Finall - ic is no more
 

http://home.airindia.in/SBCMS/WebPag...-Changing.aspx

It's been in the offing - dates have come and gone for almost a year - but finally IC no longer exists - all flights are already operating under AI code... Star Alliance should not be that far away...

i noticed that.. i booked MAA-GOI-MAA on IC when i booked it and it was changed to AI when i checked yesterday.. end of an era i guess... still remember my fond BOM-BLR flights when i was about 6-7 years old.. welcome with choclates, full meal, trip to the cockpit upon reuqest kid.. awesome stuff..

more info here: Air India - star alliance announcement [merged]

good stuff....

speaking of which, anyone know how Indian Airlines got a 'IC' code and not IA or something that reflected letters in their name?

At one time they were Indian Airlines Corporation , perhaps that is where the code came from ?

Right, it was IAC in the beginning... forgot that. The IA logo on the tail was neat in the eighties ^

I disagree. IC continues to exist in its aging planes with worn upholstery and obnoxios FAs who treat J pax with disdain. Until they work on their customer service IC will be no match for AI or for any one else.

+1 on that

they now need to start the integration process. I would pick three areas where wins would make a demonstrable difference to customer satisfaction/common brand recognition quickly with minimal cost implications These would be IMO:

(1) Combined seamless single airline baggage services in place to facilitate rapid transit from domestic to International across the network: 30 days

(2) Consistent food and beverage offering across the network. (eg historic IC flights DEL-Shanghai do a completely different service from AI. Different brands of booze, food sequencing, everything.): 60 days

(3) Common uniforms for all staff : across the next six months, but ground services involving significant customer interface and flight operating personnel within the next 90 days.

Good Riddance

From what I have learnt from relatives in India, IC service is better than AI after the entry of private carriers.

I have flown IC/AI domestic (few segments in teh last two years). They were pretty good. Food was always good...hot meals...
Ground staff were not bad.
I could not find too much fault.
* only flown Y on domestic.

^^

they have been pretty good the last few years....the only people bad-mouthing the airline are people who have either never flown or flew with them a long time ago....

Alright Mr. Keyser. Yes we know you like AI .:)

:-) very true.