Anyone flown with Air India before?
Discussion
I've been invited to a Stag Event that's taking place in Canada towards the end of the month. The event has come totally out of the blue, and so I've spent the morning looking at flights that fit in with the times and places needed. The cheapest flights I can get are with Air India - a company I have never heard of, let alone used before. Normally I would just book with a preferred airline, however the Air India tickets are a few hundred pounds less expensive than the next cheapest company, and the flights are at more convenient times too.
Has anyone here on PH flown with Air India before? Are they a strict no-no, or am I being a bit of a comfort-loving snob? Is it a bit unconventional using Air India to fly to and from a place that's nowhere near India? I'm probably being a bit silly, but am happy for any thoughts on the matter.
Cheers,
EYW
Has anyone here on PH flown with Air India before? Are they a strict no-no, or am I being a bit of a comfort-loving snob? Is it a bit unconventional using Air India to fly to and from a place that's nowhere near India? I'm probably being a bit silly, but am happy for any thoughts on the matter.
Cheers,
EYW
ehyouwhat said:
I've been invited to a Stag Event that's taking place in Canada towards the end of the month. The event has come totally out of the blue, and so I've spent the morning looking at flights that fit in with the times and places needed. The cheapest flights I can get are with Air India - a company I have never heard of, let alone used before. Normally I would just book with a preferred airline, however the Air India tickets are a few hundred pounds less expensive than the next cheapest company, and the flights are at more convenient times too.
Has anyone here on PH flown with Air India before? Are they a strict no-no, or am I being a bit of a comfort-loving snob? Is it a bit unconventional using Air India to fly to and from a place that's nowhere near India? I'm probably being a bit silly, but am happy for any thoughts on the matter.
Cheers,
EYW
well I flew with Air France to Australia so you should be okay Has anyone here on PH flown with Air India before? Are they a strict no-no, or am I being a bit of a comfort-loving snob? Is it a bit unconventional using Air India to fly to and from a place that's nowhere near India? I'm probably being a bit silly, but am happy for any thoughts on the matter.
Cheers,
EYW
Edited by funk odyssey on Wednesday 11th March 11:24
I flew with them a few years back, if it's Toronto there are a lot of Indians in Toronto (I believe) so they fly from India with a London stopoff hence the transatlantic component is comparatively cheap.
No idea what it's like economy, I flew first class. they were great, they kept bringing gifts (tie, washbag, mirror, pictureframe) and the food was brilliant
No idea what it's like economy, I flew first class. they were great, they kept bringing gifts (tie, washbag, mirror, pictureframe) and the food was brilliant
Edited by john_p on Wednesday 11th March 11:27
NDA said:
ehyouwhat said:
mrmaggit said:
One of their 747's was blown up over the Atlantic, that was flying from Canada to India via Europe.
Yeah I noticed that, although it was a couple of decades ago.I flew to the USA with Air India from Heathrow a few years ago.
When we got on the plane, it had already flown from Mumbai, or somewhere like that. Half of the passengers had got off at Heathrow, the others were still on the plane for the onwards journey.
There were dirty nappies on the floor, and as many of the passnegers had already been on the plane for an already long journey, every passenger had to have their window blinds down too, even though it was a really nice day.
The food was okay, but nothing special. The plane genuinley smelt like a toilet at a festival - gross
It has to be without doubt, the worst flight i've ever been on. Definitely not something i'd recommend to anyone.
When we got on the plane, it had already flown from Mumbai, or somewhere like that. Half of the passengers had got off at Heathrow, the others were still on the plane for the onwards journey.
There were dirty nappies on the floor, and as many of the passnegers had already been on the plane for an already long journey, every passenger had to have their window blinds down too, even though it was a really nice day.
The food was okay, but nothing special. The plane genuinley smelt like a toilet at a festival - gross
It has to be without doubt, the worst flight i've ever been on. Definitely not something i'd recommend to anyone.
mrmaggit said:
One of their 747's was blown up over the Atlantic, that was flying from Canada to India via Europe.
and more recently a BA 777 crashed at Heathrow. Not too many injuries but loads of luck rather than judgment involved.If an airline is authorised to fly into an EU country it has met all of the strict maintenance criteria necessary. I would go for it if you are saving a few hundres quid. It's only a 7-8 hour flight to Toronto and the saving would give you free spending money when you're there
ehyouwhat said:
I'm probably being a bit silly,
No! Not at all! You do realise, though, that it will be full of "funny" looking people and might smell a bit. You know - a bit like the colonies.If you do fly - make sure you pretend to not understand the air-crews perfect English with "no, sorry I didn't understand that?" - "do it again" - "no, didn't get it... try again" - "what's that?" - "do it again?" - "again." - "again." - "again.".
Having a couple of decent, comfortable flights is more important to me than saving a bit of money, if I am being completely honest. That said, I don't like throwing money away, and an Air India flight might have fitted the bill perfectly (an economical, comfortable way of getting to Toronto and back). But seemingly there are mixed reviews on the service, and perhaps making use of the second leg of a longer journey might not be advisable?!
On balance, I think I might stick with BA as I've never had cause for complaint before.
Thanks for the advice
On balance, I think I might stick with BA as I've never had cause for complaint before.
Thanks for the advice
Landlord said:
ehyouwhat said:
I'm probably being a bit silly,
No! Not at all! You do realise, though, that it will be full of "funny" looking people and might smell a bit. You know - a bit like the colonies.If you do fly - make sure you pretend to not understand the air-crews perfect English with "no, sorry I didn't understand that?" - "do it again" - "no, didn't get it... try again" - "what's that?" - "do it again?" - "again." - "again." - "again.".
I flew LHR - JFK with them a couple of years ago.
Good points
Price
As much tiger beer as you could drink!
Good food - Chicken curry
Genuinely nice and helpful cabin staff
Bad points
Long delay on the way back, this is quiet common apparently.
Plane was bit tatty inside
Inflight entertainment is a big screen rather than back of the headrest and is not suprisingly in Indian, but with the £300 saved per person I bought myself a portable DVD player for about £150
Good points
Price
As much tiger beer as you could drink!
Good food - Chicken curry
Genuinely nice and helpful cabin staff
Bad points
Long delay on the way back, this is quiet common apparently.
Plane was bit tatty inside
Inflight entertainment is a big screen rather than back of the headrest and is not suprisingly in Indian, but with the £300 saved per person I bought myself a portable DVD player for about £150
Have a friend who did the same route. Cheap flight and was "okay" can enquire more if you want? What I would say - and this is purely based on experience of flying out of the third world (inc. Gulf air out of India and Nepal), as that you have to be prepared that your fellow passengers maybe on thier first flight (or second I guess if they are on the London -> Canada leg from India. That means potentially nervous flyers, people sitting in your seat (either because they don't understand the system or can't read the numbers, and (in the case of the flights out of India) potencially not used to the western toilet on the plane, and the repercussions of that...
I don't mean the above to be rascist, just mean to point out that there's a fair chance a lot of the other passengers will be emigrating or visiting relatives and on a plane for the first time (well second if you count the first leg), and that might not make for a relaxing trip. Listening to the guy next to me practising the cockney accent of the taxi driver on the film he was watching was quite funny though!
I don't mean the above to be rascist, just mean to point out that there's a fair chance a lot of the other passengers will be emigrating or visiting relatives and on a plane for the first time (well second if you count the first leg), and that might not make for a relaxing trip. Listening to the guy next to me practising the cockney accent of the taxi driver on the film he was watching was quite funny though!
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