Take a look inside Air India’s ex-Aeroflot A350s, flying from London soon

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• Cranzle says:

  29 Jul29 July 06:42

  They aren’t really ex-Aeroflot? Did Aeroflot ever own them? Misleading headline

  • Sean says:

    29 Jul29 July 08:08

    Is there really a need for such pedantic comments? the aircraft is clearly equipped as though it was going to Aeroflot so from a consumer perspective it’s certainly ex-Aeroflot.

  • Rob says:

    29 Jul29 July 08:23

    It’s the Aeroflot seat, not the Air India seat. Aeroflot designed it and probably paid for it.

    If I order a customised car, don’t make the final payment and you buy it off the manufacturer instead, you’d say it was my ex-car and my customisations.

    • Apple says:

      29 Jul29 July 13:45

      What an idiotic comment, if you never paid for the car, why would it be your car

      • Rhys says:

        29 Jul29 July 13:53

        When you buy an aircraft, there are various points at which you need to finalise the spec as well as make deposits. This includes deciding on the internal layout (including crew rest, galleys, etc, not just seats)

        Aeroflot had customised these aircraft and likely already paid significant portions of the deposit, but transfer of ownership was prevented by sanctions. This isn’t a line-fit A350 that was made available due to the sanctions. This is an A350 that was designed completely to Aeroflot’s spec that simply couldn’t be sold to them.

• Dubious says:

  29 Jul29 July 06:48

  Thanks for sharing

  It looks like a nice change from the current cabins. A lot softer in the colour scheme too.

  It is nice to see the wardrobe in the business class cabin. I am surprised by the lack of armrests in the business seat though.

  • Rhys says:

    29 Jul29 July 09:04

    Hadn’t noticed the lack of armrests in the five mins we were on board but you’re right, very odd.

    • Ryan says:

      29 Jul29 July 16:48

      Looks very uncomfortable without them!

  • SBIre says:

    29 Jul29 July 22:52

    Great spot!

• S says:

  29 Jul29 July 07:18

  Slight OT but a shame they abandoned their old livery for this dull one.

• Kowalski says:

  29 Jul29 July 08:31

  It’s a great seat. Aeroflot have 5 A350s in service with it. They did a great job and the size of the cabin is really nice compared to many other airlines huge business class cabins. But of course less seats means less redemption availability

• Petros says:

  29 Jul29 July 08:34

  With regard to that last sentence/paragraph, I’m curious as to what percentage of business passengers book their flights based on an airliner’s hard product.

  I’d argue that if one is a member of a specific frequent flyer scheme, they’ll opt for the airlines of this alliance (unless of course they have a high-tier status in both oneworld and Star Alliance). If we’re talking about a business trip, then it comes down to timing and cost (and personal preference in some very few cases, yes, but how many would decide based on the seat if they had to compare ‘business vs. business’?).

  And keep in mind, I’m not talking about the readers of this site but business passengers in general – or to put it this way, your average business traveller.

  (honest question)

  • NicktheGreek says:

    29 Jul29 July 10:09

    Eventually a business traveller may end up on all 3 products, due to availability, pricing etc. If they’re not an avid points and miles person, loyalty would probably go out the window and they’d seek the better product, if able to, I’d think?

  • Andrew. says:

    29 Jul29 July 10:16

    If you’re travelling for business, you choose the flight that is most convenient and comfortable for you if you can’t.

    If your policy means that you can’t choose, you make sure that there are obstacles in place to make sure that the flight (or other travel means) that is most convenient and comfortable for you is the only option.

    • Ryan says:

      29 Jul29 July 16:04

      I know some people do. When you travel a lot – at least 1 or more likely 2 return long haul a month – I suspect many just book the most convenient flight based on timing. I know I do. The only exception to this is if I have an allergic aversion to an airline based on a past experience.

      If you travel enough you end up with decent status in most alliances (plus Emirates). And what does this really matter if you’re travelling business, anyway?

      • CamFlyer says:

        29 Jul29 July 17:00

        Over time the quality of the product does make a difference, if there is enough premium business traffic. If not, as noted most will select based on convenience.

        As many will recall, when London to Moscow was big business, for many, many years BA had the worst hard product on the route, offering standard CE against Aeroflot (US domestic F style recliner seats), bmi (old style long haul recliners, and for a short time flat beds) and Transaero (US domestic F style recliners). Eventually BA changed to a true 3/4 class long-haul service (and bought out bmi).

• Mukesh says:

  29 Jul29 July 08:58

  Hopefully it will encourage BA / Virgin Atlantic to put some decent aircraft to India. With a better product and hopefully improved service AI could get great market share.

  • Zain says:

    29 Jul29 July 09:30

    BA fly their A350 on the BLR and BOM routes. Not sure why DEL gets the short end of the stick

    • Andy says:

      29 Jul29 July 11:05

      BA’s Bangalore flights have terrible timing though… landing at 04:45 and leaving at 06:50

      I don’t fly their anymore but when I used to go regularly Air France’s timings were much better arriving just before midnight meant I could get a taxi to Mysore and get enough sleep to be in the office by noon

      Coming back they left around 2am which meant I could have dinner and then go to the airport without needing a partially used hotel bed for the night

    • NicktheGreek says:

      29 Jul29 July 11:11

      At a guess, I’d say BLR and BOM rely on more connecting traffic from North America due to less non-stop services, and therefore have to compete with AF/KLM/LH etc.. Given DEL is served directly with AI from half a dozen North American cities there’s less need to offer a competitive service on this route.

• Skywalker says:

  29 Jul29 July 11:58

  From an aesthetics POV, to me, the business cabin looks like a 1980s waiting room. Strange combination of colours. PE looks much better.

  But from a practical POV, it all looks comfy.

  • TGLoyalty says:

    29 Jul29 July 13:28

    NGL it all looks like GP waiting room.

  • Londonsteve says:

    29 Jul29 July 14:09

    I concur, it’s dreadful. The blue seat fabric is straight from a 70s Tupolev, combined with the orange it’s completely tasteless, made even worse by burgundy headrests. It’s an Aeroflot colour palette, more for historical/corporate reasons than because it’s pleasant or modern. The burgundy economy seats are slightly better. I hope Air India negotiated a hefty discount on this considering they were lumbered with this tacky interior.

    • John says:

      30 Jul30 July 03:05

      Either the colours weren’t captured correctly by the camera or Air India has changed some of the seat trim – as what is in the photos doesn’t match my photos from when I flew an Aeroflot A350 in 2020. I can assure you the cabin was well appointed with great colours (deep rich blue on the seat, nice tan brown head rests and arm pillows – instead of arm rests – that matched the inside of the storage, etc.) – probably one of my favourites, far beyond Virgin UC or BA Club.

      • Londonsteve says:

        30 Jul30 July 13:45

        I’ll have to take your word for it. I wouldn’t fly Aeroflot even if the ticket was free. I was reticent even before 2022 knowing that it was the state owned carrier, now I wouldn’t grace them with my presence even if they paid me. Jokes aside, I believe UK and US nationals aren’t allowed to give the likes of Aeroflot any money, unless it’s for a domestic flight owing to sanctions. Can’t be many citizens from either nation looking to fly within Russia at the moment.

• Tim says:

  29 Jul29 July 14:19

  Air India, Egypt Air, Ethiopian. Barge and pole.

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