AIR INDIA: SAVING NERVE OR SAVING MONEY?

Many years ago, while living in New York, I had friends, who although financially solvent always booked themselves trans-Atlantic to London on the notoriously less expensive carrier, Air India. The flights were cost effective and my friends were vegetarians and lovers of curries so naturally the meal service fare would be more suitable to their palates. “The aircraft smells of curry” they assured me but in fact so do a great many cities in the UK and the rest of the curry cooking world.

Today Air India has a new advertising campaign seen initially in the UK in which an Indian businessman remarks favourably on either the food served on this national carrier or on the airline’s impeccable time keeping. I was curious. I asked around on what people thought of their experience of the airline today and moreover, its meal service. One woman told me that what she thought was a small bone in her chicken sandwich turned out to be a staple! But that was on a recent Air Canada flight so she was off course if not off topic.

What I have discovered about the Air India experience overall is that you’re probably better off booking in their business class cabins for comfort but little else. Here is what I’ve learned. 

They still serve curry. The cabin staff dress colourfully but their attitudes are grey in disposition. Reports of casual body mannerisms on greeting boarding passengers, like stewardesses leaning on cabin walls with hands on their hips, are numerous. 

On one flight a steward was seen standing on a passenger seat, his arms folded across his chest as he stared blankly out at the middle distance. For legal reasons I hasten to add that there was no passenger in the seat at the time! When attendant bells work there is good chance that they won’t come to answer to your needs. They have been known to flatly and rudely refuse passengers the courtesy of a second alcoholic beverage. The free booze is not forthcoming and that might be a cultural thing. 

The inflight entertainment system more often than not does not work in economy nor business. When it is functional very little of it is in English and the majority of films are Bollywood productions. Besides the new Dreamliners their aircraft are somewhat dated. Cabin cleanliness is regularly poor. 

Your tickets will be tens and tens of pounds cheaper than those of European carriers serving similar routes to and from the Sub Continent and their seat pitch wider but I’m informed that those seats are usually stained. Air India flights tend to be packed with more children than European carriers. Be prepared to be subjected to their unchecked noise and raging high spirits in the aisles and those children who do remain seated might well be absentmindedly kicking the back of your seat from London to Mumbai. 

Their timekeeping is as any other; arriving early, one time or unexplainably late. They’ve been know too to land without explanation in totally different cities causing havoc for passengers with connecting flights. Saving money may not save your nerves but those curries are still good to fair to vegetarian. 

Peter Jarrette is a writer and published author.