Hello from Germany, as I have just traveled in Air India’s Boeing 777-300ER first class on the 9hr25min journey from Delhi (DEL) to Frankfurt (FRA) for my current review trip. To be honest, my primary reason for flying Air India’s first class was to explore the new Air India First Class Lounge Delhi, which certainly met my expectations.
What an incredible experience, and a clear demonstration of what Air India could achieve as it seeks to transform itself. The drawback of visiting the Air India First Class Lounge is that it requires flying Air India first class, which… isn’t particularly competitive.
On the bright side, my Air India first class flight was surprisingly decent. The cabin was in better shape than many of the unsettling stories I have encountered; I was the sole passenger, the crew was delightful, and the food was enjoyable yet simple. However, there isn’t much about the experience that truly feels first class, with the soft product feeling almost indistinguishable from business class. Allow me to share some initial observations, and I will provide a comprehensive review soon.
My Air India first class flight was enjoyable, comfortable, and restful.
My flight was expected to be operated by one of Air India’s ex-Etihad Boeing 777-300ERs, featuring eight first class suites, which represents the best first class offering of the airline. However, it was changed last minute without prior notice to Air India’s “native” 777-300ERs, which only have four first class seats arranged in a 1-2-1 configuration.
We have encountered some alarming reports about the condition of these cabins, so thankfully that was not an issue. These aircraft had only recently received minor refurbishments, and the cabin was in relatively decent condition, albeit outdated.
The only significant maintenance issue I noticed was that my tray table was quite uneven; anything placed on the “outer” side would dip significantly, so I kept everything to the left side of the tray.
These planes lack Wi-Fi, and the IFE system is amusingly obsolete, reminiscent of tech from the 2000s, at best.
However, I must admit that I slept exceptionally well on this flight, probably the best I’ve experienced on a plane in years. I’m not a good sleeper on airplanes, yet I managed to sleep for six consecutive hours, which is unheard of for me.
I found the bed to be comfortable, especially with unlimited pillows and blankets available. As I was the only passenger in first class, the cabin remained perfectly dark and quiet throughout the flight, and the air nozzles helped ensure I didn’t feel too warm.
If the goal of premium cabin travel is to arrive refreshed, then Air India first class earns a perfect score of 10/10. Honestly, I arrived much more well-rested than I would have in Emirates first class, where I’d be indulging in Dom Perignon and caviar (okay, I might be slightly exaggerating my consumption, but you understand my point). 😉
I also have to mention that the crew was absolutely wonderful, especially cabin manager Ritu.
However, there was nothing distinctly first class about the overall experience.
This is where my confusion lies regarding the Air India first class experience. In business class, Air India has significantly enhanced its soft product, encompassing food, drinks, and amenities, regardless of whether the flight features older or newer cabins. I have reviewed Air India’s Airbus A350 business class and Airbus A320neo business class.
Conversely, in first class, I found the service to be nearly the same as in business class. There was almost no differentiation in the soft product, except for the alcohol choices. The pajamas were identical to those in business class…
The amenity kit (or something very similar) was also like that of business class…
To my understanding, there was no difference in food, aside from it being offered on demand. I was on a flight that left at 4AM and arrived at 10AM, and there was a choice of breakfast and dinner.
The thing is, I absolutely love Indian cuisine, so I was quite satisfied. But when the presentation and everything else is virtually the same as in business class, it’s easy to feel a bit perplexed. It simply seems that Air India invested significant thought into its business class soft product and then neglected to do the same for first class.
Below is the breakfast I had, which was enjoyable but nothing remarkable.
And below is the lunch served before landing.
You’d think Air India was in the realm of American Airlines regarding plans to phase out first class, but it appears the airline plans to maintain it. I am not surprised that first class was empty, as this offering simply doesn’t justify the cost. I’d argue that Air India’s new