Air Sahara

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Who are Air Sahara?
Let me start from the beginning. Until the early 1990s, domestic air travel in India was restricted to just the government-owned Indian Airlines (with Air India operating international flights). When the government changed the rules to allow private airlines, several started up. Now Air Sahara is the second-largest private airline in India.

Air Sahara operate to 26 destinations in India, including ...
...half a dozen times on Air Sahara in 2005, mostly on domestic routes, both on the 737 and the Canadair Regional Jet, and also one international flight.


Booking
As yet, Air Sahara don't have a "book online" system, so you have to book over the phone, at one of their offices or via a travel agent, or of course if you are flying into India, you can book them with your international flights.

The ... more

It's not often that you will find me rating an airline highly if they don't serve vodka, or at least a glass of wine. But here, I have no choice. They were good, the young lady was charming, and could not have been more apologetic that she was letting me walk away without having, er, satisfied my every desire!

Besides, I later found out that no airline serves alcohol on domestic flights in India. For some reason, it is against the law!

Who are Air Sahara?
Let me start from the beginning. Until the early 1990s, domestic air travel in India was restricted to just the government-owned Indian Airlines (with Air India operating international flights). When the government changed the rules to allow private airlines, several started up. Now Air Sahara is the second-largest private airline in India.

Air Sahara operate to 26 destinations in India, including all the main cities. Their main hub seems to be Delhi, with a reasonable network also from Mumbai and Hyderabad. They also operate a handful of international routes, to Nepal, Singapore and Sri Lanka, with a fleet of new and modern Boeing 737s on the major routes and Canadair 50-seater regional jets on the smaller routes.

I've flown about half a dozen times on Air Sahara in 2005, mostly on domestic routes, both on the 737 and the Canadair Regional Jet, and also one international flight.

Booking
As yet, Air Sahara don't have a "book online" system, so you have to book over the phone, at one of their offices or via a travel agent, or of course if you are flying into India, you can book them with your international flights.

The website does offer a number of novel ways to buy the tickets including a "fly now pay later" system. This sounds like a recipe for disaster, but it is basically a loan through an approved bank whereby the fare is paid in twelve monthly installments. There are also "sixer" fares, six domestic flights for Rupees 24,000 in economy or Rupees 36000 in business class. There are also ticket auctions. Buying Air Sahara could not be easier!

Check In
Air Sahara operate domestic flights from the domestic terminal at De;hi Airport and International flights from, yes you guessed, the international terminal. If you are arriving on an international flight, this means you will have to change terminal and that involves a bus ride.

In the domestic area, Air Sahara have a row of four or five check-in desks for economy (called "Special Class"!) and, a little way away, a couple of desks for their "Royale" business class.

Whenever I have checked in for a domestic flight from Delhi, whether early morning or at midday, I have not seen a queue. In fact I have only had to wait once, when I was second; every other time I have just walked straight up to the desk, both when travelling in economy and in business class.

In Delhi I have always found the check in staff to be pleasant and efficient. I've been offered a choice of window or aisle seat and the folks have been welcoming. The same can be said for most of the other places that I have flown from, but not quite all. On one or two occasions I've encountered someone not at their best, but it is not common.

At most larger airports there is a lounge for business class passengers. This can be fairly small and basic but it offers comfy armchairs or sofas, soft drinks and light snacks such as samosas, sandwiches and nuts.

Air Sahara do have a telephone check in service but I have not used it. Yet.

The aircraft
Air Sahara seem to have changed their colours recently, as most aircraft are in a basic white colour scheme with narrow orange and green stripes, but there are a few aircraft with a different livery.

The aircraft are mostly Boeing 737s, which offer economy class, with three seats each side, and Royale Business class with two seats each side. There are also some Canadair 50-seater regional jets which are all economy class, two seats each side.

The seats in the Royale Business Class are comfortable enough, certainly for a flight of two to three hours. It is quite wide, reclines a bit and although there is no legrest, the leg room is ok (except in the first row).

On the regional jets, which are all economy, the seats are fairly standard economy seats. The leg room is not bad - and I'm over 6 foot tall - and as long as the guy in front doesn't recline his seat, you can even read the newspaper.

Service
Almost all of the Air Sahara crew that I have encountered have been pleasant, helpful and welcoming.

In business class, there is a newspaper in each seatpocket. Before take off we are offered a choice of refreshing drink - fresh lime or orange juice or water. On early morning flights, one of the choices is a fruit yoghurt "energiser". This is followed with a cold towel, then a choice of magazines. After take off, a drinks order is taken, followed by the meal service. After the meal is served there is coffee, after which the tray is cleared promptly (hurrah!) and then there is a hot towel. On arrival, the first bus to the terminal is for business class passengers only, so we can get out of the airpot quicker.

In economy, on the regional jets, I've found newspapers in the seat pockets. They don't provide the pre-take off drink, or the towels, but the meal service has generally been efficient. Only once was the steward a bit nonchalant, bored even, going through the motions; every other time they have been pleasant.

The male uniform is standard white shirt and dark suit. The ladies' uniform is more traditional, an orange top, with an orange and blue patterned sari. It sounds awful but does actually work, and the ladies generally look elegantly charming.

Food and Drink
This is where I think Air Sahara excel, and either the food is getting better, or I have been luckier on recent flights.

There is a choice of vegetarian or non-vegetarian. I usually go for the carniverous option.

As an example of a recent meal in business class - the tray that was laid in front of me had a fresh salad, with a slice of lemon and a traditional desert of a sweet pastry in a milky sauce. The stewardess then offered a choice of salad dressing. The main course followed about ten minutes later on a large, full-size china plate and was a portion of chicken curry, rice and dahl. A selection of hot, fresh breads was offered, with all of the Indian roti and naan breads individually wrapped in foil - another unique feature of Air Sahara. As I worked through that, I was offered another salad. Finally, after dessert, there was tea or coffee and a tray with sweets, chocolates and sachets of traditional sweet aniseed mouth refresher.

On one flight, from Bombay to Delhi in the afternoon, instead of a hot meal service there were sandwiches made to order. The crew came with a trolley with a selection of breads - white, brown, baguette, rolls etc - and a selection of vegetarian and non-vegetarian fillings - cheese, salad, chicken, etc. The crew made sandwiches to order and this took the place of a main course. Unusual, novel and certainly it was a nice change!

In economy, on the regional jets, the meal has usually been a box containing a sandwich. However on a recent morning flight to Delhi they provided a decent breakfast omlette, so it seems to be improving.

My one criticism is that there is no menu. The crew offer "vegetarian or non-egetarian" and are always able to explain what is in each meal, but sometimes it might be nice to be able to look over a menu when deciding.

Summary
Overall, an excellent airline offering excellent service. The crews have almost all been pleasant and friendly, the food very good and I have always been well taken care of. Most of the flights have been on time, and where it was not, we were kept informed.

They are invariably compared to the larger Jet Airways, and in many ways Jet may have the edge, but I do find Air Sahara people generally to be more friendly and more personal. And the uniforms are nicer! Overall, I wish more airlines were like Air Sahara!
 

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