Would you travel Air India?

[Bell21]

I find it strange to be posting such a general question about a mainstream airline, but I'm going to fly my son on Air India (aeroplan points) home from Europe in July and I'm wondering what the 'community' thinks of the risk of flying with them?

I was actually meant to fly J in Air India last May but cancelled the trip for non-airline related reasons --- that was pre their airline disaster, but even then, I was reading about all the general choas on some of their flights (flights having to turn back for all kinds of unusual issues), and then the airline disaster happened, and then I think they had a plane(s) given non-conformance notices for flying without the proper certification.

I still think I'd take the risk, as in the scheme of risks (eg, driving a car), it's probably quite low, but it's the first time I've had any concern flying on a major airline.

 

[Mr H]

I don’t get why AI has such a bad rap in exactly the same circumstances?

I suspect we all know why

 

[ANstar]

I suspect we all know why

Please enlighten me?

 

[Mr H]

Please enlighten me?

Xenophobia is the polite word for it.

 

[jase05]

Xenophobia is the polite word for it.

Probably true for some but we have a lot of Indians at work and most of them go home at least yearly and the ones I speak to said they avoid AI

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Probably true for some but we have a lot of Indians at work and most of them go home at least yearly and the ones I speak to said they avoid AI

Yes, but there are plenty reasons to explain that… but is the prime reason for avoiding AI safety?

 

[jase05]

Yes, but there are plenty reasons to explain that… but is the prime reason for avoiding AI safety?

From what I’ve gathered it’s not the prime reason but some do make lighthearted comments about their airworthiness

 

[RooFlyer]

Haven't flown AI before, but on the weekend I picked up an F award MEL-DEL via Aeroplan for later this year. It's an ex Etihad aircraft so there's some assurance it was (hopefully still is) well maintained, and the F cabin has a nice hard product.

I also booked a connecting flight DEL-JAI.

I have to say this thread is making me second guess my decision!

Please do some sort of TR of that journey, if you take it!

 

[Bell21]

Thanks everyone for your contribution to this thread - excellent food for thought - everyone has a different risk apetite, and different experiences, so appreciate the input.

 

[Bell21]

The jury’s out on SQ321 - still no accident report after nearly two years. Still no accident report on MH370. Yet people flock to those airlines?

I don’t get why AI has such a bad rap in exactly the same circumstances?

I'm still looking into their recent history, but for me, it's not really about the 'crash' per se - it's more about the crash plus reported non-conformances plus other in-flight issues creating disturbances that I just haven't come across much on other major airlines --- businesses that have 'noise' around multiple issues tends to reflect negatively on internal practices and processes (and I believe they're actively trying to turn some of this around).

 

[kpc]

No.

 

[ANstar]

Xenophobia is the polite word for it.

Well if that is directed at myself I am taking it as a personal attack and one that is not warranted.

India is one of my favourite destinations having visited over 7 times. All my experiences with AI have been awful from delays to inflight service. I much preferred to fly Jet when they were around or Indigo currently. So perhaps take back the insults and realise that some actually have personal experience on flying these airlines and may have an opinion based on the service they received on them. There is a real reason why they don't get many glowing reviews.

 

[Mr H]

Well if that is directed at myself I am taking it as a personal attack and one that is not warranted.

I wasn't aiming at any particular individual. I have noticed over recent years that AI is used as an exemplification of poor quality air travel across many forums - often by people who have no experience of ever flying with them.

 

[dairyfloss]

Yes, to get out of a trouble spot... but otherwise, no. I've been to India about 30 times, and colleagues and friends there would all ask me to assure them I'm not flying AI I have not flown with them, and so this is not a response to poor quality of service, but my confidence in the carrier. I started regular travel to the sub-continent not long after the 'fake pilots' dramas in India in 2011 (not all AI, but it did impact them), and there's been enough scandal and events ongoing - many just remaining in the Indian press - to keep them off my search list since. Perhaps they are actually no more a concern than many other airlines, but where there's a choice, I'm choosing another carrier. Cost would unlikely weigh into it.

Cheers,
Matt.