This flight was meant to be on a Boeing 777-300ER with Air India’s latest first class product. When I arrived at the gate, I was shocked to see a trusty old 747 sitting there instead. I felt like a child on Christmas! Walking down the jetway I still couldn’t believe I was on one of…
Continue reading: Review: Air India 747-400 First Class Delhi To Chennai
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Tray service in first class? No, thank you. Cathay Pacific don't use trays, even in HKG-TPE, which is only 1:15.
Ha, it's great to see Deepak here. He also gave me a tour of the aircraft on the 747. The meal you had was a snack service which tends to be quite oily. If this was a lunch or dinner you could have had a real taste of curry which AI is well known for. You have proved that there is no difference between business and first class meal on domestic flights. Thanks!
What airline has 9 lie-flat seats in the nose of a 747? I know CX did but they retired their 747s. LH (and I think TG IIRC) has 8, BA has 14, KE has 6, UA has 12 (though those are being retired in less than a month), etc
The photo you have put up of Chennai airport is of the domestic terminal, not the international one. But you are right that Air India flight land in the international terminal
Too bad about the meal service. AI has its faults, but the catering, at least on long-haul flights, is generally regarded as good, as long as you stick with the Indian option. FYI, the little black desert looks like a kala jamun, basically a gulab jamun with a darker color and a somewhat grainier filling. Equally delicious, though 🙂
Daniel
Airline food is of interest to people. Please take a leaf out of Ben's book.
Menu
Photos
Details
Other than that, keep up the good work.
@Bev there was no menu, so I had no idea what I was eating! If there was I would have included it. Thanks!
@BrooklynBoy I just realized Thai fits in 10 seats, so not many have 9 I guess. 14 on BA is insanity!
Still not bad when you consider it was a domestic flight. Certainly an interesting step back in time.
I can't believe you included the cabin temperature in centigrade instead of Fahrenheit. Just kidding, wanted to sound like one of the haters. Nice review and you look great!
KLM has 15 lie flat seats in the front of their 747s. I've flown the product numerous times and it doesn't feel crowded.
Interesting that the aircraft cabin is actually pretty well updated.
The overhead bins in the center section are modified to the later 747-4ER standard, so basically match the 777. And the overhead bins against the walls have new, sculpted doors, and look nice and modern.
Overall, the plane doesn't look too bad. Though I agree that the first class product isn't very inspiring.
But sitting up against the forward bulkhead is always a treat!
People lament the loss of the 747, but this is what flying used to be like. Hot galleys, packed to the rafters, no light, noisy, smelly. The new planes are much more pleasant.
To be honest the seats in first class looks filthy and awful, and the food looks dreadful. People will say it's a short haul flight but man this is first class, and definitely this doesn't even look good enough for business class.
The dessert is a variant of popular indian dessert "Gulab Jamun" . https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gulab_jamun