Air India Toronto to Bangkok and Return Mumbai to Toronto

[CDNPolar]

@FlyerTalker and others, would love your input.

 

We have never flown Air India before and read horrible reviews often especially about the value of Business Class.  We have read of seats and tv's in poor repair and other negative reviews.

 

In March of next year we are flying YYZ to BKK and then BOM to YYZ.  We want to book these flights in Business Class on Aeroplan points and it is actually a great deal on Air India.

 

We have read that Air India are upgrading their business class but don't know how to tell if the aircraft we may be booking would be one of these.

 

Below are our proposed flights, any comments, thoughts, or advice?

 

OUTBOUND

 

 

RETURN

 

[FlyerTalker]

Initial thoughts -- you're on a 773 for more than 13 hours each way.  The current config is a lousy 2-3-2 with angled business class seats.  Yes, the 777s are set to be given a cabin redo, but that is a) supposed to start this summer, b) with no schedule announced and c) nothing showing actual cabin mockups - just "it will be like the 350 product".

 

You have no assurance what kind of config you will get next year, nor whether or not it will get swapped out at any time.

 

Yes, it may be a "great deal" in terms of price.  Is it one in terms of value received?  One big thing to remember is that these are not "free flights" (which is what airlines want you to think).  They are flights being purchased with an alternative currency that has value.  And that you will no longer have that currency if you spend it on this flight.  Will you have a better use for those Aeroplan points at another time?

 

Also, are those just AC points, or transferable ones that can be used in multiple programs (Amex, Chase etc)?

 

Further thought.  Many carriers have not released schedules for your flight dates.  Perhaps you should wait a bit.

 

 

[CDNPolar]

29 minutes ago, FlyerTalker said:

Initial thoughts -- you're on a 773 for more than 13 hours each way.  The current config is a lousy 2-3-2 with angled business class seats.  Yes, the 777s are set to be given a cabin redo, but that is a) supposed to start this summer, b) with no schedule announced and c) nothing showing actual cabin mockups - just "it will be like the 350 product".

 

You have no assurance what kind of config you will get next year, nor whether or not it will get swapped out at any time.

 

Yes, it may be a "great deal" in terms of price.  Is it one in terms of value received?  One big thing to remember is that these are not "free flights" (which is what airlines want you to think).  They are flights being purchased with an alternative currency that has value.  And that you will no longer have that currency if you spend it on this flight.  Will you have a better use for those Aeroplan points at another time?

 

Also, are those just AC points, or transferable ones that can be used in multiple programs (Amex, Chase etc)?

 

Further thought.  Many carriers have not released schedules for your flight dates.  Perhaps you should wait a bit.

 

 

Thanks for your words of wisdom.

 

These are just AC points, but what we have found is the great deals in point redemption come this far out.  As we look at closer dates, the point requirements go up and the partner airlines that offer better points deals disappear because they are sold out.

 

It is what we thought about Air India and the schedule and that we would never be able to count on the upgrades in time.

 

We are now looking at a potential Air Canada to Delhi and then Air India from Delhi to Bangkok, and then on the way home LOT from Mumbai to Warsaw to Toronto.  On this we can get business class all but the Air India Delhi to Bangkok.

[em-sk]

On 4/26/2024 at 10:26 AM, CDNPolar said:

 

 

We are now looking at a potential Air Canada to Delhi and then Air India from Delhi to Bangkok, and then on the way home LOT from Mumbai to Warsaw to Toronto.  On this we can get business class all but the Air India Delhi to Bangkok.

 

If it was me I would go with that.  Better to have economy for 4 hours with the rest of the trip in a Air Canada pod vrs and angled product.

[CDNPolar]

We made our decision and we are the following:

 

Air Canada Business YYZ to DEL

Air India Economy DEL to BKK

 

Home is

 

LOT Business BOM to WAW

LOT Business WAW to YYZ

 

Never flown LOT before, but despite the fact that the configuration of business is not pod style, the reviews seem to be pretty good.

 

We know the AC business product well and it is good for our 15 hours to DEL.