A very good review. Having just returned from six months out in India I can understand your torments and frustrations.
At Christmas I along with two guys I was travelling with. I went to Bangkok for Christmas and New Year before returning and then I later returned to Bangkok on a return from Kolkata. My first flight was with Thai Airways and I have to say it was up there with the best of them when it comes to quality and service.
The second was with Air India Express, and it was dire. The staff, as hard as they were trying were having a very hard time of it, as anyone who has been some time in India will testify. Indians are as well as being lovely people, are noisy, impatient, ill-disciplined and can be down right hard work to deal with......... Makes me laugh!!!
First we had a security scare whereby someone was refused permission to fly and had to have bags removed. One delay.
Secondly the men around me (all from the same company, and on a jolly to Bkk) began to argue over each others' right to sit in their various seats. Then a couple of bright sparks amongst them, decided to threaten to sue everyone but me on the plane for taking their seats. It was incredible.
All this construed to make us an hour late in taking off, by which time the man who started the arguments said the man who was originally in his seat could return to it as he was not worried about sitting there anyway. Then they all began laughing and joking as if nothing had happened.
Once up in the air, there was a commotion somewhere down at the back. Never knew what it was over until dis-embarking in Kolkata.
It was a group of six or seven men who in another dispute over seating had taken it upon themselves to throw food allover the aircraft, and then got themselves removed by the security services on landing and fined for the clean-up operation and further delay to the aircraft in turning around.
Overall I have to say for getting from A to B, then its ok. The staff were friendly, but not attentive as they had a situation on their hands that they were not able to deal with. Also with safety in mind they did little more than glance around the cabin to check if seat belts were correctly fastened and also if all baggage was safely stowed away. Lots of the passengers had bags and laptops on their knees. This was completely overlooked. If we had have hit turbulence these items could have caused serious injury. The food onboard was ok, although the bun thing was a tad dry to say the least, and for a budget airline it was not so cheap.
The most enjoyable six months of my life!!!...........Oh how I love India.