Flight Review Thread - Air India
Nov 22, 2014, 12:08 pm
#181
Join Date: Jan 2005
Posts: 2
77w jfk-del ?
I've been seeing conflicting info regarding the Business (Executive) Class on the JFK-DEL 77W. Are these the full flat bed like the 787 or the pseudo lie flat (slope down after your knees) seats like the 77L? Am thinking of booking with UA miles - no UA/European saver awards are available. Any up-to-date info would be appreciated!
Thanks
Thanks
Nov 25, 2014, 10:08 am
#182
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: Exile
Posts: 15,660
Horrendous experience with Air India earlier this month. Since they are now in *A, I figured it was a good chance to pick up some more *A mileage credit. There was an excellent business class fare available for DXB-BOM (cheaper than EK Economy Class for same-day travel), so I booked at around 2pm for an 11pm departure.
OLCI has a special link for passengers departing from Dubai that I followed to the DNATA website and was able to checkin and received a boarding pass. No luggage to check, so I went through security and to the Marhaba Lounge that Air India uses. Entry denied because OLCI pax evidently need to go to the checkin desk for a lounge invite to be able to use the lounge. Fortunately, was able to access the lounge on my credit card.
Arrived at departure gate and was rudely scolded for handing over my OLCI boarding pass. Evidently "everyone knows" that the OLCI doesn't work, so I should not have used the system (even though the AI website has a specific link for OLCI from Dubai). Threatened with denied boarding because I was now "too late to check-in". I stood my ground and argued and eventually a manager came over and instructed that I should be printed a new boarding pass "as a special exception because you don't have any luggage".
On board the A321, just 2 passengers in Business Class. Just before departure, another 6 deadheading crew board in Air India Express uniforms, one with wife and child in tow, so 10 of 12 seats now occupied. Row 3 had the empty seats with myself in 3DF and the other passenger in 3AC. Immediately after take-off, the crew came around handing out meals to the deadheading crew and their families, but ran out of food after row 2. So the 2 paid business class passengers (myself and the other guy in 3A) get an apology and a bottle of water instead of a meal. To add insult to injury, the IFE was also inoperational.
On the return flight, Business Class checkin desk at BOM T2 was closed (this was the only AI international flight departure at that hour of day and it turns out I was the only Business Class passenger anyway). Stood in the Economy line and eventually got my boarding pass printed on Economy Class card stock rather than Business Class. The Business Class boarding pass stock and the lounge invitations are locked up in a cupboard but the guy with the keys has gone on his break. But I should go to the lounge directly and they will make a call to grant me access. No access to the Business Class priority security/immigration lines since the boarding pass stock says Economy. At the lounge, they make a call but I have to wait while the person they call checks something. And I wait. And wait. And 15 minutes later it's time to board so I go straight to the gate instead.
This time there is food on board (very tasty too) and decent crew. IFE is inoperational yet again though.
Ironically, Air India sent me a survey link to ask about my flight experience. Unfortunately, when I try to submit the survey I get an error message. Guess that sums the experience up perfectly.
PS. My miles haven't posted for the outbound sector yet either.
OLCI has a special link for passengers departing from Dubai that I followed to the DNATA website and was able to checkin and received a boarding pass. No luggage to check, so I went through security and to the Marhaba Lounge that Air India uses. Entry denied because OLCI pax evidently need to go to the checkin desk for a lounge invite to be able to use the lounge. Fortunately, was able to access the lounge on my credit card.
Arrived at departure gate and was rudely scolded for handing over my OLCI boarding pass. Evidently "everyone knows" that the OLCI doesn't work, so I should not have used the system (even though the AI website has a specific link for OLCI from Dubai). Threatened with denied boarding because I was now "too late to check-in". I stood my ground and argued and eventually a manager came over and instructed that I should be printed a new boarding pass "as a special exception because you don't have any luggage".
On board the A321, just 2 passengers in Business Class. Just before departure, another 6 deadheading crew board in Air India Express uniforms, one with wife and child in tow, so 10 of 12 seats now occupied. Row 3 had the empty seats with myself in 3DF and the other passenger in 3AC. Immediately after take-off, the crew came around handing out meals to the deadheading crew and their families, but ran out of food after row 2. So the 2 paid business class passengers (myself and the other guy in 3A) get an apology and a bottle of water instead of a meal. To add insult to injury, the IFE was also inoperational.
On the return flight, Business Class checkin desk at BOM T2 was closed (this was the only AI international flight departure at that hour of day and it turns out I was the only Business Class passenger anyway). Stood in the Economy line and eventually got my boarding pass printed on Economy Class card stock rather than Business Class. The Business Class boarding pass stock and the lounge invitations are locked up in a cupboard but the guy with the keys has gone on his break. But I should go to the lounge directly and they will make a call to grant me access. No access to the Business Class priority security/immigration lines since the boarding pass stock says Economy. At the lounge, they make a call but I have to wait while the person they call checks something. And I wait. And wait. And 15 minutes later it's time to board so I go straight to the gate instead.
This time there is food on board (very tasty too) and decent crew. IFE is inoperational yet again though.
Ironically, Air India sent me a survey link to ask about my flight experience. Unfortunately, when I try to submit the survey I get an error message. Guess that sums the experience up perfectly.
PS. My miles haven't posted for the outbound sector yet either.
Nov 27, 2014, 5:03 am
#183
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: India
Programs: Bonvoy Lifetime Titanium, IHG Plat, HH Gold, Trident Plat, DL Diamond, AI Maharajah
Posts: 29,682
sounds like a terrible experience....i haven't flown dxb-bom but i regularly fly del-dxb-del every few months on ai....while the experience is nothing to write home about, i have never encountered any problems....but then again, this is ai & their service can vary drastically from one flight to another....
May 4, 2015, 11:37 am
#185
Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 368
Wow...flying AI in 2 weeks...my first time on AI & now I'm concerned. I already know that it will be hard convincing to AI folks that my kids should be allowed in the GVK Mumbai lounge. No where I have found any rule for that & was told by GVK agent that I'm at the mercy of AI agent that will be at the counter.
May 4, 2015, 8:29 pm
#186
Join Date: May 2010
Location: VABB
Programs: AI-FR, 9W-JP
Posts: 723
Wow...flying AI in 2 weeks...my first time on AI & now I'm concerned. I already know that it will be hard convincing to AI folks that my kids should be allowed in the GVK Mumbai lounge. No where I have found any rule for that & was told by GVK agent that I'm at the mercy of AI agent that will be at the counter.
May 4, 2015, 10:05 pm
#187
Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 368
In a Lufthansa Lounge, being a SEN, I'm allowed to take kids with me but don't know about contract lounges like GVK lounge.
May 4, 2015, 10:30 pm
#188
Join Date: May 2010
Location: VABB
Programs: AI-FR, 9W-JP
Posts: 723
Are you sure about that because just last week I checked with the GVK lounge agents & they said that I'm allowed with one guest on my LH SEN (*G) card when flying on AI. Even, the Star Alliance website says that and I also confirmed with LH M&M team. The only part I'm not sure about is the kids.
In a Lufthansa Lounge, being a SEN, I'm allowed to take kids with me but don't know about contract lounges like GVK lounge.
In a Lufthansa Lounge, being a SEN, I'm allowed to take kids with me but don't know about contract lounges like GVK lounge.
May 4, 2015, 11:04 pm
#189
Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 368
http://www.staralliance.com/en/benef...silver-status/
May 5, 2015, 1:39 am
#191
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: www.livefromalounge.com
Programs: AA, BASilver, TajICGold, MarriottPlatinum,HyattGlobalist, EYGold, AI
Posts: 2,215
AI's own members who have *A Gold status and not flying premium cabins are sent to the Loyalty lounge. I've been on one of those flights and I've had one of those fights with them, enough for them to show me an order they received to send people to the Loyalty Lounge. Hence...
May 5, 2015, 2:41 am
#192
Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 368
AI's own members who have *A Gold status and not flying premium cabins are sent to the Loyalty lounge. I've been on one of those flights and I've had one of those fights with them, enough for them to show me an order they received to send people to the Loyalty Lounge. Hence...
Thx for all the input. I will update you after my trip.
Last edited by Redhat72; May 5, 2015 at 2:55 am
May 5, 2015, 6:19 am
#193
Moderator: Lufthansa Miles & More, India based airlines, India, External Miles & Points Resources
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: MUC
Programs: LH SEN
Posts: 48,187
As I mentioned in other threads, AI will give you (and your +1) a lounge pass for the GVK lounge as LH*G, but not for the children. Its upto the GVK lounge warden to allow the kids in as a courtesy. So far I had luck in CCU.
May 7, 2015, 5:00 am
#194
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Austin, TX, USA
Programs: UA 1K, PC Plat, SPG Platinum, Marriott Plat, HH Gold
Posts: 159
Any new experiences on BOM-EWR route in business class? I just snagged award seats for my wife and kids in Business class. This is for end of summer and AI are the only one with award availability. My kids are very much Indian cluturally, so they may not care for the smiles from the FAs. :-) As long as the beds are comfortable to sleep and AVOD is decent they should be good. Good selection of Indian movies is a plus in our case.
Thanks in advance for any help/tips.
Thanks in advance for any help/tips.
May 8, 2015, 3:59 am
#195
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: India
Programs: Bonvoy Lifetime Titanium, IHG Plat, HH Gold, Trident Plat, DL Diamond, AI Maharajah
Posts: 29,682
Any new experiences on BOM-EWR route in business class? I just snagged award seats for my wife and kids in Business class. This is for end of summer and AI are the only one with award availability. My kids are very much Indian cluturally, so they may not care for the smiles from the FAs. :-) As long as the beds are comfortable to sleep and AVOD is decent they should be good. Good selection of Indian movies is a plus in our case.
Thanks in advance for any help/tips.
Thanks in advance for any help/tips.