Jet vs Kingfisher "field testing"
 

I took the opportunity of a two week trip to India for some field testing of this issue on domestic flights in India. Of course nothing meeting scientific standards ...

I flew Jet Airways (9W) in J and Y as well as Kingfisher Airlines (IT) in Y. I even tried extending this field test to Indian Airlines (IC), however, I did not succeed in booking IC on the internet.

Flights included:

9W DELJDH Y
IT JDHJSA Y (cancelled)
IT JSAUDR Y
9W UDRJAI J
IT JAIGOI Y
IT GOICOK Y
9W COKDEL J

I rated the overall experience in following dimensions on a scale between 10 (perfect!) and 1 (apalling):

A) Internet
B) Terminal services at departure and arrival
C) Reliability
D) Seating/Seat pitch
E) Inflight services
F) Earning FFP miles

Obviously the selection of flights is by no means representative, but at least offered the opportunity of verifying the findings on a second or third flight.

Now to the results:

A) Internet
9W's webpage offers various international pages, featuring local information and showing fares/charging tickets in local currencies. However, not all domestic flights may be booked online as not all destinatons allow e-tickets, which is a precondition for online booking on 9W. Both information and the booking process is intuitive and transparent, but not featuring seat or meal selection in any service class. Also partner airlines FFP may be entered online.
IT's webpage offers just an Indian and an international version in USD. All destinations may be booked online and allow e-tickets (even those excluded by 9W). Information and booking process are easy to understand and use. The booking process features seat and meal selection for all classes and fares, with the exception of single legs of multi-leg flights. Partner airlines FFP can be entered online.
This is the only dimension in which I include IC: The information on the webpage is fine, but online booking always aborted once I selected "Non Indian Resident".

9W: 7 points
IT: 9 points
IC: 2 points

B) Terminal service
To be fair, I have to exclude terminal service from the rating, as the airlines have very little to no influence on the services as they are mainly defined and to some extent delivered by the AAI (Airport Authority of India). In general, the process was quite smooth despite the two security sequential controls (one for checked luggage before check-in and one for passengers and carry-on after check-in). The carry-on rules are different from other countries: India has the usual 100ml restriction on liquids, but does not require separate scanning of liquids and computers. However, there is a strictly enforced ban of umbrellas! (Apparently on some flights to the Kashmir region there is even ban of all handluggage.)
Perhaps it's worth mentioning that there are no J-class lounges at most domestic terminals but you get a voucher for the airport restaurant which is before the second security control.
As airport infrastructure is functional but basic, I recommend being at the airport by the recommended reporting time (usually 60 mins), but neither earlier nor later.


C) Reliability
9W: 1 ontime, 1 15 min delay, 1 30 minutes delay
IT: 1 ontime, 1 60 minutes delay, 1 90 minutes delay, 1 cancellation (surface transport offered, equivalent to a 4 hrs delay),

The cancellation of the IT JDHJSA flight was officially due to fog in JDH. I agree that visibilty was restricted that morning, but I could easily spot the far end of the runway from the terminal building. Perhaps the fact that only 4 pax were booked on the flight "helped" IT to take the cancellation decision ...

9W: 8 points
IT: 5 points


D) Seating/Seat pitch
To be fair, the rating has to distinguish between J and Y. However, I've only experienced J on 9W, not KingFirst.
J on 9W: The usual 4 seats per row on 737 aircraft, however pitch is more generous on some of the 738 than for example in North America on domestic flights (I know Skytrax shows 38 inches in their seat pitch guide, but I'm sure it's more on some planes). It's not lie flat, but that would make no sense as the longest flights are about 4 hrs and usually not overnight. 9 points.

Y: 9W has normal seats but a relatively generous pitch. IT on the other side has quite an ususual seat with a full headrest on its Airbus fleet, but the seat pitch feels slightly more narrow than on 9W's 737. On the ATR fleet it's the other way round, IT feels more spacy than 9W.
9W: 5 points
IT: 4 points


E) Inflight services
9W's aircraft are not brand new, but well maintained and very clean. Crew is fluent in English. There is food and beverage service even on short legs in Y. In J you can expect white linen and china even on flights well below one hour. On flights of more than one hour, food in both classes is warm and a selection between vegetarian and non-vegetarian Indian meals is offered. In J the selection includes upto 4 options. Meals are tasty and abundant. In J you get cold towels after boarding and hot towels before landing, regardless the duration of the flight. 9W has a simple audio system on longer flights.
IT has a slightly newer fleet and planes are also very clean. Crew is fluent in English. Warm food and beverages are served on flights over one hour. On shorter flights you get juice and cookies - which is fine for me in general. However, IT has long chains of multi-leg flights with upto four legs. If there is no segement over 60 mins you get no food although you spend three to five hours on board. Meals are nice and include vegetarian and non-vegetarian selection. IT shows cartoons on overhead monitors, even on some of their ATR aircraft. Although slightly less impressive than 9W, service level is still superior to many European and all American short-haul flights!

Perhaps it's worth mentioning that any domestic flights in India are dry, regardless the class of service or the owner of the airline (IT is owned by a brewery ...).

9W: 9 points
IT: 7 points

F) Earning FFP miles
On 9W there is wide selection of international FFP entertained, including LH, SQ, AA and many more. Obviously the miles do not count towards status on other airlines as 9W is not member of any alliance. I'm not sure about the future of *A programs as rival AI is joining *A.
IT allows mileage accrual on AFKL, NW, CO and QR - also excluding status points. Warning: Although this looks a bit like Skyteam, there is no mileage accrual on other Skyteam programs!

9W: 10 points
IT: 6 points



Total points (items rated for both airlines, maximum 50 points):
9W: 39 points :):)
IT: 31 points :)

Bottom line, I can recommend both 9W and IT. Both are very good airlines by international standards. But if have the choice between the two, I'd go for 9W.

swiss_global

My experience is with a single Kingfisher flight in Y from Delhi to Jaipur. We thought Kingfisher was terrific. They even served a tasty meal.

IT flights (except the cheapest fare classes) earn EQMs on NW. ALL Kingfisher operated flights - should be fun when IT finally starts flying BLR-SFO.

http://www.nwa.com/worldperks/earn/a...tml#kingfisher

Kingfisher Airlines

Earning/Redeeming Miles
All Kingfisher Airlines-operated flights.

Earning Banked Miles
100% of actual miles flown (500-mile minimum)
50% mileage bonus for Business Class travel.
Miles not earned in the following classes: E, X, Z, R, T

Elite Qualifying Fare Classes
Elite Qualifying Miles at 150%: J, C, D, I
Elite Qualifying Miles at 100%: Y, K, B, M, O, N, L, Q, W, V, S, H, G, U
Elite Qualifying Segments: J, C, D, I, Y, K, B, M, O, N, L, Q, W, V, S, H, G, U

Award Blackout Dates on Kingfisher Airlines Flights
None

On CO as well.

I used to earn NW EQM's on 9w - don't know how it is at present though...

Note that Jet has a J/Platinum lounge on a raised level in the departure hall in BOM, a J lounge (very small, only for J class) before the check-in area (near x-ray machines) at DEL, and a J/elite lounge of it's own at HYD, all of which are okay, the BOM one being the best of the lot, but not spectacular...

I flew CO J a year or two ago, and it was *much* more spacious than 9w's J class...

Further, IT's First is supposed to be really good in comparision to 9w - have to try this sometime.

I think if you fly Kingfisher F your recommended order may change. Between 9W Y and IT Y it is a question of preferences (seat pitch better on 9W vs a different kind of FA staff on IT). Kingfisher F is definitely superior to 9W J on narrow body aircraft.

You should also try Paramount Airways in the South. They fly EMB RJs with 2-2 seating and first class on newer aircraft. I consider them the best domestic product in Indian skies. They've a very small fleet and are focused in the South, so it may not be relevant to mosts Indian visitors.

What does this mean? Meal order in advance?? They actually offer a btc-like scheme?

I agree - very nice product in "J" - more like a EE (due to the width of the seats), but similar to the old 9w 737 J configs, which are still flying around India...

Is there a lift servicing this lounge? I saw a long flight of stairs leading to the lounge during my last visit.

Not that I know of.

The stairs are to the left, as you face the tarmac, white marble steps...basically a mezzanine level of the departure hall.

The pitch on 9W's 737's is horrendous. I was really pleasantly surprised by the leather seats and IFE when flying BOM-DEL this week. But by the time I landed in DEL I was miserable as my thigh bone is longer than the space from the back of my seat to the seat in front of me. I have to twist my ankles and knees to be able to sit down.

Imagine my surprise to find that they were using the same planes on the much longer DEL-BKK route last night! I arrived with pains running from my knee to my pelvis. :mad:

I concur - this is why I cannot fly on the 737's internationally - tried this once on the SIN-BOM route, and never again! Even though I apparently had "row-blocking" (window, center empty on full flight) in Y! Pitch is ridiculous....

Been flying business with Jet and kKngfisher for 18 months. Kingfisher leave jet for dead on the ground and in the air. I have had so many problems with Jet that I only fly with them when their schedule suits me.

Just to rekindle an old thread, I'm wondering about recent experiences, how does domestic Kingfisher First compare to Jet Premiere? Areas such as lounges, food, cabin comfort, flight attendants, etc.

I'm asking specifically about the domestic product only.

IT F on INTL flights is comparable to 9W J...however 9W F on LHR flights especially is through the roof...I've only had one IT F flight from LHR...but its 9wF for me all the way...