[Anonymous]

[TominScotland]

This very early morning flight from Delhi to Nagpur was operated by an A319 but this option is not offered by the Seatplans system.

I left my fabulous, colonial-era hotel (The Claridges) at an ungodly hour and took a regular taxi to Terminal 3 at the airport. The ancient taxi did 0-60 kph in about a minute and never exceeded 60 kph on the 12 km journey. But traffic was light so arrived in very good time.

I tried to use the self-check in kiosk which took me through the full routine before advising me to go to a desk. There was virtually no queue and, with only hand luggage, I was processed quickly. I went through security and realsied why I had been given luggage tags for my hand bags as these were stamped by security after the luggage check – liquids permitted which was a surprise after Europe.

The Domestic Hall in T3 is spacious and includes a good range of shops and food outlets. I wandered around these, regretting that Air India had not made Star membership, leaving me with no lounge access.

I went to the gate in good time and waited there. Boarding commenced about 20 minutes prior to departure and, as the plane was not very busy, was relaxed and efficient.

I was in Row 4C, two rows behind the Business Class curtain, in a somewhat tired looking A319. Complementary newspapers were handed out before take off. We pushed back on time and taxied for quite a long way before heading up through the Delhi rain and turning south.

Service was a rather greasy wrap, water and hot drinks and was delivered in an ‘early morning’ sort of way – few smiles!!

We arrived in Nagpur on time and I was soon on my way to my hotel, hoping for (and getting) an early check-in just as the two cricket test teams were preparing to leave the hotel. Security in the hotel was tight, as a result.

A very satisfactory flight – one of the few direct offerings on this route and at a timing that suited me – but typical in some ways of a legacy carrier trying to compete with low costs who also operate between these cities.

[Author]

Posts