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pradeep777 · Member Joined: 21 Nov 2014 Posts: 57 Location: Mangalore

(Sorry for the really bad quality pics since i was only armed with my trusty Lumia Very Happy

)

Hello everyone. I am back after a small break and super exited about this trip report since it is my first time on Air India regional A.K.A alliance air.
I had read so many TR n was always eager to fly them. So after a bit of planning(not really) the date was finalized.

Since AI Regional only operates from mangalore on Thursday Friday and Saturday i dint have an option to return on Sunday. I had to sort my return leg later.
So my itinerary was
Air India Regional(Kshetriya)
19th feb 2015 IXE-BLR

This was going to be my first award trip as i had a bit of miles in my AI account. So after using about 3500 miles and around 350INR the ticket popped up in my mail.
After 2 days of booking AI, spicejet came up with their sale on domestic sectors with tickets starting from 1499 INR inclusive of taxes. I booked the tickets in a flash as these kinda promo tickets disappear in blink of an eye. It was a added bonus since i neva flew spicejet or the bombardier. It was like a dollop of nutella on a cheesecake. Razz

So the return leg was also finalized.

Spicejet
22nd feb 2015 BLR-IXE

As soon as the tickets were done i managed my booking on the AI website n finalized my seats. It was a piece of cake as always. But only 1 thing that hurt alot was BOB service. Air India with Buy On Board..?? They dont go well together. Wish atleast they had a option to prebook meals.

Then it was spicejets turn to do some magic with prebook food n seats. The first row seats demanded 500INR n row 2-6 demanded 200INR. Well i would have certainly paid 500INR if it was a 2+ hour journey.
So i clicked all the way to the deliciously tempting food menu which even offered 10% off for prebooking meals. I was expecting a breakfast menu since it was a early morning flight but all i can find was veg o non veg sandwiches. Naaaa i rather have a filling breakfast at the BLR airport which has a wide range of places n cuisine.
After a quick call to a friend in spicejet, the person gave a valid point of flight time and not so demanding sector being the main reason for breakfast being replaced by a sandwich.!!!
So everything was finalized n only thing to be done is sit back n wait 4 the day.
On 2nd of feb 2015 i get a mail from Air India stating my 17.50pm departure has been rescheduled to 19.30 due to some operational reason. Well i was glad that AI dint inform this an hour before the flight. Very Happy

So its 11 feb 2015 n i just logged into AI website to check about my flight status n a new twist again. The 19.30 departure has been rescheduled to 19.40. I started getting a bad feeling whether the flight may get cancelled.

The very next day spicejet popped up with a mail stating the new departure time from BLR is 8.35am due to closing of airspace. Aero India 2015 may be the reason. Just a day before my AI flight i get a call from them again informing me about the new flight timings. The person even confirmed my pre-assigned seat. Nice touch AI.

19th Feb 2015 IXE-BLR
Air India Regional (Kshetriya)
AI 9508 ATR-42
Seat: 4A
ETD: 19.40
ETA: 21.00 ATA: 20.50

So the day finally arrived. I was super excited since it was my first time on AI Atr. I made sure i was way before time at the airport so that i can get atleast a glimpse of the incoming aircraft.
Usually i get dropped at the airport but this time since nobody available i decided to park the car in airport.
After a long negotiation with the parking staff( airport parking is under a private firm) i got a good deal of INR 200 per day( usually they charge 300). I was inside the terminal at 18.00 for a 19.40 departure.
It took a mere 10 mins for the check in process. I had prebooked seat 3A and the check in agent reconfirmed it. Quite a nice personal. I was handed out my boarding pass with a smile.
Security check took another 5 mins.

WP_20150219_007 by pradeepkini7, on Flickr

WP_20150219_011 by pradeepkini7, on Flickr

WP_20150219_001 by pradeepkini7, on Flickr

WP_20150219_002 by pradeepkini7, on Flickr

WP_20150219_003 by pradeepkini7, on Flickr

WP_20150219_005 by pradeepkini7, on Flickr

The airside was full. At this time there were 2 departures to Bangalore. One by jet airways n other by Air India. It was almost 19.00 and there was sign of 9W since the departure was 19.30. No aircraft nor the fids displayed anything.
My ride arrived at 19.10

WP_20150219_009 by pradeepkini7, on Flickr

WP_20150219_010 by pradeepkini7, on Flickr

At 19.20 the boarding was called. The aircraft was parked on a parking bay and the passengers were bused.
The departure was bang on time. The captain for today will be Mr. Peter Hanks. Reason for delay was the Aero India 2015 by which BLR airport remained closed till 17.00.
Soon after the seat belt sign was off the FA sprung into action since this being a mere 1 hour flight. The menu was presented to every passenger. Menu consisted of simple sandwiches n kathi rolls along with the usual beverages.
As always a bottle of water was served to everyone onboard. Nice touch AI. I chose a chicken kathi roll pricing 125INR. The pack looked kinda small but there was a generous filling of minced chicken. Litl bit on d spicy side but was super tasty. AI n food can never go wrong.

WP_20150219_017 by pradeepkini7, on Flickr

WP_20150219_014 by pradeepkini7, on Flickr

I dont know if its just me or everyone else but the the FA's were actually smiling not grumpy at all.
Rest of the flight was uneventful. Soon the captain announced the arrival in BLR. We landed 10 mins before the scheduled arrival. It was really a very smooth touchdown.
Since i had only 1 hand baggage i was out of the terminal within 15 mins.

22 Feb 2015 BLR-IXE
SG1033 Bombardier Q400
Seat: 7A
ETD: 8.35
ETA: 9.55 ATA: 9.35

I decided to leave from the hotel at 6.00 . I checked the new OLA app and booked a airport drop. In just 5 minutes i got a call from the driver that he has already arrived.
I checked out and we started of towards Kempegowda International Airport. The traffic was on a bit of low side and my driver being indian schumacher i was outside the terminal in 30 minutes.
It was a chilly morning so i went straight away to my usual tea stall and had a piping hot lemon tea.
At around 7.00 i joined the line to get inside after a small delay by a person trying to enter the terminal 13 hours before his flight and the CISF kindly declining i was in. N there was sight that usually no travelers likes to see.
The spicejet check in counter was in chaos. There being a total of 4 flights for Bombay Delhi Kochi n Mangalore the lines kept growing every seconds or so. After a wait of 30 minutes i got my boarding pass and then again the security check took another 20 minutes. My gate no was 10. It was a 5 minute walk from security and i was near my gate.
At 8.05 the boarding started and i was among the first to get on the bus. After a wait to get d bus filled we started of towards our aircraft. Just then a jet airways and a jet connect arrived.

WP_20150222_001 by pradeepkini7, on Flickr

WP_20150222_002 by pradeepkini7, on Flickr

WP_20150222_007 by pradeepkini7, on Flickr

WP_20150222_009 by pradeepkini7, on Flickr

A indigo was getting ready for its next flight.

WP_20150222_010 by pradeepkini7, on Flickr

WP_20150222_011 by pradeepkini7, on Flickr

I could even see the Air India ATR (the one which i flew from IXE) at its parking bay. There was a very special member which i did saw for the very first time. Couldn't take a picture as it was very far away. It was a US air force aircraft. Almost every one on the bus were trying to get a peek.

WP_20150222_012 by pradeepkini7, on Flickr
In no time i was on my seat 7A. The load was full. Except for the first 2 spicemax seats.

WP_20150222_017 by pradeepkini7, on Flickr

WP_20150222_018 by pradeepkini7, on Flickr

WP_20150222_013 by pradeepkini7, on Flickr

WP_20150222_015 by pradeepkini7, on Flickr

WP_20150222_019 by pradeepkini7, on Flickr

WP_20150222_020 by pradeepkini7, on Flickr

The departure was before schedule and soon we were taxing towards the runway. The only person on the cargo side was this lufthansa.

WP_20150222_026 by pradeepkini7, on Flickr

WP_20150222_025 by pradeepkini7, on Flickr

The takeoff was smooth minus the harsh propeller sounds.

WP_20150222_028 by pradeepkini7, on Flickr

WP_20150222_033 by pradeepkini7, on Flickr

After leveling off the FA made an announcement of no Buy On Board service due to some technical problem and they even added that the people who have pre booked meals will be refunded the amount. I spent rest of the flight sleeping.
Not even an hour into flight the captain announced arrival into Mangalore. And then the spicejets all our heart slogan and all.
Mangalore international is surely growing. Lots n lots of construction going on. Landing was a bit bumpy and while braking u could almost smell the rubber burning. Every other person onboard could smell it. Is this common in Q400..?? I dint get any such sensation in ATR.

WP_20150222_040 by pradeepkini7, on Flickr

WP_20150222_041 by pradeepkini7, on Flickr

In IXE 1 aircraft is always available for spotting. Yea the AI Express. Very Happy

WP_20150222_044 by pradeepkini7, on Flickr

No busing from the aircraft u gotta walk towards the arrival gate.
As always i was out of the terminal in just 10 minutes.[/i]

sumantra · Member Joined: 28 Oct 2007 Posts: 4685 Location: New Delhi

Thanks Pradeep for a nice TR: I was wondering where you were all this while!
I guess we will see more of Bajpe from your lens, since the other IXE-based members do not seem to find time to write TRs, covering the airport!
At one point in time, Bajpe used to be among the few airports in India with two active(?) runways.
Yes, AI-R/9I/CD needs to have a pre-book option: I have been cribbing about this since quite some time. Earlier, the BoB menu hardly looked inviting to me, and passengers around me did not patronise this service much, and the cabin crew were also a bit new to this (a few admitted so, giggling). This was a stark contrast to 6E (say), where I have seen a good number of passengers going in for the BoB, with many having pre-booked the snack as well. (I'll not call it a `meal', by any standards!). However, of late, some of my colleagues who have flown AI Regional, have become a bit more adventurous, and actually liked the offerings, typically sourced from Cafe Coffee Day (CCD). Even the coffee mix is relatively nice.
AI's rescheduling: I have generally found them quite regular over SMS and emails.
Cab drivers trying to emulate F1 drivers: ha ha!
In Delhi, they try to reach V1 speeds: I just hope that they do not rotate (any way, or the other), or take off.
There seems to be some issue with some pictures, and their links: could you please look into this? Did you get a picture of the USAF aircraft, or have I lost it completely? I hope SG's problems tide away, and the BoB comes back to the levels of what it was, when the Marans took over. I used to drool at the number of South Indian delicacies available on the BoB, rather than the usual run-of-the-mill North Indian preparations. Yes, the cost structure associated with them would have been high, and hence, the same removed from the menu.
Thank you for the large number of pictures: I have never been into Bajpe, and would love to see the slightly unusual looking-terminal, and of course, the runways!
Thanks once again for sharing a nice report with us.
Cheers, Sumantra.

stealthpilot · Member Joined: 19 Dec 2006 Posts: 2325 Location: BLR, DXB

Nice TR.
- More pics of IXE please Cool

- Good deals on both legs + a chance to compare the ATR/Q400.
- Was there a difference in cabin noise?
- Handing out free water is a nice touch on an LC.
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sri_bom · Member Joined: 22 Dec 2006 Posts: 2365 Location: Singapore

Great report Pradeep and thanks for posting.

It always puzzles me that Air India Express which is a low cost carrier provides free food, but Air India regional charges for it.

The Lufthansa was a good catch. I have not flown a spice jet or a Bombardier so hope to do it one day.

I understand Spice Jet is trying to get rid of its turboprop jets so its days may be numbered. I am not sure the exact reason for doing so as I always thought it was a cost effective airplane as compared to jet engines.

I recently flew from Bajpe airport as well so will be making a trip report on it soon.

Sri_Bom

sumantra · Member Joined: 28 Oct 2007 Posts: 4685 Location: New Delhi

Nimish · Posted: Wed Mar 11, 2015 3:04 pm Post subject:

Nice report Pradeep - thanks for sharing! Were you able to attend the Aero-show by any chance - it was quite a spectacle. And yes - I'd be curious to any comments on the ATR vs. Q400 experience.
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jbalonso777 · Posted: Wed Mar 11, 2015 9:10 pm Post subject:

Looks like a fairly decent set of flights, thanks for sharing! Smile

Regards
Jish
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pradeep777 · Member Joined: 21 Nov 2014 Posts: 57 Location: Mangalore

Extremly sorry for the late reply sumantra sir.
Thank so much for the reply. I wish they put the free meals back on but at d least a prebook option would do the thing.
D foods sourced from CCD..?? I dint knew this but taste wise it was upto the standards(as per me Razz

)
Sory i cldnt get a pic of the USAF as it was in a far away bay.
By looking at the spicejet BOB menu even i drolled all over but q400 only serve finger foods i guess.
Sir do plan a mangalore visit once trust me you will like this coastal weather, people and last but not the least FOOD.
Once again thank you so much for the kind reply. Smile

pradeep777 · Member Joined: 21 Nov 2014 Posts: 57 Location: Mangalore

Thank you so much for your kind reply stealthpilot
Sure sir next time will try my best to get the most pics i can.
I feel the q400 had much of noise may be it was bcoz of my seat right next to the propellers.
Atleast AI handed out free water but spicejet dint evn think of it.

pradeep777 · Member Joined: 21 Nov 2014 Posts: 57 Location: Mangalore

Thank you for your kind reply srinivas sir.
Its always a mystery to many how AIX serves food that to with a acceptable quantity. And some times they do serve seconds if the loads light (Ive been served twice once Razz

)
Even this was my first time on spcejet and the q400. I actually luved the aircraft for its distinct shape (like a pencil Very Happy

) minus the noise.
Eagerly waiting for a review on bajpe from your point of view. Smile

pradeep777 · Member Joined: 21 Nov 2014 Posts: 57 Location: Mangalore

Thank you for your kind reply Nimish.
I realy wanted to pay a visit to aero india 2015 but my schedule was a bit tight.
I had to skip it but i did get a chance to see the crowd from outside. Razz

And ameya sir's photo essay gave a good insight view.
I felt the seat pitch was almost a bit same in both atrand q400. But the landing on the atr was pretty smooth compared to the bumpy one on q400. (it may also be the pilot skills on both sector).

Thank you for your kind reply jish.
Mostly i fly on this sectors. Il b back soon with a 9W TR from IXE to DXB via BOM..!!!! Smile

sumantra · Member Joined: 28 Oct 2007 Posts: 4685 Location: New Delhi

ameya · Posted: Thu Mar 26, 2015 10:59 pm Post subject:

Thanks for jotting down the TR. Was fun to read. Everytime I see someody writing and posting pics about SG Q400, I keep wondering - " mera number kab aaega" !
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pradeep777 · Member Joined: 21 Nov 2014 Posts: 57 Location: Mangalore

Thank you so much ameya sir for your kind reply. I am sure when your number comes to travel on q400 ul write a beautifl TR then anyone of us here.
Sumantra sir do remember me when there a next mini meet Razz

sumantra · Member Joined: 28 Oct 2007 Posts: 4685 Location: New Delhi