Background
I early 2011 my friend Satchmo and I decided to go on a spotting trip to Asia in late October. We had been planning to visit Singapore and Kuala Lumpur from the very beginning and focused on getting on Qantas' A380 between LHR and SIN. I had flown Qantas before, but I wanted to increase the number of A380 carriers in my log to five. At a later date, we also decided to include Jakarta where we had never been before. Of course we tried to get as many new airlines and interesting types as possible and it took a while to create an exciting itinerary. Finally, we booked 10 flights operated by 8 different carriers (including four new ones) and reserved hotel rooms in Singapore (one night), Kuala Lumpur (one night), Jakarta (two nights) and Bangkok (one night). We exclusively combined one-way flights and one-way combos, so we had eight different flight reservations in the end. Here's what the preliminary itinerary looked like:
Munich-London
London-Singapore
Singapore-Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur-Jakarta
Jakarta-Singapore
Singapore-Phuket
Phuket-Bangkok
Bangkok-Mumbai
Mumbai-London
London-Munich
While Satchmo was planning to use our entire time at Jakarta for taking pictures, I decided to squeeze in a domestic day trip. I found an interesting combo on two new carriers and added three more flights:
Now I was looking forward to 13 flights on 10 different carriers - including 6 new ones - and 4 widebodies. At that point of time I couldn't imagine that I would end up on 14 flights, 7 new airlines and 5 widebodies.
Queen's Garden Resort & Suvarnabhumi Spotting
After our arrival from Phuket, we took the hotel shuttle to the Queen's Garden Resort located five minutes from the airport. Even though we had read numerous negative reports about the hotel, we decided to stay there because the rooftop is excellent for spotting (depending on the approach direction, though). After checking in at a kind of reception area next to the main building's entrance, it turned out that our room was located in another building some 200 meters away. The shuttle driver brought us there and showed us the room. Unfortunately, the simple building wasn't equipped with an elevator, so we had to climb the stairs with our luggage. The room was small and simple and the heat in there was horrible. Before being able to do anything else, we had to cool down the room.
We had planned to switch off the air conditioning device at night, but that turned out to be a bad idea. Temperatures went up quickly, so we had to switch it on again. In order to avoid the cool air being blown at us all the time (I had already been sick), we had to rearrange the furniture in the room which made lots of noise. We didn't hear any complaints, fortunately.
On the next morning, we went to the main building for breakfast which wasn't great either. This is the main building's front side:
There's the other building were our room was located, seen from the main building's rooftop:
Nice traditional roofs and rail station in the background:
The water level was high, but not threatening in this part of the city:
Sandbags had been prepared for the worst case:
This is the entrance of our hotel building:
Our room's balcony:
Neighborhood:
ATC tower:
No, this is not the hotel's pool area:
Trees under water:
Unfortunately, the planes were approaching from the wrong side on that day. All we could see from the hotel's rooftop were departing aircraft - too high up in the sky. It was possible to read the registrations in most cases, but I wasn't feeling good enough and decided to stay in the room in order to rest. I could see some planes from the balcony and could even log some registrations - but certainly not as many as I had been hoping for.
Satchmo met a spotter from Sweden at the hotel and they decided to explore the airport's surroundings together. They were successful and took many nice pictures during the course of the day. Here are some examples:
EVA Air Boeing 777-35EER B-16709:
Picture by Satchmo
Nordwind Airlines Boeing 767-306ER VQ-BMQ - users MSS658 and Lufthansa747 once flew on that bird when it was still operating for KLM as PH-BZE:
Picture by Satchmo
EgyptAir Boeing 777-36NER SU-GDR:
Picture by Satchmo
Royal Brunei Airlines Boeing 777-212ER V8-BLF - user Econojetter took a flight on that plane when it was still operating for Singapore Airlines as 9V-SVD:
Picture by Satchmo
Thai Airways A340-541 HS-TLA, named "Chiang Kham" :
Picture by Satchmo
HS-TLA operated the airline's first commercial A340-500 flight from Bangkok to Phuket in April 2005 and guess who was on board? User Lufthansa747. Airpearl flew on that plane several times, too.
Nok Air Boeing 737-4M0 HS-DDQ, named "Nok Kiwi":
Picture by Satchmo
Last but not least - Thai AirAsia A320-216 HS-ABD in "Truly ASEAN" colors which had flown us from Singapore to Phuket on the day before:
Picture by Satchmo
Friday, November 2011
Bangkok (BKK) - Mumbai (BOM)
Jet Airways 9W067
Scheduled times: 20:55-00:10
Actual times: 20:52-00:02
Flight duration: 04:07 (hrs)
Distance: 1885 miles
Economy Class, seat 31C
Boeing 737-85R
VT-JGW (s/n 2297)
Delivered in 06/2007
1st flight on VT-JGW
26th 737-800 flight
37th 737 NG flight
65th 737 flight
130th airline
About three hours before departure, we took the hotel shuttle to the airport. Even though the hotel is nothing to write home about, it offers free Wi-Fi, so we had been able to check in online for our flights on the evening before. And of course we had been happy that 61H and 61K in the last row were still available on the 777 - it's interesting to note that there are only two 2-seat rows on the plane. On the 737 flight, we chose 31C and 31D in the last row - two opposing aisle seats. The check-in process at the airport was fast and efficient, only few people were waiting in queue when we arrived there.
9W067 to Mumbai was also operating as SN4138:
Picture by Satchmo
Impressive artwork and flowers in the check-in hall:
Picture by Satchmo
Clearing passport control and passing security didn't take very long either on that evening. Spotting was impossible due to the window layout...
Picture by Satchmo
...so we went to a restaurant and enjoyed some Thai food.
When we arrived at the gate about an hour before departure, it took a while to identify the plane. All you can see on that picture is the 737's nose, unfortunately:
The plane turned out to be Boeing 737-85R VT-JGW, delivered in June 2007. It's one of 46 frames in the fleet - 49 more 738s are on order.
Very friendly and smiling flight attendants (females wearing pretty yellow uniform jackets) welcomed us on board. The cabin was in good condition and had been cleaned well. Pillows and blankets had been placed on the comfortable 17-inch wide leather seats - but do you agree with me that the head rest covers look a bit cheap?
Picture by Satchmo
I was glad that VT-JGW was a frame with PTVs, the location of the IFE box didn't bother me at all:
While boarding was continuing, I briefly talked to a male flight attendant and expressed my happiness over getting a 737 with PTVs. He smiled and said: "Yes, it's one of the newer ones."
Legroom was absolutely sufficient:
According to SeatGuru, you find a pitch of 31 and 32 inches on the carriers' 737-800s. Allegedly, it's always 31 inches in the last row, but I had no reason to complain.
It turned out to be a good decision to choose aisle seats because the flight was packed - I didn't see an empty seat in Economy Class. What I didn't like was the cool temperature in the cabin and I pointed that out to a pretty female flight attendant. "It will get warmer later", she promised with a smile.
Headphones had already been placed in the seat pockets:
Safety card and JetWings inflight magazine (including IFE guide):
It's not a PTV, it's a JetScreen:
Cold (!) towels were distributed with a smile and after the captain had made a welcome speech and announced a flying time of 4 hours, we were pushed back ahead of schedule. Comic-style safety video:
10 minutes after pushback, VT-JGW powerfully took off into the night sky. I soon started exploring the touchscreen control audio/video on-demand IFE system. Here's the main menu:
The JetScreen system on the 737s offers a choice between 40 movies, 68 TV features, 11 games, numerous audio channels and a wide range of music CDs. That's what I preferred:
No turbulence over the Bay of Bengal this time:
Picture by Satchmo
The four flight attendants in Economy Class soon started serving dinner, but they didn't arrive at our row less than an hour after takeoff. This was not surprising, because call buttons were being pressed all the time which kept these poor flight attendants extremely busy while serving meals. I hadn't seen so many "special requests" on a flight before. However, the nice crew members always kept smiling and patiently tried to satisfy every request. And I also noticed that they never said "no", but always tried to find alternative terms. Amazing!
Anyway, the pretty female flight attendant finally showed up, had a look at a list and said: "Mr. PlaneHunter? What would you like to have for dinner?" Of course I was very surprised about that. Satchmo wasn't addressed by name, btw. The flight attendant offered chicken and a vegetarian meal and I ordered the former:
The Thai-style main course tasted very good - tender meat, crisp vegetables, well-cooked rice. I also liked the yogurt, but the cake was too sweet. I'm not a fan of cold red beans, but they were okay with salad dressing.
Satchmo ordered chicken as well, but he got an Indian-style main course which he liked a lot:
Picture by Satchmo
As far as I can remember, the Indian-style meal wasn't offered to me - and Satchmo cannot remember either if he had a choice between an Indian and a Thai chicken dish. So who knows?
After dinner trays had been collected, I tried to get some rest. Time passed quickly actually. Almost there:
Picture by Satchmo
We touched down after a flying time of 4 hours and 7 minutes and came to rest at a remote parking position slightly ahead of schedule. Taking pictures at Indian airports is strictly forbidden, but Satchmo was being discrete:
Picture by Satchmo
Even though we got a bus tour across the tarmac which was full of interesting planes, it was impossible for me to log a single registration due to my position in that crowded vehicle.
Transfer at Mumbai
All transfer passengers had to pass an extended security check after arriving at the Terminal 2 building. Men and women had to line up separately in that dull area, characterized by a low ceiling and sterile concrete walls. Our queue moved slowly and we were stuck there for nearly 30 minutes. Officers with grim faces additionally checked all travelers with hand scanners after they had passed the metal detector. Many bags were hand inspected, but ours were left out. We finally arrived in the transit area which looked nicer than the area near the security checkpoints. However, you cannot get access to the gates and you cannot see anything outside. There wasn't much to do, so we kept reading during the next two hours.
After boarding had been announced, we joined a long queue and had to wait once again. Boarding passes were checked twice by different ground staff members before we were able to enter the jetbridge. Then two grim-faced security staff members in suits stopped us again. They checked our documents, ticked off our names from a list and added stickers to our passports. Two other passengers seemed to be in trouble because of an alleged lack of certain documents. They started discussing with the security people, but those just grumbled: "We have to wait for permission from the UK."
Anyway, we could finally proceed to the aircraft which turned out to be VT-JEG, delivered factory fresh in late 2007. It was not possible to take a picture of the plane due to a lack of windows - but I guess we wouldn't have tried even if we had been able to.
Very friendly flight attendants kept welcoming us on the way to the last row. I immediately liked the interior which was in good condition and had been cleaned well. The 18.5-inch wide seats were very comfortable...
...and equipped with large IFE screens:
The 32-inch pitch was absolutely sufficient for the next 10 hours, the IFE box didn't bother me much:
No, I hadn't played around with the cup holder - it had already been broken.
Most seats were taken on that day's flight 9W120:
Picture by Satchmo
Nice wooden floor in the rear galley:
Picture by Satchmo
Welcome screen:
Picture by Satchmo
A different JetWings magazine and the JetBoutique shopping guide:
Fleet information:
10 777s? Yes, in good old times. The active 777 fleet consists of only 5 frames. Did you listen, 9W?
The captain made a welcome speech and announced a flying time of 9 hours and 5 minutes. Wet towels with signs of wear were distributed, but those were cold again just like on the BKK-BOM flight.
VT-JEG was pushed back 8 minutes behind schedule and soon climbed out into the night sky after a powerful takeoff roll. More than an hour after departure, the flight attendants served a hot snack - a spicy vegetarian pastry roll filled with vegetables and tofu, accompanied by a sweet curd roll. The former tasted very good - the latter didn't really meet my taste:
After I had finished my ginger ale (no Schweppes, unfortunately), a friendly male flight attendant asked if I wanted another one. I agreed and he quickly delivered. Very attentive service!
Now it was time to explore the enhanced JetScreen system on the 777. I found all options again which had been offered on the 737, but there were almost 120 movies instead of 40 as well as some other features. Even though Jet Airways doesn't fly to Germany, more than 20 movies were available in German which is quite impressive. Main menu (picture taken before takeoff):
An exclusive feature on the carriers' widebodies is the opportunity to send and receive SMS and emails:
Awards and laurels...Jet Airways certainly deserves to be praised:
Ah, Qantas in the news again...
Then I switched to my favorite IFE feature:
After a route change, we flew straight over Dubai and I could see the brightly illuminated Palm Jumeirah - too bad it was not possible to take a decent picture.
Cabin in almost complete darkness:
Lavatory amenities:
Due to a lack of drink runs, I went to the galley in the middle of the night in order to get some tea for Satchmo and me. One of the friendly male flight attendants sprung into action and told me that it wasn't necessary to wait. "I will bring it to your seat", he said. Another example of good service!
Very nice reading light - much better than the bright ones installed overhead:
Which city is that?
Picture by Satchmo
Hard to tell...
Picture by Satchmo
Alright, it must have been Bucharest:
Shortly before breakfast, a nice light show was provided. Within a few minutes, the mood lighting changed from dark blue to bright orange:
Picture by Satchmo
Picture by Satchmo
Picture by Satchmo
There was a choice between a vegetarian and a non-vegetarian option and I opted for the latter:
Picture by Satchmo
Omelette, Indian-style potato and meat pancake, shredded potatoes, croissant and fresh fruit - everything tasted very good. And I also liked the tea. I can only praise Jet Airways for serving such a big and tasty breakfast.
Beautiful sunrise:
Picture by Satchmo
The mood lighting changed to light purple after breakfast:
Picture by Satchmo
After descent had commenced, the captain gave a farewell message and pointed out that we would be stuck in a holding pattern for a while. "But we will still arrive on time", he promised. We didn't mind about that and enjoyed the views:
Picture by Satchmo
Picture by Satchmo
Picture by Satchmo
That gives an idea of our final routing:
Picture by Satchmo
Finally, we were cleared to land and dived into thick fog so that we couldn't even see the wingtip any more. The visibility was really bad and the ground came into view rather late on final approach. However, just when we were expecting the wheels to touch down, the GE90s suddenly roared and powerfully accelerated the plane again - that was my first go-around!
While climbing out again, the captain made an announcement, but we couldn't understand anything due to the engine noise. The question was whether the pilots had aborted landing due to low visibility or due to traffic on the runway. We already started wondering where we would have to divert to in case of another landing abortion, but a few minutes later we finally touched down and taxied to our Terminal 4 gate where we arrived 11 minutes behind schedule. We asked a flight attendant about the go-around and he explained that another aircraft hadn't left the runway yet.
It was a pleasure, Jet Airways:
Picture by Satchmo
Business Class seat:
Picture by Satchmo
All I still needed was an exterior picture of our plane. Delta's 767-432ER N828MH was blocking the view:
Slowly getting better...
...mission accomplished:
The waiting time at passport control was acceptable and after grabbing our luggage, we went straight to Terminal 5 where our (separately booked) British Airways flight to Munich would depart from in the afternoon. We mostly killed the time by spotting and finally boarded A319 G-EUOD which was a new registration for me.
Conclusion
Flying Jet Airways was a great pleasure. Both the 737 and the 777 were in good shape and equipped with comfortable seats and modern and convenient IFE systems. All ground staff and flight crew members were very friendly and service-orientated, the catering was very good both in terms of quality and quantity. Jet Airways calls itself "India's finest international airline" - well, I haven't flown on other Indian carriers yet, but I can confirm that Jet Airways is among the finest airlines I have tried - and it's definitely more reliable than the country's big state carrier.
Despite the chaotic and stressful start, the trip was a very exciting, enjoyable and successful one. I flew on 7 new airlines, visited 5 new airports and logged a total of 349 new registrations. Qantas paid for all additional expenses caused by the fleet grounding, paid a compensation of €600 (EU regulations) and sent me a voucher worth €190 which I used just recently for a new and successful attempt to get on the carrier's A380.
roberts87 From Netherlands, joined Dec 2011, 655 posts, RR: 0 Reply 2, posted (12 months 4 days 9 hours ago) and read 20622 times:
Great report as usual! Looks like Jet Airways did a great job indeed.
Quoting PlaneHunter (Thread starter): but do you agree with me that the head rest covers look a bit cheap?
I agree. Perhaps a logo would be nice.
Quoting PlaneHunter (Thread starter): "Mr. PlaneHunter? What would you like to have for dinner?" Of course I was very surprised about that. Satchmo wasn't addressed by name, bt
Oh well, I guess the name PlaneHunter isn't that common
Quokkas From Australia, joined Jan 2012, 1355 posts, RR: 9 Reply 4, posted (12 months 4 days 9 hours ago) and read 20546 times:
Hi PlaneHunter,
Jet appears to be a contrast to Air India, judging by reports about the latter published here on A.net.
Both the 738 and the 77W looked bright and fresh. Friendly and helpful cabin staff are always the hallmark of a good airline. The meals looked generous enough too.
SRQKEF From Iceland, joined Jun 2011, 691 posts, RR: 1 Reply 6, posted (12 months 4 days 7 hours ago) and read 20096 times:
Hi PH, another great report! I've been holding my breath for the last part the last weeks, and now it's here! Pleasure reading it.
Regarding taking pictures in India, I was literally glued to the window at DEL and took around 150 plane pictures. Nobody said anything to me! Didn't know about the rule until reading a TR in Dubai the day after I arrived from India...
Also, I saw a PIA A310 in DEL when running to the gate (boarding started 40 minutes early) and simply had to get a picture and catch the reg. I braked hard (right in front of a security officer actually!) took my camera out and took 5 pics. He didn't say anything! Lucky me apparently...
PlaneHunter From Germany, joined Mar 2006, 6183 posts, RR: 79 Reply 7, posted (12 months 4 days 6 hours ago) and read 20027 times:
Quoting SRQKEF (Reply 6): Hi PH, another great report!
Hi Sveinn, thanks a lot for your comments!
Quoting SRQKEF (Reply 6): I've been holding my breath for the last part the last weeks, and now it's here! Pleasure reading it.
Good to hear, I'm glad you enjoyed it.
Quoting SRQKEF (Reply 6): Regarding taking pictures in India, I was literally glued to the window at DEL and took around 150 plane pictures. Nobody said anything to me!
Wow, amazing! I'm looking forward to the report.
Quoting SRQKEF (Reply 6): Also, I saw a PIA A310 in DEL when running to the gate (boarding started 40 minutes early) and simply had to get a picture and catch the reg. I braked hard (right in front of a security officer actually!) took my camera out and took 5 pics. He didn't say anything! Lucky me apparently...
It seems you were really lucky.
Quoting SRQKEF (Reply 6): Again, great report, keep 'em coming!
Thanks again! I'll start working on my next Asia series soon...lots of work ahead. So don't expect to see a new report anytime soon.
infodesk From Switzerland, joined exactly 7 years ago today! , 1236 posts, RR: 34 Reply 8, posted (12 months 4 days 4 hours ago) and read 19436 times:
Hi PH,
An excellent report as usual.
What an eventful spotting trip it was. I'm glad that after all the QF troubles at the beginning, you were able to finish on such a high note with 9W. Good to hear that you received such attentive service. The meals look tasty and it's nice to see the large bottles of water you got - normally it's just those small cups. Your photos capture the mood lighting brilliantly.
Quoting PlaneHunter (Thread starter): Pillows and blankets had been placed on the comfortable 17-inch wide leather seats - but do you agree with me that the head rest covers look a bit cheap?
They do indeed and the red pillows against the blue seats don't look too good either.
Quoting PlaneHunter (Thread starter): The flight attendant offered chicken and a vegetarian meal and I ordered the former:
Funny to see the Emmi coffee cream on the tray, they really are popular is Asia.
Some nice shots on approach into LHR. How exciting to experience a go-around, something still missing in my log!
Hope operation QF A380 works out!
Happy flying
Infodesk
"Do nothing in haste, look well to each step and from the beginning think what may be the end" - Edward Whymper
Quoting PlaneHunter (Thread starter): I was glad that VT-JGW was a frame with PTVs, the location of the IFE box didn't bother me at all:
Looks similar to DL's Y seats on their 737-700/800 and 757-200s!
Quoting PlaneHunter (Thread starter): I hadn't seen so many "special requests" on a flight before. However, the nice crew members always kept smiling and patiently tried to satisfy every request.
My mom's cousin who works in F for a major international airline said that she gets the most "special requests" on flights to/from India...
Quoting PlaneHunter (Thread starter): Taking pictures at Indian airports is strictly forbidden, but Satchmo was being discrete:
I hate such rules, thank goodness the Philippines and even here in the US, most airport/security staff don't mind you taking a plethora of images on the tarmac or the terminal!
Quoting PlaneHunter (Thread starter): There was a choice between a vegetarian and a non-vegetarian option and I opted for the latter:
..and what better aircraft to experience it than the 77W?
It looks like 9W is a great carrier from your experience and I would love to fly with them in the future, maybe to BRU. Once again, fantastic trip report!
Knightsofmalta From Malta, joined Nov 2005, 1408 posts, RR: 17 Reply 10, posted (12 months 4 days 3 hours ago) and read 19240 times:
Hi Planehunter
Interesting report. Sounds like you had two very solid performances with Jet Airways. The food for sure looks very tasty! And the interior of the B777 in particular looks very classy.
I was quite surprised at first by the way, to see Jet Airways using a B737 on the BKK-BOM sectors, I didn't realise it was only a flight of four hours.
Quoting PlaneHunter (Thread starter): Pillows and blankets had been placed on the comfortable 17-inch wide leather seats - but do you agree with me that the head rest covers look a bit cheap?
Well yes it is kind of. Then again I'd rather have a cheap looking head rest cover than non at all, as SWISS does in Economy on its short-haul fleet.
yapple From Singapore, joined Apr 2011, 63 posts, RR: 1 Reply 11, posted (12 months 4 days 2 hours ago) and read 19129 times:
Hi PH,
Another wonderful trip report here!
Jet Airways look like a great airline to fly with. Their service sounds excellent (especially when that pretty flight attendant addressed you by name ), and their B738 and 77W looks great.
A nice conclusion to your trip, nice to hear you log 7 new airlines, 5 new airports and 349 new registrations.
adamspotter From Netherlands, joined Feb 2011, 774 posts, RR: 2 Reply 12, posted (12 months 4 days 2 hours ago) and read 19097 times:
Hi PH,
Nice to see the last report of this series online. An excellent report as usual! Jet Airways sure looks like a great carrier to fly. I jut might try them out to the US/Canada from BRU
Quoting PlaneHunter (Thread starter): However, the nice crew members always kept smiling and patiently tried to satisfy every request. And I also noticed that they never said "no", but always tried to find alternative terms. Amazing
Very nice of the crew
Quoting PlaneHunter (Thread starter): it was impossible for me to log a single registration due to my position in that crowded vehicle
ba319-131 From United Kingdom, joined Jan 2001, 8258 posts, RR: 56 Reply 13, posted (12 months 4 days 1 hour ago) and read 18748 times:
Hi PH,
Great report PH, nice pictures from you and Satchmo.
Quoting PlaneHunter (Thread starter): Queen's Garden Resort located five minutes from the airport. Even though we had read numerous negative reports about the hotel, we decided to stay there because the rooftop is excellent for spotting (depending on the approach direction, though)
Quoting PlaneHunter (Thread starter): Unfortunately, the planes were approaching from the wrong side on that day. All we could see from the hotel's rooftop were departing aircraft - too high up in the sky. It was possible to read the registrations in most cases, but I wasn't feeling good enough and decided to stay in the room in order to rest
- Shame you were not well. Thanks for your comments on the hotel, whilst not one I would choose, I suspect I would put up with it for one to two nights for the spotting, nothing else would keep me there I suspect.
Quoting PlaneHunter (Thread starter): Satchmo met a spotter from Sweden at the hotel and they decided to explore the airport's surroundings together. They were successful and took many nice pictures during the course of the day. Here are some examples:
- Seems they found a great spot!
Quoting PlaneHunter (Thread starter): do you agree with me that the head rest covers look a bit cheap?
- Totally agree!
Quoting PlaneHunter (Thread starter): The Thai-style main course tasted very good - tender meat, crisp vegetables, well-cooked rice. I also liked the yogurt, but the cake was too sweet. I'm not a fan of cold red beans, but they were okay with salad dressing
- Looks a decent meal, impressed!
Quoting PlaneHunter (Thread starter): Satchmo ordered chicken as well, but he got an Indian-style main course which he liked a lot:
- Odd you both took the chicken but got different meals, not come across that before.
Quoting PlaneHunter (Reply 1): Even though we got a bus tour across the tarmac which was full of interesting planes, it was impossible for me to log a single registration due to my position in that crowded vehicle.
- Bummer!
Quoting PlaneHunter (Reply 1): We finally arrived in the transit area which looked nicer than the area near the security checkpoints. However, you cannot get access to the gates and you cannot see anything outside. There wasn't much to do,
- Shame, would have been ideal to try and get a bit of spotting in.
Quoting PlaneHunter (Thread starter): a hot snack - a spicy vegetarian pastry roll filled with vegetables and tofu, accompanied by a sweet curd roll. The former tasted very good - the latter didn't really meet my taste:
- Not keen on tofu, had it in Hawaii, I think it's a texture issue for me.
Quoting PlaneHunter (Thread starter): After I had finished my ginger ale (no Schweppes, unfortunately)
- Interesting brand, Indian?
Quoting PlaneHunter (Thread starter): Omelette, Indian-style potato and meat pancake, shredded potatoes, croissant and fresh fruit - everything tasted very good.
- Looks great!
Quoting PlaneHunter (Thread starter): 7 new airlines, visited 5 new airports and logged a total of 349 new registrations.
- Fantastic result, well done!
Quoting PlaneHunter (Thread starter): Qantas paid for all additional expenses caused by the fleet grounding, paid a compensation of €600 (EU regulations) and sent me a voucher worth €190
A beautiful plane indeed, such a shame though to see them gone so soon.
Quoting PlaneHunter (Thread starter): but do you agree with me that the head rest covers look a bit cheap?
They look cheap, hence a bit oversized too. Leather ones like LH would've been much more suited for the cabin I'd say.
Quoting PlaneHunter (Thread starter): This was not surprising, because call buttons were being pressed all the time which kept these poor flight attendants extremely busy while serving meals.
Suppose that's the case with Indian service culture, customers have very high demands and expectations even in Economy. It's a very bad attitude I'd say, but maybe it's normal for them. Good to know at least the crew were willing enough to grant those requests, unlike AI (as described in Lars report) had a completely different approach in dealing with these pax. As a contrast on SAS using the button is strictly forbidden. Requests are almost never answered, and the few times they are you'll find the crew looking rather angry. But of course cultures are different...
the777man From United States of America, joined Jul 1999, 6079 posts, RR: 56 Reply 15, posted (12 months 3 days 22 hours ago) and read 18416 times:
Hi PlaneHunter!
Thanks for an excellent report with excellent pictures from the Trip report master !
Great to read your experience on 9W ! Funny enough we flew the same aircraft on the same route but about four years apart. VT-JEG was exactly a week old when I flew on it.
It seems that 9W has cut down on service a little bit; you did not get an amenity kit and no pre-departure drink like I did. The drink I got was disgusting so you did not miss much there.
Meals looks okay and similar to what I got.
IFE is very good. I love that version of the Airshow map.
Very nice pictures of the different colors of mood lighting!
Too bad you couldn't do spotting in BKK. Lots of interesting traffic there and it's usually quite busy too.
Jet Airways does have 10 777-300/ERs although 5 are leased out to TG so it depends on how you look at that. Technically they are still a part of Jet Airways fleet.
Extra bonus with a go around in a 77W! I've only had one go around so far; RG DC-10-30 at EZE in 1996.
You should try to go on some other Indian carriers some time but make sure you are in a good condition since you never know what might happen in India.
My experience on AI was much better than 9W but the AI flight was not full and the 9W was close to full which makes a big difference. My AI 77L flight is one of the best I ever have had in Y on any carrier.
It seems like a very good trip over all with so many new carriers and registrations. Too bad you didn't feel well during parts of the trip.
Looking forward to your next report
The777Man
Need a Boeing 777 Firing Order....Further to fly....GA, T5, CI and LX 777s
aflyingkiwi From New Zealand, joined Nov 2010, 487 posts, RR: 7 Reply 16, posted (12 months 3 days 21 hours ago) and read 18304 times:
Hi PlaneHunter,
Great last installment of your series!
Quoting PlaneHunter (Thread starter): They were successful and took many nice pictures during the course of the day. Here are some examples:
Lovely pictures.
Quoting PlaneHunter (Thread starter): Anyway, the pretty female flight attendant finally showed up, had a look at a list and said: "Mr. PlaneHunter? What would you like to have for dinner?"
Wow!, very rare to get addressed by name in Y.
Quoting PlaneHunter (Thread starter): The Thai-style main course tasted very good - tender meat, crisp vegetables, well-cooked rice. I also liked the yogurt, but the cake was too sweet. I'm not a fan of cold red beans, but they were okay with salad dressing.
That meal looks delicious!
Quoting PlaneHunter (Thread starter): However, just when we were expecting the wheels to touch down, the GE90s suddenly roared and powerfully accelerated the plane again - that was my first go-around!
Sounds exciting, I've still yet to experience my first go-around.
lukeyboy95 From Papua New Guinea, joined Apr 2008, 951 posts, RR: 35 Reply 17, posted (12 months 3 days 21 hours ago) and read 18254 times:
Hi Udo.
A damned fine report if I may say so... You always choose interesting carriers and present them in a most enjoyable layout. Great!
Quoting PlaneHunter (Thread starter): Pillows and blankets had been placed on the comfortable 17-inch wide leather seats - but do you agree with me that the head rest covers look a bit cheap?
Yeah...I don't like the design so much here but it is great to see a blanket and pillow.
Quoting PlaneHunter (Thread starter): I hadn't seen so many "special requests" on a flight before. However, the nice crew members always kept smiling and patiently tried to satisfy every request. And I also noticed that they never said "no", but always tried to find alternative terms. Amazing!
A sign of great training it would seem. I don't envy them... In a separate note... on a recent flight I watched many people from places in the sub-continent stashing booze they had been served. Quite funny... more on that in a future report!
Quoting PlaneHunter (Reply 1): Men and women had to line up separately in that dull area, characterized by a low ceiling and sterile concrete walls. Our queue moved slowly and we were stuck there for nearly 30 minutes. Officers with grim faces additionally checked all travelers with hand scanners after they had passed the metal detector.
what a buzzkill. I felt depressed just reading this!
Quoting PlaneHunter (Reply 5): we would be stuck in a holding pattern for a while. "But we will still arrive on time", he promised. We didn't mind about that and enjoyed the views:
Can I just say.. perhaps Satchmo... that these are stunning pictures of London at that very special time of morning when it is coming alive. It evokes such a nice feeling holding in a massive airliner above the unique morning light of buzzing London... made better by the fog... and an eventual Go-Around. Surprised in all your flying this is the first!
So... Jet seemed excellent. Especially by service which seemed proactive and exemplary. I am still mourning kingfisher a little at the moment (do you recall their product in one of my reports?) but Jet definitely stepped up to the mark. Perhaps they can brighten up the transfer process a little.
Great compensation for your QF dramas... could I go as far as saying almost worth it? ?!
Hi Infodesk, many thanks for your comments! I'm glad you liked it.
Quoting infodesk (Reply 8): What an eventful spotting trip it was.
Yes, absolutely.
Quoting infodesk (Reply 8): I'm glad that after all the QF troubles at the beginning, you were able to finish on such a high note with 9W.
Well said.
Quoting infodesk (Reply 8): The meals look tasty and it's nice to see the large bottles of water you got - normally it's just those small cups.
They made up a bit for the lack of drink runs at night.
Quoting infodesk (Reply 8): They do indeed and the red pillows against the blue seats don't look too good either.
Quoting infodesk (Reply 8): Funny to see the Emmi coffee cream on the tray, they really are popular is Asia.
Interesting, I hadn't noticed that.
Quoting infodesk (Reply 8): How exciting to experience a go-around, something still missing in my log!
I had been waiting for a long time - and it happened again on the next trip, on a 77W again. But it was less spectacular. More to follow in my next series.
Quoting infodesk (Reply 8):
Hope operation QF A380 works out!
The QF A380 part of the trip was fine, in contrast to the rest...
Hi Jezrel, thank you very much for your feedback! Good to hear you enjoyed reading.
Quoting jetblue777 (Reply 9): My mom's cousin who works in F for a major international airline said that she gets the most "special requests" on flights to/from India...
Very interesting. I'm wondering how LCCs can exist in India...
Quoting jetblue777 (Reply 9): I hate such rules, thank goodness the Philippines and even here in the US, most airport/security staff don't mind you taking a plethora of images on the tarmac or the terminal!
Good to hear it's rather relaxed in the Philippines.
Quoting jetblue777 (Reply 9): ..and what better aircraft to experience it than the 77W?
Quoting jetblue777 (Reply 9):
It looks like 9W is a great carrier from your experience and I would love to fly with them in the future, maybe to BRU.
Quoting Knightsofmalta (Reply 10): Sounds like you had two very solid performances with Jet Airways.
Yes indeed - I was glad 9W lived up to my expectations.
Quoting Knightsofmalta (Reply 10): And the interior of the B777 in particular looks very classy.
Pleasant seat colors and mood lighting can make a big difference.
Quoting Knightsofmalta (Reply 10): I was quite surprised at first by the way, to see Jet Airways using a B737 on the BKK-BOM sectors, I didn't realise it was only a flight of four hours.
I'd have preferred an A332 which regularly flies to HKG and SIN, but the 737 with the new interior was not bad at all.
Quoting Knightsofmalta (Reply 10): Well yes it is kind of. Then again I'd rather have a cheap looking head rest cover than non at all, as SWISS does in Economy on its short-haul fleet.
That's a good point.
Quoting yapple (Reply 11): Another wonderful trip report here!
Many thanks, yapple! Good to hear you enjoyed it.
Quoting yapple (Reply 11): Jet Airways look like a great airline to fly with.
Quoting yapple (Reply 11): Their service sounds excellent (especially when that pretty flight attendant addressed you by name
That was indeed impressive.
Quoting yapple (Reply 11): and their B738 and 77W looks great.
Quoting yapple (Reply 11): A nice conclusion to your trip, nice to hear you log 7 new airlines, 5 new airports and 349 new registrations.
Yes, it was a very successful trip. Too bad my recent Asia trip was partly screwed up.
Quoting yapple (Reply 11): Looking forward to more reports,
Lots of work ahead...
Quoting adamspotter (Reply 12): Nice to see the last report of this series online. An excellent report as usual!
Hi Brendan, many thanks for your comments! I'm glad you liked it.
Quoting adamspotter (Reply 12): Jet Airways sure looks like a great carrier to fly. I jut might try them out to the US/Canada from BRU
Quoting ba319-131 (Reply 13): Great report PH, nice pictures from you and Satchmo.
Hi Mark, thanks a lot for your reply!
Quoting ba319-131 (Reply 13): Thanks for your comments on the hotel, whilst not one I would choose, I suspect I would put up with it for one to two nights for the spotting, nothing else would keep me there I suspect.
Quoting LH4116 (Reply 14): Hello PlaneHunter, great report!
Hi Jonas, thanks for commenting!
Quoting LH4116 (Reply 14): That's nice, always pleasant to meat fellow aviation enthusiasts. Was the man a member on a.net also?
No, but he certainly knows the site.
Quoting LH4116 (Reply 14): A beautiful plane indeed, such a shame though to see them gone so soon.
Yes, I can only agree. I'm wondering what will happen to them.
Quoting LH4116 (Reply 14):
They look cheap, hence a bit oversized too. Leather ones like LH would've been much more suited for the cabin I'd say.
Quoting LH4116 (Reply 14): As a contrast on SAS using the button is strictly forbidden. Requests are almost never answered, and the few times they are you'll find the crew looking rather angry.
Is it really that bad?
Quoting LH4116 (Reply 14): Were they wider than the industry average?
I'm not sure what's the average. SIA's seats on the 77W are 19 inches wide, AF's and EK's just 17 inches (3-4-3 configuration).
Quoting LH4116 (Reply 14): Very nice touch indeed. Guessing that was faux wood and not real hardwood floors?
I don't know, it's hard to tell. But it definitely looks nice.
Quoting the777man (Reply 15): Thanks for an excellent report with excellent pictures from the Trip report master !
Hi Lars my friend, thanks so much for your kind words!
Quoting the777man (Reply 15): Great to read your experience on 9W ! Funny enough we flew the same aircraft on the same route but about four years apart. VT-JEG was exactly a week old when I flew on it.
That's indeed nice!
Quoting the777man (Reply 15): It seems that 9W has cut down on service a little bit; you did not get an amenity kit and no pre-departure drink like I did.
Yes, amenity kits would have been nice.
Quoting the777man (Reply 15): Very nice pictures of the different colors of mood lighting!
Thanks!
Quoting the777man (Reply 15): Too bad you couldn't do spotting in BKK. Lots of interesting traffic there and it's usually quite busy too.
I had been looking forward to spotting at BKK. Oh well.
Quoting the777man (Reply 15): Jet Airways does have 10 777-300/ERs although 5 are leased out to TG so it depends on how you look at that. Technically they are still a part of Jet Airways fleet.
Well, it's a matter of perspective. It's the active fleet which counts IMO.
Quoting the777man (Reply 15): Extra bonus with a go around in a 77W!
No doubt about that! It happened again on my next 77W flight!
Quoting the777man (Reply 15): I've only had one go around so far; RG DC-10-30 at EZE in 1996.
Sounds exciting!
Quoting the777man (Reply 15): You should try to go on some other Indian carriers some time but make sure you are in a good condition since you never know what might happen in India.
I'd love to try AI's 77L or 77W.
Quoting the777man (Reply 15): My experience on AI was much better than 9W but the AI flight was not full and the 9W was close to full which makes a big difference. My AI 77L flight is one of the best I ever have had in Y on any carrier.
Yes, I remember that!
Quoting the777man (Reply 15): It seems like a very good trip over all with so many new carriers and registrations.
Quoting the777man (Reply 15): Too bad you didn't feel well during parts of the trip.
Quoting aflyingkiwi (Reply 16): Wow!, very rare to get addressed by name in Y.
That was certainly nice!
Quoting aflyingkiwi (Reply 16): Sounds exciting, I've still yet to experience my first go-around.
The day will come!
Quoting lukeyboy95 (Reply 17): A damned fine report if I may say so... You always choose interesting carriers and present them in a most enjoyable layout. Great!
Hi Luke, thanks a lot for your comments! I'm glad you enjoyed it.
Quoting lukeyboy95 (Reply 17): In a separate note... on a recent flight I watched many people from places in the sub-continent stashing booze they had been served. Quite funny... more on that in a future report!
Interesting, I'm looking forward to that one.
Quoting lukeyboy95 (Reply 17): Can I just say.. perhaps Satchmo... that these are stunning pictures of London at that very special time of morning when it is coming alive. It evokes such a nice feeling holding in a massive airliner above the unique morning light of buzzing London... made better by the fog... and an eventual Go-Around. Surprised in all your flying this is the first!
That was a very special approach - being stuck in a holding pattern near LHR is always exciting with all these other airliners nearby.
Quoting lukeyboy95 (Reply 17): So... Jet seemed excellent. Especially by service which seemed proactive and exemplary.
Quoting lukeyboy95 (Reply 17): I am still mourning kingfisher a little at the moment (do you recall their product in one of my reports?) but Jet definitely stepped up to the mark. Perhaps they can brighten up the transfer process a little.
Oh yes, I would have loved to try Kingfisher. Well, there's still some hope left.
Quoting lukeyboy95 (Reply 17): Great compensation for your QF dramas... could I go as far as saying almost worth it? ?!
flightsimboy From Canada, joined Sep 2005, 848 posts, RR: 4 Reply 20, posted (12 months 3 days 17 hours ago) and read 17806 times:
Hey PH!!
Great to see this write up on India's little aviation gem!! Looks like 9W really lived up to your expectations if not more!!
Quoting PlaneHunter (Thread starter): After our arrival from Phuket, we took the hotel shuttle to the Queen's Garden Resort located five minutes from the airport. Even though we had read numerous negative reports about the hotel, we decided to stay there because the rooftop is excellent for spotting (depending on the approach direction, though)
That is something to consider if one is stuck at BKK airport for more than one would want to spend just waiting at the terminal
Quoting PlaneHunter (Thread starter): We had planned to switch off the air conditioning device at night, but that turned out to be a bad idea. Temperatures went up quickly, so we had to switch it on again. In order to avoid the cool air being blown at us all the time (I had already been sick), we had to rearrange the furniture in the room which made lots of noise. We didn't hear any complaints, fortunately.
They were probably just thinking the occupants in the room were in a party mode!!
I'm assuming that goes through the airport like the subway that goes through Dubai Airport? They are only now starting to link Toronto's Pearson with the downtown core, but that should take another year or two.
Quoting PlaneHunter (Thread starter): Unfortunately, the planes were approaching from the wrong side on that day. All we could see from the hotel's rooftop were departing aircraft - too high up in the sky. It was possible to read the registrations in most cases, but I wasn't feeling good enough and decided to stay in the room in order to rest. I could see some planes from the balcony and could even log some registrations - but certainly not as many as I had been hoping for.
Satchmo met a spotter from Sweden at the hotel and they decided to explore the airport's surroundings together. They were successful and took many nice pictures during the course of the day. Here are some examples:
Very unfortunate you could not accompany them, but at least Satchmo was able to provide those gorgeous pics!!
Indeed a gorgeous aircraft. Where do these "birdies" now fly considering that LAX is no longer non-stop and operates with the 772 via Osaka, if I recall correctly. Or is a combination of both nonstop and one stop?
Interesting note about the Durians...Were they afraid there would be a stampede out the plane should somebody try to cut one open in flight and eat it lol. The smell can be offensive to some and pleasant to others, even comparable to the smell of gym socks lol. I ate one in Kuala Lumpur and the look on my face is still fondly remembered by those who were witness to it..and I held my nose while I ate it lol. Please was not being disrespectful to a very revered fruit, just sharing a general opinion, and my own experience too. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Durian
Quoting PlaneHunter (Thread starter): Very friendly and smiling flight attendants (females wearing pretty yellow uniform jackets) welcomed us on board.
Jet Airways' very own canaries!!
Quoting PlaneHunter (Thread starter): The cabin was in good condition and had been cleaned well. Pillows and blankets had been placed on the comfortable 17-inch wide leather seats - but do you agree with me that the head rest covers look a bit cheap?
I prefer the red colours of the long haul fleet. But forget what the inside looks, Jet Airways aircraft colours are the nicest on the outside. What an amazing colour scheme!! Have yet to get a decent 1:200 scale model of this airline.
Quoting PlaneHunter (Thread starter): What I didn't like was the cool temperature in the cabin and I pointed that out to a pretty female flight attendant. "It will get warmer later", she promised with a smile.
Well it was quite hot as you indicated so I guess it was only natural to have it cold inside. Perhaps it was a few notches colder than one would want.
Again cold towels to compensate for the hot weather lol
Quoting PlaneHunter (Thread starter): The four flight attendants in Economy Class soon started serving dinner, but they didn't arrive at our row less than an hour after takeoff. This was not surprising, because call buttons were being pressed all the time which kept these poor flight attendants extremely busy while serving meals.
Quoting PlaneHunter (Thread starter): However, the nice crew members always kept smiling and patiently tried to satisfy every request. And I also noticed that they never said "no", but always tried to find alternative terms. Amazing! thumbsup
It has been said that Indian passengers are the most demanding, and yes this coming from me from the Sub-continent myself. I really shake my head in disbelief when on an EK or EY flight (which is 95% made up of sub-continent folk like myself) and see how the cabin crew have to make numerous runs to otherwise unnecessary call button calls made from say a sample of 10-15% of the lot. The FAs are there to serve you, not to be your butler on demand!!
Because of this all sub-continent passengers get thought of as "the demanding" ones and are meted the service that truly only the ones making all these demands should be getting, that is unfriendly service. Well in Jet Airways case, at least they were nice enough to treat everybody the same, and that is with professional and smiling service.
Yes the special meals are there due to religious beliefs and practices. On most other non-Indian airline flights the special meals are the vegetarian meals, but they seemed to have had this on these flights too in addition to these special meals.
Quoting PlaneHunter (Thread starter): Anyway, the pretty female flight attendant finally showed up, had a look at a list and said: "Mr. PlaneHunter? What would you like to have for dinner?" Of course I was very surprised about that. Satchmo wasn't addressed by name, btw.
PH your first name does have a very Indian flair to it if I may so! And it was nice of the crew to remember it.
Quoting PlaneHunter (Thread starter): The flight attendant offered chicken and a vegetarian meal and I ordered the former:
Quoting PlaneHunter (Thread starter): The Thai-style main course tasted very good - tender meat, crisp vegetables, well-cooked rice. I also liked the yogurt, but the cake was too sweet. I'm not a fan of cold red beans, but they were okay with salad dressing.
Satchmo ordered chicken as well, but he got an Indian-style main course which he liked a lot:
Very strange that two types of Chicken dishes should exist? I'm thinking all the vegetarian meals were gone and they had to cater to those with a taste for Thai cuisine by offering the Thai version in addition to the Indian chicken one.
Quoting PlaneHunter (Thread starter): Taking pictures at Indian airports is strictly forbidden, but Satchmo was being discrete:
Nicely captured even though discretely!
Quoting PlaneHunter (Reply 1):
Jet Airways 9W120
Economy Class, seat 61K
Boeing 777-35RER
VT-JEG (s/n 675)
Delivered in 11/2007
Quoting PlaneHunter (Thread starter): And of course we had been happy that 61H and 61K in the last row were still available on the 777 - it's interesting to note that there are only two 2-seat rows on the plane.
Wow nice that you two could score those only two seats at the back. My preference too, because honestly I cannot stand it when the person behind you keeps on kicking the seat from behind. Haven't really been lucky to get those last seats of late, and besides with the last two EY flights last year I totally sacrificed them just to sit up front to view those gorgeous GE-90s!! I really wish Jet Airways would send it's 77Ws to Toronto someday!!
Looks like 9W like EY sacrificed the space of the galley to make room for two lavatories at the back. I quite prefer EK's galley as they are wide and spacious.
Quoting PlaneHunter (Thread starter): After I had finished my ginger ale (no Schweppes, unfortunately), a friendly male flight attendant asked if I wanted another one. I agreed and he quickly delivered. Very attentive service! thumbsup
Quoting PlaneHunter (Thread starter): I went to the galley in the middle of the night in order to get some tea for Satchmo and me. One of the friendly male flight attendants sprung into action and told me that it wasn't necessary to wait. "I will bring it to your seat", he said. Another example of good service! thumbsup
Great service. Also I'm assuming all 9W's staff are young cabin crew? As opposed to the older cabin crew on AI or BG?
Quoting PlaneHunter (Thread starter): Even though Jet Airways doesn't fly to Germany, more than 20 movies were available in German which is quite impressive
So did you land up watching any of he movies available in German, considering there was not much inflight entertainment outside the window!!.........Ah yes the inflight entertainment inside
Quoting PlaneHunter (Thread starter): we flew straight over Dubai and I could see the brightly illuminated Palm Jumeirah - too bad it was not possible to take a decent picture.
Would have been nice to get it though
Quoting PlaneHunter (Thread starter): Omelette, Indian-style potato and meat pancake, shredded potatoes, croissant and fresh fruit - everything tasted very good. And I also liked the tea. I can only praise Jet Airways for serving such a big and tasty breakfast. thumbsup
And of course who could not notice the AMUL butter. A very famous Indian brand.
Quoting PlaneHunter (Thread starter): However, just when we were expecting the wheels to touch down, the GE90s suddenly roared and powerfully accelerated the plane again - that was my first go-around! thumbsup thumbsup thumbsup
Looks like you missed the lovely beauty on it's port side
Quoting adamspotter (Reply 12): I jut might try them out to the US/Canada from BRU
Hopefully you should do the BRU-YYZ route on the A332!!
Quoting the777man (Reply 15): Jet Airways does have 10 777-300/ERs although 5 are leased out to TG so it depends on how you look at that. Technically they are still a part of Jet Airways fleet.
That is true, they are still technically part of 9Ws fleet.
Quoting lukeyboy95 (Reply 17): A sign of great training it would seem. I don't envy them... In a separate note... on a recent flight I watched many people from places in the sub-continent stashing booze they had been served. Quite funny
I cannot remember which airline it is, EK I think where if you ask for a drink, the crew deliberately open the miniature bottle and hand it to you without the cap, so you don't land up stashing it like you experienced above lol....Or at the most pour the entire contents into the glass and serve it to the passengers.
PlaneHunter From Germany, joined Mar 2006, 6183 posts, RR: 79 Reply 21, posted (12 months 3 days 14 hours ago) and read 17495 times:
Quoting flightsimboy (Reply 20): Great to see this write up on India's little aviation gem!!
Hi flightsimboy, many thanks for taking the time to write such an extended reply! I really appreciate that.
Quoting flightsimboy (Reply 20): Looks like 9W really lived up to your expectations if not more!!
Yes, absolutely!
Quoting flightsimboy (Reply 20): That is something to consider if one is stuck at BKK airport for more than one would want to spend just waiting at the terminal
Quoting flightsimboy (Reply 20): They were probably just thinking the occupants in the room were in a party mode!!
Yeah, probably. But I think there weren't many guests in that hotel.
Quoting flightsimboy (Reply 20): I'm assuming that goes through the airport like the subway that goes through Dubai Airport?
Quoting flightsimboy (Reply 20): Very unfortunate you could not accompany them, but at least Satchmo was able to provide those gorgeous pics!!
Yes, he was very successful.
Quoting flightsimboy (Reply 20): Indeed a gorgeous aircraft. Where do these "birdies" now fly considering that LAX is no longer non-stop and operates with the 772 via Osaka, if I recall correctly. Or is a combination of both nonstop and one stop?
Good question. I read somewhere that they may leave the fleet. Would be really sad to see them stored in the desert.
Quoting flightsimboy (Reply 20): Interesting note about the Durians...Were they afraid there would be a stampede out the plane should somebody try to cut one open in flight and eat it lol. The smell can be offensive to some and pleasant to others, even comparable to the smell of gym socks lol. I ate one in Kuala Lumpur and the look on my face is still fondly remembered by those who were witness to it..and I held my nose while I ate it lol. Please was not being disrespectful to a very revered fruit, just sharing a general opinion, and my own experience too. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Durian
Quoting flightsimboy (Reply 20): But forget what the inside looks, Jet Airways aircraft colours are the nicest on the outside. What an amazing colour scheme!! Have yet to get a decent 1:200 scale model of this airline.
I can only agree. I should get a 77W model, too.
Quoting flightsimboy (Reply 20): Perhaps it was a few notches colder than one would want.
No doubt about that.
Quoting flightsimboy (Reply 20): Hopefully these had been sterilized and were in plastic concealed bags?
Of course - I always take them out for the picture.
Quoting flightsimboy (Reply 20): It has been said that Indian passengers are the most demanding, and yes this coming from me from the Sub-continent myself.
That's very interesting. I had heard about it and could finally experience it.
Quoting flightsimboy (Reply 20): Well in Jet Airways case, at least they were nice enough to treat everybody the same, and that is with professional and smiling service.
That was indeed amazing.
Quoting flightsimboy (Reply 20): PH your first name does have a very Indian flair to it if I may so!
Really?
Quoting flightsimboy (Reply 20): Very strange that two types of Chicken dishes should exist? I'm thinking all the vegetarian meals were gone and they had to cater to those with a taste for Thai cuisine by offering the Thai version in addition to the Indian chicken one.
I still don't know what happened - probably I got a special meal without having ordered one? But then why did she ask me whether I wanted this or that?
Quoting flightsimboy (Reply 20): Wow nice that you two could score those only two seats at the back.
Quoting flightsimboy (Reply 20): My preference too, because honestly I cannot stand it when the person behind you keeps on kicking the seat from behind.
I haven't had that problem yet, fortunately.
Quoting flightsimboy (Reply 20): I really wish Jet Airways would send it's 77Ws to Toronto someday!!
Quoting flightsimboy (Reply 20): Looks like 9W like EY sacrificed the space of the galley to make room for two lavatories at the back.
Interesting, thanks for providing the links.
Quoting flightsimboy (Reply 20): Great service. Also I'm assuming all 9W's staff are young cabin crew? As opposed to the older cabin crew on AI or BG?
Yes, 25 to 35 I would say.
Quoting flightsimboy (Reply 20): So did you land up watching any of he movies available in German, considering there was not much inflight entertainment outside the window!!.......
No, I didn't watch a movie. I almost never do that on flights.
Quoting flightsimboy (Reply 20): And of course who could not notice the AMUL butter. A very famous Indian brand.
NZ107 From New Zealand, joined Jul 2005, 5672 posts, RR: 40 Reply 22, posted (12 months 3 days 8 hours ago) and read 17121 times:
Hi PH,
Another great TR from you. Also thank Satchmo for great pictures - you're lucky to have him travel with you to keep a nice photo record!
9W certainly look like a nice airline to fly. Meals (apart from the snack out of BOM) looked nice and service looked good too.
Quoting PlaneHunter (Thread starter): The four flight attendants in Economy Class soon started serving dinner, but they didn't arrive at our row less than an hour after takeoff. This was not surprising, because call buttons were being pressed all the time which kept these poor flight attendants extremely busy while serving meals. I hadn't seen so many "special requests" on a flight before. However, the nice crew members always kept smiling and patiently tried to satisfy every request. And I also noticed that they never said "no", but always tried to find alternative terms. Amazing!
I was talking to an EY flight attendant and he was telling me how the crews dreaded the flights to India due to the constant bell ringing and demands. I suppose that happens on every flight. Good that they deal with everyone (no matter how rude or demanding they may be) but I suppose it would be annoying if you were waiting to be served but kept on being interrupted by these extra requests.
Quoting PlaneHunter (Reply 1): Anyway, the pretty female flight attendant finally showed up, had a look at a list and said: "Mr. PlaneHunter? What would you like to have for dinner?" Of course I was very surprised about that. Satchmo wasn't addressed by name, btw.
Most interesting!
Quoting PlaneHunter (Reply 1): As far as I can remember, the Indian-style meal wasn't offered to me - and Satchmo cannot remember either if he had a choice between an Indian and a Thai chicken dish. So who knows?
Interesting again. You'd think they'd make some sort of differentiation between them. I suppose a lot of people would just call a meal on a plane crap food anyway and just deal with what they get..
Quoting PlaneHunter (Reply 1): Even though we got a bus tour across the tarmac which was full of interesting planes, it was impossible for me to log a single registration due to my position in that crowded vehicle
If you're last off the plane, you should find yourself in the doorway, right? And most airport buses I've come across have glass doors. Just a thought..
Quoting PlaneHunter (Reply 1): However, you cannot get access to the gates and you cannot see anything outside. There wasn't much to do, so we kept reading during the next two hours.
Doesn't sound promising.
Quoting PlaneHunter (Reply 1): After a route change, we flew straight over Dubai and I could see the brightly illuminated Palm Jumeirah - too bad it was not possible to take a decent picture.
I love flying over cities, especially at night. Too bad I picked aisle seats on my long hauls as I didn't want to be trapped in.
Confirmed by looking at Google Maps - it was my guess too.
Quoting PlaneHunter (Reply 1): The mood lighting changed to light purple after breakfast:
It's great how these airlines actually utilise the mood lighting. CX have it onboard their planes (77W at least) but I only ever saw it working in Business, through the curtain.
Quoting PlaneHunter (Reply 1): However, just when we were expecting the wheels to touch down, the GE90s suddenly roared and powerfully accelerated the plane again - that was my first go-around!
That must have been some experience, especially in a 77W! Still awaiting my first..
Quoting PlaneHunter (Thread starter): Flying Jet Airways was a great pleasure. Both the 737 and the 777 were in good shape and equipped with comfortable seats and modern and convenient IFE systems. All ground staff and flight crew members were very friendly and service-orientated, the catering was very good both in terms of quality and quantity. Jet Airways calls itself "India's finest international airline" - well, I haven't flown on other Indian carriers yet, but I can confirm that Jet Airways is among the finest airlines I have tried - and it's definitely more reliable than the country's big state carrier.
Sounds promising - wonder if/when I'll be able to give them a go.
Thanks for sharing yet another series! Looking forward to your next TRs
PlaneHunter From Germany, joined Mar 2006, 6183 posts, RR: 79 Reply 23, posted (12 months 3 days 7 hours ago) and read 17016 times:
Quoting NZ107 (Reply 22): Another great TR from you.
Hi Nicholas, many thanks for your comments! Good to hear from you.
Quoting NZ107 (Reply 22): Also thank Satchmo for great pictures - you're lucky to have him travel with you to keep a nice photo record!
Yes, always good to be on tour with an expert photographer.
Quoting NZ107 (Reply 22): I was talking to an EY flight attendant and he was telling me how the crews dreaded the flights to India due to the constant bell ringing and demands. I suppose that happens on every flight.
Wow, that sounds really bad!
Quoting NZ107 (Reply 22): Good that they deal with everyone (no matter how rude or demanding they may be) but I suppose it would be annoying if you were waiting to be served but kept on being interrupted by these extra requests.
Sure, it must be annoying. And some passengers were really rude and behaved like princes on the BKK-BOM segment.
Quoting NZ107 (Reply 22): If you're last off the plane, you should find yourself in the doorway, right? And most airport buses I've come across have glass doors.
Usually that's the way to go, but it was a bit difficult at BOM.
Quoting NZ107 (Reply 22): Too bad I picked aisle seats on my long hauls as I didn't want to be trapped in.
That's what I chose on my recent trip as well.
Quoting NZ107 (Reply 22): Confirmed by looking at Google Maps - it was my guess too.
Quoting NZ107 (Reply 22): CX have it onboard their planes (77W at least) but I only ever saw it working in Business, through the curtain.
That's too bad. Airlines should use mood lighting more intensively.
Quoting NZ107 (Reply 22): That must have been some experience, especially in a 77W!
Quoting NZ107 (Reply 22): Sounds promising - wonder if/when I'll be able to give them a go.
I can only recommend to try 9W.
Quoting NZ107 (Reply 22): Thanks for sharing yet another series! Looking forward to your next TRs
MSS658 From Belgium, joined Oct 2010, 2202 posts, RR: 14 Reply 24, posted (12 months 3 days 7 hours ago) and read 16966 times:
Hi PH
Thanks for taking the time to post this trip report, as usual it is worth waiting for it.
I flew Jet Airways between BRU and EWR as well in 2008 and was very pleased with the service I must say.
Just a bit of a slow service schedule on the EWR-BRU (main meal +2hrs after departure, Breakfast +2hours before landing). I believe it was due to the F/A's not being used to the short TATL hops like EWR-BRU.
Quoting PlaneHunter (Thread starter): Nordwind Airlines Boeing 767-306ER VQ-BMQ - users MSS658 and Lufthansa747 once flew on that bird when it was still operating for KLM as PH-BZE:
Haha... 24.08.2000 on KLM from Atlanta to Amsterdam
Greetings
Marc
Next trip report: b.transatlantic to the b.apple
25 PlaneHunter: Hi Marc, thanks for your reply! Didn't you have a 77W as well? That's indeed a bit slow. It's great that you already checked the registrations back t
26 ElPistolero: Great trip report! I am a big fan of 9W (I used to use them all the time during my work assignment in India in 2009). I used them once in 2011, but I
27 FlyingFinn76: Hi PH, Good to see the conclusion to your Asia trip. Jet Airways looks very nice, although the thought of transitting in BOM might put quite a few tra
28 PlaneHunter: Many thanks ElPistolero! What about amenity kits - were they still handed out back then? Wow, unbelievable! Or how about Iberia long-haul FA? Great!
29 ElPistolero: The first time I flew 9W in Y ... was in Dec 2006, I think. It was when 9W was still using SAA 340s. I had to go to India for a friend's wedding - my
30 ElPistolero: Try AC, with its cardboard muffin. No yogurn. No croissant. Just one stale, unidentifiable, oily muffin (some think its banana) - I've eaten about 1/
31 MSS658: correct, VT-JEB (now with TG, actually the one featured in Gabriels report) and VT-JEH.
32 PlaneHunter: Ah, I remember these days when they got these new A343s. Interesting concept! Great stuff! Interesting - I think they still serve plenty of food. Sou
33 CrimsonNL: Hey PH, thanks for sharing! Nice series of trip reports. Jet looks very decent, and the mood lighting shots are amazing! Best regards, Martijn
34 PlaneHunter: Hi Martijn, thanks for commenting! I cannot get enough of mood lighting, I wish more airlines would use it. PH
35 akhmad: My friend PH, I have been waiting for your 9W experience so long as you kept seducing us on how good 9W was. Finally, my anxiety has been satisfied. A
36 abrelosojos: WOW! What a fantastic ending to your trip! Thanks a lot for your report on Jet Airways. As some of my reports have indicated, I am a huge fan of them,
37 767747: Another great report, PH! Looks like you had a great flight with Jet Airways. Food looks really nice for Economy Class, and I love the mood lighting s
38 vivekman2006: Nice TR PlaneHunter, with some good photos. I recently flew on Jet Airways on the BOM-BKK-BOM sector, and the service was more or less as what you hav
39 PlaneHunter: Hi Suryo, many thanks for your nice words! I'm glad you enjoyed reading. Or something else...I had the same thought. I have to admit I cannot remembe
40 palmjet: Hi PH Another excellent report with lots of super pics. Nice to see a Jet Airways narrowbody report as well. They are relatively rare. Looks like they
41 PlaneHunter: Hi Palmjet, many thanks for your comments! I'm glad you enjoyed it. Yes, flying 9W between BKK and LHR was definitely something different. He'll be h
42 Sultanils: Hello PH, What an enjoyable read once again, accompanied by Satchmo’s nice pics (and yours as well of course I’m happy to see your 9W were to your
43 717Flyer: Hi PlaneHunter, It has been a while since we saw a report from you here - so good to see you're still in the trip report business (if you can call it
44 gabrielchew: Nice report Udo - looks liek Jet are quite nice internationally Seats look great, but I agree about the headrests The variation in service seems a bit
45 PlaneHunter: Hi Nils, thanks a lot for your feedback! Good to hear you enjoyed reading. A little bit, yes. But there are many worse interiors out there. Good old
46 NZ107: Yes, his description was something rather close to how you put it too. Fair enough, I suppose you can't win all the time. At least you've got room to
47 volvair: Hi PH, (as always) an impressive report about an airline not too much covered here. Thanks for completing this! Jet Airways look really good here -- q
48 OA260: Hey Udo , Great report and nice to see a Jet Airways one on this route. I love the interiors too. Although I never officially flew on them I flew thei
49 PlaneHunter: So true! Many thanks for your feedback, volvair! You should give it a try on a transatlantic hop! Yes, I haven't been lucky recently. Nice to hear yo
50 PlaneHunter: Hi Win, thanks a lot for your comments! Yes, I agree with you. Interesting, thanks! PH
51 aeroblogger: I haven't flown 9W longhaul in a while, but this trip report reminded me exactly why I pefer Air India so much. 31" pitch? That's a real squeeze for a
52 SR 103: Fantastic trip report as always PlaneHunter. Glad to see you got to try Jet Airways, and even better to hear you had some excellent flights with them.
53 sankaps: Aeroblogger: have to respectfully competely disagree on this view. Ground and IRROPs handling are of crticial importance to most business travellers,
54 PlaneHunter: Hi aeroblogger, thanks for your comments, good to hear your opinion. Well, it wasn't bad on 9W's 738. 31" is what you find on many long-haul carriers
55 aeroblogger: I guess I'm spoiled by HYD - no matter how much SATS wants to screw the ground experience up, it isn't easy. I'm sure AI is a nightmare on the ground
56 ElPistolero: AIs IFE programming is the worst AVOD IFE I have ever used. This is made up for, somewhat, by the camera views). Flew them three times in Y and J. Pr
57 FLIEGER67: Hey, PH, really good to follow you´re final part of the latest, or not, Asia trip. Interesting to follow Jet Airways with the friendly FA´s. Somethi
58 CaptainRed: Hi PH, good to read about the final part of your Asian adventure. Looks like your flights with Jet Airways were a great endpoint to your trip, especia
59 deltamartin: Hi PH! Great report just as usual! Jet seems to be a really nice airline, I'd love to fly them some day! BKK does indeed seem to be a very impressive
60 LH4532: Hello PlaneHunter, I finally have the time to read and reply this Trip Report. You put it online while my biking tour. That´s at least something. Not
61 Initious: Hi PH, Congrats on completing another trip report! As with your other reports, I enjoyed this one thoroughly. The Queen's Garden Resort was the hotel
62 abrelosojos: = As much as I have good experiences on AI (documented here several times over), I really don't get your overall "hate" for anything that is not AI.
63 aeroblogger: I don't hate everything that isn't AI. There are many better airlines out there. What I disagree with is that: I've flown both often (although not 9W
64 byronicle6: Hi PH, Another nice TR from you. 9W sound like a pretty decent airline! One i dont know too much about. Food looks of a good standard as does the serv
65 SloAir: Hi PH, as always it was a pleasure following another one of your tours. Well written with some great pictures. It looks very cheap! But the pillows an
66 dc9northwest: Hi PH, Finally got some time to read and comment on this report. Yeah, it does look a bit cheap. I don't think there's a way that kind of headrest cov
67 FlyKev: Another brilliant trip report, thank you very much for sharing. Jet Airways looks very good and their food looks enjoyable too (must admit I can't say
68 paris380: Good reporting. Jet Airways is very good from your report, but I am a little scared of going via transit in Asian airports.
69 signol: Hi PlaneHunter, not sure how I missed this one, your final leg of the Asian trip! I'm always wary of transiting in places where a visa is required to
70 PlaneHunter: That's indeed disappointing! Interesting, thanks! Thanks for your feedback, Markus! 9W is an airline to recommend. Hi CaptainRed, many thanks for you
71 airbuseric: Hi PH, sorry for my late reply, you know the reason. I finally managed to read this report on Jet Airways and am truly impressed. Good service, nice m
72 PlaneHunter: Hi Eric, many thanks for your feedback! I also say sorry for my late reply. Yes, 9W's product is really impressive. I think you can expect a similar
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