Hello everyone,

I will be flying within India for the first time (MAA - DEL) and was wondering about the various airlines. Are they all much the same?

I have the option of flying either by AI, SpiceJet or Indigo. Also wanted to clarify whether they have allocated seating and not the scrum that it normally is on European LCCs.

Thanks
Kevin

Indigo for me.
Quite good.

Air India is the full service carrier out of your choices, SpiceJet (SG) and IndiGo (6E) are both LCCs.

I personally prefer AI over 6E and SG, but opinions will vary. If you want the FSC experience (meal, jetbridge, IFE), then AI is your choice. If you don't really care about the FSC experience, then price and schedule are probably the best factors to consider...

reliability wise (on-time) 6E comes on tops.

btw, you did not specify if you need business or economy seats.

Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry9000/5.0.0.822 Profile/MIDP-2.1 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/102)

I haven't flown them all, but, honestly all of our airlines do a more or less adequate job in getting you from point to point within the country.

If you've never flown any of them before, I'd say pick based on less important criteria since yours is a well-serviced route : Airbus 320 family (Air India, Indigo) or Boeing 737 family (Jet, JetKonnect, Spice), meal included (Air India, Jet) or buy-on-board (Indigo, JetKonnect, Spice), FFP earning possibility (Air India or Jet)

All have assigned seating and allow a bag to be checked at no additional charge. And the price difference isn't always significant.

I would steer clear of Kingfisher even if they're still flying the route, because you never know with them.

Thanks for your replies. I think I will go with AI because of the timings

Is this a regular problem in India? The flight I've looked at is due to arrive in Delhi at 0920 and I have some meetings to attend at midday. I had hoped this would be sufficient time.

Thanks once again
Kevin

It's no more a problem, as with any well serviced route, in any other country.. DEL is a busy airport, so sometimes getting a landing spot at peak hours can be problem, which means, flights can get a little late.. Though that shouldn't affect your choice of airlines, as all of them will have to deal with it.. So AI is a good choice..

But if timing is your biggest concern, you might wanna consider switching to Indigo.. They are better are on time performance than any other airline in India.. It's an LCC, but the seating will be pre assigned, and at a small cost you can choose to have the fire exit seat and food served to you... it's a very good option..

As mentioned earlier by jasepl, you are allowed one check in baggage, without additional cost, one hand bag and one laptop bag, all free.. This is applicable for all 3 airlines (Indigo and Spice allow 20 kgs check in, while AI i think allows 25kg or 30 kg)..

Enjoy..

This is not such a good idea anywhere in the world, if it's an important meeting. But in India right now it is monsoon season, and heavy rains or storms can delay flights more than during some other seasons.

Air India will be +-300 rupees of Indigo. At the extra price, you get free food (good food), IFE (MAA-DEL is almost completely A321 with IFE), better seating in Y.

Reliability is not too much of a problem in AI domestic, atleast not on a metro shuttle route like this which has a dedicated fleet.

Your air India flight will be first flight from base which means you will not be delayed, atleast on departure. Unless there is a thunderstorm in delhi happening at the moment you land, expect delays of not more than 10 min. In case of thinderstorm, should not be delayed more than 30-40 min unless you are really unlucky and have to be diverted. But then that applies to everyone.

You will be treated to a nice breakfast. On board so thats also a plus point.

I don't like traveling on the 737 , so spice is out for me. And on a 2 hour plus flight , I would take the IFE , even though I feel it's quite cheesy.

Plus you will land in terminal 3 with air India, and in terminal 1 with spice and indigo.

don't know what the weather is like in maa but no rain in del at the moment....

Rain or no rain, due to IT cancellations there have hardly been any delays whenever I have been flying. Most of the times we come on final approach via the shortest path and we hardly have been reducing speed either. Forget about holds. Haven't done one in the last 2 months. Only time I have faced slight delay is between 2245 and 2345 in Bom and that also occasionally for not more than 5-6 min. Been quite peaceful flyin lately.

Thanks for all your replies.

Another question if I may, my flight from LHR is arriving at 0330 in Terminal I. I was looking at the 0640 AI flight from Terminal D.

Will that be enough time to go through immigration, collect my baggage and check into the domestic flight? Are the terminals close by or is it like heathrow I will be flying business class internationally if that makes a difference.

Also, is there a time you need to check in by on Indian domestic flights?

Thanks
Kevin

Not sure what the MAA terminal is like now with the construction going on, but assuming all flights are on time, 3 hours is probably sufficient.

Checkin closes 45 minutes before departure. That generally means that you should be at the airport no later than 1h prior to departure, since they won't always let you cut in line for checkin, even if you're going to miss your flight...

Unless you are flying domestically in J of course, in which case you will have your own counter.

The International and Domestic terminals at MAA are just next doors. you can walk out of the international Arrivals, Turn Left and in a minute, you will find Domestic departures.

I would suggest to stay inside the terminal for a while as there is not much space outside for waiting and the Security at the Door will not let you in 2 hrs before the domestic departure.

AI has a Lounge before security.