SamirD

Thank you! What about LO?

Keyser

never flown lo....

SamirD

In the Polish community they joke about them saying LOT stands for 'Late Or Tomorrow' because of all the last minute cancellations and other issues.

oliver2002

LO is on par with AI... same 787 even, just different seat covers.

AI (and LO) crew are fine in C. There is always one FA who is the boss and calls the shots. If s/he sucks then chaos prevails, but the service still gets done. They manage with what they have. Sadly what someone in an office in Nariman Point designs for inflight (you can look up the scheme in the tenders they raise periodically for catering from outstations) shows up in a very different way in the cabin.

SamirD

No surprise there as 'bait and switch' seems common in business in asia.

rsh913

Interesting commentary about lack of quality product from AI and LOT while pining for flying the mid east majors... seems like different expectations for travel. I flew 86k miles last year (miles in butt not status miles) with all of covid including several AI trips and one on LOT to eastern EU.
Bottom line for me is (a) are they on time (b) is it the shortest connection (c) are they clean and lately (d) can i be socially distant and for me (e) choice of decent spice free vegetarian food. I've got a large cellar of Dom and Kristal so not really worried about taking a longer inconvenient flight just so I can have DOM at 36K. Its a personal choice more than anything. I just got back from MUC on LH and compared to the sanitary precautions AI did earlier this year LH was ways behind. For instance AI staff did not take masks off while the LH staff routinely took of masks in the galley. I dont see that as a problem being vaccinated but adherence to protocol is the main concern.

So I'd rather take a 16 hr direct flight that arrives at a decent time in Delhi when there are not a lot of arrivals so i can be socially distant for $6,500 in first class vs fly a connection in mid east or the exceptionally bad connection in Frankfurt. Honestly I don't recommend anyone connect through FRA but then thats a separate issue.

One comment on LOT .... they are actually quite good business class to europe. I've flow them trans atlantic maybe 6 times and never had any problem except once when returning from Russia got the 4S stamp and that required another level of stamping which was confusing. Not whole lot of vegetarian food options but got there on time....

knit-in

Air India's lack of a competitive J product on the ultra long haul is why I don't spend $$$ or points with them. I have, recently, as I mentioned upthread, to get to my destination non-stop, but in the interest of social distancing, I'd much rather fly UA's J product than Air India's. If I'm unable to find one, then AI it shall be. Only the second international flight with them since 1995.

passioninlife77

Pray for me! I am flying AI business class in a few weeks, from ORD to DEL. I keep reading horror stories about the seats and on-board products!

Keyser

good luck....

TravellingMan

Be prepared with documents as their tendency is to make up stuff and deny you boarding (maybe a blessing in disguise Like old passport with U visa, COVID report, Air Suvidha, state based entry forms (if any), the GO that states that OCI renewal for 50+ is delayed until end of the year.

SamirD

Remember to enjoy your 'fist class' menu too! lol.

knit-in

Did UA stop flying this route? I loved my first time on the Polaris product when I flew back from DEL to EWR in May.

TravellingMan

Yes. They stopped flying that route around June 1st, but the schedule says they will be flying 3 times a week starting in August and then 7 times a week in September. I talked to an UA agent who mentioned that it is back in October according to internal communication.

The UA agents I have spoken to are very familiar with the DEL/BOM flights and the connecting Vistara flights as those are the primary international flights that are out there with passengers on UA.

S.R

Unfortunately I will have the (dis)pleasure of flying AI F this week DEL-JFK, after the UAE ban on India was extended again, causing me to not be able to fly EK.
Do you really need to wear the face shield the entire flight? Mask I can deal, but the face shield is so uncomfortable. On my EK flight to India yesterday, I only wore the face shield during boarding and had it and the mask off for the majority of the flight when my suite door was closed. Not sure how strict AI FA's are, especially since they don't have doors on F seats.
Wonder if they're still not loading pajamas or appropriate bedding?

Would have flown QR if they weren't charging more than EK F

oliver2002

The face shield thing is only for boarding and deplaning. While seated a simple/surgical face mask is fine.