Review: Air India Airbus A350 Economy Class

For now, Air India’s A350-900 aircraft are the only exciting aircraft in their fleet. As of scripting this publish, all six have already been inducted. Though, once I travelled for this journey, it was simply the primary jet in service. I normally love first flights, however I used to be away on a private engagement in January when the primary plane was purported to be pressed into industrial service. So, I needed to move on the preliminary dates. Nevertheless, when AI put the flights out for sale, they acknowledged that flights on the A350 can be obtainable just for 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 put the remaining A350 plane in service. The A350 presently operates every day flights between Delhi / Mumbai and Dubai. Additionally, flights function domestically between Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Chennai, and Delhi. You possibly can verify the whole schedule of flights on the A350 here.

After flying from Delhi to Bengaluru on the A350 in the Business Class cabin, I took a Bengaluru—Mumbai—Chennai flight within the A350 financial system class the subsequent morning. The flight was priced the identical as a Bengaluru—Chennai flight on the time I booked it, so I figured I’d relatively check out extra time on board the plane.

On the day of the flight, I arrived on the airport at about 4:30 AM for my 7 AM scheduled departure from Bengaluru Airport Terminal 2. I’d by no means left the airport, however I used to be simply within the 080 Arrival Lounge for the night time.

I hopped into the DigiYatra lane to shortly enter the airport and headed to the Air India aisles to gather my bodily boarding move. Nevertheless, because it, funnily, solely occurs in Bengaluru, I used to be topic to some form of a testing algorithm the place I needed to present my bodily identification card, which the safety personnel matched with the info he noticed on the app after which waived me by. Most days, Bengaluru Digiyatra gates open simply with the face and don’t want the boarding move to be scanned in both.

Air India at Bengaluru Airport had the brand new branding rolled out, and I headed over to get a print of my boarding move. The Enterprise Class queue was empty, whereas there have been queues within the Financial system part.

Fortunate sufficient, with my Air India Gold Tier, I may head into the Enterprise Class queue and get my check-in completed shortly.

A number of moments later, I had an AI SATS Agent print out my Boarding move for me and replenish a lounge invitation to the Bengaluru 080 Lounge.

Inside 5 minutes, I used to be out and in of the queue. Air India is spending some huge cash issuing lounge entry passes relatively than simply printing the invitation on the boarding move itself. You’ll notice that regardless of the flight being Bengaluru—Mumbai—Chennai, the boarding move was issued as if the flight was BLR – MAA. This meant there was going to be no have to alight in Mumbai.

The safety verify was fast, and I headed to the 080 Lounge on the Home Pier whereas I waited for my flight to be referred to as. Fortunately, the lounge was not full to capability, and there was a particular counter for Air India and Vistara invites. Bear in mind, at Bengaluru Home Terminal 2, Air India will eventually have its own lounge.

I headed to the gate about 1 hour earlier than the flight, as I feared schmoozing on the lounge and lacking my flight. The plane was proper the place we left it the night time earlier than.

The gate space was disciplined, with most individuals ready to board the flight with out feeling the necessity to take action in a standing place.

The AI-SATS floor dealing with agent ultimately introduced boarding about 35 minutes earlier than departure. Enterprise Class and Gold and above members of Air India Flying Returns and Star Alliance Gold members had been requested to step ahead first.

Lastly, I used to be again on board the Airbus A350-900 plane of Air India, and I boarded by gate L2, the second gate on the airplane. The crew was joyful and upbeat. I used to be again on board VT-JRA, the second time inside 12 hours of setting foot on it the primary time round.

Air India AI589
Bengaluru (BLR) – Mumbai (BOM) – Chennai (MAA)
Wednesday, February 28, 2024
Departure (BLR): 07:05 AM
Length: 2 Hours 
Arrival (BOM): 09:05 AM
Departure (BOM): 10:11 AM
Length: 1 Hour 44 Minutes 
Arrival (MAA): 11:55 AM
Plane Kind: Airbus A350-900 
Seat: 30A (Financial system)
Meal Service: Breakfast (x2)

The financial system cabin’s center part was nonetheless being assigned on a cost foundation, so I made a decision to sit down within the final cabin on the airplane. Here’s a fast take a look at the 3x3x3 structure on board in Financial system, which is all in crimson upholstery now, a departure from the earlier orange and crimson alterations.

I used to be in 30A, all the best way on the again. I shortly discovered my strategy to my seat.

Fortuitously, the A350’s bins are large, and I used to be capable of put each of my baggage sideways all through the flight. There was sufficient area for everybody else.

Air India’s A350-900 Interiors

Air India has 264 seats within the financial system part, which takes up a lot of the mid and aft sections of the airplane. It sits proper behind the premium financial system part, which is a really small space between the second and third doorways on the plane.

Air India went with the Collins Aerospace Pinnacle financial system class seat (really, Aeroflot chosen it, and AI simply adopted with it). The modular design offers it the lightest weight in its class with out compromising consolation. With options such because the four-way headrest, excessive literature pocket, and simply accessible energy ports, Air India will make sure you journey in consolation, sleep nicely on this Financial system cabin, and don’t crush your knees into the particular person forward of you. The seat pitch is a beneficiant 31″, and the width is 17.5″.

There was additionally a coat hook on every seat.

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

I settled into my seat and seen the 12″ in-flight display screen. Working in-flight leisure is a superb signal for Air India. The monitor has contact controls for searching and making selections on the IFE.

Below the seat monitor, there was a USB A/C Charging port.

On every seat, a disposable earphone was ready.

Below the seats, AC energy sockets had been additionally put in, two to be shared between a set of three folks.

A pretty big tray desk was additionally part of the seat package deal. It labored with a fold, so you may have it half open for a beverage service, and absolutely open while you wish to lay out your laptop computer or eat your meal

Here’s a perspective of the legroom you possibly can count on within the A350 financial system cabin of Air India.

I made a fast journey to the rest room, and there was sufficient room on this standard-size toilet.

Air India’s A350-900 Financial system Class In-flight service

It was a cloudy day, and I waited whereas searching the window for boarding to finish. Fortuitously, the entire course of was swift, and we had been prepared for an on-time departure from Bengaluru.

I had the lead cabin crew member, Vandana, come round and greet me and different Gold/Maharaja friends earlier than departure. This was a distinct expertise than the flight the night time earlier than, when nobody greeted the friends, even within the premium cabins. I hope she may impart to the remainder of the younger crew becoming a member of Air India these days how skilled and conscious she was of the duties of a cabin crew.

Whereas I waited to depart Bengaluru, wanting exterior at sister ships from Air India Express was an incredible view.

The tailcam additionally had some nice views of the plane whereas we waited to push again as nicely.

Quickly sufficient, it was time to push again. The cabin crew carried out a guide security demonstration as we taxied in the direction of the runway.

The crew jumped into motion after takeoff, and when the flight levelled, they first served particular meals. Then, about 40 minutes after takeoff, they rolled out the carts and began going round distributing breakfast. There have been a few choices (one vegetarian and one non-vegetarian). I went with the vegetarian breakfast.

On the tray had been Sambar Wada and Upma, together with croissant, some yoghurt and a chipset of butter.

It was nothing to jot down residence about or be upset with, as that is maybe probably the most served meals within the Indian skies. Surprisingly, although, there was no beverage service after (tea and occasional). It had stunning views exterior, although. After the trays had been collected, I nodded off for a bit, solely to get up as soon as we had been closing into Mumbai.

We landed in Mumbai and taxied previous some outdated artefacts, such because the Air India Boeing 747-400, as we arrived on the gate.

For about 45 minutes, the airplane was on the bottom, and ten folks had been going onwards to Chennai (who had boarded from Bengaluru). A group of cleaners boarded the airplane after the passengers de-boarded, and a safety group checked our boarding passes and hand baggage. Subsequently, the remainder of the passengers boarding from Mumbai had been allowed on board. It took about twenty minutes for the airplane to be crammed up once more, and at about 10:05, we pushed again once more for our subsequent flight.

It took us about 20 minutes to climb out with the busy Mumbai Airport.

I used to be very sleepy by this cut-off date, so I nodded off as quickly as we had been within the skies. Nevertheless, the crew got here round serving meals nearly proper after take off, and this time they needed me to attempt the meals from Mumbai.

I went with the non-vegetarian breakfast possibility this time round.  On the tray was Mango Yogurt, a croissant and a butter chiplet.

Within the casserole, there was Egg Bhurji, a Parantha and a Vegetable Cutlet. It was an excellent package deal, general.

This time round, a tea and occasional service was offered. It was a shorter leg than BLR-BOM, however they nonetheless managed to do a espresso run.

The flight was uneventful general and glided by shortly. Quickly sufficient, we had been in Chennai, and after 5 hours and the good distance residence, I used to be lastly off the jet for a couple of hours.

The Chennai Airport Terminal, which is utilized by Air India, was empty, however that could be a story for one more day.

Bottomline

Total, this was an excellent flight expertise with Air India. Home flights on wide-body plane are uncommon, so I attempt to get in once 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 financial system class cabin seems to be snug for 8-9 hour lengthy flights (unsure in regards to the US, however Europe would do exactly effective). All of the airline has to do is deliver their crew service requirements to an excellent stage.

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

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