The day before, I flew Indigo Flight No 187 from Delhi to Mumbai.
I was sitting in the Emergency Seat and Jyoti – a Cabine Crew hostess requested the passengers in the emergency row for our attention to understand how to open the Emergency door if the occasion so arose.
In all my countless flights, I have NEVER heard such a PASSIONATE pitch about how to open that never opened door and make sure that the emergency path is cleared!
Jyoti told us things like ‘be careful – the door is 15 kgs so it will be heavier than you think’; ‘remember to throw the door in the front of the aircraft and not at the back’ and other such trivia.She was instructing as like a a school teacher determined to teach dreamy eyed kids how to tie their shoe laces!
At the end of the conversation (and not sermon), I was half motivated to actually stand up, open and throw the door out of the aircraft and then holler to Jyoti – ‘Hey Jyoti, check this out…. you will be proud of me’. Thank God I didnt, or I would also be getting a Sun Tan at Tihar Jail!
I am old grumpy guy who seldom changes brand loyalty. For me, Jet Airways is where you meet people that matter – Kingfisher is where you meet people who are fun …..and then…. its better to just not fly.
However, I am beginning to fall in love with Indigo Airlines. Slowly but steadily.
– I like that Indigo flights are always on time. That’s nice for predictable travel and hygiene for most travelers.
– I really like that everything is available at a price! I love seat no 1 C or 1 D and that just Rs 300 can buy you that throne – so that you can stretch your legs and check out everyone coming in and also access the bathroom like its your own.
– I like the food. The Veg sandwich should only be in wheat bread (one is brown and the other white), but it tastes nice. I like it that you can buy beverages and snacks that you want – and you are not forced to eat some idli that drowned in a Sambar lake 24 hours ago and whose corpse is served to you the next morning.
– I like the ‘attitude’. I like the ‘Hello boys and girls’… even though there aren’t boys and girls on board
Indigo Airlines is setting a new standard of LOW COST products and services….For me, I now travel Budget and yet get the experience almost close to a Jet Airways (except the Snob Value).
Indigo is demolishing the idea that MONEY MEANS QUALITY. Nope. Its SERVICE more than Money that matters now.
Indigo:
– Please stop telling us to save our work on our laptops. (a) Most laptops do so automatically (b) It makes me feel that you will tell us to wash our hands before we eat next.
– Please ask your pilots to crack some jokes and NOT mention stupid stats like ‘we are 37312 feet above sea level’. I dont give a shit how high or low I am – I just wanna have fun and land on time.
– Please offer hot beverages to buy – a nice coffee in the morning is a MUST
– Please SELL Wifi in the plane – trust me – all of us will pay and pay how.
******
Aditya Babbar
Alok
A few things which Indigo have gotten right and there are a lot, might just be attributed to ‘Be Pedantic’, and that comes from the Top. I don’t know the man personally, but whatever has been written about Rahul Bhatia, he is known to be a stickler for detail. Be it the upholstery or the food being served.
It reflects in the fact that:
– very rarely do you find the seats a different colour than Blue (as it was supposed to be comparing it with others with the flaps with velcros peeling off or not being there)
– the light switches are deft and the knobs are clean everytime, not grimy
– the flight crew somehow never have a dumb smile
– and yes, spot on the food is always right.
( I also suspect its got a lot to do with the colour Blue – it exudes calm)
I could hedge that Indigo would be the first to offer SkyWifi and it’d be a runaway hit.
We could spit out a chart with each of the airlines and their pros and cons, and I’m pretty sure we could all have a field day with that.
But in terms of opinion I have a few differing ones
1. SERVICE – I still think, that the Airlines are Not Hospitable Enough. My emotions about checking into a Hotel Room, a meal at a Restaurant and the use of an Airline or Train, are the same. The difference between a great experience and an experience is ‘Service’ and ‘Food’. Do the Students in these Institutes have a Hotelier training them ?
2. The concept of a LOW COST AIRLINE(LCA) is a myth in India. A Full Service Airline like Air India offers cheaper fares into Delhi(and other sectors) than Indigo or any of other LCAs for that. With an FSA I accrue miles, and do not pay for my Seat Selection or Food. Thats something to think about. So the basis / pretext of Low Cost is not necessarily translating into Low Fares.
What Capt Gopinath did to LCA as a vertical, Mr Bhatia primped and pruned and made Indigo, yet I think the Sector will undergo a dramatic shift in the coming years. I just hope its Destructive Innovation at play and that too from an Indian player and not a Foreign one.
Anupam Kumar Sinha
I like the way you said that you wanted to open the door from the core of your heart.
I think blogs written by you should be fed in the airlines for fun. Its alwz fun!
Anupam Kumar Sinha
Hey Alok, How did you paste the Indigo airplane pic in your blog. I tried the ‘Ctrl C, Ctrl V’ theory but it didnt happened in my discussion space. I tried the attached file stuff also. It didnt work either!!
help me,
MUJHE INSAAF CHAIYE 😉 😉
Alok Rodinhood Kejriwal
Arre bhai, there is a button called UPLOAD :-)))
Download photon and then upload.
Prakash Sreewastav
I love Indigo too!
I love it how they have differentiated by always starting ahead or on time and reaching before the scheduled time.
In one of the flights I heard the crew staff mention “Indigo standard time”! Awesome.
Anupam Kumar Sinha
yo! got it. thanx
alok saraogi
i flew indigo the first time a few weeks ago and they blew my socks off. i loved the boys and girls routine, retail therapy called 6E (pronounced sexy), participative conscience – help us fly on time by trashing waste in our trash bags, that they seemed genuinely pleased to have me on-board and by the fact that i actually felt they lived their advertisement. it was truly delightful. all in all an absolute thumbs up (imagine being offered dabheli mid-air). more power to them…
Kalpesh Gajria
right click on image and click “save as..” u ll get ….uffff
Kalpesh Gajria
oppps paying for d luxury seat. lucky me i just got on request ..wow..