THE NATIONAL CARRIER IS THE FIRST IMPRESSION OF A COUNTRY
and I am sorry to say that Air India needs a major over haul if it want to survive the competitive market.
I was just reading some of the reviews on travel section, and just than I happened to read a review by hitenrmehta on Air India, so I decided to pen down my opinion about it, though I know that even after reading this Air India is not going to improve at all untill the very own people of India force then to do so. Most of the time we travel with our national carrier PIA, but I have travelled with Air India twice.
Journey, the – Imran Ashraf
I have been tortured twice traveling by Air India. The stewards and stewardesses were least helpful. The Executive class is like hell. Worn seats, the cover were as if not replaced since decades. I squeezed into my seat which was uncomfortable as they seemed narrow - and the leg room not very good at all. The hand rest on my seats was broken, and when I asked for replacement of the seats the crew staff just wouldn’t listen to my request, whereas for some unknown reason a replacement for an American citizen was made immediately. On both the occasion the flight was delayed for more than 5 hrs at least. Once one of my friend from Calcutta had a fully confirmed booking, only to be told it was cancelled on arrival at the check-in.
The AI staff and crew are one of the most incompetent and corrupt I have come across. The attendant in the front cabin was having some attitude problem, no smiles, and no eye contact and did not utter a friendly word throughout the journey. I have come to expect a personal greeting by name, at no time on both the occasions, did a member of the cabin crew introduce themselves, or address any of the passengers by name.
It was lunch time but the crew pulled down the window blinds and dimmed the lights it was just an excuse for the crew to disappear for four hours and do nothing. The in flight entertainment was complete waste of time, about 10 years behind the British Airways and SwissAir. The food was stale. I advice you bring your own food.
Ground staff was rude, unhelpful and deliberately misleading. I was luck I had my Indian friends along with me.
Khuda Hafiz
© 2001-2002 Imran Ashraf, Pakistan.