The Air India B787 take off from Charleston

I’ve been sounding negative all along about Air India being actually able to make some difference with the cutting edge 787 being added to their fleet. After a comedy of errors all these months, as the plane took off from Charlseton yesterday to be flown to Delhi, I know a lot of India is feeling like this plane is going to change the fortunes of Air India. I can’t support that view, because I’ve seen Air India go down and down over the months and years from the sidelines. Here are some things that point to them being clueless about the whole airline business maybe.

Perhaps one of India’s respectable aviation journalist, tried finding out their plans with the plane. The Sydney/Melbourne route has been in discussion for long, but the article states:

“This will be a soft launch,” said an Air India executive, who did not want to be named, adding plans are still being worked out.

Now, they’ve known for so many months that this plane was going to be in their fleet, other airlines such as United have even updated the GDS with the information on the routes and dates when they will operate them. Here, no one even knows where is the plane going to fly and when? Takes too long to decide or what?

Further, the article states that Air India will be keeping the plane on the ground for 10 days.

For the first 10 days, the plane will be on the ground as the paperwork is to be completed.

Maybe I don’t know my aviation enough, but I am at a loss to understand what takes this plane 10 days to be paperworked. Can someone explain it to me please?

Then, I see this full-page advertisement in the newspaper today and I could totally take them to the courts for misrepresentation , and that when I ignore the bad copy. You can click on the image for a bigger picture.

Now, look at those images above. They show you a nice cabin and all the good pictures, looking at which there will be customers who will buy tickets to travel on the plane with a blue livery. But when you will walk in, you will find this horrible orange and yellow combination (add grey too in the business class!):

No wonder the 787 will just be another plane in the Air India fleet and hangar, and not a game changer for them till they do not get a professional approach to flying!

Related Posts:

• The Jinx is broken. Air India has been delivered a Boeing 787-8!
• A first look inside the Boeing 787 Dreamliner which will go to Air India
• Air India proposes a $1 Billion compensation, Boeing disposes in $500 Million
• Air India plans to launch 787 service on Delhi – Melbourne late 2012
• Album with all the AI Boeing 787-8 Pictures

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