 am
#50
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: bombay
Posts: 1,408
If you live anywhere from, say, Andheri to Bandra, your flight will have landed at PNQ well before your car was able to make it to the outskirts of Bombay.
The number of people taking the plane is rather small now, of course. A few years ago, it was rather different. Bombay - Poona could easily take upwards of 12 hours by road !
Aug 4, 2012, 8:23 am
#51
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: 1 AU
Programs: Support the Tyrants Travel Club
Posts: 2,708
That two hours depends on a lot of factors and, like you said, doesn't account for the pain of getting from one part of Bombay to another.
If you live anywhere from, say, Andheri to Bandra, your flight will have landed at PNQ well before your car was able to make it to the outskirts of Bombay.
The number of people taking the plane is rather small now, of course. A few years ago, it was rather different. Bombay - Poona could easily take upwards of 12 hours by road !
If you live anywhere from, say, Andheri to Bandra, your flight will have landed at PNQ well before your car was able to make it to the outskirts of Bombay.
The number of people taking the plane is rather small now, of course. A few years ago, it was rather different. Bombay - Poona could easily take upwards of 12 hours by road !
Aug 4, 2012, 9:16 am
#52
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Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 22,778
I take a train for other reasons. I love trains. I would take a train if it's not more expensive than flying when I am travelling for leisure.
There is another factor comes into play in India. Status.
When I took a train from HZM to Pune, o visit an old school friend, his son said to, "surely he can afford to fly! Why doesn't he fly?".
Aug 6, 2012, 9:47 am
#53
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Delhi, India
Programs: Air India Silver Edge, Jet Airways Silver
Posts: 271
is travel by road an option for people travelling between DEL and HYD? or DEL and CJB? Lets be practical here: a 3 hour flight vs a 2/3 day trip by train or road. Road is certainly not an option for me even on shorter distances because of the safety factor.
And when travelling by air, what are the options left for the premium traveller?
And when travelling by air, what are the options left for the premium traveller?
Aug 6, 2012, 10:53 am
#54
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Some good examples:
I live 15 minutes away from YVR in Richmond.
However, getting to MBJ (Montego Bay, Jamaica) has taken me 40+ minutes from their airport.
Also depends on when the flights are leaving.
Aug 7, 2012, 5:18 am
#55
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: bombay
Posts: 1,408
It doesn't work for everyone, in all situations, but there are still many situations in which the train will indeed be quicker than a flight, door-to-door.
If our railway network were better, there will definitely be a lot more people using the train. Unfortunately, it's rather dirty (especially the stations) and far too slow.
Back in 1850 something the first train in India went from Boree Bunder (VT) to Thana in 50 minutes or so. Fast forward 150 years, and it still takes roughly the same time to cover the same route.
Aug 7, 2012, 12:53 pm
#56
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: 1 AU
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Posts: 2,708
Absoultely.
It doesn't work for everyone, in all situations, but there are still many situations in which the train will indeed be quicker than a flight, door-to-door.
If our railway network were better, there will definitely be a lot more people using the train. Unfortunately, it's rather dirty (especially the stations) and far too slow.
It doesn't work for everyone, in all situations, but there are still many situations in which the train will indeed be quicker than a flight, door-to-door.
If our railway network were better, there will definitely be a lot more people using the train. Unfortunately, it's rather dirty (especially the stations) and far too slow.
I am not a rail expert, but I imagine upgrading the speed of train travel will take significant Rs. investment. It should be something that has popular appeal/support but little political motivation it seems.
Aug 7, 2012, 1:52 pm
#57
Used to be shahadil
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: BOM
Programs: Flying Returns, Jet Privilege, Hyatt Gold Passport
Posts: 805
Absoultely.
It doesn't work for everyone, in all situations, but there are still many situations in which the train will indeed be quicker than a flight, door-to-door.
If our railway network were better, there will definitely be a lot more people using the train. Unfortunately, it's rather dirty (especially the stations) and far too slow.
It doesn't work for everyone, in all situations, but there are still many situations in which the train will indeed be quicker than a flight, door-to-door.
If our railway network were better, there will definitely be a lot more people using the train. Unfortunately, it's rather dirty (especially the stations) and far too slow.
I am not a rail expert, but I imagine upgrading the speed of train travel will take significant Rs. investment. It should be something that has popular appeal/support but little political motivation it seems.
Will involve a lot of investment, land being the primary one. Which has become a big head ache. Then the fares would have to be raised. Considering the pittance that train tickets cost today, and the difficulty in raising them, it is cheaper to subsidize airlines, and let the people who would travel by fast trains travel at decent fares on airlines and everyone remains happy.
Aug 7, 2012, 2:52 pm
#58
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: 1 AU
Programs: Support the Tyrants Travel Club
Posts: 2,708
Will involve a lot of investment, land being the primary one. Which has become a big head ache. Then the fares would have to be raised. Considering the pittance that train tickets cost today, and the difficulty in raising them, it is cheaper to subsidize airlines, and let the people who would travel by fast trains travel at decent fares on airlines and everyone remains happy.
Aug 7, 2012, 8:42 pm
#59
Used to be shahadil
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: BOM
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Posts: 805
The dedicated freight corridor for railway coming up entails an investment of 75k cr. high speed rail will be more than that. That's enough money to bail out air India for the next 30-40 years. Do the math.
Aug 7, 2012, 9:05 pm
#60
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: HYD/CHI
Posts: 793
Another benefit of bailing out AI is that the babus get free first class tickets. You can't put a price on that. Not even mastercard will work.