I had the good fortune of flying at train fares from Pune to Delhi and back. Having flown in Jet/Sahara/NWA(USA)/AI/KLM(Netherland)/Jet Blue(USA) I had some notions and experience of a flight experience and maybe that will effect my review. I have flown in low cost airlines in USA and the exisiting Airlines in India.
First you can only fly at train fares if you book a lot in advance. Else be prepared to shell out a lot more.
1) Check In counter and ground handling -- Be aware that the airlines takes away your ticket printout (strange). The staff would check in your limited baggage as per their rules (Its there is terms and conditions) Ground handling is teriible in Pune and Delhi for Air Deccan. There is absolutely no process. Queues are broken and made at the whims of their staff and time and flight schedule is just an incidental input. Unlike other airlines which have organized and scheduled queueing Air Deccan is ad hoc.
2) Punctuality -- God’s mercy. 20 mins delay is normal (on time) just like the railways. Staff on ground is pathetic if asked. There are no regular updates or anykind of customer service for enquiry is flight is delayed. At the Delhi airport the ground staff were clueless and rude to passengers who were waiting for a Bangalore flight since 4 o clock in morning till 10 am when I boarded mine to Pune.
3) The flights -- very clean. new looking. The best part is choose your seat on a first come first serve basis. The flight attendants are much more courteous than their ground staff and the Cafe food is fresh compared to the stale microwave warmed food of five star food of other airlines. Seats are like cattle class but that is the same in any airlines.
4) In flight bidding gives some good deals. I didn’t buy anything yet but I liked the bargains.
5) I am not really aware of relocation to other flights in case of cancellation of flight but that used to happen in the low cost flights in USA. Not sure if that is the practise in India. I haven’t thankfully faced any situation on that front. But I heard that on the day of the Air Deccan listing people were made to travel in Bus to Raipur as their flight was cancelled. However that was heard so I do not wish to comment on that.
Overall-- If you do not mind delays and are ok with shabby unprofessional ground staff Air Deccan gives a good deal if you buy in advance. Otherwise go for some other airlines. After all, after flying, your thought shouldn’t be "thank God I got out of this ordeal" but rather "that was a great experience" and I am sorry Air Deccan cannot deliver that feeling. They got a long way to go before we feel that.
Thanks.