You get what you pay for
Written: Jun 03 '03
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Decent food, speak Hindi
Cons: Oy Vey, everything!
The Bottom Line: Either take another airline or change your trip to vacation elsewhere. It's simply not worth it.
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| alohayamuna's Full Review: Air India |
Where does one begin?
First: The Passengers.
For the most part, the class of passengers who take Air India do so because they must, due to the extremely low cost. Their unsophistication will carry through the entire flight.
Start with airport. Upon announcing "Seats 50-70, and those with babies, board now," EVERYONE will run to the gate, and they do not form a line. (This is the Indian way, and is to be expected) It is sheer chaos.
These passengers will make a mess. One of my flights, a father of two drank 6 beers, and littered the cans. No flight attendant cleaned up, nor came down the aisle with a trash bag. The liquid in the cans began to smell. Others throw napkins and such on the ground. It is worst after a meal is served...food all over the place.
People always throw up on AI. Most airlines will clean it. Air India (Happened all 3 times) does not even mop. They put newspaper OVER the vomit. The flight attendants seem content to do this, and they move their food carts over the newspaper/vomit, and people walk right over it. It smells so bad during the entire flight. This WILL happen to you.
Next up: Bathrooms.
In India, many people still use water, not toilet paper, to clean up after using the facilities. Passengers feel they must do the same. Either that, or they are just messy. The lavatories are always wet...walls, counters, mirrors. Yuck. Air India also does not carry much toilet paper, and it runs out halfway through the first leg of the flight. I take my own napkins to use.
Even worse are people who are unfamiliar with the western toilet. The lavatory, after they are done, is sprayed not with water, but with pee. I kid you not. Of my 12 trips to India, I've traveled 3 times on Air India, and this is always the case. This does not happen on other airlines to India, like Lufthansa, Malaysia Air, etc.
My last trip was the worst, and I have shared this nauseating experience with all, to deter them. During the first leg of the flight, THE TOILET LEAKED DOWN THE AISLE OF THE PLANE! I cannot describe the smell, only to say that it was lethal. All of a sudden, everyone near the bathrooms, about 20 rows, goes "EEEW, what's that?" We looked, and saw a yellow-green-brown slimy liquid rolling down the aise from the bathroom.
Guess what the flight attendants said? "What smell? I don't smell anything?" It was unbearable. And unbelievable. They said they would fix it during the layover, but they did not! It was sooo bad. I lied and said I was going to throw up, and they moved me to a seat up ahead. It was a little better, but not much. The others had to stay in their seats. Air India did not refund any money for this disaster.
The Flight Attendants:
Long ago, they used to be very friendly, attentive, quite beautiful, and courteous. Then a monster called Downsizing, Cost-cutting and Cheapness took over, and now they are fat, unable to help people with luggage. They are outwardly rude, and do not come to your seat when buzzed.
I read another review that talked of "backward-caste flight attendants being the problem" but I don't believe that is correct. Someone's caste does not make them a bad flight attendant...rather, it is more likely the poor training they receive, due to lack of proper spending by the airline.
Short Note: The London Layover.
You will be asked to leave the plane while they "clean up" (A.K.A. use a sweeper, mop up vomit, and de-lint your seat. Your pocket in front of you will not be cleaned of junk. They make everyone leave, and get back in line immediately. For this, you must dig out your passport and ID and ticket, etc. Then they stuff all of you in a small room. There are not enough seats for everyone here, many of you will stand. There is no bathroom here, nor is there enough time to go elsewhere. You will re-board in 1 hour or so. There is nothing to drink except for a vending machine that only takes British Pounds.
Last: The plane itself.
The flight that leaves from New York is called Ajanta. Yours will be, too. This is because, I believe, there is only one airplane that goes back and forth. (hence the usual delays). Poor Ajanta is mistreated by passengers, flight attendants, bad toilets, and a horrible cleanup crew. The seats are worn out, and uncomfortable, due to the cushions rarely being refurbished. The plane is, in a word, rickety. I don't doubt the professionalism of the pilots, but the plane is in such bad shape, and rarely, if ever, given a thorough checkup, that I do not feel safe flying in it.
This was a long review, but there was a lot to say. I wish we could gather together and boycott Air India, but alas, there are too many people who will continue to use it, due to its low cost. But next time, I'll just pay a little more. It is SO worth paying more to have a hassle-free flight.
Recommended:
No
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Epinions.com ID:
alohayamuna
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Reviews written: 11
Trusted by: 0 members
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