AI - is this normal?
 

Recent flight experience on an AI BOM-DXB: C-class seat. Window shades down at takeoff. Worse yet. Super slow FA works around cabin, plane takes off, FA still wandering around aisles, reluctantly walking 'uphill' to her jump seat as the plane is ascending. Find that one weird.

Yep, perfectly normal on Air India, one of the sloppiest and most corrupt airlines within *A. Safety procedures are more than questinable, most of the "inconveniences" are solved by "charity contributions".

You are lucky to have departed more or less on time, as they apparently did not wait for a drunken corrupt Indian politician. This is waht normally happens! You are also lucky that none of these crooks requested your seat for his concubine.

Air India published departure times have to be interpreted that the planes do not leave earlier than indicated in the OAG.

AI is probably the lousiest airline within *A, they should not classify them as * but rather than "WC A". Somebody was certainly drunk when they admitted this flying s...t into *A.

Ehhh... AI may have their issues, but is not a *A member yet. AI bashing maybe a nice national pass time even for indians, but the previous poster is pushing it a bit?

I am usually a full-time AI basher but this is really extraordinary..

AI ground and cabin service, cabin condition of some aircraft, on-time performance are all sloppy, inconsistent and possibly unacceptable to most people.

However, being familiar with their flightcrew training, oversight and standards, I cannot agree that they are unsafe. In fact, I would rather fly (miserably) on AI than some of the more "renowned for service" *A carriers - look a little more east of India for some of the major culprits....

Air India at heathrow seem to have become reliable and cleaned up their act in the last 18 months.

AI112 lhr-del on a 77W is totally reliable and the plane looks pretty impressive, im just waiting for the 77W to operate to BOM and then i will give them a try!

Air India is changing and, believe it or not, for the good!

I am still at a loss to explain the complete ignorance of the FA staff to follow international and (-hopefully internal) airline laws and regulations. Let alone the fact that I am NOT a vegetarian, have no plans to become, nor believe in the practice of it and MUST eat what AI's kitchen prepares. Veggie Food. I opt for beer.

....and I totally forgot the broken tray table. It would not stay put (at 90 deg angle but wobbled downwards, as if someone had tried to sit on it before.
Ah, OK, forget it, I ate whatever came on the table (or slid off) and I just won't take AI again.

Me too - I just do not fly them again, unless I have to - period.

A friend who flies for EK says that when he flew for SQ, they were flaunting stipulated safety standards quite often...does this correspond with your information

The only thing I have to say about AI is that thank god we now have 9W and IT which actually represent India properly.

I really feel that it's a airline operated by old people who don't know what the current market scenario calls for. Its a government airline with no pressures on its staff to make the sure the customer is satisfied.

The last time I flew it from DXB-BOM the tray table was broken and the TV would not stay upright. Come on.... these are the basics. Around a year back I flew its subsidory Alliance Air internally and boy did I crap myself when I walked onto the airplane. The seats actually looked like they had been taken out from a local train, the seat back tables were painted with the same paint they use in the local trains. Never have I come across a plane so run down.

If they can't maintain the interior of the aircraft then I am sorry but I can't trust them to maintain the rest of it.

All I have to say is that we have a choice and for me AI comes at the bottom of the list. At the very bottom.

*A are need a Indian based carrier on their books and 9W are not willing to join any alliance so hence AI.

If they join *A like the commonweath games in 2010...... when it happens I will believe it.

if SQ are indeed 'flaunting' safety standards , ie bragging about them in an ostentatious way , then I am assume that means that you think they are very good . If , on the other hand , the word you were looking for was 'flouting' ( treating with contemptuous disregard ) , then that is a very serious allegation .

The tone of your post suggests that you meant 'flouting' rather than 'flaunting' but for the sake of clarity could you please confirm which was your intended meaning ?

Yes

Yes, "flouting" was the intended description! :p

I once flew in an Alliance Air 73x (x=100??), which had the left rear door hanging by only it's top hinge!

My co-passenger commented: "Well, that is not a safety problem - the main thing is whether the seals and securing of the door is in good order!" :D

I haven't been on AI for several year actually 1999 to be exact. The service then was horrible and I was on a 747 business class and even then we had the worst time in the world. What was the funniest thing to me was that the air hostess that was service us was wearing the AI sari and let me tell you something she was FAT and her rolls were just hanging out.

Secondly on that same flight my mom is a vegetarian, and being in business class I would have hoped that they got her order right. Well they brought her a chicken meal. So when my mom goes she can't eat that and so forth they brought her a veggie tray from economy. I just looked at the FA and told her to please bring my mom a proper salad and and bun with butter. 2 hours later after dinner service had ended did she finally bring my mom the food and had the nerve to wake us to up to let us know.

Plus in those days being 24 hours late was a norm for AI, so we have never flown them again.

Plus the AI smells funny!!!!

I am not surprised, although once on a UA flight, the pilot did not annouce that we were landing and the FA's were walking around when it landed.

:rolleyes:

Happened to me on last week's flight to Detroit, on NorthWest, although the FA dashed to the nearest empty pax seat once the wheells hit the ground.

happened to my other half on an ATR, only because the pilots forgot the "Cabin crew, seats for landing".

Sometimes when the pilots receive clearence and its a straight in simple and quick approach (especially at smaller quieter airports), things are a little rushed and forget to realize that the crew could still be prepping the cabin for landing.

what's wrong?

I stopped flying AI
 

These happened several years back
Once, the guy seated next to me in economy class "dissappeared" behind the curtain, came back with a smile and moved to business class. He told me that $50 did the trick!
The pilot suddenly announed the "termination" of the flight in London eventhough the flight was to continue to New York. Over 300 passengers were transferred to Emirates Airlines with much confusion. No one got any vegetarian meal and the flight didn't have any blankets or pillows.
Air India often gets delayed by a day. Although they are "on time" by clock is often late by a day! I can't understand how they are able to put hundreds of people in Hotels day after day.

You are not alone. AI is my airline of last resot, although I am interested in them getting * membership so that I can fly to the smaller places in india on an award. Hope they are generous with award seats.

....and another great experience recently on a HKG-BOM flight on AI in business: stopover in BKK. Alright, I thought, I get out and take a stretch and get back in. Not so: No leaving plane, all sit down, 'Clean Up Crew' while all are seated! I have never, ever experienced a clean up crew while passengers are seated. In addition to this wonderful experience, the engines were turned off, and also the air conditioning. Adios, AI! May you be Happy with *Alliance!

This will help Jet (I hope), who require all the help possible right now...as they continue to water down their award redemptions...

Speaking of Air India, last Jan 2008 I was on one of the last 747 flights in business class to DEL, before replaced with the new 777s, JFK-LHR-DEL

The flight out I swear that was one of the original 747s. VERY tired interior, no individual entertainment system in business class. IT WAS ROUGH. There was duck tape on the steps up to the upper level...

I was scared, haha.


On the way back the 747 was newer and was in much better shape.... Nonetheless I think things have improved dramatically with the new 777s

Picked up a AI flight at LHR to ORD on a 747-???. Flight originated in BOM. This was about 3 years ago.

Poop on the walls in the bathroom. Open suitcases in the aisles, on empty seats. Trash littered on seats, aisles and everywhere else. Children running back and forth up and down the aisles for all but an hour of the flight. Food service items not picked up for 2 hours after we ate. One drink service, one tea service, one water service. FAs refused to do anything. Told me to worry about myself only. Seats reclined and trays down on takeoff and landing. Worst flight ever. Funny thing is on the ORD-LHR leg two weeks earlier, it was one of the most pleasant coach flights ever, with fantastic service, excellent food and fantastically well-behaved customers.

I sent a letter to AI and the replied, quite briefly, with a response that stated they had spoken with the flight attendants on that flight and none of my complaints were experienced by the in-cabin crew. I considered writing the FAA or JAA but decided it wasn't worth it. Just made sure never to fly them again and sent a nasty-gram to UAL when I heard they were going to join *A. A real shame.

You got a reply????? :eek: Consider yourself lucky.

I am really surprised to see people still pay good money to fly AI when they have so much choice now days!

Actually, AI has changed substantially, I understand.

One of my friends prefers to fly the JFK-BOM 777 direct service and is *very* pleased with it.

However, I do not wish to gamble, and would try other options...primarily *A or Jet.

You said it all with that one word "gamble" ;)

Just to put things into perspective.

When it comes to Air India, the bashing begins and it generally follows the following pattern:

I flew Air India XX years ago, the plane was and old 747 held together with duct tape. The crew were fat, old and ugly, they couldn’t be bothered etc etc. the seats were old and the toilets were dirty etc etc. I will never fly them again!!!

I have to admit I have flown Air India last about 12 years ago from LHR-ORD and they were bad! I thought I would never fly them again.

Air India (and sister company Indian airlines) were the only Indian airline allowed to fly internationally, they had a monopoly and they became super complacent. Services were rubbish and there was no urgency to improve.

Now, AI have competition from Jet and Kingfisher, the government know they have to improve and with new aircraft (777 and 787) deliveries, they have improved on board comfort and the crews have become more friendly and customer service oriented. Unfortunately there are always rotten apples which survive culls and attempts to oust them.

Regarding issues like duct tape holding planes together. AI have one of the best engineering department and there is no way the DGCA would allow improperly maintained aircraft to fly and just to add, AI have sent all sorts of aircraft to the EU and USA but have never had any aircraft banned by the JAA (EU) or the FAA over maintenance issues (unlike PIA which had 747s/a310s banned by the EU).

People always seem to exaggerate the negatives onboard quality on Air India. Do you really think Indians have got nothing better to do then pick their own sh!t and smear it all over the restroom walls just for the hell of it! I take offence at this thought! I have been on some carriers which have a very basic and simple clientele (gulf carriers ex middle east) and I have yet to see sh!t all over the walls!

Get a grip, Air India was bad but with new aircrafts and competition, they SEEM to be improving.

I am willing to try them out and go with an open mind on there newer aircrafts and I think people should do the same.

But this Air India were crap 10 years ago and I would never travel again mantra needs to be put away. Its getting almost boring!

I know what you are trying to say and I agree with you on most of it. I guess everyone is basing their feedback on what they have experienced.

I had to fly them a few months back as that was the only decent option I got at that time. It was on a 777 and my TV screen would not stay up and was fixed with duct tape (what is their fascination with this stuff???) The seat was broken and when I asked for a beer I was told that there were none chilled and it would take some time.

The worst part was that the toilet smelled like a local train toilet. Ok there was no cra*on the walls but why can't they just maintain the toilets. Does the shi* stink more as its from a Indian person. Nope! Its just a lack of proper cleaning.

Yeah I would fly them again as I feel that they have improved in the last few years but only when my first three choice are not available.

It was 3 years ago. Not 12. The plane was fine. The crew on the outbound and return were neither fat, old nor ugly. On the flight to LHR, they were fantastic, once again, yet on the flight back they couldn't be bothered. Quite typically, if you hear the same complaint repeatedly, it's quite possible it's true.

It is obvious you have a bias and are offended that I had a bad flight. Get a grip. I'm slightly offended you think I'm racist. The fact that there was poop on the walls has nothing to do with it being an Indian flight. I have no idea, but I certainly don't think it's the national pastime of India to smear s#hit on things. The point is, there WAS poop on the walls and when I told the cabin crew, they didn't put the bathroom out of service. Instead, most people just gasped prior to entering the lav and moved to the next one.

I find it slightly ironic that you claim I have an anti-Indian bias and then you go on to call Middle Easterners in general (or at least the "basic" clientele of Gulf) "simple".

It almost seems as if you work for the same AI Customer Service team that responds to letters with complaints. The team that, as part of their training, is issued rose colored glasses.

I didnt accuse you of anything, the fact is that when people talk of Air India, they exaggerate the experiances.

If you do your research, most middle east flights going to India from the middle east hardly have arabs on them, they are mostly indian labourers who come from very very poor backgrounds and are in the nicest term possible "Simple".

A fact is a fact. This sounds more like your opinion.

Anyhow, just sharing my experience in the most honest way I know how. No need to exaggerate. I have nothing to gain by telling how my flight from LHR to ORD went.

Honestly, with some of the recent customer service issues I've had with United, I'd prefer poop on the walls.

nothing against you personally but being of indian origin, i have heard so many horror stories from within my community and not all of it is justified. what i was trying to say was that it is human nature to overstate experiences.