My secrets to air travel on a budget June 10, 2011
Posted by Arun Rajagopal in Airlines, Aviation, Social Media, Travel, UAE.Tags: budget travel, Cheap flights, Cleartrip, Expedia, flights
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I’m a budget conscious traveler who takes a lot of pride in unearthing the best travel deals. I’m usually the guy my friends come up to because I always lead them to the best travel deals in the market. What’s my secret sauce?
Today, there are a plethora of online resources available that help you unearth great bargains no matter where you are flying to. These tools are my lifeline.
In today’s post, I’m going to put out some of my secrets as well as some cool tips that can help you discover great deals when it comes to flights. Fasten your seat belts, folks!
For this exercise, we need an itinerary. So let’s say you would like to fly between Dubai (DXB) and Kochi (COK), round trip, outbound on Wed, 22 June and inbound on Wed, 29 June.
Tip 1: Consider traveling on weekdays instead of weekends (Thu-Sat) if you are in the Middle East. Ticket fares on weekdays are way cheaper than weekend travel.
Tip 2: If you are flying solo or if you are not in a rush to reach your destination, consider connecting flights over non-stop flights. Usually, flying direct and non-stop costs more than flying via another destination. The exception to this rule is if you have a low-cost carrier operating on your selected route.
Step 1: Investigate if a low-cost airline or budget airline is flying your desired route. Typically, low-cost carriers or budget airlines are cheaper than full-service airlines, especially if you book your ticket at least 3 months before your departure. Sometimes, up to 3 weeks before your departure. However, you will find budget airline fares at par with full-service airlines as you get very close to your journey dates. Sometimes, you might even find seats on budget airlines sold out.
Step 2: Google now offers you a cool feature where you can enter a destination and it will show you all the non-stop flights that are operated from your departure city to your destination of the choice. Go to Google and enter “flights from DXB to COK” and it will show you that there are 3 daily non-stop flights on the route, 2 operated by Emirates and 1 operated by Air India Express
Step 3: Now run a search on a travel website. Most online travel websites such as Expedia and Travelocity do not list low-cost airlines or budget carriers. However, checking out prices on them is always useful as:
- You get more options if you are willing to take connecting flights.
- You can get cheaper deals if you are willing to do the above.
- You get to check out both non-stop as well as connecting itineraries in a single window.
- You can experience multiple airlines and layovers especially if you are a travel freak like me.
- You can unearth last minute deals on certain routes if you are lucky.
- You will always get a good idea of the price range you need to pay that you can use to make an informed travel decision.
- Travel websites give you the unmatched ability to compare between itineraries on the basis of multiple parameters such as fares, total journey time, number of connecting flights, arrival time, departing time etc. which you won’t gain by visiting a single airline website.
My three most recommended travel websites are Kayak.com, Expedia.com and Cleartrip.ae. You can never go wrong with them.
Step 4: Run the search on Kayak.com – entering all the details like destinations and dates and Kayak shows you that best fare is $110 on Bahrain Air. Unbelievable, ha? But there’s a catch – the outbound flight is 16hrs long because of a long layover in Bahrain while the inbound flight is 6hrs30mins. The next best deal is Gulf Air with $409 with 6 hrs of travel time each on both inbound and outbound legs. I wouldn’t recommend the long itinerary on Bahrain Air unless you are that price conscious!
Step 5: Run the same search on Cleartrip.ae – Cleartrip is quick to tell me that my best option is again Gulf Air with AED 1,553 ($422.7). Cleartrip is also sharp in telling me that I have an option of flying non-stop on Air India Express on the same route with the fare coming up to AED 1,563 ($425.5). 3 Dollars more and I get to save 2 hours because I fly non-stop, and my decision is made. Air India Express, it will be.
However, Cleartrip has a special cash back offer if I use a VISA credit card to book my ticket. In this itinerary, I get a discount of AED 75 ($20.4) bringing my final fare on Air India Express to AED 1488 ($405.1).
Step 6: Run the same search on Expedia.com – Expedia tells me my best fare is again the Gulf Air deal that Cleartrip.ae recommended. But, they are giving me a price of $409 instead of Cleartrip’s $422.7. Expedia does not list Air India Express on its itineraries.
However, Expedia shows me another result, another connecting flight option on Kingfisher Airlines, costing $417. What if you wanted to fly on Kingfisher? Just out of curiosity I looked at the same Kingfisher deal over at Cleartrip. There it costs AED 1799 which is $489.7 – $62 more than Expedia. If you apply the Cleartrip Visa offer deal, the fare comes to AED 1724 ($469.3), still $42 more than what Expedia is offering.
See how intriguing this gets with same deals on different websites throwing up different prices. This is why comparison is important.
Step 7: Now run the same search on Gulf Air.com & AirIndiaExpress.in (this is just a value-added search to see the fare difference between the airline website and the travel website). You will be surprised sometimes at what you get out of this search.
So here are the prices for our final consideration, following Steps 5, 6 and 7.
| DXB-COK-DXB | Gulf Air Via Bahrain |
Air India Express Non-Stop |
| Expedia | AED 1,502.28 ($409) | Unlisted |
| Cleartrip.ae without offer | AED 1,553 ($422.7) | AED 1,563 ($425.5) |
| Cleartrip.ae with VISA offer | AED 1,478 ($402.3) | AED 1,488 ($405.1) (The Winner) |
| Airline Website | AED 1,515 ($412.4) | AED 1,522.22 ($414.4) (The Runner-Up) |
So if you wish to fly non-stop, the clear winner is Cleartrip.ae, if you have a VISA credit card. This fare is cheaper than the airline website itself which is such a great steal. Had you gone straight to the airline, you would have ended up paying $9.3 more.
I made the searches between 5pm and 6pm (GMT +4) on Fri, 10 Jun. The pricing dynamics are always fluctuating, but stick to this approach of smart online searching and you should still get better travel deals. Also, try being flexible with your travel dates. Had I decided to make my date of inbound travel as Tuesday, 28 June instead of Wednesday, 29 June, I would have saved AED 70 ($19) with Gulf Air. Also, note that this is work in beta and I’ll be adding more tips in the future.
To recap, my magic formula:
- Identify key budget airlines & full-service airlines on your route.
- Run searches on Kayak, Expedia and Cleartrip. Watch out for special offers.
- Match fares.
- Cross-check and confirm on the respective airline website. See where you save more.
- Make your decision. Happy flying!
This post was brought to you by eezeer, another cool online travel tool I’m excited about. Eezeer is a new web and mobile social network that features tweets and location-verified reviews related to travel. How eezeer works is interesting. By gathering thousands of tweets and through members’ travel reviews via a mobile app, eezeer quantifies reliable opinions to create an overall picture of how a particular travel brand is viewed in the public eye through social media. This quantity is called “Karma”. By checking out the reputation score and reviews of airlines, hotels and airports you can make informed travel decisions. eezeer currently moderates tweets from 391 airlines, 692 hotels, 152 airports and has verified 291154 users from twitter. For more information on eezeer, click here.
The King of Good Times: A social media surprise from Kingfisher Airlines February 25, 2011
Posted by Arun Rajagopal in Airlines, Aviation, Branding, Conversations, India, Social Media, Travel.Tags: Airlines, Bengaluru, Dubai, Kingfisher Airlines, Kingfisher Red, Social Media, Twitter
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As an aviation geek & a social media marketing professional, I keep a close eye out on airlines that are blitzing the social media trail.
On last count, there are over 180 airlines on Twitter. Every airline worth their salt is on Facebook building communities and rewarding loyalty via contests.
What I love most about airlines that are doing social media right is: those who are using social media to listen to their customers and offer them delightful surprises. Such a rare experience happened to me last month, via Kingfisher Airlines.
Kingfisher Airlines, based out of India is one of the world’s seven airlines to be ranked as a 5-star airline by Skytrax. They fly to 63 domestic destinations and 8 international destinations with an Airbus & ATR fleet. Headed by one of India’s most flamboyant tycoons Dr Vijay Mallya, Kingfisher has built a strong brand for itself in service and quality over the years. It wouldn’t be unfair to call Kingfisher the Virgin America of Indian skies.
I have watched Kingfisher’s meteoric rise and often lamented the fact that I have never flown them, primarily because they don’t fly out of Muscat. Anyhow, a great opportunity to try Kingfisher for the first time came up last month and I decided to fly them outbound on Dubai-Bengaluru-Cochin and Chennai-Bengaluru-Dubai on my inbound leg.
Kingfisher is active on Twitter and as always, I tweeted before my departure that I was flying them. I received a reply from them asking me to enjoy their service. Quite the appropriate thing to do on social media, yes?
I arrive at Dubai Airport on the date of my departure, stood in a snaking queue of flustered passengers waiting to check-in. When my turn came, I noticed the check-in agent spend a few extra seconds looking at her screen and then proceeded to consult with her supervisor before handing me a complimentary Lounge Access card. Now, how great is that?
Unfortunately, I couldn’t check out the Lounge as I was running late for my flight, so I boarded the all economy A321 and we were soon wheels up to Bengaluru. After reaching cruising altitude, the cabin crew started meal service. I noticed that they rolled up the cart straight to where I was sitting (somewhere in the middle of the plane) and asked me “Mr Rajagopal, what would you like to have for dinner?”
That was an absolute stunner for me. I know in premium classes it is a practice for crew to know beforehand who they are serving, but moi flying in Y class (or cattle class as one prominent Indian politician once described the back of the bus)? The crew knew my name and that was an absolutely delightful surprise for me. They served me well & I sure got a few envious looks from around the cabin.
The 2 cabin crew members who worked my section would come up to me once in a while and ensure that I was all comfy. Nothing artificial, but a genuine and warm desire to serve well, which is sadly missing from a lot of airlines this day. Believe you me, these are the little, personal touches that make flying such a lovely experience for me.
When I inquired how the crew knew me by name, I was told that they were informed beforehand that I would be flying with them and was asked to take special care of me. Social media at work, yes? 
I felt like the ‘king of good times’ as I thoroughly enjoyed my flight and didn’t forget to compliment Kingfisher in my feedback form (I believe they should look at the paper quality of the form as ball point pens don’t write well on them – minor detail, I know).
I landed early morning at Bengaluru and almost missed my connecting flight to Cochin due to a security snafu. I literally missed my bus to the plane. However, the kind people at Kingfisher got me ferried to the waiting ATR in their car just in time. I hopped on the plane and we were off. Trust me on this; they could have left without me. Will never forget the sight of an ATR waiting on the ground on a misty morning, the crew peeping out of the door and me diving into it with my rucksack pulling me back. Reminded me of how we jump into moving trains. Another big star from me.
Landed in Cochin and I was happy to let Kingfisher know that my flights went well and they DMed back wishing me a great time in India. (Almost sounds like a love affair, hmmm?)
So I spent the next couple of days train hopping across India (I think I spent 7 out of my 9 days sleeping on overnight trains). A week later, I was ready to make the hop back to Dubai. I was flying from Chennai and on my local train ride to the airport, I was wondering if I would have any similar surprises in store.
I was met by this very helpful Kingfisher ground staff who helped me with my bags. And I did make a note of how Kingfisher staff are generally polite, professional and courteous. You begin to feel that these people, whether they are at the low end or the high end of the line, are carefully cherry-picked to live a certain brand vision that leads to delighting customers.
Proceeded to check-in and gladly got my fav seat on an A321 which gives you humongous amounts of legroom. There were no surprises waiting for me at the check-in desk. Must say, I was slightly disappointed after all the pampering a week ago. I traipsed across the terminal towards a Maggi noodle stall and went on to ravenously chomp down a noodle bowl.
As I gulp through my noodles, I spot 2 Kingfisher staff make a beeline for me and I’m like – Uh Oh! Crew: Mr. Rajagopal, we were looking for you… So again, Kingfisher decided to make my day. Minutes later, I was escorted into a lounge at Chennai Airport (at this point was beginning to feel like royalty) and the staff promised to fetch me before boarding. Spent a good 30 minutes in the lounge and then she was back. Trust me, nothing beats the experience of being chaperoned by a Kingfisher crew on the ground. I did manage to count a few envious looks and did I say I didn’t have to stand in a line for my security check? The lovely crew member hopped with me on the bus and literally dropped me at the door of the plane. My mind was flying at 35k feet by then.
The flight to Bengaluru went without incident. Must say, I liked my seat on the ATR in front of the plane which is the only row facing the rest of the seats. They are comfortable and you get a feeling of flying in a biz jet. Landed at Bengaluru and was at met at the door of the plane by another Kingfisher staffer. I know that at this point this is all sounding like a giant ego-fueled fairy tale. But then this gorgeous staffer walks me from the plane, takes me through immigration and security, mind you, no standing in queues again, you are introduced everywhere as a ‘guest’ and then proceeds to comfortably ensconce me in a premium lounge at the International Terminal.
I tuck into some fine Sauvignon Blanc, Paneer rolls and rum cake as I wait for my ‘Bus to Dubai. My ‘handler’ appeared again before boarding and walked me on the airbridge till my jet, bidding bye and safe travels.
Wheels up to Dubai, great food, much better than on the inbound leg, caught some shuteye and a perfect landing – didn’t even know if we touched ground, just floated in and came to a stop at the airbridge. As we deplaned, the Captain came out to say hello. A great ending to an awesome Kingfisher tale.
So what’s the summary of this whole experience? Just a fluffy piece singing a lot of praise in favor of Kingfisher for making the day of a planegeek? Well, they earned it and yes, a big thank you to them for giving me one of the best flights in my life.
Will Kingfisher roll out the same red carpet treatment to everyone who tweets to them about their journeys? Perhaps not. But have they won a loyal customer and strong brand evangelist in me. Definitely, yes.
To sign off, brands engaging in social media take off to a new level when they are able to consistently and creatively offer value, engagement and delightful surprises to their audience. It all starts from caring to listen and daring to surprise. Amen!
Some Facebook love, please! February 8, 2011
Posted by Arun Rajagopal in Airlines, Aviation, Conversations, Social Media, Travel.Tags: british airways, contest, eezeer, Facebook, Travel
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I could use some Facebook Love.
I wanted to give you the heads up on one of my latest adventures. I’m participating in an in-flight photo contest called ‘Love is in the air’ on Facebook from eezeer Travel Reviews. The pic with the most Facebook likes gets to win… an iPad!!! And that could be me with some Facebook love from you!
This is my entry, clicked in 2008 on a British Airways B777 flying from London Heathrow to Muscat. Ahh, those were the long-haul days of my life.
“Loving my Chard on another British Airways B777 from London Heathrow to Muscat in 2008. Love my wine. Love my music. And love my flights.”
eezeer® is a mobile and web-based social network for travel that provides real-time, on-the-spot, verified tweets and reviews.
If you feel like giving me some Facebook love, all you need to do is:
1. Like the Eezeer.com Travel Reviews Facebook page by clicking here; and then
2. Like my photo submission to the contest by clicking here.
The contest ends on 28 February 2011 and I can use all the likes I can get. If you are going to vote for me, thank you in advance for your time and effort! I totally appreciate it. Fly high people!
Update 1: 10 Feb – I’m currently on 130 likes & 30 short of getting to #1. Show is on!!!
Update 2: 14 Feb - I’m now on 312 likes & currently leading. The contest lasts till 27th Feb, so please continue to share the love!
40 out of 40 for Oman Air September 2, 2010
Posted by Arun Rajagopal in Advertising, Airlines, Aviation, Branding, Marketing, Oman, Travel.Tags: Airines, Aviation, National Day, Oman, Oman Air
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Launches 40th destination ahead of 40th National Day of Oman.
Pic credit: Christophe Selzere, JetPhotos.Net
Congratulations to Oman Air, the national airline of the Sultanate of Oman, who launched Kathmandu, its 40th destination today. 2010 is of great significance for the Sultanate as it marks the 40th National Day of Oman (the birthday of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said is on 18 November). Every corporate in the country is involved in a marketing activity to do with the #40, so it is great to see Oman Air celebrate in a unique manner by launching their 40th route.
Oman Air commenced operations in 1993. It achieved modest growth as a privately owned regional player till 2007, when the Government of Oman pulled out of Gulf Air, designated Oman Air as national carrier, recapitalized it and focused on developing it as an international airline. In 2007, Oman Air went long-haul by launching Bangkok and London. From then on, there has been no looking backwards for Oman Air, with a penchant of doing business differently from its bigger cousins in the region.
Pic credit: Smit ZhiFei, JetPhotos.Net
Oman Air - Flying High
2008 saw a slew of changes at Oman Air. In February 2008, Oman Air unveiled its new branding and aircraft livery as a part of its plans to go international. The characteristic Red, White and Green national colors and traditional Khanjar gave way to Turquoise Blue, Silver and Gold along with a Frankincense smoke plume in an effort to project Oman Air as the new wings of Oman and the ambassador of a nation known for its timeless traditions, vibrant heritage and legendary hospitality.
The year also saw the launch of new routes to the Indian Sub-Continent and the unveiling of a new fleet and long-haul route expansion program. In July 2008, industry veteran and former chief executive of Srilankan Airlines, Mr. Peter Hill took over as the new CEO of Oman Air following the untimely demise of CEO Ziad bin Karim Al Haremi, who played a stellar role in initiating the redevelopment and change of image of Oman Air.
2009 was truly a bellwether year for Oman Air. Under the leadership of Mr. Peter Hill and a revitalized management team, Oman Air went all out to dazzle the industry in a year of superlative achievements. The year witnessed in rapid succession the arrival of the first of Oman Air’s brand new A330s, the launch of Paris, Frankfurt, Munich, Male and Colombo, the unveiling of new Balenciaga designed uniforms, the launch of industry-leading First, Business and Economy Class cabins on the A330 fleet. A $10 million destination marketing campaign in association with Ministry of Tourism saw both Oman and Oman Air make great inroads into European markets. During the 2009 Dubai Air Show, Oman Air finalized an order for 5 Embraer 175 aircraft with another 5 options.
Oman Air First Class Cabin
Oman Air Business Class - 1st in world to offer 4-abreast seating in cabin
In 2010, Oman Air became the first airline in the world to offer in-flight mobile and WiFi connectivity through OnAir onboard its long-haul Airbus A330 fleet. It is interesting to note that Oman Air covered impressive strides during a period when the airline industry was weathering a downturn.
Having made significant investments in infrastructure and improving its products and services over the last few years, the future looks robust for Oman Air. The airline has a strategic vision of differentiating itself from its regional competitors by being a niche boutique airline that is focused on driving point-to-point traffic rather than being a hub-and-spoke carrier.
The results of ‘Change is on its way’ and ‘Discover the future of air travel’ are promising. During the first half of 2010, Oman Air saw a 40% increase in available seat-kilometres, a 73% rise in revenue passenger-kilometres and a 14 point improvement in seat factor, over the same period last year with passenger numbers up by 46% and cargo by 44%.
Along with the ongoing development of Muscat International Airport, Oman Air is playing a key role in the development of 4 domestic airports coming up in Sohar, Ras Al Hadd, Adam and Duqm. In October 2010, Oman Air will launch Milan as its 41st route. The airline will take delivery of its 7th A330 in 2011along with the first of Embraer jets that will ply on domestic routes. Plans are on to refurbish the existing B737 fleet to the same standards as the luxurious A330 fleet. Oman Air will take delivery of its first B787 Dreamliner in 2014 (the airline will be acquiring them from ALAFCO). The first of 6 737s on order are expected to arrive in 2014 as well.
The fortunes of Oman Air will be tied to the successful joint promotion of Oman as a must-visit luxury destination by both Oman Air and Oman’s Ministry of Tourism (a point Mr. Hill emphasizes often to fill the birds), development of ancillary services related to hospitality, tourism, ground services etc., and a continual improvement of travel services in a region that offers unparalleled choice to the flying public and intense competition between regional legacy carriers such as Emirates, Etihad and Qatar Airways who are truly global in their reach and cut-throat Low Cost Carriers such as Flydubai and Air Arabia.
Mabrook, Oman Air. More power to your wings. Fly higher for Oman!
Great value Eid holiday airfares from Muscat to 15 cities around the world August 26, 2010
Posted by Arun Rajagopal in Airlines, Aviation, Marketing, Oman, Travel.Tags: Airfares, Eid, Holidays, Muscat, Travel Deals
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The Eid holidays are upon us and there is very much a chance that those in Oman will get a week off from Thursday, 9th of September 2010 to Wednesday, 15th of September 2010(?).
If that happens, happy long week holidays to all you.
And just in case, if you are planning to fly out of town, here’s a quick look at airfares in Muscat.
Understandably, most of you must have already booked your tickets, especially to India. If not, you can use this guide to snap up the last remaining deals.
From my research, Bangkok looks like the cheapest value long-haul destination to fly to. And towards India, Air India Express continues its reign as the best great value airline to fly to that part of the world. Flying out on Thursday, Wednesday, 15th of September 2010 will prove to be more expensive that any other day, as most people would want to start their holiday at the break of the weekend. If you can fly out on Friday, 10th of September or Saturday, 11th of September, you can save a couple of Rials. Lastly, flying on a low-cost airline such as Flydubai, Air India Express or Air Arabia can get you a better value than a full-service airline. And it goes without saying that the fares will rise as we get closer to Eid.
These airfares apply on a single adult, return journey from Muscat and are inclusive of all taxes and surcharges. They are valid as of 26 August 2010, 1pm – Oman time.
Journey dates: outbound – Thursday, 9th of September 2010 and inbound – Wednesday, 15th of September 2010, unless mentioned next to the itinerary. All journeys are non-stop, unless indicated.
Let’s roll with the fares.
1. Cochin: MCT-COK-MCT: 194 Rials on Jet Airways.
2. Mumbai: MCT-MUM-MCT: 131 Rials on Air India.
3. Trivandrum: MCT-TRV-MCT: 196 Rials on Jet Airways. 176 Rials on Air India Express if outbound: Friday, 10th of September 2010 and inbound: Thursday, 16th of September 2010.
4. Calicut/Kozhikode: MCT-CCJ-MCT: 142 Rials on Air India Express.
5. Delhi: MCT-DEL-MCT: 140 Rials on Air India Express. 134 Rials on Gulf Air with layover and change of aircraft at Bahrain.
6. Mangalore: MCY-IXE-MCT: 184.5 Rials on Air India Express, if outbound: Friday, 10th of September 2010 and inbound: Thursday, 16th of September 2010.
7. Dubai: MCT-DXB-MCT: 38 Rials on Flydubai.
8. Bangkok: MCT-BKK-MCT: 153 Rials on Qatar Airways with a layover in Doha & change of aircraft in Doha.
9. Kuala Lumpur: MCT-KUL-MCT: 241 Rials on Qatar Airways with a layover & change of aircraft in Doha.
10. London Heathrow: MCT-LHR-MCT: 259 Rials on British Airways with stopover at Abu Dhabi, no aircraft change.
11. Amman: MCT-AMM-MCT: 209.860 Rials on Flydubai with layover and change of aircraft at Dubai.
12. Cairo: MCT-CAI-MCT: 232 Rials on Emirates with layover and change of aircraft at Dubai.
13. Frankfurt: MCT-FRA-MCT: 225 Rials on Gulf Air with layover and change of aircraft at Bahrain.
14. Colombo: MCT-CMB-MCT: 192 Rials on Emirates with layover and change of aircraft at Dubai.
15. Kathmandu: MCT-KTM-MCT: 123.700 Rials on Oman Air, if outbound: Thursday, 9th of September 2010 and inbound: Thursday, 16th of September 2010.
To get these offers, visit the respective airline website, check with your travel agent or head to Expedia. Please note that air fares of Oman Air, Air India Express & Flydubai are not listed on Expedia.
The best cabin crew uniform in Indian skies August 17, 2010
Posted by Arun Rajagopal in Advertising, Aviation, Branding, India, Marketing, Travel.Tags: Air India, Air India Express, Cabin Crew, GoAir, Indian, IndiGo, Jet Airways, JetLite, Kingfisher Airlines, Kingfisher Red, Livery, Paramount Airways, SpiceJet, Uniform
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Close on the heels of JetLite unveiling their new cabin crew uniforms, IndiGo has decided to go for the PanAm designer look and shake up the skies.
Let’s have a fun contest today to find out the best cabin crew uniform in the Indian skies.
Who looks the sizzling best? Feel free to vote for your favorite airline uniform in the poll that follows the pictures. I pick Jet Airways.
* (Apologies for the ‘poor’ GoAir pic! Do share if you find a better one!)
Air India / Air India Express / Indian
Jet Airways
Jet Airways
Kingfisher / Kingfisher Red
JetLite
IndiGo
SpiceJet
GoAir
Paramount Airways
Why customer feedback matters for an airport. The case study of Cochin International Airport. August 16, 2010
Posted by Arun Rajagopal in Aviation, India, Marketing, Travel.Tags: Airport, CIAL, Cochin International Aiport, customer feedback, Customer Service, Kerala, Kochi
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One of the reasons I like Cochin International Airport (COK) is because of its large spaces. A lot of airports I have been to in India or in the Arabian Gulf region are bursting at the seams or are under a constant state of development.
Opened in 1999, Cochin International Airport has all the whistles and bells of a modern airport. Larger spaces. Faster check-in. A great view of the tarmac from the gates. A reasonable duty-free selection. And the airbridges, which means no bumpy rides in the bus to the plane or no getting wet in the rains. And yes, a bookshop will be open soon. I’m told that the newly opened international terminal at Trivandrum (TRV) is catching up with Cochin and I can’t wait to check it out soon.
I was recently traveling through Cochin and with a couple of hours to kill for my flight to Muscat, I chanced upon a register placed in a corner of the Departure Terminal under a board that said ‘Feedback on Airport Security’. I couldn’t help but glance through the feedback book and what I read is going to be the crux of this post.
1. Airport security needs be more friendly.
Majority of the people complained about the cold, indifferent attitude of the airport security staff. Someone wrote: “The airport security should learn to speak proper English; English being the ‘national language’ of India.” I don’t know if the airport authorities can influence behavioral changes among the security staff. I think airport security is managed and run by CRPF, a central government agency whose functioning is outside the purview of the airport management’s control. But yes, there was almost universal criticism of their ‘customer service’ skills and their general approach to dealing with travellers. Now some of you may ask, shouldn’t their focus be on airport security than being nice to people in an age of heightened terror and security risks, but isn’t it better to have pleasant people skills no matter what your job.
2. Please smile, Mr. Immigration Officer.
The immigration officials at the airport came under fire too. Someone had written – Can someone teach these people to smile? Or getting them to smile is like asking for the moon… something in that lines. Frequently traveling through airports in India, I know this is true. It doesn’t matter that the immigration official is probably one of the first people you come across in a new country, especially if you are a tourist. I have given up on all etiquette and polite manners when I submit my passport at Indian immigration. I give a cold stare and get a colder one back along with the stamped passport. On good days, I get the passport and boarding card flung at me. Oh why not, I’m being done a huge favor after all by this official who had to forgo his siesta at 6 in the morning to see the back of planeloads of travelers bound to the Arabian sands. This is where I admire the immigration officers at Muscat International Airport. They never forget to wish you, enquire your well-being and heartily welcome you to their country before stamping your passport.
3. “Can Cochin Airport have a dedicated smoker’s lounge?” What really impressed me about this request was not the request itself, but the sincerity and manner in which it was expressed.
“More than 60% of travellers and tourists around the world are smokers and hence this airport should make convenient arrangements for smokers to light up in peace without going out of their minds and troubling fellow passengers.” A feedback suggestion that is always substantiated with a fact has a better chance of going through. (In this case, the ‘60%’ fact).
4. A gentleman requested for a separate prayer room for gents as well as ladies… fair enough.
5. A traveler to Houston made the brilliant observation regarding the absence of a single clock in the entire boarding gate area. True, there are giant screens showing flight schedules, but it would be wise to have the local time on them as well.
6. A tech-savvy traveler requested the airport authorities to provide passengers with Worldspace Radio… a couple of them demanded a better selection of TV channels on the airport TV. I guess Asianet or Surya is not everyone’s cup of tea.
7. One of the ultimate requests was by a couple of travellers who requested a bar in the terminal; nothing like a neat Scotch on the rocks before departure. Full marks to that. And no points for guessing that they were Malayalees.
8. Almost everyone complained about the lack of decent dining facilities in the departure terminal and the exorbitant price of tea & coffee. A cup of coffee costs 50 rupees. (A passenger wrote that the price of coffee was more scalding than the coffee itself). And COK Airport Coffee takes the crown as one of the ultimate listless coffees I have ever had the pleasure of drinking.
9. A passenger wrote about the how the drive-in entrance at the departures & arrival terminal wasn’t covered leading to travelers and their luggage getting drenched in the rains as they entered the terminal building. A very valid point; I came under the showers too as I was leaving COK that morning. Not a good experience to take off wet.
10. Hidesign has a swanky outlet at the airport. I hope they are making money.
11. Thought to end the post: I find liquor at Cochin Duty Free cheaper than Muscat Duty Free. And the last time I checked, they were giving a bottle free with every 2 bottles of Jack Daniel’s.
A couple of thoughts on Feedback:
1. Feedback is vital.
For individuals, brands and organizations, feedback tells you what’s working right and what isn’t. Feedback is critical to customer service, product improvement, cost savings, productivity and work efficiency.
2. Feedback matters only when it is from the right person.
So I worked on this snazzy looking marketing campaign. Getting suggestions on its look and feel from my peers isn’t as good a feedback from the customers of that product or service.
3. Use the right tools to collect Feedback.
A complaint book at Cochin International Airport seems to a simple and old-fashioned method to collect feedback. But it is any day, a more effective and practical tool than a website form. The customer should find it convenient to share feedback and feedback collection should ideally happen at touch points where customers interact most with you.
4. Feedback should lead to action.
Feedback is of no good if you don’t act upon it. Also, it helps to acknowledge that have you received feedback.
To conclude, do enjoy this video of an Emirates B777 landing at Cochin.
How to know your Airbus from Boeing August 12, 2010
Posted by Arun Rajagopal in Airlines, Aviation, Travel.Tags: A300, A310, A318, A319, A320, A321, A330, A340, A350, A380, Airbus, Aviation, B737, B747, B747-8 Intercontinental, B757, B767, B777, B787, Boeing, Dreamliner, Planespotting
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Many of us admire airplanes for the graceful, elegant and sleek flying machines that they are.
How many of you have wondered about the type or kind of the aircraft that you are traveling in or flying over you in the sky? Is it a Boeing or an Airbus? Is it an A330 or a B777?
Here’s a simple aircraft identification guide for those with a budding interest in aviation. I’ll try to make this post as visual as possible since plane-spotting works best by observing as many different types of aircraft as possible and drawing your own inferences. Now sit back, relax and enjoy this journey!
How to know your plane?
First and the easy way out, look for the name of the aircraft type to be written on the aircraft fuselage. Most airlines still retain it. This should be easy if you are closer to the aircraft parked on the apron.
Now for the second part. For practical purposes, we will focus only on the big 2 giants of aviation – Airbus and Boeing, and close the gates on Lockheed, McDonnell Douglas, Antonov, Ilyushin, Bombardier, Embraer, Sukhoi etc.
We will also only consider airplanes that are currently flying around the world in large numbers, which means no clearance for 707 or 727 to take off.
A quick 101 on the two giants:
Boeing is American and the largest global aircraft manufacturer by revenue, orders and deliveries. Airbus is European and a subsidiary of EADS, and manufactures half of the world’s jetliners.
Boeing aircraft start with the #7 series. You have 737, 747, 757, 767, 777 and the new 787 Dreamliner along with the 747-8 Intercontinental currently under development.
Airbus aircraft start with the #3 series. So you have A300, A310, A318, A319, A320, A321, A330, A340, A380 and the A350 currently under development.
Airbus or Boeing – A-Team vs. B-Team
Airbus nose – Bulbous, curved.
Boeing nose – pointed.
Check out the noses. Boeing will have more pointed noses while Airbus will have bulbous, curved noses.
Check out the cockpit windows. Airbus cockpit side windows run in a straight line along the bottom, whereas most Boeing side windows run in a ‘V’ shape along the bottom. Also Airbus aircraft cockpit side windows look like one of their corners have been ‘cut’.
Airbus A330 APU area – circular.
Boeing B777 APU area – sawed off.
Have a look at the APU Exhaust unit beneath the tail. Both Airbuses and Boeings have a circular outlet with the only exception with B777 having a sawed off unit.
All Airbus wide-bodies apart from the 380 have a fuselage top that continues straight all the way to the APU exhaust. Boeings have a taper downwards. The end of Boeings are ‘tapered’ and slope on the top and bottom, whereas on Airbus the top is straight and the bottom is very sloped.
Narrow-body or Wide-body
The shorter and smaller planes are called narrow-bodies, as they have a single aisle.
Airbus: A318, A319, A320 and A321.
Boeing: B737 and B757.
The longer and larger planes are also called wide-bodies, as they have twin aisles.
Airbus: A300, A310, A330, A340, A380 and A350.
Boeing: B747, B757, B767, B777, B787 Dreamliner and B747-8 Intercontinental.
2 engines or 4 engines
Only A340s, A380s and B747s have four engines. All other aircraft have twin engines.
The big ones – B747 or A340 or A380
If it has two decks of windows and four engines, it is an A380.
If it has one and half decks and four engines, it is a B747.
If has a single deck, longer fuselage and four engines, it is an A340.
The intermediates – B777 or A330
Check out the 3 pairs of wheels on each main landing gear of the above B777.
A B777 will never have a winglet.
The B777 has 14 wheels in a 6 6 2 configuration. The ever-helpful Sandy Ward from Future of Flight has this great tip to identify Boeing 777s – 3 sevens have 3 wheels.
Ed Kaplanian from Future of Flight has more tips to differentiate between A330s and B777s.
The A330 with 2 pairs of wheels on each main landing gear.
Wheels: The main landing gear on an A330 has two sets of wheels, what they call in the industry (a two wheel truck). The main landing gear on a B777 has three sets of wheels, what they call in the industry (a three wheel truck).
B777 with sawed-off APU.
A330 with conical APU.
Tail end: The APU (auxiliary power unit) exhaust outlet is mounted in the middle of the tail cone on an A330. The APU (auxiliary power unit) exhaust outlet is mounted on the left side of the tail cone on the B777.
Wing tips: The A330 wing incorporates small wing tips on the wings. The B777 wing does not have wing tips.
The small birds – A320s vs. B737s
In terms of capacity, this how the Airbus airplanes in the A320 family compete with the Boeing 737 family.
A318 vs. B737-600
A319 vs. B737-700
A320 vs. B737-800
A321 vs. B737-900
The B737-700 is on the left and the A320 is on the right. Note how the tail fin of the B737 rises from the main body at a sharp angle.
The A320 is at top and the B737 is at the bottom. The 320 fuselage is rounded at the front, pointed at the back. The 737 fuselage is pointed at the front, rounded at the back.
Can you guess who is A320 and B737 in the above pic?
In each case, the Boeing version is lighter and seats more people. The Airbus version sits higher off the ground compared to Boeing. The A320s have fly-by-wire technology, which means the computer plays a larger role in flying the plane while pilot has the final say in flying a Boeing 737. A320s are longer compared to B737s but have lesser range.
Look at the tail fin to know your 737 from A320. If the tail fin rises from the main body at a sharp angle, it is a B737.
If it is larger, has rounder engines and a longer fuselage, it is an A320.
If it has a flatter engine at the base, it is a B737.
Boeing Focus:
Know your B737s
The B737s come in 9 versions: -100, -200, -300, -400, -500, -600, -700, -800, and –900ER. The –300, -400 and -500 fall into the category of Classics while the last 4 are New Generation Boeings. The –300s are the shortest while the –900ER is the longest. The only exception to the rule is –400, which is longer than the –300, -600 and –700 versions.
B737-100 – classic.
B737-200 – classic.
B737-300 – classic.
B737-400 – classic.
B737-500 – classic.
B737-600 – new generation.
B737-700 – new generation.
B737-800 – new generation.
B737-900 – new generation.
The –100 and –200 have cigar shaped nacelles. The –100s are out of service.
If the front of the engine nacelle is flattened and has an almost triangular shape, it is a Classic.
If the front of the engine nacelle is almost round-shaped, it is a New Generation 737.
If you can look at the APU exhaust at the tail and spot 2 holes, it is an NG. If it has a single hole, it is a Classic.
Also, all Classics have eyebrow windows.
If it is a stubby looking Classic, it is a 500. If it is a stubby looking NG, it is a 600.
If it looks “normally” proportioned and it is a Classic, it is a 300. If it looks normally proportioned and it is an NG, it is a 700.
If it looks long and it is a Classic, it is a 400. If it looks long and it is an NG, it is an 800.
If it looks really long and has 3 doors on each side, it is a 900.
If you are checking out a B737 belonging to Oman Air, flydubai, Jet Airways or Air India Express it will be a –700 or –800.
Know your B747s
B747s come in five versions – 100, -SP, -200, -300, and -400. All versions are 70.6m long except the B747SP from the -100 family which is around 15m shorter. There are a few sub-variants but we will primarily focus on the big 5.
The B747-100 & -200 have ten windows on each side of the upper deck. Some of the first -100s off the production line have only 3 windows on each side of the upper deck.
The B747-200 has ten windows on each side of the upper deck.
The B747-300 has an extended upper flight deck compared to the -200 and -100. It also has a door on the upper deck between windows.
Only the B747-400 has wingtip extensions or winglets.
The B747-SP fuselage is shorter than all other B747 variants but compensates for it with a taller tail.
Know your B757s
B757s come in two versions – 200 and the longer –300. The drooping dolphin shaped nose and thin, swept back wings of this aircraft type is a distinct giveaway.
The –200 comes with 3 doors on each side with a smaller emergency exit window.
The –300 comes with 4 doors and 2 over-the-wing emergency exit windows on each side.
Know your B767s
The B767 comes in 3 variants – 200, –300 and –400 with respective Extended Range versions. The –200 is the shortest while –400 is the longest.
The B767-200
The B767-300
The B767-400
What are the key differences between a B757 and a B767?
The Boeing 767 wingspan is 48 metres, 10 metres greater than the B757. The position of the nose wheel relative to the flight deck is much further forward on the 767 than on the 757.
Also, the main landing gear is a long way back on the B767.
Know your B777s
The easiest way to identify a B777 is to look at its tail area for a blade-shaped tail cone. Also check out the main landing gear. If you spot 6 wheels on each landing gear, it is a 777. There are 4 passenger versions of the 777: B777-200, B777-200 ER (Extended Range), B777-200LR (Longer Range), B777-300 and B777-300ER (Extended Range). These variants are distinguished on the basis of their fuselage length and nautical range. The –300s are longer than –200s by over 10m.
Fuselage lengths:
B777-200 – 63.7m
B777-200ER – 63.7m
B777-200LR – 63.7m – the world’s longest-range commercial airliner. Boeing named this aircraft the Worldliner, highlighting its ability to connect almost any two airports in the world.
B777-300 – 73.9m
B777-300ER – 73.9m
Airbus Focus:
Know your A300s
The A300 B2
The A300 B4
The A300 -600
The A300 comes in 4 main variants – the B1, B2, B4 and the -600. The A300-600 is a later version of the earlier A300B4 and features a wingtip that is shaped like a triangle above and below the end of each wing.
The A300 vs. A330
The basic fuselage design of the A330 is derived from the A300. So how do you differentiate between the two aircrafts when they are parked next to each other? The A330 comes with winglets and is longer than the A300. (A winglet is a wingtip extension that extends UPWARD from the end of the wing). The A300 may or may not have a wingtip. Also, the A330 has a larger wingspan (the distance in a straight line from one wingtip to other).
The A310
The A310 is basically a baby A300. It comes in two main variants: -200 and -300. It has a shorter fuselage, a new, higher aspect ratio wing, smaller tail when compared to the A300. Also, the A310 has only two doors on each side, whereas the A300s have 3 doors on each side.
Know your A320s
The A320 family of jets includes the A318-100, A319-100, A320-200 and the A321-200.
In terms of fuselage length, the A318 is the shortest (aka Baby Bus) and the A321 is the longest.
A318-100 – 31.44m
A319-100 – 33.84m
A320-200 – 37.57m
A321-200 – 44.51m
The A320 will usually have two emergency window exits over the wings whereas the A318 and A319 have only one emergency window exit over the wing. The A321 will have four exit doors on each side.
Know your A330s
The A330 comes in 2 passenger versions – the A330-200 and A330-300. The –300 version is longer than the –200 version but has a shorter tail height. The –300 carries more passengers but has a shorter range. Also, note the 4 wheels on each main landing gear and the smoother curvature of the tail to distinguish it from a B777.
Fuselage lengths:
A330-200 – 58.8m
A330-300 – 63.6m
Know your A340s
If it is single deck and has got 4 engines, you bet it is the A340. The A340 comes in 4 passenger versions – the A340-200, A340-300, A340-500 and A340-600.
The fuselage lengths should help you distinguish between them. The A340-600 is the second longest airplane in the world after the B747-8 Intercontinental, currently under development. Both the –500 and –600 come in High Gross Weight (HGW) Versions, with enhanced range, fuel capacity, weight amongst other features.
Fuselage lengths:
A340-200 – 59.39m
A340-300 – 63.60m
A340-500 – 67.90m
A340-600 – 75.30m
We will discuss more about the B787 Dreamliner, B747-8 Intercontinental, Airbus A350 (all currently under different stages of development and not yet flying commercially) along with the A380 in another post.
Now that you are done reading this post, you are officially on your way to be an aviation geek. Please feel free to let me know your suggestions and feedback as well as sharing it with the world.
Copyright/credits: Many thanks to Airliners.Net & its contributors whose images I have used in this post. They are the finest source of aviation images on the Net today.
I recommend you read through the comments as more readers suggest interesting ways to identify between Airbus & Boeing jets.
If you would like to connect with me on Twitter (@arun4) for my aviation tweets, click here.
Perfect landing for Boeing 787 Dreamliner at Farnborough 2010 July 18, 2010
Posted by Arun Rajagopal in Airlines, Aviation, Travel.Tags: Boeing 787 Dreamliner Farnborough Airbus A380 #FARN2010
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The Boeing 787 Dreamliner (flight test airplane code-named ZA 003) landed at the 2010 Farnborough International Airshow, the world’s largest airshow, at 9.09 GMT, following an 11 hour flight from Seattle.
This historic flight marks the first ever intercontinental flight by the Dreamliner, its first appearance in Europe and also its international debut.
Captained by 787 Assistant Chief Pilot Mike Bryan, the Dreamliner performed a fly past and a wind-waggle before landing at Farnborough in overcast conditions. Onlookers had words of commendation for its relative quietness and sleekness.
The Beauty Arrives
Image credit: by @roadshownews
Perfect Landing
Enjoy these videos of the Dreamliner landing.
The Meet of the Titans
Here is a snap of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner parked next to its rival Airbus A380.
Image by: Flightblogger on Flickr
Primer on the 787 Dreamliner
Boeing has 863 orders from 56 companies worth about $150 billion for the 787, which has been plagued by problems since the program launched in 2004 and is currently more than two years behind schedule. Boeing plans to deliver the first 787 to Japan’s All Nippon Airways by the end of 2010. (The Airbus A380 has 234 firm orders from 17 customers.)
The Dreamliner has been touted by Boeing as the most fuel-efficient and eco-friendly aircraft to date. It is also packed with features that aim to give the passenger a more comfortable flight.
In a major shift away from traditional aluminum and titanium, nearly all of the aircraft’s fuselage and wings are made of composites. That allows the wide-body jet to use 20 percent less fuel than similar planes and make less noise, while providing passengers with more room, cleaner air and wider windows.
The 787, which has a list price of around $161 million for a basic model, is configured in two versions — a 787-8 carrying 210-250 passengers and a 787-9 carrying almost 300 people. They will carry passengers non-stop on routes between 6,500km and 16,000km at speeds up to Mach 0.85.
Dreamliner Orders in the Arabian Gulf Region
- Etihad Airways: 35
- Qatar Airways: 30 (Will most likely be the first airline in the region to fly a 787).
- Gulf Air: 24
- DAE, UAE: 15
- Oman Air, leased through ALAFCO: 6
- LCAL, UAE: 5
Global demand rises
Boeing, the world’s second-biggest aircraft maker behind Airbus, last week raised its forecast for the number of planes ordered by airline industry in the next 20 years, predicting 30,900 aircraft worth $3.6 trillion be purchased, compared to a forecast of 29,000 last year.
Boeing at Farnborough
Please visit http://www.boeing.com/farnborough2010/ for latest news updates, photos and videos from Boeing at Farnborough Airshow. Do follow @BoeingAirplanes & @BoeingCorporate for Twitter updates. (#FARN10).
The 2010 Farnborough International Airshow will take place between the 19 and 25 of July 2010. For more information, please go to http://www.farnborough.com.
