Air India Chicago to Delhi Business Class Experience?
 

Need your advice...so I decided to call a few travel agents in Chicago to book two round-trip tickets for my parents to AMD in business class this late November/early December and return early January. What is very surprising is both different travel agencies are pushing Air India like it's a 5 star airline. I've heard nothing but horrible experiences on AI...granted this was Economy. Searching online has yielded nothing but extremely dated experience, discomfort, etc... on AI.

I spoke to both travel agencies about this and they claim "oh no, that's simply not the case". These planes are new and beautiful. Is that really the case? Why can't I not find any pics of what these "new business class" seats look like? I have a feeling their BS'ing for their own agenda (perhaps their commission is much larger on AI compared to other airlines).

This is the first I'm my parents are flying business class and I want them to have an awesome experience. The last time I personally flew business class was Chicago to Dubai on Emirates back in Dec 2014...that was an awesome experience...it was on an BOEING 777-200LR. Though, what I'm hearing these days is the Gulf carriers (specifically Etihad) business class experience is sub-par.

Any guidance would be appreciated. Pics of AI (current pics!!!) business class would tremendously help!

Check this thread for the B772 experience: https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/indi...ew-needed.html

AFAIK the ORD-DEL service is operated with B773 equipment, which has better seats in business, the same it has in the B788.

Some photos: https://www.airliners.net/search?air...display=detail

The following is from last year, why is that "extremely dated"?

https://thepointsguy.com/2017/05/air-india-to-nyc/

My apologies, what I meant was I did find some recent information but all of the images of the aircraft look dated. The experience people had (like the link you mentioned, I read that earlier) was pretty bad. That still the case?

Thanks...the airliners link has images that are 4 years old...apart from the pointsguy link anyone have recent images? Like within the last few months or even this year?

Nothing has changed on AI longhaul 777. But it's all relative. If your parents have flown J on QR, they will find AI disgusting. If they have only flown Y, they will find J on AI wonderful.

It's curious that you are calling travel agents to book these tickets---who uses TAs any more? My guess is that Indian travel agents receive incentives to book AI and that is why they are praising it. But it is also true that AI J is realtively cheap, and it is better than Y on any airline. It is also very fast from ORD to anywhere in India if you don't have a long wait in DEL---going via the Gulf or HKG or Europe adds distance and time.

A better or at least different way to answer this is to understand what are you flight options.

Is AI the best deal you're getting? And if so by how much? Then you can decide if it's worth it.

And no it's not a 5 star airline by any means... even less so in J.

the planes are neither new nor beautiful....but the ai business class experience is ok for the price you pay....i end up taking a few long haul business class flights on ai every year & while it has never been a great experience, it has never been bad as well....unfortunately i do not have any pictures to share but my most recent ai business class trip was just earlier this month & there was nothing wrong with it....

where are you hearing that gulf carriers have sub-par business class????these carriers, specially etihad, have a very good business class product....

I agree with Keyser. AI is just about satisfactory. You said you want your parents to have an awesome experience. I would very very very strongly recommend Qatar. Their Q Suites J is better than F on many airlines. And they have great discount schemes that run frequently. And any ME3 are way way way way way way way better than AI. As is LH, LX, TK etc. etc. You'll be spoilt for choice. I'd avoid BA, UA and the a couple more.

I would only recommend AI J if you're doing frequent biz travel and that's where the non-stop flight has high value. There are million great options to have an awesome experience and AI isn't one of them.

Thanks all...most of the sub-par comments came from travel agents (again I think they were just trying to push AI) and images/comments I saw online. I guess I was just hoping for that Dreamliner or A380 experience...but apparently none of those planes come to Chicago. I ended up booking Etihad...fingers crossed!

Nothing to cross your fingers... they'll have a great experience.

Etihad is a FAR superior choice. Your parents will love it.