[itwasntme]

Originally Posted by Turbohead

Why is Air India running the A350 on the Chennai Bangalore route? Are there so many passengers on this stretch? Isn't it bad for the aircraft considering the fact that it's primary purpose is for long haul?

Typically, any wholly new family of aircraft will be deployed on domestic routes for crew and ground handling familiarisation, and regulatory compliance purposes.

Only after that will they gradually get deployed on various international sectors.

[Rahul Bhalgat]

My wife took Pune - Jaipur flight of Air India yesterday.

She takes 4-6 flights a year, on an average. She runs a garment shop. She is not much tech friendly, not auto enthusiastic at all, hasn't seen the world of corporates or institutions (not even small or medium size). Though she owns a business, her house and her family are her world primarily.

Her experience of the AI flight yesterday in her words:

"It was all good. No problems at all. I did not even go to that touchscreen (she meant the web check-in kiosk); I went straight to the counter. Everything was smooth, no delays, no unnecessary waiting, no problems in checkin, boarding or getting the baggage. The staff at the check-in baggage scanning machine lifted my bags and kept on the belt. No problem with the aircraft; it was not brand new but the seats were not torn. All good. Flight timing and fare too suited us."

[sameer_vwagner]

My Booking and Customer Care Experience with Air India.

Route: London to Mumbai via Delhi

Flights:

AI 112 (Airbus A350-941): London to Delhi
UK 975 (Airbus A320-251N): Delhi to Mumbai
UK 984 (Airbus A320-251N): Mumbai to Delhi
AI 111 (Airbus A350-941): Delhi to London

Booking Experience:

I booked my flights using the Air India app. Overall, the app functioned without any significant issues, but there was one frustrating hiccup. For some inexplicable reason, I couldn't add my Flying Returns (FR) ID to the booking—it kept refreshing without updating the ID. I logged in as an FR member and continued the booking, and while it initially seemed to accept my FR ID, it was missing once the PNR was generated. Apart from this, the booking experience was generally smooth, with nothing else noteworthy to report.

Now for the Painful Part:

Since I wanted to earn FR miles, I contacted Air India with my FR ID and PNR. They responded within eight days, stating that they had updated my FR ID in the booking. However, they noted that I would earn miles only for the international sector, not the domestic one, as it was operated by Vistara, which isn't part of the Star Alliance network.

Two days later, I received another email saying I was ineligible for miles accrual due to the booking class. I had already checked the app and website, so I knew that miles could be claimed for this fare. I wrote back with screenshots from the app and website as proof. This led to a long exchange of about 15 emails, with both sides explaining how the other was mistaken.

Finally, about an hour ago, I received an email stating there had been confusion. Although the booking class in Economy wouldn’t allow miles accrual, my booking was actually in Premium Economy, so I would be getting the miles after all.

After comparing this experience with Vistara's customer service, I am disappointed to learn that these two airlines are merging. Vistara has consistently provided a better experience, especially when it comes to resolving queries about bookings and frequent flyer programs. If Vistara is uncertain, they acknowledge it, investigate, and come back with a resolution without requiring so much back and forth.

That said, I’m really looking forward to flying on Air India’s Airbus A350. I’ll share reviews and photos after completing the first leg from London to Delhi in two weeks.

[NomadSK]

Keeping the old legacy flying high. Looks like there is no change since TATA took over, I thought gradually with time things would change for better !!

He also shared the video in which he was heard saying, "Come with me to the worst first-class cabin I've ever been in.

LINK

[NomadSK]

And now this damage control by refunding the money. How about the reputation loss, who will compensate that ?

Air India refunds fare to CEO who flew ‘worst 1st class’ on its US-Delhi flight.

Link

[Comrade]

Air India's CEO Campbell Wilson about the turn-around

https://economictimes.indiatimes.com...0.cms?from=mdr

Two years after Tata Group took control of Air India in a $2.4 billion deal, re-kitting an ageing fleet amid parts shortages and persistent flight delays stand in the way of the former state-owned carrier's intent to become "a world class airline".

Global shortages are hurting plans for most airlines, but the problem is "more acute" for Air India, CEO Campbell Wilson said, as India's flag carrier is nearing the halfway mark of a five-year turnaround plan but starting a generation behind rivals like Dubai's Emirates and Qatar Airways.

"Our product is obviously a lot more dated. These aircraft haven't had a product refresh since they were delivered in sort of 2010, 2011. And so it's more of an acute need for us," CEO Wilson said in an interview in Sydney.

"If we've got legacy seats and legacy in-flight entertainment systems, we're operating with one arm tied behind our back," he said. The challenges are the biggest at the premium end of the plane as Air India looks to lure high-spending travellers, added Wilson, a former Singapore Airlines executive.

It is refitting about 67 planes starting with 27 narrowbody ones that will be completed by mid-2025, allowing it to better compete with domestic rival IndiGo's larger and more modern fleet. The start of the 40 widebody refits, originally slated for this year, has been pushed to early 2025 due to delays in getting its customised business and first class seats. Seat manufacturers have said they are grappling with a shortage of skilled labour and capacity, Wilson said. Once the refit starts, it will take about two years to bring the widebody fleet to international standards, he added.

Older jets have led to lower utilisation by about an hour per day on average across Air India's fleet, and even more for planes flying long-haul routes like to the U.S., Wilson said. As an interim solution, Air India is ring-fencing some of its most profitable long-haul sectors like Mumbai to San Francisco and Delhi to London by guaranteeing modern planes.

In the year ended March, Air India increased its capacity by 21% from a year ago and pushed up passenger load factors, or the percentage of seats filled, narrowing net losses by 60% to $532 million and growing its revenues by 24.5% to $6.15 billion. "When we can command the prices the product deserves and people have a good view of the reliability and service proposition, we can fly to more highyield routes and bring back the high-yield customer," Wilson said. He did not give a target date for reaching profitability.

When Tata regained control in 2022, the airline's systems were antiquated, offices scattered and there were 30 aircraft on the ground for want of spare parts. "It was just in absolute shambles. We've had to really spend the first six months to stabilise the ship," Wilson said.

A shift to Air India's own maintenance and repair facility should help reduce maintenance-related delays, Wilson said. The facility, which it is building with help from Singapore Airlines subsidiary SIA Engineering, will be ready by 2026. Air India is contractually obligated to use government-owned Air India Engineering Services Ltd until the end of 2024. "Two years in, I think we're in a good place," Wilson said.

[v1p3r]

Grammy award winner Ricky Kej is a regular sufferer of AI, and in his own words 'continuesly gives them chances'. However, his on-ground reports make AI seem even more awful than before.

https://x.com/rickykej/status/1840258832179630368

[Turbanator]

Originally Posted by v1p3r

Grammy award winner Ricky Kej is a regular sufferer of AI

Agree with him, any payments have to be done far off from the check-in counters, whether for baggage or upgrade.

And yes, most attendants on flights are busy amongst themselves. On trans-Atlantic flights, they have 6 Business class seats converted (curtains, etc.) for their use and have seen hostesses changing into pyjamas immediately after the first service.

Self-service is the best per my experience, even in Business, rather than waiting for something to be served or cleared. It keeps you fresh as well

Despite broken seats and non-existent service, I also continue flying with AI despite cribbing as it's the shortest flight to Toronto. This shows in their report that they are doing pretty well in the overseas segment as a lot of people want to reach home as quickly as possible.

[itwasntme]

Originally Posted by Turbanator

Despite broken seats and non-existent service, I also continue flying with AI despite cribbing as it's the shortest flight to Toronto. This shows in their report that they are doing pretty well in the overseas segment as a lot of people want to reach home as quickly as possible.

Is this an outcome of the Ukraine conflict? Believe American/Canadian carriers stopped overflying ROS/UKR flight space, while Chinese and Indian carriers continue to do so.

[ArjunPadmakumar]

Originally Posted by itwasntme

Is this an outcome of the Ukraine conflict? Believe American/Canadian carriers stopped overflying ROS/UKR flight space, while Chinese and Indian carriers continue to do so.

Yes, that's why. The fastest way from India to North America is overflying Russian airspace. This is how air india is saving hours on some of their ultra long haul flights. And that is also the reason why US big 3, that is Delta, United and American are super reluctant on starting new service. However delta seems to be studying the possibility of starting Delhi service using the Airbus A350.

There also is some issue with respect to Insurance for US citizens and due that reason many western MNCs do not encourage their staff to overfly Russia.

Anyway Air India has a big advantage due to the Russia-Ukraine standoff and if they clean up their act they will win patrons. Although it's still a hit or miss. The leased 77Ls and leased 77Ws which were ex-Delta and ex-Etihad are pretty good. However the older and government handed over 77Ls and 77Ws wear a super dated and worse badly maintained cabin that cries for refurbishment. It's due from next year though. And the new A350-900s are also planned to used for the New York rotations.

[rrsteer]

Going against the general tide here, I had a very good experience flying Air India from Delhi to Zurich and back, last month.

We were a family of five traveling together, including my mom, who is over 70, and my younger daughter (5 years old), whose hand was in a cast. I (we) don't travel by air often anymore, and the gap was long enough that I forgot parts of the process involved in taking a flight. I believe it was only my second or third time flying with Air India, while none of the others had flown with them in the last 10-15 years. I was a bit apprehensive about booking tickets with Air India in the first place, but the appeal of a direct flight, very convenient takeoff and landing times, and the fact that it was among the lowest-priced flight (worked out to ~INR 55k per person for an economy return ticket, including charges for seat selection) ensured I couldn't look the other way.

The check-in process was smooth on each occasion, and both the flights departed and landed on time. I should mention that I was able to arrange a wheelchair for my daughter without hassles at the AI check-in counter at Delhi while departing (she was happier walking on the return leg). This was especially a relief, as the injury had happened only a few days before the day of departure, and I was not aware of the process to book a wheel chair. I left it to be managed at the airport, and it worked out seamlessly. A wheelchair was waiting for her on our arrival in Zurich, and the appointed staff was super nice too. I was really impressed with how smoothly this went.

In terms of the in-flight experience, we occupied the three seats in the first row and two in the row behind. While the first row obviously has no legroom issues, even for me, seated in the row behind and being 6 feet tall, there were no problems. From past experiences, I carried the impression of an uncomfortable 8-hour flight due to less legroom, but fortunately, that wasn’t the case. Another thing that really impressed me and the others was how the flight attendants tended to my mom and both my daughters—especially the younger one. It’s easy to tell when someone is being nice out of obligation, but in this case, especially on the return leg, it felt very genuine. That won all of us over.

We were satisfied with the food service on both the flights and in infact were pleasantly surprised that the dinner served on the return flight, as an Indian meal, could be that good. Regarding the entertainment units, as has been discussed here and elsewhere, they were a mixed bag. For example, on the outbound flight, mine worked, but the one on the seat next to me, occupied by my elder daughter, didn’t initially. It suddenly sprang to life midway. Even so, she had to hold the headphone jack in place to hear any sound. Lastly, I would say that I found the upkeep and general cleanliness to be on par with Vande Bharat trains, which I’m more used to for travelling. So, it wasn’t much of an issue, but yes, an area that could use improvement.

Overall, each of us was very happy with the flight experience and will book with AI in the future without hesitation. But, I would also quickly put a marker, I was travelling with family and together we rarely ever let anything dampen our spirt or mood. E.g., in isolation I don't know how good/bad I would have felt if my seat entertainment didn't work.

[Sreesh1009]

I have been using Air India's services for the past 2 years now. I frequently do the Bangalore-Delhi-Bangalore sector.

What I like:
1. Luggage limit with student discount (allows two bags with a 25kg limit)
2. You get to access the new T2 Terminal at BLR and T3 at Delhi Airport
3. The new A350 aircrafts are a class apart and at a reasonable rate (reminds me of Jet Airways)
4. The new website and app are well made and updates are timely

What I don't like:
1. The smell of the food they serve on the aircraft makes me nauseous
2. Limited options with respect to food and barely any beverages
3. Wish they'd upgrade their existing aircrafts, some of the old ones are painful to sit in for 3 hours (I am 6'1 for reference)

Over the two years of flying, the only bad experience I've had is with slight delays but the experience has been decent overall.

[srh]

It is just a matter of time that the old airplanes will be fixed/ refurbished and new ones inducted. However, the biggest issue with AI is its customer facing staff - especially the ground staff. They are an abomination as far as customer service is concerned - indifferent, lacking empathy, lacking commitment, lethargic and bureaucratic. And that will be the biggest hurdle for the management. TCS generates enough & more cash for Tata Sons to throw down AI to fix the hardware - the work culture is an altogether different thing.

[king999]

As an exclusive Air India flyer (yes, we exist) and a Gold member of their Flying Returns rewards, I can tell you the experience with AI has been steadily improving since the Tata take over. Attitudes of in-flight stewards and on-ground staff has seen a marked improvement since their earlier days. There also seems to be a desire to do better for their customers, and that is always the first step in correcting a decline over the past decade. The Vistara merger had a few management missteps in the beginning, but it looks like that too will be resolved in due course.

Once they have their planes upgraded, they should be flying (pun intended). As they should, being the premier national carrier.

[Comrade]

Tata seems to be treading carefully to not squander away Vistara's brand recall.

https://www.hindustantimes.com/india...894359712.html

Though the legal entities and Air Operator Certificates will become one on 12 November, the Vistara experience will remain. Vistara aircraft, crew and service will continue to operate as before, but with AI 2XXX flight numbers bookable via airindia.com.

This means an Vistara flight currently called UK123 will, from November 12, be called AI 2123.

"The two airline schedules have been filed separately in the upcoming winter schedule that starts from October last week up till March end,” said an official who asked not to be named.

“Vistara aircraft will operate to all its original destinations at least till March. It may even be extended up to May,” he added.

Behind paywall -> https://economictimes.indiatimes.com...4.cms?from=mdr

Tata Sons has advised Air India's management to handle Vistara's merger carefully to retain Vistara's loyal customers. The merger is planned for Nov 12. Vistara's current staff and service standards will be maintained until Air India's standards improve.