I have recently been going frequently to India. Its economy is revving up again and I have found myself shuttling back and forth once more almost like in the boom times of the late 2000s. So I thought I should write about the country, its airlines, and its airports.
The following trip report is not a narration of a particular trip but rather a compilation of reports which focus mainly on showcasing India’s 3 major airports (DEL, BOM, and BLR) because I feel they have really propelled the country into the 21st century and are so much different than what the world usually knows India for which is for slums and cows on the street. This is also the India that is different than the India I stepped into for the first time almost 10 years back when all the airports were plain dump pits. I have seen the country and its infrastructure grow and am proud to be part of that journey.
I will also be showcasing 3 airlines: 9W, and AI mainly but also SQ to tie in the departure and arrival experiences at each airport.
I will start with BOM, my favourite city in India, a heaving breathing metropolis where all India collides. It has a newly-opened T2 which has a most striking and distinctive architecture. It’s also a massive architectural and urban planning challenge because the new building is built in phases over the existing old terminal. It’s a complicated challenging construction programme because it has to fit in an operational airport. I have seen this massive hulk rise slowly for the past 4 years a hair breadth’s away from a functioning terminal and it’s finally open. I believe it’s either you like it or you hate it. For me, I LOVE it.
Here’s a model of it to show how it looks when it’s completed.
As it is now. See how they will have to demolish the curved old block before they can complete the project. The massive new building is built over the old carpark. This is construction over an operating airport. Truly marvel me.
New T2 @ BOM (open Feb 2014)
Route: SIN-BOM
Flight: 9W 11
Aircraft: A330-200
STD/ATD: 1905
STA/ATA: 2200
Duration: 5 hours 25 minutes
Class: Business Class
Seat: 10A
Load: 50%
9W has been my airline of choice for the past 1.5 years or so. First, it offers incredibly good-value business class fares and if you really want to push the fares super low, fly to South India destinations like BLR, HYD, COK, CMB. The fares to these destinations via BOM work out to be about SGD 1350 in J Class, which is only slightly more than SQ’s Y class (priced at SGD 1250).
And furthermore, 9W offers flat beds in herringbone layout on their A330s. So how could I resist flying with their flat beds at SQ’s Y fare levels!
The following flight would actually be my last on their A330 because 2 days after this flight, they changed all India-Singapore routes to 738s in domestic configuration. ☹ Now their low fares are not that super good value anymore. The downgauging of BOM to a narrow body also paves the way for SQ’s A380s to gobble up all premium customers. I have since then fly SQ. I love you 9W but I don’t love your 738s for a 5 hour red eye flight.
One last look at 9W’s 2nd last A330 at Changi Airport.
Post-take off drinks and assorted nuts. Note that on herringbone configuration, these have to be placed awkwardly around the curvature of the seat.
My favourite seat is 10A. The A330s are configured 1-1-1 with the A seats arranged in a column off the left aisle while the other two seats in the same row face each other across the right aisle. So A seats are most private. But this is true only for the rear mini J cabin. In the front J cabin, the K seats are the most private. Row 10 is also the best because it is the last in the J cabin and there is an extra triangular space for placing personal items, such as my companion in this case. Haha.
IFE screen is of pretty good size IMO. I have no complaints here. Dinner started with either salad or soup. I had to choose one, not sure if we could choose both. For me, it was cauliflower soup on that night. I quite liked it.
For my mains, for some reason, I always gravitate towards their pseudo-oriental selection. This is usually a plate of noodles with fish, which, in typical Indian-chinese style, comes with a rather copious amount of gravy. But I love it usually. On this particular flight, no exception. The fish was tender and moist. And the sauces were flavourful although not that authentic (more peppery). One wouldn't get these on SQ.
I am never into Indian desserts which tend to be super sweet. So it was cake for me.
The flight, as usual, was bumpy over the Bay of Bengal and then it was smooth sailing afterwards. We landed on time and I was excited to be in the new Terminal 2 that just opened in February this year. Singapore Airlines 772 already docked at its gate.
Disembarkation was to a new and fresh aerobridge with soothing warm lighting and warm carpet tones. A lot of passengers were still unfamiliar with this airport and many took the left route going up towards the departure gate. They had to turn back to take the right turn towards arrival.
The following trip report is not a narration of a particular trip but rather a compilation of reports which focus mainly on showcasing India’s 3 major airports (DEL, BOM, and BLR) because I feel they have really propelled the country into the 21st century and are so much different than what the world usually knows India for which is for slums and cows on the street. This is also the India that is different than the India I stepped into for the first time almost 10 years back when all the airports were plain dump pits. I have seen the country and its infrastructure grow and am proud to be part of that journey.
I will also be showcasing 3 airlines: 9W, and AI mainly but also SQ to tie in the departure and arrival experiences at each airport.
I will start with BOM, my favourite city in India, a heaving breathing metropolis where all India collides. It has a newly-opened T2 which has a most striking and distinctive architecture. It’s also a massive architectural and urban planning challenge because the new building is built in phases over the existing old terminal. It’s a complicated challenging construction programme because it has to fit in an operational airport. I have seen this massive hulk rise slowly for the past 4 years a hair breadth’s away from a functioning terminal and it’s finally open. I believe it’s either you like it or you hate it. For me, I LOVE it.
Here’s a model of it to show how it looks when it’s completed.
As it is now. See how they will have to demolish the curved old block before they can complete the project. The massive new building is built over the old carpark. This is construction over an operating airport. Truly marvel me.
New T2 @ BOM (open Feb 2014)
Route: SIN-BOM
Flight: 9W 11
Aircraft: A330-200
STD/ATD: 1905
STA/ATA: 2200
Duration: 5 hours 25 minutes
Class: Business Class
Seat: 10A
Load: 50%
9W has been my airline of choice for the past 1.5 years or so. First, it offers incredibly good-value business class fares and if you really want to push the fares super low, fly to South India destinations like BLR, HYD, COK, CMB. The fares to these destinations via BOM work out to be about SGD 1350 in J Class, which is only slightly more than SQ’s Y class (priced at SGD 1250).
And furthermore, 9W offers flat beds in herringbone layout on their A330s. So how could I resist flying with their flat beds at SQ’s Y fare levels!
The following flight would actually be my last on their A330 because 2 days after this flight, they changed all India-Singapore routes to 738s in domestic configuration. ☹ Now their low fares are not that super good value anymore. The downgauging of BOM to a narrow body also paves the way for SQ’s A380s to gobble up all premium customers. I have since then fly SQ. I love you 9W but I don’t love your 738s for a 5 hour red eye flight.
One last look at 9W’s 2nd last A330 at Changi Airport.
Post-take off drinks and assorted nuts. Note that on herringbone configuration, these have to be placed awkwardly around the curvature of the seat.
My favourite seat is 10A. The A330s are configured 1-1-1 with the A seats arranged in a column off the left aisle while the other two seats in the same row face each other across the right aisle. So A seats are most private. But this is true only for the rear mini J cabin. In the front J cabin, the K seats are the most private. Row 10 is also the best because it is the last in the J cabin and there is an extra triangular space for placing personal items, such as my companion in this case. Haha.
IFE screen is of pretty good size IMO. I have no complaints here. Dinner started with either salad or soup. I had to choose one, not sure if we could choose both. For me, it was cauliflower soup on that night. I quite liked it.
For my mains, for some reason, I always gravitate towards their pseudo-oriental selection. This is usually a plate of noodles with fish, which, in typical Indian-chinese style, comes with a rather copious amount of gravy. But I love it usually. On this particular flight, no exception. The fish was tender and moist. And the sauces were flavourful although not that authentic (more peppery). One wouldn't get these on SQ.
I am never into Indian desserts which tend to be super sweet. So it was cake for me.
The flight, as usual, was bumpy over the Bay of Bengal and then it was smooth sailing afterwards. We landed on time and I was excited to be in the new Terminal 2 that just opened in February this year. Singapore Airlines 772 already docked at its gate.
Disembarkation was to a new and fresh aerobridge with soothing warm lighting and warm carpet tones. A lot of passengers were still unfamiliar with this airport and many took the left route going up towards the departure gate. They had to turn back to take the right turn towards arrival.
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