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binaiks · Member Joined: 15 Jul 2007 Posts: 162 Location: VOBL/VOCI

Selecting a ticket for my Mumbai-Bangalore journey was quite easy - I had two conditions - one it should be as late as possible from Mumbai, and two it should be within my budget. While IndiGo was the last flight out of Mumbai for the day, I had to choose between two departure of Go Air, both of which were within my budget. There was one Jet Airways in between as well - but priced a bit above my budget. I selected the last Go Air departure.

July 19, 2015:
It was one happening day - when college mates meet after 7 long years, one can just imagine the scene. The meet was planned to be a couple of hours long, but we ended up spending almost 6 hours! All this meant I reached back at my hotel only around 7pm. I got set to leave to the airport by 8pm (the airport was only 3kms from the hotel) - but as always, I left my hotel room only around 2030hrs - and the airport transfer vehicle got delayed. I made it to the airport at 2055hrs, for a 2145hrs departure.

A few anxious moments later, I landed at the check-in counter at 2058hrs - I got my boarding pass at 2059hrs - 46 minutes to go for departure. Thankfully, security was not very crowded. I rushed to the gate (A16) after security check. Boarding had already commenced - and there was one long queue already. I waited for some time till the queue shortened.

A16 is a bus gate - we were to be bussed to the aircraft, which was actually parked right in front of the gate itself! This was surely my shortest time spent at an airport terminal - 2055 to 2111 - 16 minutes! I got into the aircraft (VT-WAM, A320-200 cn: 4399, delivered to Go Air in August 2010) at 2122hrs. People crowded the aisle, and it took quite some time to get to my seat (10A). One more bus with passengers came after mine (this bus largely had "middle seat" passengers - very interestingly). Boarding was completed at 2133, and doors armed at 2135hrs. We were pushed back at 2141hrs. In the deck were Capt Rajiv Gaur and Capt Bhavin.

As usual, we had to queue up for takeoff - and we were airborne at 2206hrs from Rwy27. We climbed up fast, did a nice left bank and then flew parallel to the coast for sometime. The seatbelt sign went off at 2211hrs. I had prebooked a Combo meal - the meal had a Veg sandwich, a packet of Lays Chips, a piece of Marble Cake and a 200ml bottle serving of Juice (pomegranate - cherry flavour). The catering was by Coffee Day. The sandwich was soft - had a very soft Paneer gravy filling. The marble cake was very soft, appropriately sweet and moist. The "meal" was wholesome enough to be considered a meal - unlike the other "go" sister.

I dozed off after sometime - waking up in between at times. Landing was announced at 2304hrs, and we touched down at 2330hrs. We parked at a remote stand, and were bussed to the terminal. Bags took sometime to come, and I was out of the terminal around midnight.

This was another no-nonsense experience with Go. The attendants disappeared after the BoB service - and were no where to be seen till landing was announced. They maintained the cabin lights dimmed all the time - creating a good environment to sleep.

Read the full version of this post, here.
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Regards,
Binai

sumantra · Member Joined: 28 Oct 2007 Posts: 4685 Location: New Delhi

I am SEQ001 again, and I love it.
Once again, it was a real pleasure going through your precis after going through the more complete version, on your website. I do not think I can thank you for the double joy, and the joy of reading a nicely crafter trip report.
As always, your descriptions have the reader with you, with a sense of rush and time all around, and it is not just from the time stamps you log in your piece. The words describe it beautifully!
As I wrote before on the WhatsApp forum, the renovated T1A+T1C is one of my favourites around, with a good view of the main runway, nice facilities all around including power-ports, good signage, and of course, good food. I too love boarding from the bus gates on the ground floor. Even in its un-renovated avatar in 2001, I loved to see the ugly Indian Airlines A320s up-and-close, from an angle I could not usually see them.
You saw the Queen's necklace...the one-and-only Marine Drive from the air at night...nice! I guess most of my trips out of Mumbai have not been over this part of the city, coming in on runway 27 over the Thane creek and Ghatkopar, and then flying out on runway 27 again, over the Juhu beach, past the Golden pagoda and Madh island, en route to Delhi. I may have been on a flight over the Marine Drive once in 2001 itself, with the route as BOM-BKK-HKG, but I do not remember that much as I was too sleepy, and frankly, a bit high as well.
The food looks nice, and your description, ever better. Packed of air...ha ha!
From what my friends tell me, G8 food is a bit of a toss-up, they have some times got stale food as well. Fresh food, and sourced from CCD: that would surely be nice. The box is nice and smart, but a waste of paper. Indigo does not give any box or tray, they are quite basic (though the sandwich is boxed with clingfilm inside). Hmm...I would have preferred a simple, small, light tray.
On landing at Bengaluru at midnight, how did you get home, the Vayu Vajra? Or did you take a cab? If so, which one?
Thanks once again, for a very nice piece.
Cheers, Sumantra.

ameya · Posted: Thu Jul 30, 2015 10:29 am Post subject:

Thanks Binai for the TR. Nice to read up on G8!

What was the price difference between G8 and 6E?

I have some very nice memories with VT-WAM. Lets say I got a job with G8 because VT-WAM was to come in and leave it at that.

Was the meal served first for pre booked ones and later for others like I5 or was it part of regular meal service?

The box packing with some good branding looks interesting and way better than what G8 had few years ago.

Any choice on the juice or you have to have what is served?

If your bus was similar to the pic you have clicked, the bus looks fairly new wonder why it was rickety.

Sorry for a lot of Qs !
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binaiks · Member Joined: 15 Jul 2007 Posts: 162 Location: VOBL/VOCI

ameya · Posted: Fri Jul 31, 2015 10:10 am Post subject:

Thanks. Those are the TATA low floor busses and with Go air since 2011. Ideally 4 years should not make them so bad but you never know!

Yes 6E does score on the mix and match of meal but as you say the CCD catering is way better than 6E catering

I have always found that G8 crew is not as efficient as 6E. 6E can be robotic but they do their work well - G8 crew looks confused many a times and clueless too
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jbalonso777 · Posted: Mon Aug 10, 2015 7:25 am Post subject:

It really is rare to find Go Air trip reports around...and thank you for posting this!

Go Air is a nice little airline it seems - I haven't tried them yet (but I've had so many opportunities!)

Meal looks reasonable too.. Smile

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