My first flight.. travelogue part1. Review on Simplifly Deccan

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------

Till few months back if someone would have asked my opinion on air travel I would not have been able to give any opinions as I had not traveled. Its not that I had not got chances but I preferred to travel by train as time was never a problem for me.. So I didn’t found a reason to pay extra.. In last one year the prices of air travel has nose dived and it has become affordable. And I also took the plunge..

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------

There is no heading for comparative review so I don’t know under which sub heading I should post but this is an account of three major airlines in India. so I am putting it under three different airlines but read it in series..

Part 1- AIR DECCAN

Part 3- INDIAN AIRLINES

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------

This is a long account.. So please be patient..

This august while I was at Delhi I was required to go to Hyderabad to meet some one who was coming for a short stay from US and since I was working and won’t have got so many leaves the best option for me was to opt for air travel so that I can go and come back over the weekend.

Now the question aroused which airlines as there are too many options available. I asked a friend to ask his company's travel agent, the rate offered took me by surprise as I was not ready to shell out 10-12k one side suddenly 2nd AC of train at 2k looked better option. I am more of a tech inclined person and do a lot of online shopping I thought of checking tickets online before giving it up all together..

I logged in at Jet Airways and Indian Airlines the fare was around 12k one side, than I thought of giving a try to no frill airlines- Air Deccan.

The site was simple though painfully slow for some of the options like low fare finder (this option has been discontinued now)

To my surprise I found one way ticket at around 6k and return ticket for around 4k I booked immediately. I paid by credit card and got the PNR no immediately, just had to take the printout to travel so the process was simple and fast. If one can’t take the printout the PNR was sufficient on producing the PNR no at airport the counter staff can provide the ticket printout. They also send a confirmation email.. Printout of which works as eticket.

Finally on Aug 6 I made my travel to Hyderabad. The counter staff of Deccan was courteous but some how look disinterested in serving. I was issued the boarding pass as I didn’t have anything to check in just a laptop and a small handbag. Though Deccan normally has majority of its flights in short distance routes so uses ATR's instead of the airbuses since this flight was Delhi - Chennai via Hyderabad a long route so it was airbus (Airbus are quieter than ATR’s). On boarding the first thing I noticed was the plane was quite old and refurbished though clean. Another there were no seat no's on the boarding pass so one has to take any seat available( It reminded me of small town cinema halls a decade or so ago). Thanks god they don’t fill up like DTC buses..lol.

I am a compulsive reader so my hand instinctively went to in-flight magazine.. It was there but looked like had gone through many hands already.. I don’t care unless any one has spilled anything on it.. Magazine was ok, like any other travel magazine.. Nothing to write about. Since its a no frill airlines there was no complimentary snacks etc so when airhostess arrived and asked I took a coffee and she asked for change.. Thanks god I had change in my pocket to pay her. Few people didn’t had and it caused lot of inconvenience to them as well as the airhostess.. I don’t know what is the cost saving they are doing by not offering the complimentary snacks but the whole concept of selling inside plane looked like hawking and should be got rid of. Anyhow the flight tookoff at time and reached on time at Hyderabad airport. I took the return flight by Air Deccan again the check in was more courteous this time.. Does it have anything to do with Air Deccan have a better presence in south??

Since this flight was coming from Chennai all good seats were already occupied so has to settle for a middle seat at the rear of plane. Again it took off on time and reached on time.

One more thing.. definately check the fares once before travelling anywhere...as I narrowly missed the one rupee ticket on website.. I used to think this is marketing gimmick but yes they sell 1Rs and 500 Rs tickets

Comments and ratings are more than welcome..

------------------------------------------------------------------

Contd as part 2 in JET AIRWAYS..

------------------------------------------------------------------