Review: Air India Airbus A350 Business Class

For now, Air India’s A350-900 aircraft are the only exciting aircraft in their fleet. Two have already been inducted; one other 4 must be inducted by Could 2024. I often love first flights, however I used to be away on a private engagement in January when the primary plane was speculated to be pressed into business service. So, I needed to cross on the preliminary dates. Nonetheless, when AI put the flights out for sale, they said that flights on the A350 can be accessible by way of February 2024. So, I booked some tickets to check out the jet across the various classes, together with the Air India A350 Enterprise Class.

Since then, Air India has additionally pressed into service the second A350-900 aircraft. Each these planes are being flown by Air India or Airbus examiners who’re utilizing the brief rides between Mumbai—Bangalore—Hyderabad, and Chennai to realize touchdown cycles and launch pilots after their verify rides in order that Air India has an accredited pool of pilots to take these planes overseas.

I booked myself on the only A350-900 weekly flight from Delhi to Bengaluru (on the time), hoping to catch greater than 2 hours at a stretch on the airplane moderately than the shorter segments that the airplane often operates. As described in this post, the ticket was booked by way of Star Alliance accomplice Turkish Airways. Booked in money, it might often go for about INR 40,000.

On the day of the flight, I arrived on the airport at about 4:45 PM for my 7 PM scheduled departure from Delhi Airport. On a weekday, the airport appeared quiet outdoors however plastered with DigiYatra advisories throughout.

I hopped into the DigiYatra lane to shortly enter the airport and headed to the Air India aisles to gather my bodily boarding cross.

The airline recently rolled out the new branding on their boarding passes, and I didn’t have one from the Enterprise Class part but, so I needed to see how that turned out in actual life. It was a fast train for the agent on the Enterprise Class Counter to print my boarding cross and hand it to me. You can even see the brand new branding for Air India throughout all the Delhi Airport.

I used to be knowledgeable lounge entry didn’t want a particular piece of paper and that the boarding cross itself may serve the aim.

The check-in agent additionally had somebody come round and put a tag on my rollaboard suitcase to determine it as that of a Enterprise Class passenger. It’s been some time since I’ve seen these go on the baggage, particularly since there is no longer a requirement to stamp them after a security check.

The DigiYatra queue was massively backed up, as it’s comingled with the common safety queue for financial system passengers. So, I headed to the precedence queue, which was empty.

On the opposite aspect, I headed to the Air India Lounge to bide my time whereas I waited for the plane to reach on the gate. I’ve beforehand reviewed the Air India Lounge at Delhi T3 Domestic. Whereas this lounge is bound to be razed and rebuilt by Air India, solely just a little has modified round there apart from the espresso machine.

I headed to the gate about 45 minutes out, and the airplane had been tugged to the gate by then. It’s all the time a welcome sight to see a brand new plane on the ramp.

The plane was on the gate, and so was I, one hour prior.

The crew appeared one other fifteen minutes later, and some moments later, boarding was introduced. Nonetheless, the AI-SATS floor dealing with agent introduced in all kinds of premium passengers collectively (Enterprise, Premium Financial system, Gold and Maharajah members of Air India Flying Returns, Star Alliance Gold members… and the Zone seated behind the airplane). On high of it, they only opened one rope to board and had steady confusion with two aerobridges for boarding and having to information passengers to the best gate repeatedly.

Lastly, I used to be on board the attractive Airbus A350-900 plane of Air India, and I boarded by way of gate L1, the frontmost gate on the airplane. In contrast to international carriers of notice, the Air India crew did a folded-hand “Namaste” on this journey and guided me down the aisle to seek out my seat. Whereas I’d already seen this plane at Wings India 2024, it might be my first time flying it.

Air India AI869
Delhi (DEL) – Bengaluru (BLR)
Tuesday, February 27, 2024
Departure: 07:38 PM
Length: 2 Hours 33 minutes
Arrival: 10:11 PM
Plane Sort: Airbus A350-900 
Seat: 4A (Enterprise)
Meal Service: Dinner

I had initially chosen seat 1A on the plane, given the entire seat map was empty. Nonetheless, a number of days earlier than the flight, I switched to 4A to raised perceive the service circulate. Right here is the seat map of the Air India A350-900 from the check-in circulate of Air India.

I shortly discovered my technique to my seat. Any clues of Aeroflot have been no less than not seen to the general public eye. Learn that as, the staff that reupholstered this airplane did a great job protecting up the situations of Aeroflot branding on this plane.

Air India’s A350-900 Interiors

As I walked by way of gate L1, I noticed that the primary compartment on the airplane was a Enterprise Class compartment, mainly an enclosed suite. There are 28 totally enclosed suites in a 1-2-1 configuration on board. No overhead bins over the centre made the enterprise cabin roomier.

Air India has the Collins Aerospace Horizon Premier enterprise class suite, which initially debuted on the Aeroflot model of the plane and was inherited by Turkish Airways and Air India.

The seats on the window sides are staggered in a close to and much from the window configuration. If you need a seat close to the window, go for the A/Ok seats on row 2/4/6.

Within the centre sections of enterprise class, you possibly can sit together with your journey accomplice subsequent to you, on rows 1/3/5 and seven, or far if you’re travelling solo. There’s a compartment divider in case you’d like extra privateness as nicely. Nonetheless, this seat can by no means flip right into a double mattress as on another carriers.

Behind the Enterprise Class part was the 2-4-2 configured Premium Financial system Class, and earlier than that, there was a bar within the second galley.

Air India’s Airbus A350-900 Enterprise Class In-flight product

I settled into my seat and observed the 21″ in-flight display. Working in-flight leisure is a superb signal for Air India. The monitor has contact controls to browse and make selections on the IFE.

On every seat, a disposable headset, a small pillow and a blanket have been ready. This could be a noise-cancelling headset for worldwide flights moderately than these disposable headsets.

There’s a small vainness case subsequent to the seat console, with a mirror, and one can use it to retailer small private gadgets equivalent to glasses or your passport.

A small lamp is put in outdoors the vainness case. On different airways, these lamps can be switched on to make the cabin welcoming. On AI, they have been switched off.

There’s a full-size wardrobe on some seats, which you should utilize to hold your jacket/coat and so forth if you change into the sleeper fits on long-haul flights.

Seat controls have been embedded on the armrest console, a serious irritant in the course of the flight, as I’d later realise. You can push these buttons inadvertently, which could set your seat in Do-Not-Disturb mode or slide into mattress mode. There aren’t any armrests on the opposite aspect of the seat.

The IFE controller is embedded on the console. It may be used to see important flight info when mendacity down or controlling the IFE panel.

The seat cubby was huge. There was sufficient house to maneuver your toes round, even when sleeping or mendacity on the aspect. That was an enormous plus.

A giant, sturdy desk that can be utilized for work or eating hides beneath the IFE monitor. A big shoe cupboard was additionally current.

The seat has a common energy provide with a built-in USB-A port. Nonetheless, it doesn’t have a USB-C charging possibility, which is shocking as a result of the remainder of the plane additionally has the USB-C possibility.

A studying lamp is put in within the seat as nicely.

A literature bin strains up between the seat and the console unit, together with a bottle holder.

I used to be additionally grateful that the aeroplane had particular person air nozzles atop every seat.

Digital Window Shades have been put in within the enterprise cabin. This good contact makes the cabin just a little extra high-end and splendid.

I made a fast journey to the bathroom, and there was sufficient room on this standard-size bathroom the place folks may turn into pyjamas and stuff.

There was additionally a touch-free flush button.

Air India’s A350-900 Enterprise Class In-flight service

I handed over my jacket to a cabin crew member in order that they may grasp them within the coat rack. A couple of minutes after boarding, a crew member got here round to distribute refreshing towels. There was a alternative of sizzling or chilly towels. I went with a sizzling towel, though the towel was barely lukewarm. I have to admit, although, it was not a kind of flimsy towels accessible on many different airways. So when the crew give it sufficient time within the oven, it will likely be a welcome addition to the service protocol.

The crew then got here round to serve a pre-departure beverage. The choices included water, buttermilk, and orange juice. The crew inspired me to decide on a number of choices, so I went with water and buttermilk. Air India didn’t use their earlier model of the glasses with the emblem on the service ware on this airplane, no less than.

The cabin was about 12/42 full, together with a deadheading member of the cockpit crew. The crew then got here round to distribute the dinner menus. There have been Indian and Western choices, vegetarian and non-vegetarian choices.

Now, both the crew was contemporary off coaching college, or they weren’t or involved with the presentment of the cabin. Over the three to 4 journeys they made, nobody bothered to verify if I used to be conscious of the options of the suite or if I wanted to be educated about one thing.

For a brand-new plane, it might be good if the crew proactively went to visitors, educated them and confirmed off the options of the seat. There’s nothing to be taken as a right for his or her prospects if Air India desires to leap into the league of top-class airways. No element is simply too small.

I placed on the IFE and headed into the flight map, powered by Panasonic’s ARC map product.

The Air India model of the A350-900 additionally has tail cameras, which is a godsent for avgeeks like yours really.

The cabin crew got here again in a bit to take the meal orders. I requested that the Thai Fish Curry and a eating regimen cola be served.

Across the scheduled time of departure, the captain got here on the PA system to introduce himself and the crew. I appeared him up later, and it seems he was an Airbus Sort Score Examiner / Teacher, maybe deputed to Air India to judge their cockpit crew members to independently function the plane later.

Whereas we closed doorways for an on-time departure, the airplane pushed again solely about twenty minutes later. The cabin was chilly on the bottom, and the person nozzles have been closed. This contradicts the same old knowledge of maintaining the cabin heat for different airways.

I acquired all the way down to exploring the two,200 hours of content material on the plane IFE. There have been quite a lot of films to select from, together with a ton of films from cinema franchises equivalent to Marvel Comics and Harry Potter.

There was an entire bunch of TV content material as nicely.

There have been full seasons for individuals who puzzled why random episodes have been picked up from varied TV reveals. So kudos to the programming supervisor for that.

And whereas I used to be looking the content material, I may regulate the airplane utilizing a picture-in-picture characteristic of the IFE.

The cabin crew carried out a guide security demonstration as we taxied in direction of the runway. This was shocking as a result of the airline had simply introduced its new security video, and the airplane was visiting the upkeep hangar. So, there ought to have been time to replace the video on the IFE.

That is the place the extraordinary peak of the suite turned a hindrance. When guide, one has to crank their neck approach up to have the ability to see a little bit of what’s occurring within the security demo. So, folks would possible be on their telephones or one thing and miss it when seated in enterprise class.

We had a pleasant takeoff roll, and shortly, we have been airborne, about thirty minutes not on time. I anticipate this delay to have been because of Air Visitors Congestion. Nonetheless, no such announcement was made.

Service started as quickly because the seat belt indicators have been switched off. First, we had the cabin crew lay the tablecloth for everybody. In a couple of minutes, the dinner service was introduced round. The cabin crew lead for enterprise class took place with the meal on a full tray. Nonetheless, it was totally different from the meal possibility I’d chosen. As a lot because the cannelloni appeared tempting, I needed to attempt the Thai Fish Curry. So, I knowledgeable the crew that I’d picked the non-vegetarian Western possibility.

Listening to this, the crew member first expressed shock (one thing I ought to have expressed!) after which beat a hasty retreat, saying he would return with the meal substitute. He returned in a couple of minutes with the meal tray and the cabin crew member who took the preliminary order. It was shocking to see him come again as a college instructor with a pupil in tow. The cabin crew member tried to clarify to me that there was confusion in what she wrote on the manifest, and he or she apologised for it. That apology was completely excessive and pointless, and the senior cabin crew may have simply regretted the confusion himself, and we may have moved on.

On this behaviour, he missed the mark in offering me with a pleasant meal expertise. The meal was unexpectedly heated, maybe, bordered on chilly or luke chilly, if there’s a phrase like that. Plus, the bread basket was by no means introduced out, so the sooner bread stayed on the tray, which had gone chilly and laborious.

Anyhow, right here is the meal tray. No matter was on the tray and meant to be served chilly was scrumptious. The garlic bread was a rock, and the Thai Fish Curry would have been good if it had been served correctly. And there was no water on the tray. I didn’t hassle sending it again as a result of, after an extended day of conferences, I didn’t have it in me to choose on the crew or give suggestions.

Basically, Air India’s service requirements are nonetheless moist behind their ears. As an illustration, one of many newer protocols launched at Air India (which I first witnessed in January 2024) is to come back round and particularly greet the elite members of the Flying Returns programme. This crew would have none of it on board, and they didn’t even worth the patronage of people that paid roughly USD 500 to be on this flight in enterprise class. The crew by no means got here round to investigate if anybody wanted something after or verify on visitors.

So, I hit the decision button to ask for a espresso, which was introduced shortly. Once more, I used to be glad the stand-in service ware didn’t have the outdated Air India logos. The brand new ones will likely be a special vibe altogether.

I picked an outdated favorite to observe on the journey, and the IFE system was responsive. Whereas it was darkish outdoors, I turned my head and noticed we have been flying over Hyderabad. It appeared attractive and lit up from the skies.

Whereas there was little time to catch a nap, I needed to attempt the flatbed. It went totally flat.

This could be a snug seat to sleep in with a great pillow. However in case you needed to lounge in it or watch a film, the angle woulde, on condition that be uncomfortabl the display doesn’t transfer.

One other subject with the IFE is that the search just isn’t dependable. I used to be watching Ford V/s Ferrari, and I began tinkering with the map in some unspecified time in the future, which shut down the film. I needed to make use of the search perform to get to the film sooner, however here’s what it confirmed.

The privateness of the seat was unmatched, however but once more, the crew’s nonchalance confirmed. They wouldn’t unlock the door to close the suite after takeoff except requested for. Pricey Air India, you could have an extended technique to go to compete with the finer airways. The key sauce is hospitality and professionalism.

As soon as the cabin was ready for arrival and the lights have been introduced again up, the cabin crew went round and distributed a chilly towel to everybody.

We quickly commenced our descent and arrived in Bengaluru. Whereas taxiing to the gate, I had the ahead digital camera on. However as soon as we have been docked, I noticed an attention-grabbing recap of the flight show-up in a loop.

At Bengaluru Airport, two aerobridges have been connected to the airplane, and we disembarked from the ahead L1 gate.

Fortunately, I had no baggage to gather, so I may stroll out of the airplane and be on my approach fairly shortly earlier than returning to the identical plane within the morning for my subsequent flight.

Bottomline

General, this was a great flight expertise with Air India. Home flights on wide-body plane are uncommon, so I attempt to get in after I can, however this was much more particular since this product will ultimately fly overseas and is the brand new flagship of Air India. The enterprise class cabin and the brand new service ware for this cabin are top-notch, and all of the airline has to do is carry their crew service requirements to the identical degree.

What do you consider these A350 plane being added to Air India’s fleet and of the expertise they provide?

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