[desertfox]

Six Airbus A 320 s and doing well. Three more will arrive in December. Vistara is expanding operations and delivering quality.

Many of them are my friends, we are in the same building on Gold course road in Gurgaon.

I had made some suggestions to them on how to increase their load factor, they took the advice and have benefitted.

[khoj]

Why am I not surprised at your post? Maybe 'cause my experience with them was not positive either and this on the inaugural flight from BOM to DEL.

I too was enthused with Tata's reentering the aviation business and specifically wanted to try out the premium economy seat as I have been looking for an alternate to the increasingly expensive business class fare to the Southern part of the country. Being self employed every rupee came straight out of my pockets for the premium economy seat but the interaction with the boarding gate staffer was not premium at all, it was in fact a very unpleasant experience that left a bad taste in the mouth. From that moment on nothing mattered except that I could not wait for the flight to land in Dilli. I had no travel desk to blame but my own-self for having been blinded my the exploits of one JRD & his flying moth.

The flight itself was full of invited guests and executives from various group firms including the MD/CEO of the airlines itself and needless to say they were the only flyers who mattered or at least the chap at the boarding gates thought as much. While that is to be expected and no one was looking to be molly coddled but professional courtesy to paying passengers (irrespective of the cabin class) should have been a given but then again it was a folly to expect that.

So at the end of the day it is back to good old Indigo for West, East and Central complete with their bus rides and ramps and the 'wait for 8 minute for the hot water filled meal box to be ready' and the old horse Air India for the Southern parts as long as they continue to sell e-vouchers for the executive class and let me carry excess kilos in the form of wooden fruit boxes straight from APMC during the Hafuz season, that being only time I shun Indigo for return flights from the West.

Originally Posted by MadAbtCars

On my recent official tour I had the chance of flying on India's Brand new airline. I specifically altered my itinerary so that i get a chance to fly on Vistara. I was very high on enthusiasm before the flight but the levels dropped after the flight. I am not saying that the experience was way below par but it was certainly not on par. On first ride I will give them an OK.

[rrsteer]

A nice report on Vistara:

http://www.rediff.com/business/repor...e/20160322.htm

I agree with the analysis.

[Epic]

Hi guys,

A lovely discussion on this thread. Out of all the existing airlines, I preferred Indigo before I flew Vistara recently.

The only reason I flew Indigo before was because of their on time flights. They are simple and to the point. No complications in the way they operate and it is clear that they keep their costs in control and hence have well maintained aircrafts too. Jet has become worst by the day and their aircrafts are old and rickety. I happened to fly Jet through a connecting flight and I swore never to fly Jet again ever!!!

I flew Vistara to Goa last month and I am in love with that airline. Similar to Indigo but of course a lot more fresher since they are new. Their in-flight meals are also pretty good. I had the chance to try out their Premium Economy (more leg space) to Goa and their Economy on my return to Mumbai. Leg space is pretty good even in the Economy class so I don't think it made much of a difference. I was however disappointed to see that there is no in-flight entertainment even in Business Class. I do hope they maintain their standards and I am sure they will go a long way. Vistara is now my first preference followed by Indigo.

[rrsteer]

Originally Posted by Epic

Vistara is now my first preference followed by Indigo.

Do read the article whose link is shared in my previous post. The points discussed in the article are exactly what you say. So, Vistara is doing something right.

[Ford5]

I was a victim of Vistara reducing their premium economy seats once they realised not many people are paying a lot extra for little or no benefit - extra legroom you say? I don't see any difference in a few inches of extra "foot/shoe room" and the same width room constricting my shoulders...

So I turned up at Delhi airport at 5 am for my 7.30 am flight to Hyderabad and was first at the boarding pass counter. I had specifically requested for a reclining seat and the lady did issue a reclining seat number! But alas, their systems were not updated or something like that and I find myself in a non reclining seat due to Vistara not updating their systems which can let the boarding folks know of the new layout.

Along with me we're 4 more passengers affected and we made sure the duty manager entered the aircraft and Give us a resolution, and thankfully they did manage to give us recline seats.

[Dry Ice]

Originally Posted by Epic

Hi guys,

A lovely discussion on this thread. Out of all the existing airlines, I preferred Indigo before I flew Vistara recently.

The only reason I flew Indigo before was because of their on time flights. They are simple and to the point. No complications in the way they operate and it is clear that they keep their costs in control and hence have well maintained aircrafts too.

I know this post is from 2016, but I don't really see this advantage with Indigo anymore. 4 out of 4 flights my family took in the past 6 months (ex DEL) were rescheduled for a min of 30 mins later and on top of that delayed by 15-20 mins. Lesser said the better about the check-in counters and baggage belts.

Compare that to the 4 flights that I took with Vistara (ex Delhi), only 1 was delayed. Pleasant experience on the luggage drop and collection points too. That's more to do with them operating at less than 100% capacity for now I guess.

[Epic]

Originally Posted by Ford5

I was a victim of Vistara reducing their premium economy seats once they realised not many people are paying a lot extra for little or no benefit - extra legroom you say? I don't see any difference in a few inches of extra "foot/shoe room" and the same width room constricting my shoulders...

Well, it is not only a few inches of legroom that you get in the Premium Economy seats but also more weight in terms of luggage. I actually found this out the hard way as when I booked my Mumbai to Goa flight (was going there for a friend's wedding), I chose Premium Economy but on my return I booked Economy and was charged for over weight of luggage (wife's clothes and make up ). I was wondering how this did not happen on my flight to Goa. It is later I realized this.

Originally Posted by Dry Ice

I know this post is from 2016, but I don't really see this advantage with Indigo anymore. 4 out of 4 flights my family took in the past 6 months (ex DEL) were rescheduled for a min of 30 mins later and on top of that delayed by 15-20 mins. Lesser said the better about the check-in counters and baggage belts.

Compare that to the 4 flights that I took with Vistara (ex Delhi), only 1 was delayed. Pleasant experience on the luggage drop and collection points too. That's more to do with them operating at less than 100% capacity for now I guess.

Yes, I agree. Today even Indigo have gone rogue with their 'on time' flight status. I guess Vistara has learned what not to do by observing the rest.

[harry10]

That's true. If I remember correctly from my experience with Vistara, the economy seat is allowed 15kg and premium economy 25kg as luggage. So, that is definitely an additional advantage of premium economy, especially if you are travelling with your wife

[BLACKBLADE]

Though Tata Group has not officially confirmed, there are rumors around that they are going to buy a BIG stake in Air India. If true, we can hope to see some light at the end of the tunnel and the debt ridden airline being rejuvenated.

In the highly competitive Indian aviation market, Air India, the country’s flag carrier, has long been struggling. The ‘Maharajah’ is beset with a debt of over Rs 52,000 crore and has been teetering on a bailout package that was extended by the government in 2012. Over the last two decades, calls for partial or complete privatisation of the airline have often risen although no substantive solution was ever found.
Earlier this month, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, in surprising remarks, said in an interview that he would sell the airline completely if given a choice. “Air India can continue to be a national carrier and somebody else pay for its management,” he told ET Now.

Now, reports are emerging yet again that the Tata Group, one of the country’s biggest conglomerates, is holding discussions with government representatives about buying a stake in the beleaguered airline. The company, of course, hasn’t confirmed the speculations but if true, we may be looking at the national airline making a return to its place of birth.

Source: http://indianexpress.com/

Read full news article here

[Theyota]

I really hope Tatas are keeping their emotions and ego on hold while make a decision regarding buying Air India. Air India is an organization that seems to be culturally bankrupt. To repair the culture of an organization of Air India's size is a herculun task. Add to it the amount of capital it will consume before it can breakeven. In service business the culture of organization is primary criteria for business. If they fail in Air India, they will, destroy their brand value and it will affect all their other businesses.

[BLACKBLADE]

Originally Posted by Theyota

I really hope Tatas are keeping their emotions and ego on hold while make a decision regarding buying Air India. Air India is an organization that seems to be culturally bankrupt. To repair the culture of an organization of Air India's size is a herculun task.

Agree that Air India will be a huge liability for TATAs in case they take over. Some serious cost cutting measures and organisational restructuring is required to ressurect Air India. Like you said the work culture itself needs a drastic change. Man power auditing followed by cutting down drastically will be required. All of the processes and systems will require a total revamp from the ground up. Indeed a herculean task for the TATAs. But someday all this has to happen and somebody as robust as TATAs could only do it.Otherwise all we will be left is bankrupt air line company which would shut operations sooner or later. And we would have nothing like the National Airline of India.

That said I am just thinking how difficult and how long it will take, to carry out disinvestment of a PSU. Read somewhere that there are a total of 244 PSUs in the country and only a few of them are shining i.e.showing profits and YoY growth.

[D33-PAC]

Ratan Tata is not the hotshot everyone thinks he is.

1. Tata Corus bought at wrong time of the cycle
2. Nano failure
3. AIR ASIA INDIA (Tata + Lakshmi Mittal family member + Air Asia ) venture is a failure running in losses.

There is no way in hell Air India can be turned around. The issue is that it's not impossible, it's just that it can't be much better than what incumbents like Emirates and Qatar are doing who are current kings.

oh and Air Costa is bankrupt

[volkman10]

Tata Sons begins due diligence to buy Jet Airways.

Indian conglomerate Tata Sons is conducting due diligence on Jet Airways as it explores the purchase of a controlling stake in the cash-strapped airline

Link

[sgiitk]

Originally Posted by volkman10

Tata Sons begins due diligence to buy Jet Airways.

Remember, not so long ago Jet were Numero Uno. Now I hope with the Tata takeover (if it happens) they may again try for the same status. with the current pricing & fuel status I doubt whether anyone will survive long term.