Credit to Air India for excellent first class ground service in Delhi (DEL)…I was very impressed.
Air India First Class Ground Service At Indira Gandhi International Airport In New Delhi (DEL)
As I was sitting in my hotel room at the Andaz Aerocity, I received a call from a +91 number on WhatsApp. I generally don’t answer unidentified calls, but this was one showed up as “Air India” so I did answer it.
An agent said, “Good morning Mr. Klint. We want to know what time you are arriving at the airport today so we can be ready for you.” Well that’s impressive…
I planned to arrive at 1:00 pm for my 5:00 pm flight to Mumbai, operated by an ex-Etihad 777-300ER in first class. Judging by the seat map, I was the only passenger seated in first class (though a second seat was later assigned). Why so early? I was hoping, naively in retrospect, to use the first class lounge.
The reason I booked Air India First Class in the first place from Delhi to Mumbai was in hopes of trying out the new first class lounge in Delhi…which is located on the international side of the airport. Ostensibly, I knew domestic passengers did not have access to the international side of the airport, but part of me hoped that “where this is a will, there is a way” and there have been many instances I’ve used international lounges in Frankfurt and Munich by going through passport control and then returning.
I suppose I could have been clever and booked myself a refundable ticket to use the international side, but that’s really not something I like to mess with, even with a multiple entry visa to India. I could have also played the blogger card and reached out to Air India PR a week before my flight to set it up, but that’s not how I do reviews…reviews strike me as far less valauable when airlines know you are coming and the red carpet is rolled out.
So I decided to take my chances and see what would happen.
I took an Uber from the hotel to the airport and was told that my concierge team would be waiting for me outside Gate 1…and sure enough, there was a baggage valet and Air India agent waiting for me. I was presented with a boarding pass and the team asked if they could escort me immediately to the (domestic) Air India Lounge.
I asked about the international lounge (why not?) and one of the Air India employees made a phone call…at least there was an attempt. But ultimately my request was denied. Again, I had no grounds to be upset and just appreciated the effort made to even check.
The two men escorted me through security and to the lounge. While in the lounge they waited outside, telling me they would escort me to my aircraft when it was time to board.
But then I noticed something else and turned lemons into lemonade…maybe? I’ll write about that next.
CONCLSUION
Air India First Class ground service in Delhi, even for domestic flights, is impressive. You will be met at the airport entrance, escorted through security, to the lounge, and eventually to your aircraft. Kudos to Air India for such excellent ground service.
p.s. I did ask for permission to take the photos above.
I would be hesitant to eat the food on the ground without a supply of Pepto Bismo.
Is that mere ignorance, or outright bigotry? I’ve had ample good, safe, healthy, delicious meals in India, including at the Delhi airport (Encalm lounge, excellent masala dosas). Why such un-called-for seemingly omnipresent anti-India commentary lately? We literally have an outbreak of EXPLOSIVE diarrhea in the USA right now, thanks to corruption, defunding of public health, CDC, FDA, etc., and the consolidation of our food production into the hands of a few greedy monopolies, and yet, still, forever, ‘India-bad.’ Psh. Unbelievable.
We have a pesticle in certain kinds of produce that has been traced back to a grower in Mexico. It appears to be linked to a compromised water source as the pesticle requires the presence of fecal matter to be spread.
Is “pesticle” a misspelling of pesticide, parasite, pathogen, or… testicle?
I think the fact that Indian nationals to a much larger agree, affect a much larger chunk of the rest of the world (various scams including the elderly, horrible tech support, the abhorrent English accent while performing both, H1-B visa fraud, etc.) and the rest of the world is tired of their bullsh1t.
Are there doctors, engineers, chefs and scientists among the horrible Indian people? Yes, of course, while they should be doing more to improve the image of their country, they are all immigrating to greener pastures in anyplace that isn’t India because they too, are tired of the BS.
Kevin, but you do realize that’s not a “fact,” that’s just your prejudiced “opinion.’ You’re yet another example of the very generalizations and disparaging remarks directed at a specific nationality that I was calling out above. Why must you rely on xenophobic tropes and harmful stereotypes rather than verifiable facts, evidence, or relevant commentary regarding the travel experience or airport ground services described in the article?
You have been reported to the Patel Hotel Cartel.
Oh shiiiiii… *wee woo wee woo* “Come out with your masala dosas up!!”
As a frequent traveler – kinda of stunned your carry is top carry duffle bag! Almost as quaintly akin to a 1970s suitcase sans wheels!
Hahahah! I don’t think the air India guy carrying it was glad it had no wheels.
Was my though as well. How obsolete and inconvenient. But maybe smne want to have that image.
A word of advice – never buy a refundable ticket or resort to shenanigans to get into the international side if you don’t intend to fly. The Indian authorities are very strict due to terrorism concerns. They will imprison you until you cough up a large bail to leave the country and guarantee that you’ll show up to court hearings.
Yikes! Do you speak from personal experience?