Why is Air India Not in the Top 100 List? A Closer Look at Its Services

India is known for its hospitality, and for centuries, guests have been treated as gods. This culture of paying attention to guests has been inculcated in the aviation industry, where airlines strive to exceed expectations to ensure every traveler has a pleasant experience. However, a recent personal experience with Air India raised some eyebrows, highlighting areas of concern.

Personal Encounter with Air Hostess Standards

During a recent flight from New Delhi to Vienna, I noticed a stark difference in service standards. After the flight took off, air hostesses started serving drinks, and to my dismay, they were even providing alcoholic beverages. To request a second drink, I was told it would be served after two hours. However, I noticed the same air hostess served another European passenger sitting next to me with a second drink within minutes. This double standard was particularly disheartening, especially considering this behavior was not observed in other airlines.

Facilities and Negligence

The aircraft appeared nearly new but faced small issues, such as a faulty toilet flush. This kind of negligence might seem trivial, but it directly affects the overall travel experience. The saying in Kannada, "mane geddu maaru gedi" (win the hearts of your own first), underscores the importance of addressing such problems before they emerge as a public issue.

Word of Mouth and Brand Image

Such incidents can create a negative word-of-mouth impression, significantly impacting a brand's reputation. Small issues matter a lot, and if such things continue, it is unlikely for Air India to be among the top 100 airlines.

Current Relevance of Air India

While the current performance of Air India has seen improvements with more polite and humble crew, it still faces challenges. The company, although struggling to make a profit, is in expansion mode and aims to become profitable by making a daily operating profit of Rs 11 crores. However, historical data from 2016 shows that Air India was consistently last among other airlines in India and globally in several areas.

Challenges Faced by Air India

There are several challenges that Air India has faced in the past, including continuous delays, frequent cancellations, and poor behavior from management and crew. Here are a few specific experiences from 2015-2016:

Flight Cancellation: In one instance, I received a flight cancellation message on Sunday evening, and due to bad customer support, I had to rush to the airport to book a replacement. Faulty Itinerary: On another occasion, I missed my flight as I did not have a printed itinerary or a copy on my mobile, leading to another flight cancellation. Other Issues: Inconsistencies in service and management behavior continued to detract from the overall experience.

These incidents point to persistent service gaps that need to be addressed.

Conclusion

While Air India has been working hard to improve its performance, it still has a long way to go to match the industry standards. The airline needs to focus on consistent service quality, reliability, and customer support to regain its position among the top 100 airlines.