Akasa Air, one of the India’s youngest airlines, recently entered into international operations. Writer Gaurav Ramesh Gowda flew with them and experienced their A++ product – their business class seating option. He flew from Bengaluru – Mumbai and here is his detailed review of the experience.
Akasa Air never planned to introduce business class (known as A++ seat), until they took delivery of the Boeing 737 MAX which was originally destined to join Jet Airways.
These aircraft came with the business class configuration, and due to global supply chain constraints the airline decided to keep this layout.
Akasa Air: Bengaluru to Mumbai
Flight Details
- Flight Number – QP 1104 (BLR-BOM)
- Departure Airport – Kempegowda International Airport (Bengaluru)
- Arrival Airport – Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (Mumbai)
- Registration – VT-YAK, 4.2 Years old during the time of flight.
- Aircraft Type –Boeing 737 MAX 8
Pre-Check-in Experience
Akasa Air has a very user-friendly app, personally I like the bright orange color for a change. The application allows you perform the basic changes and pre-book your meal without any hassle.
I had no issues checking in, and after seeing the aircraft layout I decided to try out their A++ product. It cost me around Rs 3000 ($36.20) to upgrade to this. I must note that this doesn’t mean the customer choosing A++ product gets priority boarding or any complimentary food.
So, the question arises “Is it worth to upgrade?” Well, by end of this article we will hopefully answer that for you.
Arrival at Bengaluru Airport
Akasa Air operates from T1 at Bengaluru Airport, and I have always loved this terminal for its simplicity and easy access to public transport
Check-in at Bengaluru Airport
Akasa has increased the number of counters at this terminal, and I am happy they did so. Previously they operated fewer counters, which indirectly meant a long wait for passengers to drop their luggage. Check-in process was quite smooth.
Security Check at Bengaluru Airport
Security check at Bengaluru Airport has always been well organized and with the help of DigiYatra the process was efficient. In roughly about 5 minutes I had cleared security check and was headed towards the gate
Boarding Experience
As expected, it was a bus boarding and I always love it. This means I can get a close view of the aircraft before I fly out.
The Seat
This aircraft comes in 2-2 configuration in A++ class and 3-3 configuration in economy class. In total there are 3 rows of A++ seats.
The seats are exactly similar to Vistara’s A320 business seats – considering this aircraft was destined to be with a full-service carrier it was expected.
I could hardly tell any difference when compare to the actual business class of Vistara. Plenty of ample leg room and headrest! That is what one needs, and that is exactly what these seats delivered.
In-flight Service
Soon after take-off, the crew started the meal service. I had already pre-booked fried rice which comes with a complimentary beverage, and I purchased a baked chips snack on-board.
The fried rice was a letdown for me as for some reason I did not enjoy it. I regret the decision of not having pre-booked their bagel sandwich – my favorite dish on-board Akasa Air.
Arrival at Mumbai
We arrived at Mumbai International airport 20 minutes before our scheduled arrival.
Conclusion
Akasa Air definitely has the potential to be the market leader in the industry as it ticks all the checkboxes. They have an amazing soft and hard product, and even their economy seats are not bad in terms of comfort. Their food menu is probably the largest and has best tasting food options. Well we cannot blame the airline for the bad taste of ready to eat food which I took!
Their A++ product is a steal deal if you ask me – almost a third of the price of actual business class. One gets to travel in comfort, though you do miss out on the meals served in business class.
Frankly, on a 90 minutes flight I can manage and for merely 3000 I could experience the comfort. I would definitely recommend it to anyone who likes to stretch out their legs or doesn’t want to have armrest tussle with their co-passenger.
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