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Jaydeep · Member Joined: 02 Mar 2015 Posts: 37 Location: Gurgaon

Hi everyone, and apologies for such a delay in posting the second part of this TR. Just my lazyness, nothing else really Razz

So, here we go:

The second leg – Good HYD airport international section, the excitement, inefficient BOM customs and missed train
I landed at HYD at 07.16 hours and got my checked-in luggage by 07.40. I got out of the airport to see Karachi right there… could not resist the temptation to buy some yummy biscuits! So I visited the outlet and bought some fruit biscuits for the friends & family and then headed towards the arrivals. It was good to see that unlike most other outlets, they don’t charge too high a price compared to their outlets in city.

Outside look from the departures entry

The first look at the airport infra impressed me for sure. As I entered the departures at around 07.55 hours, I quickly checked FR24 to notice that my aircraft was on finals. Wanting to see it land, I hurried towards the counter. The counters were not too crowded, with hardly a couple of pax standing at each counter. I quickly got my boarding pass, with seat no. 67A – the emergency window seat. The plane would depart from gate 32A. Security was quick, and by 08.15 I was at the gate, only to see that the aircraft had already arrived. As I had guessed basis the FR24 records, it turned out to be the beautiful VT ESP ‘Ajanta’ Very Happy

The flight was to depart at 10.15, and the boarding time was being displayed at 09.15. I clicked some photographs and then started roaming around the airport. A British Airways B788, flight no. BA 276 was getting ready for its departure. It was delayed by a few minutes. A Saudi Arabian Airlines A330 that would fly to Riyadh as flight no. SV753 was getting off-loaded through 2 aerobridges, 1 for F and another for Y as it seemed.

Getting ready for the departure

Soon after the departure of BA 276, its slot was taken by an incoming EK 772 aircraft which would depart for Dubai behind us as EK 527. On the domestic side, there was some movement with AI, Air Costa and Indigo.

The Saudia tail

While I board Very Happy

At around 09.00 hours, Saudia announced its boarding, again through 2 aerobridges. Our boarding was announced at 09.10 hours, and I was at my seat in next 5 minutes. The crew was nice at the entrance, re-directing passengers to their seats on this huge plane. And it started to get filled up really fast… At around 09.30, I estimated the number of pax on board to be 250+. That soon changed, and within next 10 minutes, I made an estimate of 320+, and in next 5 minutes that number went up to 350+ Very Happy

Finally it was complete soon and the doors were closed at sharp 10.00 hours. 10.05 – we were on the pushback, and at 10.09, I heard that roar from the engines… It was different, it was big, it was exciting. It kept going up as we started our taxi to run way 27L behind a Jet. Mr. Sunil Konkane was the flight purser, while our section was being looked after by a FA named Mr. Deepak. And it was Captain Grewal who was in command. At 10.20 we took off, I could feel the thrust that was required to lift that object off the ground Very Happy

. The there were snacks – only veg for this short flight: It was croissant, some fruits and a brownie. Now, I am not that good in describing the food, but yes, AI did it again. That was the best and yummiest butter croissant I have ever eaten in my life… It was fresh, had a really great taste. Needless to say,t he brownie too was superb Very Happy

Yummy

View from my seat

From the back of the plane

Please fix these small things AI - you will be great Smile

The flight went fine… only to get an announcement from the captain at around 11.20 that because of some rains and congestion at BOM, we will be landing 25 minutes behind schedule. Aaah… I would be late at BOM for the first time!! Finally, after a delay of 45 minutes, we landed at BOM at around 12.10. and it took another 10 minutes to reach the gate. While the off-loading started, I asked Deepak what were the loads, and I was amazed by the figure he quoted – 405 pax, with 370 in Y. And as per him, the loads are usually this high on both the sectors on both days of operations. Well, good going AI… As we taxied to the gate, a UPS 747 was standing at the cargo side, and my second BA aircraft, a B777 was getting ready for its departure from T2.

Circling over BOM

Welcome by T1

While I deboard - good bye Ajanta

Now off course, with so many pax, it took some time to clear immigration part – just to take that stamp on a Boarding pass printed with big D on it. I was in arrivals by 12.40, luggage came out in next 5 minutes, and then the real show started. Huge line was formed before the customs clearance. With just one X-ray machine being operated, and nobody to direct / guide the pax, it was all chaos. I had a train from Dadar at 14.00. Looking at the speed of movement, I slowly started to feel the tension, and wondering ‘mera number kab aaega’ Razz

. Finally it did, at 13.05, I got my bags scanned and thought lets rush, and I can still reach in time. But alas, as I started to move out in a hurry, a lady suddenly appeared out of nowhere, and asked me ‘kaha bhaage jaa rahe ho? Yaha aao pahle’. Then she yelled at a security guard standing there – keep a watch, people are getting out just like that!! Then I was asked to get rid of all metallic things on my body, with the lady yelling all the time. Finally, speaking with her in Marathi helped a bit, and she was calmed down. Then I took 2 rounds of the metal detector, with hands up… and the fun was over by 13.15. Knowing Mumbai very well, and not knowing the T2 arrivals that well, I was sure that I had missed my train already – which later turned out to be true, as I reached Dadar at 14.10 to see the last bogie of my train leaving the platform Very Happy

. That marks the end of leg 2.

Overall assessment of second leg:

Boarding and cabin experience:
It was great to know that AI has such great loads on this flight, and they carried out the boarding in really professional manner, fast and efficient. Getting 400+ pax in within 35 minutes.
However, the cabin did not smell fresh, which was partly understandable due to the previous leg, but they could use something like a freshener to keep it fresh.

Aircraft condition:
This was really poor… The seats were torn at places. When I went to the back of the aircraft to get a photograph, I thought of seating there only – I think in row 78, but realized that the recline for both of those seats is out of order. The age is visible on the meal trolleys, and the walls too. This made the overall experience go down unfortunately.

Crew:
They were good, though dry at least at my section. Just an incidence: there was a set of cunning pax – 4 of them, who kept asking for coke cans, and some sandwiches even after we took off on the domestic leg. The FA kept telling them that this was domestic leg, and it cannot be served. These guys kept arguing. After a while, this FA was out of sight, on a meal service. Then one of these guys got up, came to galley and asked another FA standing there for the coke. And this FA gave it to them. Well, no need to guess – both the FAs had a small argument over this. I am not sure what the standard practice is though.

Landing and arrival:
Cannot blame AI for the delay really. We had left on time, and it was the weather & airport infra that was responsible for the delay.
Customs was horrible. No wonder why people curse delays’ at BOM. Overall 2/5

All in all, I would rate the whole experience to 3/5 for the not so maintained aircraft, and the delay at arrival. Hope AI works on getting this wonderful plane in order soon.

Legs 3 & 4:
After I missed my train, I quickly looked at the options available, next express train at 15.00 from Dadar, booking a bus, or taking a local train at 14.20 to Kasara and then take a taxi from there to Nasik. The fastest and cheapest was to take the local train… so I went for it. Quickly bought the ticket and the train came on time. The train journey highlighted the greatness of Mumbai yet again: A guy, not in a goof financial condition by the looks, had lost his wallet to a thief while getting into the train. It had 6000 bucks and the ticket to Nagpur from Kalyan, for his entire family – wife and 2 kids. The realization of the theft gave him a shock, and he just fell on the train floor. The passangers were really helpful, gave him water, gave him seat, inquired what all was there in the wallet. After knowing that he did not have a penny left on him, and he had to go to Nagpur, a guy offered him 500 bucks, to get some food for his family, and another guy got down at Kalyan with him, to help him file a police complaint and convince the TC to let him travel. Long live Mumbai, this is what makes you different – 3 cheers! 

On the return from BOM, I had the red-eye flight being offered by Jet Airways – 9W339 leaving at 02.25. I took a bus from Nasik which dropped me at airport by around 11.30. The airport was all empty… It was a 2 minute task to get my boarding pass. The security was on hold, and the policeman told the pax that it will resume only post 00.00 hours, as it did. Well, the pax hold area after the security was crowded, it looked like 9W has done a right thing by starting these red-eye flights as it is just them operating throughout the night, to DEL, to GOI, to AMD, to MAA, to BLR.

Deserted BOM T1A

9W - the night riders Razz

At 01.15 hours

Telangana making some efforts to get visibility

Standard 9W food

The boarding started at 01.30 hours. It was VT JGZ – B737-700 with J4 Y114 config. We pushed back at around 02.10, with Capt. Himanshu Vaishish and first officer Rohit Sherawat. At 02.18 we took off the ground. The staff was warm and good, always serving with a smile. It was omelet for the breakfast, at 03.00 hours Razz

. The flight was just fine as usual, nothing extra ordinary, no incidences. It has loads of 95+ in Y and 4 in J. We landed at 04.20 and then I notices that this was a ‘hybrid’ plane, with IFEs on a few of the seats – don’t know for what Very Happy

. I was on cab by 04.45, to mark end of the last leg of my exciting journey Very Happy

Overall assessment of second leg:

Boarding and cabin experience:
It was good and quick. The cabin was fresh and clean. Given 5/5

Crew:
Really warm and assuring. All that service with a smile, right from boarding gate to deplaning. 5/5 again

Landing and arrival:
It was usual affair, before time departure and hence, before time arrival – almost 25 minutes before the scheduled time. The same aircraft would go over to Leh, so those pax were requested to be seated – saving some hassle for them. 5/5 here as well.
So all in all, it goes 5/5 for the 9W to end my journey Smile

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

A great trip report Jaydeep, thank you!
I would be lying if I said that I was not waiting eagerly for this.
It is not everyday that one can get an AI B744, and that too, on a domestic leg. And `Ajanta' is one B744 i have flown on, albeit in her non-renovated days, when the interiors were considerably worse. I have done AI 127 BOM-FRA-ORD and AI 124 ORD-LHR-DEL on `Ajanta' in 2007, both memorable trips. I simply dreamt on, as I read your nice descriptions, and saw your beautiful pictures.
Karachi Bakery: yes, a Hyderabadi delight.
The Air India `snack' on a short leg: AI shows how to do something filling and classy (for Y) even in this age of cost-cutting. I have had these delights on AI's short legs, of late.
In general, no soft drinks on domestic legs of an international flight in Y. Officially. In cases, the galley is still stocked after an international leg, and it is here that one can indulge in some other delights as well, with a nice FA, or in the absence of a FA nearby Razz

I am sorry to hear about your missing the train at Dadar.
The Dadar-Nashik Road is one leg I have done a few times, on trains. Getting some dosA(i) packed from Dadar TT, and having the Parsi Dairy ice cream on board the train, are memories of the early 2000s for me, from the route.
The second leg sounds interesting, a 9W red-eye. I have never seen T1-B at this time of the day, and 9W's loads on this leg look good, showing the red-eye concept working well for them.
Thank you once again for a lovely TR...keep up the good job!
Cheers, Sumantra.

Jaydeep · Member Joined: 02 Mar 2015 Posts: 37 Location: Gurgaon

ameya · Posted: Mon Aug 03, 2015 2:57 pm Post subject:

Nice TR Jaydeep

One typo Smile

You wrote B330 by mistake for Saudia

Interesting short leg on the 744 and great loads

Many from this group have done this early morning BOM-HYD to take the 744 !
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Jaydeep · Member Joined: 02 Mar 2015 Posts: 37 Location: Gurgaon

Jaysit · Member Joined: 19 Dec 2006 Posts: 4346

Beautiful Y Cabin on the AI 744. Too bad, they're busy rotting on the tarmac for most of the part.

jbalonso777 · Posted: Mon Aug 10, 2015 7:22 am Post subject:

A carbon copy of my AI966 experience - where the SV/EK planes were parked, food, rain...I shall say no more Smile

Just 4J on the 9W B73W? Wow, that's new..
Anyway, VT-JGZ has left the fleet so..

Thanks for the write up! Smile

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