Air India Reviews

For the main course, it was an option between paneer or millet steak (vegetarian). As the air hostess was coming around to take our order, she tried to convince me and my family to order the millet steak saying it’s very good. I told her I would not like that, and I wanted the paneer. After two mins she came to inform us they all are out of panner and the rest of us will get millet steak. I was seating in seat number 9; I couldn’t imagine why we paid so much more for business class; when we didn’t even have a choice what we want as a main meal. The millet steak was so disgusting. Everyone behind me and towards the back of business class was upset.

Finally towards our landing, we were served frozen chat and a “veg grilled sandwich” which was in fact only bread and cold squash in it. It was making me vomiting because it was so bitter and tasted slimy and tasteless. The whole food experience was disgusting, I wish I could have at least one good item, the desserts were cold and too sweet to eat.

My source of truth was the tickets issued by United Airlines which clearly indicated two bags for my infant which they bluntly denied. Worst experience Ever and I cannot even think of trying Air India again in future. They have staff of Babu's which go with their own pace, took almost 1.5 hours just for check in process and getting forced to purchase that additional bad when I was second in queue. Fun part, During flight, Air India did not had stirrers to mix sugar in Tea, upon asking they gave another cup and said mix it by pouring in this cup. :) Can't imagine how bad they are at their job.

Without recounting every horror story that I have about Air India, I will simply, and briefly share my experience with Air India flying back from CCU to EWR on June 30, 2023. As we got to the airport I was prepared for the rudeness. The staff members of Indigo, Spice, etc., seemed to be treating their customers in a friendly manner, however, Air India staff seemed just sad, and pathetic. So then we get on our flight from CCU to DEL. The food is inedible, the AC doesn’t seem to be working, and the flight attendants were missing for the rest of the flight. Okay, so then we get to Delhi.

Now, I don’t if it’s just an attitude issue, perhaps something cultural, in Delhi, or Air India. But Air India staff there are not only rude but also just pathetically incompetent. Somehow, I got called in for “a secondary inspection.” Apparently having a Zippo (without fuel) is not allowed by CISF. Anyway, so after being harassed by them, I get back to the gate and the Air India staff has somehow lost my boarding pass, which they had kept when I went to see the CISF people. Instead of apologizing and reissuing a pass two Air India staff kept arguing with me that they don’t have my boarding pass. Finally, they find it. Again no apology.

So, I being exhausted, get on the flight. This time I had made sure to get on the flight early, since on my way to Kolkata, they could not find a space for my cabin luggage so I had to store them in two different overhead bins. So I was relieved when I saw the overhead bins empty (I had booked extra legroom seats). However, the moment I start putting my luggage, an anxious flight attendant runs towards me and starts scolding me. I inform her that it was my seat and I will keep my luggage there. She proceeds to tell me that the overhead bin is reserved for “oversized baggage.” So at this point, I lose my cool. So, let me understand this, instead of enforcing the rule regarding baggage size and weight, like a normal airline, Air India has decided to punish passengers who ARE following the rule. Anyway I told the flight attendant that I will be keeping my bag where it is and that’s that. She mumbled something about people bringing 4 bags instead of 2. Whatever!

However, somehow this flight attendant seemed to be the one serving my seat for the whole 14 hour flight. As expected the in-flight entertainment system did not work. Funnily the guy seating beside me had his remote literally torn off from his seat. He also said that he got very sick from eating Air India food before, so the guy literally didn’t eat anything the whole 14-hour flight. However, I regret eating the pathetic food that Air India provided. I kid you not, the salad they gave was literally rotten. Didn’t they know that Mayonnaise rots very easily, and DOES NOT need to be warmed up?

What was worse than the food was that the same flight attendant kept pushing my buttons throughout the flight. At some point, like a good passenger I had kept my trash ready to be given back to the attendant after dinner. However, when the attendant came, she seemed agitated, gestured toward the front of the flight, and said “You can throw it in the trash bin.” Really? So, Air India is quite literally punishing passengers who follow the proper etiquette of flying. Same flight attendant, later in the flight. Cut like 5 people waiting in line for the bathroom to go use it herself. No apologies and no thank yous, again. By the 7th hour the hand soap had run out, so when I went back to inform the flight attendant, the same rude flight attendant, after ignoring me and asking me to wait like 5 times, finally told me that they had no “reserves” of hand soap. Really Air India (Tata?)? Indian Rail provides better service than you, apparently.

So let me understand this, the flight have gotten worse (literally in the last 6 Air India flights that I took the inflight entertainment system did not work), the food has gotten worse, and is giving people food poisoning. On top of that, the Air India staff have somehow become ruder, and more pathetic, after a takeover by TATA. So, hey Air India, why do you think you get to charge premium prices? The only reason anyone ever flew your pathetic, Airline, and dealt with your uncivilized rude staff is because you were dirt cheap. But somehow you think now you can charge Emirates prices, based on the TATA brand, but provide service standards that are lower than the local police station in India. Sorry, I won’t be traveling with Air India anymore. Patriotism has its limits, and while I can put up with anything I cannot put up with bad service from uncivilized, and untrained flight attendants.

Original Review: I was looking the Air India website and seen low ticket price. The next day I booked the business class ticket without checking the price thinking about the price I have seen. Remember I am an old senior citizen. When I checked my credit card, noticed they charged $250 more than the advertised price. I contacted customer service and management and received no help. I canceled my ticket lost another $300 towards cancellation fee. I received only excuses from the customer department did not try to accommodate me. No more Air India.