Flight Review Thread - Air India
Dec 24, 2012, 9:45 pm
#16
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Delhi, India
Programs: Air India Silver Edge, Jet Airways Silver
Posts: 271
On the down side, they will make you fill out your name and sign on some random form in triplicate.
The IXC-DEL flights are favorites to be cancelled when time needs to be "made up" as happens during fog situations. I have shifted permanently to Olivea for short distances since!
Dec 25, 2012, 9:27 pm
#17
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Somewhere near a Airstrip
Programs: BAEC Gold, Hilton Gold, Marriot Platinum
Posts: 647
While most carriers, even Jet, will not go beyond a refund in case of a delay/cancellation, Air India usually handles these kind of situations somewhat better. The last time our IXC-DEL flight was cancelled, they chartered 4 or 5 volvo buses from an operator called Olivea and sent us by bus. The bus was a super luxury bus with meal service and a cabin attendant!
On the down side, they will make you fill out your name and sign on some random form in triplicate.
The IXC-DEL flights are favorites to be cancelled when time needs to be "made up" as happens during fog situations. I have shifted permanently to Olivea for short distances since!
On the down side, they will make you fill out your name and sign on some random form in triplicate.
The IXC-DEL flights are favorites to be cancelled when time needs to be "made up" as happens during fog situations. I have shifted permanently to Olivea for short distances since!
Yes. AI was cancelling the flights the next day as well, when SG & 9W were flying to IXC.
I know about Olivia, but since I'm always connecting in DEL, flying to DEL seems to be better / cheaper option (With all the ADF/UDF getting waived for connecting PAX).
Last edited by Whizkid; Dec 25, 2012 at 9:37 pm Reason: Typo
Dec 26, 2012, 2:30 am
#18
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Denver, CO
Programs: UA 1K, AA EXP, HH Dia, Hyatt Dia, SPG Plat, IHG Plat
Posts: 297
Aircraft: Boeing 787 Dreamliner
Flight route: DEL-MAA
Booking class: Economy
Seats: 3-3-3 layout
What I liked:
Comfortable seats
Good IFE (lots of Indian movies). Map function is ok. No trivia. Other games are ok.
Big windows!..love the787 for that.
Plenty of overhead storage.
Good meal.
What needs work:
Check in took forever. Each agent spent quite a bit of time checking in each person. They need to learn efficiency!
Bus gate in MAA.
Overall: Nice flight on the relatively new 787 dreamliner. Great craft.
Flight route: DEL-MAA
Booking class: Economy
Seats: 3-3-3 layout
What I liked:
Comfortable seats
Good IFE (lots of Indian movies). Map function is ok. No trivia. Other games are ok.
Big windows!..love the787 for that.
Plenty of overhead storage.
Good meal.
What needs work:
Check in took forever. Each agent spent quite a bit of time checking in each person. They need to learn efficiency!
Bus gate in MAA.
Overall: Nice flight on the relatively new 787 dreamliner. Great craft.
Dec 28, 2012, 8:59 pm
#19
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: SEA/ORD/ADB
Programs: TK ELPL (*G), AS 100K (OWE), BA Gold (OWE), Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Plat, IHG Plat
Posts: 7,763
Aircraft: Boeing 787 Dreamliner
Flight route: DEL-MAA
Booking class: Economy
Seats: 3-3-3 layout
What I liked:
Comfortable seats
Good IFE (lots of Indian movies). Map function is ok. No trivia. Other games are ok.
Big windows!..love the787 for that.
Plenty of overhead storage.
Good meal.
What needs work:
Check in took forever. Each agent spent quite a bit of time checking in each person. They need to learn efficiency!
Bus gate in MAA.
Overall: Nice flight on the relatively new 787 dreamliner. Great craft.
Flight route: DEL-MAA
Booking class: Economy
Seats: 3-3-3 layout
What I liked:
Comfortable seats
Good IFE (lots of Indian movies). Map function is ok. No trivia. Other games are ok.
Big windows!..love the787 for that.
Plenty of overhead storage.
Good meal.
What needs work:
Check in took forever. Each agent spent quite a bit of time checking in each person. They need to learn efficiency!
Bus gate in MAA.
Overall: Nice flight on the relatively new 787 dreamliner. Great craft.
At MAA, the bus gate is to make the turn faster...
Jan 21, 2013, 10:20 pm
#20
Join Date: Jan 2013
Posts: 9
For anyone who has flown the DEL_JFK leg. I am on the verge of booking a business class roundtrip from JFK-DEL roundtrip. A couple of questions, are the seats fully flat? It seems that they may or may not be based on the limited number of photos. Are the lounges any good, say compared to BA lounges? It is virtually impossible to get info on this either. AI seems to have a pretty bad reputation for some reason, but is there any particular safety concern?
Jan 22, 2013, 9:15 am
#21
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: SEA/ORD/ADB
Programs: TK ELPL (*G), AS 100K (OWE), BA Gold (OWE), Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Plat, IHG Plat
Posts: 7,763
For anyone who has flown the DEL_JFK leg. I am on the verge of booking a business class roundtrip from JFK-DEL roundtrip. A couple of questions, are the seats fully flat? It seems that they may or may not be based on the limited number of photos. Are the lounges any good, say compared to BA lounges? It is virtually impossible to get info on this either. AI seems to have a pretty bad reputation for some reason, but is there any particular safety concern?
Lounges are poor. Air India doesn't do the ground experience well. Don't bother turning up at the airport early.
Air India's safety record is excellent.
Executive class trip reports on this route:
http://www.airliners.net/aviation-fo...ad.main/140209
http://www.airliners.net/aviation-fo...d.main/153233/
Last edited by PVDtoDEL; Jan 22, 2013 at 9:21 am
Feb 7, 2013, 9:42 am
#22
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: India
Programs: Bonvoy Lifetime Titanium, IHG Plat, HH Gold, Trident Plat, DL Diamond, AI Maharajah
Posts: 29,678
flew del-bbi this evening....some observations:
1. used the new ai lounge at the domestic terminal....i was quite impressed....nice big lounge, free wifi, comfortable seating, good food....the only problem is that they do not have a departure screen in the lounge so you have no idea when your flight is boarding....they did make regular announcements though....
2. flight was on time, in fact it left the gate a couple of minutes before departure time....
3. boarding was a mess as usual....they started boarding 40 minutes before departure & called for the back rows to board first....a business class passenger walked up & asked if they were boarding business as well & they said 'no'....there was a passenger on a wheelchair & some people traveling with small children who tried to board first & they were told to wait since they were not sitting in the back row....ai seems to be consistent in not letting elite or passengers who need extra time board first....no other airline does this....
4. business was 2 rows, 8 seats in total, & only 3 seats were occupied....i was in 1d & the seat seemed a little uneven (possibly broken)....i pointed this out to the staff & moved to one of the other empty seats....
5. dinner was served an hour into the flight....i picked the non-veg option & the chicken biryani was good....
6. landed on time....
all in all, an uneventful flight....the lounge is a big positive but they need to put a few departure screens in there....
1. used the new ai lounge at the domestic terminal....i was quite impressed....nice big lounge, free wifi, comfortable seating, good food....the only problem is that they do not have a departure screen in the lounge so you have no idea when your flight is boarding....they did make regular announcements though....
2. flight was on time, in fact it left the gate a couple of minutes before departure time....
3. boarding was a mess as usual....they started boarding 40 minutes before departure & called for the back rows to board first....a business class passenger walked up & asked if they were boarding business as well & they said 'no'....there was a passenger on a wheelchair & some people traveling with small children who tried to board first & they were told to wait since they were not sitting in the back row....ai seems to be consistent in not letting elite or passengers who need extra time board first....no other airline does this....
4. business was 2 rows, 8 seats in total, & only 3 seats were occupied....i was in 1d & the seat seemed a little uneven (possibly broken)....i pointed this out to the staff & moved to one of the other empty seats....
5. dinner was served an hour into the flight....i picked the non-veg option & the chicken biryani was good....
6. landed on time....
all in all, an uneventful flight....the lounge is a big positive but they need to put a few departure screens in there....
Feb 7, 2013, 11:46 pm
#23
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Chicago, Delhi
Programs: AA Plat, Hyatt Diamond, Marriott Platinum, Avis Firstc
Posts: 46
flew del-bbi this evening....some observations:
1. used the new ai lounge at the domestic terminal....i was quite impressed....nice big lounge, free wifi, comfortable seating, good food....the only problem is that they do not have a departure screen in the lounge so you have no idea when your flight is boarding....they did make regular announcements though....
2. flight was on time, in fact it left the gate a couple of minutes before departure time....
3. boarding was a mess as usual....they started boarding 40 minutes before departure & called for the back rows to board first....a business class passenger walked up & asked if they were boarding business as well & they said 'no'....there was a passenger on a wheelchair & some people traveling with small children who tried to board first & they were told to wait since they were not sitting in the back row....ai seems to be consistent in not letting elite or passengers who need extra time board first....no other airline does this....
4. business was 2 rows, 8 seats in total, & only 3 seats were occupied....i was in 1d & the seat seemed a little uneven (possibly broken)....i pointed this out to the staff & moved to one of the other empty seats....
5. dinner was served an hour into the flight....i picked the non-veg option & the chicken biryani was good....
6. landed on time....
all in all, an uneventful flight....the lounge is a big positive but they need to put a few departure screens in there....
1. used the new ai lounge at the domestic terminal....i was quite impressed....nice big lounge, free wifi, comfortable seating, good food....the only problem is that they do not have a departure screen in the lounge so you have no idea when your flight is boarding....they did make regular announcements though....
2. flight was on time, in fact it left the gate a couple of minutes before departure time....
3. boarding was a mess as usual....they started boarding 40 minutes before departure & called for the back rows to board first....a business class passenger walked up & asked if they were boarding business as well & they said 'no'....there was a passenger on a wheelchair & some people traveling with small children who tried to board first & they were told to wait since they were not sitting in the back row....ai seems to be consistent in not letting elite or passengers who need extra time board first....no other airline does this....
4. business was 2 rows, 8 seats in total, & only 3 seats were occupied....i was in 1d & the seat seemed a little uneven (possibly broken)....i pointed this out to the staff & moved to one of the other empty seats....
5. dinner was served an hour into the flight....i picked the non-veg option & the chicken biryani was good....
6. landed on time....
all in all, an uneventful flight....the lounge is a big positive but they need to put a few departure screens in there....
Feb 8, 2013, 12:23 am
#24
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: India
Programs: Bonvoy Lifetime Titanium, IHG Plat, HH Gold, Trident Plat, DL Diamond, AI Maharajah
Posts: 29,678
Feb 8, 2013, 11:43 am
#25
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: India
Programs: Bonvoy Lifetime Titanium, IHG Plat, HH Gold, Trident Plat, DL Diamond, AI Maharajah
Posts: 29,678
Feb 8, 2013, 11:02 pm
#26
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: bombay
Posts: 1,408
Feb 8, 2013, 11:43 pm
#28
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: India
Programs: Bonvoy Lifetime Titanium, IHG Plat, HH Gold, Trident Plat, DL Diamond, AI Maharajah
Posts: 29,678
its leather....they also have a small room with recliners....very comfortable....a few computers with internet access....lots of choice as far as food was concerned....its by far the best lounge in the domestic terminal....
Feb 8, 2013, 11:43 pm
#29
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: India
Programs: Bonvoy Lifetime Titanium, IHG Plat, HH Gold, Trident Plat, DL Diamond, AI Maharajah
Posts: 29,678
Feb 9, 2013, 1:27 am
#30
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: bombay
Posts: 1,408
Unlike a certain arriviste that does not need to be named and shamed !
