I am thinking of going to London at the end or September and am currently looking for airline deals. Air India has the lowest rate from NY at $374 roud trip (tax included). Now, I am not trying to bash Indians, but if anyone flew this airline would you fly it again? I ask because most of the Air India planes I see on runways look like they're in distress.

Take consolation in the fact that they made it to the runway.

I am thinking of going to London at the end or September

Bring more $10 cameras!

OK, I'm scared now:
http://www.epinions.com/content_101914545796

People always throw up on AI. Most airlines will clean it. Air India (Happened all 3 times) does not even mop. They put newspaper OVER the vomit. The flight attendants seem content to do this, and they move their food carts over the newspaper/vomit, and people walk right over it. It smells so bad during the entire flight. This WILL happen to you.

It seems paying 3 times as much for a normal airline is worth it.

It seems paying 3 times as much for a normal airline is worth it.

Air Safety Online agrees with you. 4.89 fatal accidents per million = an "F" grade.

Hmm... reading the other reviews, it seems they consider it a pro if they simply survive the flight. I'd stay clear!

Lets hope you don't need to use the toilet either!

Wow. Check out the numbers for "Cubana." Think Castro flies commercial?

Also, the fact that two separate reviewers listed as a Pro that ``I didn't die'' can't be good.

Also, the fact that two separate reviewers listed as a Pro that ``I didn't die'' can't be good.

Yes. That is definitely a bad sign. I was on Spirit Air in February and had similar feelings. The crew simply didn't give a shit about anything. We were landing with tray tables down, seatbacks back, and flight attendants still roaming the aisles. The plane was pretty old and all of their equipment was cast-offs from other airlines (carts had Continental badging on them). I would probably fly them again though. The fare was very cheap and everyone working for them was extremely nice.

It seems Virgin Atlantic has a web fare on orbitz for $617 round trip. Seems like a better deal since I will not be fearing my life or being surrounded by human waste.

And I'm told by an Englishman who flies Virgin all the time that they're a really great ariline.

I've heard the same, specifically in comparison to British Air. And $617 doesn't actually sound bad, relatively speaking.

I've flown a lot on British Airways, Cathay Pacific and Virgin and they've all been excellent. I've had no troubles at all on any of them. Try to get one of the newer 747s though as it's much nicer and the seats are more comfortable.

Rob

I travel a lot in my job, and I would definitely put AI well ahead of, er, Baghdad Regional Air. I've been on worse (the time where a number of passengers demanded to be let off a Mandala Air flight after they'd had two attempts at taking off comes to mind), but I would definitely go out of my way to choose another carrier over AI.

Have you looked at maybe Air France or Lufthansa to go with a change in Paris/Frankfurt ? This can often be cheaper transatlantic, but of course there's an extra few hours for the transfer.

Regards

Mark

Have you looked at maybe Air France or Lufthansa to go with a change in Paris/Frankfurt ?

I will try that. I may also wait for some last minute deals. Air India is definitely out of contention now.

Don't forget Icelandic Air either. The change is somewhat easier that Lufthansa - Reykjavik's airport only has about 8 gates, all right next to each other. Frankfurt has 2 terminals and they aren't the easiest to navigate either. I discovered this when I flew LHR <-> Boston via Frankfurt and had to change terminals.

Iceland air was one of the first I checked. Surprisingly, they are at least $1,300.

Ouch. I guess you're not going to do that then!

I had a really dodgy cup of tea on British Airways once (the flight was Athens to London, and the only "milk" was a small pot labelled only in Greek, which in retrospect was almost certainly cream of goat's milk, a popular coffee whitener in Greece). The US airlines I've been on (United, Delta, American) have always served really nice cups of tea.

Peter

Air Safety Online agrees with you.

Gotta love that dry terminology: "full loss equivalent events".

I guess they mean "deaths".

And I'm told by an Englishman who flies Virgin all the time that they're a really great ariline.

That could have been me! the staff always seem to have a nice friendly approach and to be better motivated than say BA. A friend of mine was on one of their flights when Branson came round and had a chat to everybody.

In short for the price and the flying experience, I always try and get a Virgin flight.

Gotta love that dry terminology: "full loss equivalent events".

I guess they mean "deaths".

You say potato...

I'm always trying to keep up my Continental elite status, so I tend to fly them or their code-shares on other airlines. One time, on a trip to Poland, my return flight connected through London and I was on a Virgin Atlantic plane. Wow. It was really a superior experience, as much as any airline can be better than any other airline. I'd blown a ton of miles to upgrade myself with Continental, and that upgrade got me into Virgin's fancy lounge, where I had a very nice complementary omlette and orange juice for breakfast. If I'd gotten there earlier, I could have signed up for a complementary massage, but it seems the masseuse was all booked up. On the flight, the seats weren't anything particularly novel, but they'd make your food, to order, when you wanted it. Also, the safety video was a clever and entertaining animation, rather than the usual dry, boring safety dance. When's the last time you saw credits at the end of a safety video?

I've only flown with Virgin once, on a trip to/from Orlando, and I'd agree it was probably the nicest flight experience I've had to date.

pca

Agreed - Virgin and Quantas have really nice first class/business class deals.

Although for a slightly different experience - Royal Brunei are kind of fun. They bless every takeoff and the in flight screens show the direction of Mecca at all times. They don't serve alcohol, but provide a vast selection of foods and other drinks.

Grand fun. Probably not useful in the western hemisphere though.

My wife once flew Air India from London to NY. She will never do it again.

Stump up the extra $$ and fly BA. They seem to have some good offers at the moment (I just got back from NY - cost me £250)

Icelandic Air could be cheap as a new budget serivce has just started from Reykjavik to London Stansted

I've been on a Virgin flight and Richard Branson came round and had a chat to everybody. I've got his autograph somewhere at home. It was flight to NY I believe and was pretty long but he talked to people most of the time.

Yeah. They stock up the galley with supplies from your departure airport so you sometimes end up with bizarre brands.. When I flew from Greece with BA it was fine. Luckily I don't actually like tea (Yes, shocking that I'm English and don't like tea ) and the food seemed okay. I still to this day can't quite work out what it was, tasted quite nice though.

I've been on a Virgin flight and Richard Branson came round and had a chat to everybody

That puts me in second place! -I only know someone, instead of being the person!

Yeah. They stock up the galley with supplies from your departure airport so you sometimes end up with bizarre brands.

European countries produce some of the funniest sounding products, such as Spunk Chocolate, Fanny Biscuits, Wank Cake etc. (not real examples) There's a site with photos but I can't for the life of me find it right now.

Gareth