Flew aboard the new Air India A350 on 4 routes: My unbiased opinion

These are purely unbiased and authentic observations with the hope that the new Air India intends to become a world-class carrier.

BHPian aastiksaluja recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

The new A350 Experience.

Four flights:

DEL-BOM (Apr '24)
BOM-DEL (Apr '24)
DEL-DXB (May '24)
DXB-DEL (May '24)

Though they are not long haul, they are a decent starter to comment on the new 350 experience. I'll go the TBHP way of letting a few pictures walk the talk.

Check-in experience.

Nothing to write home about. But, I must say, it's better than Vistara, despite seeing a young crowd. On one of the DXB flights from DEL, I was honourably selected for random Custom scrutiny . The airline sent an escort to help me expedite the process, and once through security, they checked in the bags. Even though that is the norm to know if the passenger is allowed or not, I was still sceptical and handed Gandhiji to the porter so that he could make sure I have a change of clothes when I'm in Habibi land

The least exciting part of the AI Delhi Biz route is the iconic AI lounge.

Hygiene was a thing missing on almost all the counters. I clicked just one.

Broken coffee machine. The staff was willing to make one desi-style coffee, but honestly, get a new barista already.

I didn't click pics, but I found no table without dark etched water rings, which almost seemed like an aesthetic design for all the furniture. These are hygiene basics to ensure the person sitting next is comfortable and thinks he/she's sitting in a clean space.

Moving on, Onboarding was smooth. The staff was excited and highly friendly. I hope that continues. A few new trainees were seen, with high enthusiasm. They offered to explain the seat functions when seated.

Full-closing suite (a faux one). Nice for privacy on long hauls when you wish to sleep comfortably. However, from a critical eye, the quality was not sturdy, and they had a lot of lateral movement. Only the crew can operate those from a topside latch, and during one of the landings, it slipped off the latch and came sliding in due to the landing force, questioning the sturdiness. I hope they survive the test of time.

Nice space to store your shoes. Reminder: Do not keep your footwear in front of your seat. When you recline, it's not just an ottoman rising with space liberated below. The entire seat moves fore and aft and would crush your footwear if you leave them upfront. Better stow them away.

This space was to store literature! It's not the most ergonomic use, IMHO. The hook below is not good enough to hang jackets or coats as the door passage is quite slim, and the hook height is a bit low. When you close it, it is better to use the outer hook outside the door at the top. (Focus on the top edge with a cutout, although, again, nitpicking, the round aesthetics are not the best as it makes the jacket sometimes fall, even with a little hand brush.

There is plenty of space upfront. Even the tallest passengers would not have a concern. Regarding a sense of space and lack of claustrophobia, I found this better than Air Canada's Signature-class lie flat and some reverse herringbone designs. You can twist and turn in the seat and not hit elbows.

However, one critical observation—there is no elbow or armrest while you sit. It is not on the door side, and the table on the other side is not ergonomic unless you are a kid sitting on your mother's lap or you like to rest your arm like a flapping bird. It's highly missed, but I guess it's a trade-off for seat width.

The food was decent, heated well, had clean cutlery, and had a decent taste. The juices were good. I hope someday, TAJSATS will provide an unparalleled culinary experience worthy of its legacy and name, which aligns with what Do&Co provides in Turkish today.

A few other observations:

I didn't take pictures of the stowage beside the seat, but it was pretty nifty. It was big enough to store my iPad, had a soft base to land your phone, though not super big for today's gigantic phones, a nice multi-touch light, and a nifty mirror.

The seat functions on the side table's corner towards the seat and can be touched unnecessarily when you lie flat or recline high while trying to rest your elbows.

The massage function is not the most user-friendly. You must keep the button pressed, and a mild sensation starts after half a minute. I'm not sure how many will benefit from it, apart from curious trials.

I know that these are Aeroflot designs bought over by AI to expedite the Onboarding of new aircraft, so these edges are understandable. I hope the AI team has planned to perfection the end-to-end execution of the largest aircraft order in the world in today's age, and not just went for window shopping with TATA's credit card . I hope these and any more issues I didn't find are addressed and resolved in the coming purchases.

These are purely unbiased and authentic observations with the hope that the new AI(TATA) intends to become a world-class carrier. One can't become the best by compromising on any corner.

We need a lot more competition in the most populous and seventh-largest nation. If so many flagship Gulf carriers (also SE Asia) are surviving (flourishing) with a local population of millions, our market, too, can become one, with the added advantage of the largest homegrown flyer base.

I don't like it when the Indian diaspora is hurdled like cattle by foreign airlines (even though it's mostly because our folks lack a sense of space and order), as they are in a cultural shock. An indigenous airline (or many) will surely help in a smooth transition and travel for many Indians who will soon become future flyers. You can't bank all your bets on one airline! What if they fail to deliver again?

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