SRINAGAR & MUMBAI – I had flown to Leh, and after spending an amazing week there, I had to fly back to Bengaluru; with airfares skyrocketing, I had to find myself the best way, which wouldn’t make my wallet lighter.
I have been a Club Vistara member for almost 7 years now, and recently I applied for their Co-Branded card, which does come with its benefit.
Though this ticket would cost me dearly, I wouldn’t worry much as I would be accumulating a decent amount of points for this purchase.
After my disappointing experience on SpiceJet (A review for this trip can be found here), I wanted to travel in comfort.
So, I decided to book a Vistara Flexi ticket, mainly I chose Flexi as the weather in Leh is very unpredictable, and I had booked my flight on-board Vistara from Srinagar to Mumbai (I had booked myself on Air India for BOM-BLR sector).
I wanted to have an option of rescheduling just in case my Go First flight from Leh- Srinagar was delayed or cancelled due to unforeseen circumstances.
Vistara – Sringar to Mumbai
Flight Details:
- Flight Number – UK 648 (SXR-BOM)
- Departure Airport –Sheikh ul-Alam International Airport (SXR)
- Arrival Airport – Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (Mumbai)
- Registration – VT-TQG, 1.3 Years old during the time of flight.
- Aircraft Type –Airbus A320 Neo
Pre-Check-in Experience
Vistara has a decent app/website (Though I do feel their app can be a little more user-friendly). I had no hassle in during my Web Check-in, and the best part of Vistara is seat selection is complimentary.
This is such a relief after having flown all LCCs in India, where I have to pay for the seat of my choice. I was glad to have this freedom (Note:- We don’t need to buy a Flexi ticket for free seat selection).
Arrival at Srinagar Airport
I arrived at Srinagar airport at 12:40 pm (after a delay of almost 4 hours due to bad weather at Leh). I decided not to leave the airport premises (I usually exit the airport when I have transferred, just one of the things I like to do), but Srinagar Airport being a sensitive airport in the country, has a little strict security check and I was happy to just use the transfer gates at the arrivals.
Check-in at Mumbai Airport
I have always felt this is somewhere Vistara lacked with my experience in BLR, BOM, MAA & DEL, but in Srinagar, I was surprised the counters were efficient the crew was quick on its toes to have the passengers checked in; kudos to Vistara Ground Crew at Srinagar.
Security Check at Mumbai Airport
Security check at Srinagar was a bit more stringent than other airports in the country, and I had read a lot about it online as well, So I was fully prepared to get through it.
Lounge at Srinagar Airport
Srinagar Airport has one small lounge at the end of the terminal. There is nothing much to talk about in this lounge; it is very small, with a limited choice of food & beverages.
I settled in on a sofa with Coffee and some cookies, I was about to enjoy my cup of coffee when I noticed something on the table, and I was quite surprised by this unexpected guest trying to steal my cookie; yes, it was a Rat!
I did notify the lounge staff about it, but they couldn’t move such a heavy sofa, so they asked me to change my seat. Having witnessed a rodent, I lost my appetite and decided to just rest and wait for my flight to board.
Boarding Experience
I reached my boarding gate on time, and I met Mr. Irfan Ul Rasool, he is the Airport manager (Vistara) at Srinagar Airport.
We had a nice chat about the industry and about my experience in Leh. It was soon our time to board, and I did ask Mr. Irfan a favor to allow me to board slightly before the other passengers so that I could take some quick pictures of the cabin and the three different seat layouts onboard Vistara.
He was kind enough to let me through so I could get some pictures; these personal gestures are what make an airline like Vistara stand out from the crowd of other LCCs or even full-service carriers in India.
The Seat
Vistara offers Business Class cabins as well as Premium economy and Economy on all their domestic flights. Business Class cabins come in 2-2 configuration, whereas their Premium Economy and Economy comes in 3-3 configuration.
I had booked an economy ticket, so there I was, heading to the second to last row of the aircraft to settle in my seat.
Economy seats have better leg space compared to any other airline in the country, and it also comes with a USB charging port and a Phone/tab holder, which is a nice touch.
In-flight Service
Soon after take-off, the crew started its meal service; I have always been a fan of their in-flight dining as, over the years, Vistara has improved a lot both taste-wise and with the options as well.
For some reason, the dessert served on board has always taken me by surprise, and for me personally it is one the highlight of my dining experience on board.
After I finished my meal, I settled in with a hot cup of coffee and some splendid sunset views.
Their In-flight entertainment system, which can be streamed directly on your personal devices via Wifi, sports a decent collection of Movies & series.
The crew was active throughout the flight; I have always felt that the happier the crew is in doing its job, the better will be the experience for the passenger, and this was the case on board this flight.
Soon after meal service, the crew started to hand out a sample of Sunscreen, and a few passengers were surprised and did not understand why this was being handed out; I noticed that the crew was explaining to them about the product this is a great customer service, in my opinion.
Arrival at Mumbai
We arrived in Mumbai after a delay of 15 minutes due to traffic congestion at Mumbai airport.
Vistara operates from T2 in Mumbai, which would be a blessing for me as my next connecting flight to Bengaluru with Air India will depart from T2 itself.
Conclusion
Vistara ticks all the boxes, from my ground experience to inflight dining. Their crew has changed a lot from before, with more emphasis on the passenger experience.
I would love to fly with Vistara again. Coming to prices, Vistara is priced aggressively and, at times, on par with budget carriers shows that Vistara means business.
The scope for improvement is always there, as I felt the app could have a better user experience.
The check-in counter at Mumbai airport is still the same, I could see still counters having Vistara Board, but the staff was idle.
I have no complaints about their in-flight experience, as all the expectations I have from a full-service carrier in India were met.
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