Limited edition Air India 747 (BOM-DEL) in J with a peep into F

[SQueeze]

Background

This trip report was not in my plan originally. One of these recent days, while I was looking for an evening flight from BOM to DEL, by luck, I stumbled across a 747 rostered on the route. I jumped at this rare chance immediately and booked with no other second thought in minutes.

A little background to AI 747. They are basically out of reach to most people as they are almost retired. They are still flying on some unusual routes which are also out of reach to most people - Hyderabad-Jeddah and also Cochin-Jeddah. The JED-HYD flights tag on to Mumbai 3x a week but at odd hours. I have been eyeing HYD-BOM tags including setting up HYD meetings around this flight but always narrowly missed.

So when I saw a BOM-DEL flight rostered with 747, I was incredibly overly elated. I am already over-saturated with A320s and 737s and 787s in this land of Incredible India. Now flying domestically suddenly becomes exciting again.

PS: a few days after the flight, I came across news that the 747 is on a limited edition run between 13 Dec and 15 Jan, and I was in fact on the inaugural 13 Dec flight.

Airline: Air India
Flight: AI 888
Seat: 15K
Class: Business
Load: 70%
Type: 747-400 (VT-ESO)

In my books, Mumbai airport is number one airport now. So I generally try to allow 2-3 hours here to enjoy the lounge and the experience. So I arrived quite some well before time in the late afternoon before dark.



The architecture is actually more impressive in the evening .... these are my pics too from a previous shot.



But nonetheless it is still stunning. And to me, it is always photo-worthy



After the usual check-in and security, I landed up in the main waiting hall which is abuzz with many F&B and retail activities.



I headed to the domestic lounge - which i truly think is one of the best in the world although it is a little over-opulent and overly-gilded for my own personal taste



Unlike in Delhi and Bangalore, whose lounges are chronically overcrowded that one would be better off and less claustrophobic in the main waiting hall, BOM's domestic lounge is spacious enough. There is no paying customers here or credit card holders. They have a separate lounge across from this one.



The more peaceful seating area which is furthest from the more buzzing dining area. Green wall is soothing to the eye.



Next to it is the bar area with its stunning chandelier and mirrored wall.



And last is the dining room which has sitting tables. On the left side (unfortunately cropped) is a long counter top facing the tarmac with plenty of charging points and high stools. Nice for single travellers catching up with work.



It was peak hour for domestic travel. It was really busy. But the food never ran out. They get topped up fresh before they completely run out.



The range is great - 6 or 7 hot options, salads, desserts, chaats, fruits .... And so is the taste. It's hotel quality / standard. They are still mostly finger foods (generally fried) but not overly greasy or soggy. Everything's perfect. In fact the quality of food here far surpasses any SKL food at SIN.



I ended the meal with a yummy moist chocolate cake, buttermilk, and latte.

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Then I walked to the gate earlier hoping to be able to take pics of AI's rare Queen of the Sky - or their Maharani.

The walk to the gate was pleasant. BOM has warm soft hospitality-style lighting which makes it feel more like walking through a high-end shopping mall or a hotel





I was secretly hoping that it would be a remote bay so we could board the Queen by staircase for a grand experience. But alas no, it's through jetbridge. Does the gate area look even like an airport? More like a hotel lobby?



A typical waiting area outside each gate. Very pleasant.



Lots of free terminals for internet use. Definitely world-class.



And here's finally face to face with the beautiful elegant Maharani of the Sky.



And then First and Business Class passengers were called to board and the actual journey began.

Down the voluminous jetbridge. Heart beating with excitement since the 747s are getting rarer now.



I entered the aircraft welcomed by 3 FAs. I was immediately looking around beaming with my humongous SLR slung around my neck and they were quite amused. So I told them this is nostalgia for me.

"Why nostalgia", one of them asked.

"Well, most of this aircraft has gone out of fleet from most airlines".

They were just amused, and then directed me towards the upper deck. I had a business class ticket.

So up i went the stairway to heaven!

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This plane is some 23 years old but it has been refitted with angle-flat seats in the mid 2000s I reckon. It's still quite well kept. Business class seats are the same ones as those found on their 777s. but less dirty and better maintained.





And side compartments. I don't actually recall these in other 747s. My impression is always that of A380s.



Seat controls.



IFE controls.



And the flip screen of the IFE.



The IFE offering is limited for English movies but very varied for Indian. The responsiveness is quite poor.



Headset is quite decent. House brand. No Bose.



Inflight magazine.



I was then also quite early and the FAs (two of them) were still welcoming incoming passengers. They provided really good service with all smiles, and trying to help passengers with their bags. Very classy I must say, and warm. I started to notice that almost all the FAs on this flight were of certain age. I reckon they don't train new FAs on this type anymore since the bulk of AI's fleet is now 787s.

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Having settled down on my seat, jacket stored away (they offered to take it away instead of the usual way of me having to insist as on the case of Jet's flights), my curiosity built up on the F class they have here so I headed downstairs and immediately stumbled into the most senior FA who was welcoming passengers at the door.

"Mam, do you mind if I take a look at the F cabin for a few minutes?"

Expecting a curt reply so typically reputed of AI, to my pleasant surprise, she was all smiles and said " why not, but I must be with you, come with me"

So we started chatting on the way. She said "I am actually pretty new here...."

I was stunned. Because she looks like of my mother's age.

So she said "yes, I have been flying for 33 years! " and we both broke into laughter. She has been flying almost as my age.

"This plane is 23 years old..." she said. "It came into service in 1993"

Then we steeped into the F cabin.... nose of the plane, and the last time I stepped into it was in 2010.

The cabin is not as vintage as I thought. This product is not from 1993. It's arranged in pairs of two, similar to Lufthansa's earlier generation.








Seat pitch is humongous.



And it reclines to full bed mode of 180 degrees. The width of the seat is not much wider than business class seats though.

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Then I was back upstairs and service had begun starting with newspapers and magazines in trolley (how classic)





After take off ...

Then the meal service began and it's the most elaborate meal service for domestic flight I had seen so far, even more so than the 787s or 777s.

First it started with a glass of orange juice. Unfortunately it's not freshly squeezed type.



It's still a tray service but it has so many items - salad, bread roll, garlic bread, main course, dessert, cheese and crackers, and chocolates, and yoghurt.









Usually there are no cheese and crackers and no chocolates. Not sure if AI has changed their menu format or if this is only for 747 runs.





Even after the full tray, after the meal, fruits were served and in basket (again, how classic). Fruit is usually not served on other flights.



And then it was coffee and tea time, with which I had it with the dessert which was really nice.



Full from the meal, I reclined the seats to bed mode. Well, this is as flat as it gets. So it's about 50 degree recline or so? It's not as flat as SQ's regional seats even. This is more similar to TG 747s. I don't mind it for a short 2 hour sector between BOM and DEL in any case.



In any case, all in all, this was a great flight and it makes one of the best flight ever for domestic sectors in India. As per current schedule unfortunately it seems that the flight will discontinue post 15 January!

[yflyer]

Very nice TR SQueeze! I miss the 747 upper deck. Never got to spend much time there, but the few flights I did up there on SQ, CX and QF were very memorable. Ditto F in the nose of the 747...thanks for all the pics!

I have a 744 flight coming up on UA in Y. It has been so long since I flew on a 744 I am actually looking forward to it...

[qantas_flyer]

A brilliant trip report. Nice pictures. Looked very enjoyable.

[SQueeze]

Very nice TR SQueeze! I miss the 747 upper deck. Never got to spend much time there, but the few flights I did up there on SQ, CX and QF were very memorable. Ditto F in the nose of the 747...thanks for all the pics!

I have a 744 flight coming up on UA in Y. It has been so long since I flew on a 744 I am actually looking forward to it...

I know. I am 747-chasers now. Just did a 747 with Thai (at the nose). TR coming up soon. I look forward to yours too. Even UA is letting go of this beautiful plane by this year.

Having said that, i still see quite a bit of 747s in BKK. Thai has got quite a few, LH flies 744 there, and also El Al. Saw all of them recently.

A brilliant trip report. Nice pictures. Looked very enjoyable.

Thank you qantas_flyer. I enjoyed sharing the experience with everyone