056-057-058
Photo taken by: NVU
Route: Singapore - Delhi, 18 Mar 2006
Ticket price: $550 r/t
Flight duration: 5h 45m
Class: business
Aircraft: A320 VT-EPT
Meal: Lunch - Mix vegetable salad, Swiss yoghurt, bread sticks, Cream of brocolli soup. The entree was a south Indian speciality of Chicken chettinad curry, white basmati rice sprinked with caramlised onions, and green vegetable cooked south Indian style with dessicated coconut and mustard seeds. Indian breads and rolls were offered from a bread basket. Dessert was a milky sweet Indian vermecelli dish.
Drink: Water
Comments: Wonderful lunch though served an hour and a half after breakfast (too soon). The soup was initially served cold. I questioned the crew if it was supposed to be a chilled soup. She was embarrased and brought it back piping hot. The entree was very authentic. I particularly liked the green vegetable which I could not identify. It was unique and very simple but tasty. Dessert was untouched. I had a banana.
Rating 1-10 (worst-best): 8.5

052-053-054-055
Photo taken by: NVU
Route: Singapore - Delhi, 18 Mar 2006
Ticket price: $550 r/t
Flight duration: 5h 45m
Class: business
Aircraft: A320 VT-EPT
Meal: Breakfast - Fresh cut fruit (pappaya, kiwi, and pineapple), strawberry yoghurt, anchor butter, mixed fruit jam. Nestle corn flakes with a choice of cold or hot milk. Croissant,muffins, rolls were served from a bread basket. The entree was either a south Indian vegetarian speciality of upma (semolina)-vada (fried south indian flour spiced donut)-idli sambar or a fluffy cheese omlette-potato waffle-brocolli-baked beans stuffed tomato.
Drink: Orange juice
Comments: Super stuff. It's a long flight so enjoyed a lazy breakfast beginning with cereal followed by the entree. The vegetrian and non veg options were delicious. Another egg option of egg bhurji (masala scrambled eggs) was available too.
Rating 1-10 (worst-best): 9

050-051
Photo taken by: NVU
Route: Delhi - Singapore, 11 Mar 2006
Ticket price: $550 r/t
Flight duration: 5h 30m
Class: business
Aircraft: A320 VT-ESC
Meal: Breakfast - Fruit salad, cold croissant, amul butter, mixed fruit jam, fruit yoghurt. Entree consisted of a cold and a bit soggy waffles accompanied with a strawberry sauce and fresh cream.
Drink: Tea
Comments: Not so nice breakfast and not really required either as this was the second full meal on an under 6 hour flight. Fruit salad was fine, the croissant too cold. The waffles not very edible. The sauce was yum.
Rating 1-10 (worst-best): 4

045-046-047-048-049
Photo taken by: NVU
Route: Delhi - Singapore, 11 Mar 2006
Ticket price: $550 r/t
Flight duration: 5h 30m
Class: business
Aircraft: A320 VT-ESC
Meal: Supper - Oranjeboom premium lager accompanied with roasted almonds and peanuts. This was followed by supper which was served Air India first class style (though on a tray). Supper consisted of canapes (dhokla, baked beans etc.), moong (bean sprout) salad. Entree was served on a trolley and had a choice Reshmi chicken tikka (chicken is back), shammi kebabs (mini lamb burgers), paneer tikka (cottage cheese tikkas) and fried potato croquets. Wine, Scotch, and beer was available. The desert was an Indian milky one. The meal tasted great.
Drink: Beer and white wine
Comments: Indian Airlines has upgraded their international business catering and I was very impressed by the service (still primitive but very natural and warm). Wine (cuvee Albert Bichot) is now available in 187 ml bottles. It is poor but all the same it is at least available. The wine selection will get better. The food was brilliant, coupled with very friendly crew. Kudos IC.
Rating 1-10 (worst-best): 10

044
Photo taken by: NVU
Route: Chennai - Delhi, 8 Feb 2006
Ticket price: $390 r/t (Del-Maa-Cmb-Maa-Del)
Flight duration: 2h 30m
Class: economy
Aircraft: A320 VT-EPL
Meal: High Tea - The vegetarian option was a spinach burger (tikki), two potato empanadas, and the vegetarian mini burger.
Drink: Tea
Comments: Very apt and adequate indeed. Good service too.
Rating 1-10 (worst-best): 8.5

042-043
Photo taken by: NVU
Route: Chennai - Delhi, 8 Feb 2006
Ticket price: $390 r/t (Del-Maa-Cmb-Maa-Del)
Flight duration: 2h 30m
Class: economy
Aircraft: A320 VT-EPL
Meal: High Tea - Sandwich of jam and the other of tomato and cucumber. The non vegetarian entree was mini chicken kathi roll (chicken wrap) with chicken seekh kebabs and a fried vegetable mini burger. The vegetarian option was a spinach burger, two potato empanadas, and the vegetarian mini burger. Dessert was a south indian mithai (sweetmeat).
Drink: Tea
Comments: The sandwiches were too dry. The non veg and the veg entrees were great and very edible indeed. Enjoyed both. Didn't try the dessert. Served in porcelain with metal cutlery.
Rating 1-10 (worst-best): 9

040-041
Photo taken by: NVU
Route: Colombo - Chennai, 8 Feb 2006
Ticket price: $390 r/t (Del-Maa-Cmb-Maa-Del)
Flight duration: 1h 00m
Class: economy
Aircraft: A320 VT-ESB
Meal: Lunch - Peanuts, Godrej apple juice, dry channa daal, some kind of dry rice with peanuts and some daal (south Indian for sure). The non vegetarian entree was South Indian chicken biryani with chettinad style mini eggplant masala. Dessert was a fresh cream cake. Served in tin foil containers with plastic cutlery.
Drink: Kingfisher lager
Comments: Absolutely brilliant. The biryani was the finest I've eaten in the air or possiblly on the ground too. The chicken was soft and well cooked, the rice was just perfect. There was lots too. The accompaniments were strange but I saw everyone enjoying it. The meal was catered from Chennai.
Rating 1-10 (worst-best): 10

035-036-037-038-039
Photo taken by: NVU
Route: Chennai - Colombo, 6 Feb 2006
Ticket price: $390 r/t (Del-Maa-Cmb-Maa-Del)
Flight duration: 1h 00m
Class: economy
Aircraft: A300-B4 203 VT-EHD
Meal: Lunch - Peanuts, Godrej apple juice, mixed pickle, kaala chana (black chick peas), mix yoghurt. The non vegetraian entree was chicken chettinad and white rice. The vegetarian opition was black daal-yellow rice-vegetable jalfrezi. Dessert was a vermicelli Indian milky one.
Drink: Kingfisher lager
Comments: Excellent meal and a lot served on this one hour flight to Colombo. I must say the food, meal, catering from Chennai is just superb. The chicken was so authentic and fresh. The vegetable option was very delicious too. Very impressive indeed. The aircraft was a nostalgic A300 B4. Noisy like hell.
Rating 1-10 (worst-best): 10

033-034
Photo taken by: NVU
Route: Delhi - Chennai, 6 Feb 2006
Ticket price: $390 r/t (Del-Maa-Cmb-Maa-Del)
Flight duration: 2h 20m
Class: economy
Aircraft: A320 VT-EYE
Meal: Breakfast - Vegetarian meal: Croissant, Verka butter, cut fresh fruit, mango yoghurt, coconut chutney. Entree was mini masala dosas-sambhar-upma.
Drink: Coffee
Comments: Excellent hot south Indian breakfast on this 0630 flight to Chennai. Very tasty indeed especially the dosa and upma. I am most impressed with Indian economy meal and cabin crew service.
Rating 1-10 (worst-best): 10

031-032
Photo taken by: NVU
Route: Mumbai - Delhi, 1 Feb 2006
Ticket price: $120
Flight duration: 1h 50m
Class: economy
Aircraft: A320 VT-EYJ
Meal: High Tea - Two sandwiches - one of coleslaw and the other of cheese & tomato. Entree of mini chicken steak with mushroom sauce, plus an empanada with mince chicken stuffing and also an aloo bonda. Dessert was Indian sweetmeat (mithai)
Drink: Lime juice and water
Comments: Sandwiches were passe as always. The chicken steak and the rest were excellent. The mushroom sauce was perfect! Dessert was too sweet.
Rating 1-10 (worst-best): 9

029-030
Photo taken by: NVU
Route: Mumbai - New Delhi, 18 Jan 2006
Ticket price: $93
Flight duration: 1h 45m
Class: economy
Aircraft: A320 VT-EVQ
Meal: Dinner - Soft bread roll, Amul butter, chick pea and mix vegetable salad, Nestle yoghurt, mixed pickle. Entree was Chicken kofta (mince chicken dumplings) curry accompanied by rice pilaf and yellow daal. Dessert was Indian mithai (sweetmeat).
Drink: Water
Comments: Impressive meal in terms of quality, quanity, and variety. I was most impressed that the entree was served on deep dish porcelain. It made the meal all the more enjoyable. I didn't try the salad. The entree was very filling so the bread roll and dessert took a miss too. The service was excellent. The aircraft seating in tatters. My seat was broken and the tray kept falling out of its position.
Rating 1-10 (worst-best): 10

026-027-028
Photo taken by: NVU
Route: Delhi - Mumbai, 22 Nov 2005
Ticket price: $235
Flight duration: 2h 00m
Class: business
Aircraft: A320 VT-EYF
Meal: Dinner - Mixed vegetable soup, chicken curry-rice-daal, capuccino cake.
Drink: water
Comments: Good food and enough. Cake was lousy. Weak in taste. Service ordinary.
Rating 1-10 (worst-best): 6

024-025
Photo taken by: NVU
Route: Delhi - Singapore, 9 Nov 2005
Ticket price: 500
Flight duration: 5h 30m
Class: one class only
Aircraft: A320 VT-EPI
Meal: Supper - Fruit salad, cheese and coleslaw sandwiches. Entree of mutton seekh kathi roll, shammi kabab, and masala cheese toast. Dessert was mango mousse.
Drink: water
Comments: High carb meal. Sandwiches poor - no taste. Shammi kabab was dry. The roll did not have enough filling. It was mainly the roti. The masala cheese toast was the best. Mango mousse was creamy and yum!
Rating 1-10 (worst-best): 5

022-023
Photo taken by: NVU
Route: Delhi - Singapore, 9 Nov 2005
Ticket price: 500
Flight duration: 5h 30m
Class: business
Aircraft: A320 VT-EPI
Meal: Supper - JW Black Label and soda, peanuts, and chicken tikka as appetiser.
Drink:
Comments: Basic bar service on J class. Scotch and beer were the only alcohol available. Served Railway style. Primitive and basic.
Rating 1-10 (worst-best): 1

021
Photo taken by: Racer X
Route: Kolkata to Delhi, date: 03 January 2005
Ticket price: $100USD
Flight duration: 2.5 hrs
Aircraft type & class: Airbus
Business or leisure trip: Leisure
Meal type: Dinner
Contents of the meal: Sausage, Chop, Bread, Sandwich, Sweet
Drink: Water, Coffee
Comments:
Rating 1-10 (worst-best): 4
Camera brand & type: Fuji –S5000


020
Photo taken by: Racer X
Route: Delhi to Kolkata, date: 16 December 2004
Ticket price: $100USD
Flight duration: 2.5 hrs
Aircraft type & class: Airbus
Business or leisure trip: Leisure
Meal type: Dinner
Contents of the meal: Beef, Rice, Vegetable Curry, Salad, Bread, Dessert, Mixed Pickle
Drink: Water, Coffee
Comments: This meal tasted amazing, but the dessert was horrible
Rating 1-10 (worst-best): 8
Camera brand & type: Fuji –S5000


019
Photo taken by: Racer X
Route: Kolkata to Delhi, date: 13 December 2004
Ticket price: $100USD
Flight duration: 2.5 hrs
Aircraft type & class: Airbus
Business or leisure trip: Leisure
Meal type: Breakfast
Contents of the meal: Fruits, Croissant, Eggs, Potatoes, Chop, Yogurt
Drink: Water, Coffee
Rating 1-10 (worst-best): 5
Camera brand & type: Fuji –S5000


018
Photo taken by: Racer X
Route: Delhi to Kolkata, date: 26 November 2004
Ticket price: $100USD
Flight duration: 2.5 hrs
Aircraft type & class: Airbus
Business or leisure trip: Leisure
Meal type: Breakfast
Contents of the meal: Fruits, Croissant, Eggs, Potatoes, Tomato, Yogurt
Drink: Water, Coffee
Rating 1-10 (worst-best): 6.5
Camera brand & type: Fuji –S5000


017


016


015
Photo taken by: NYB
Route: SIN-BLR, IC958
Date: 05 December 2004
Flight duration: 4:05
Aircraft class & type: Economy, A320, Registration: VT-ESD
Business or leisure: Leisure
Meal type: Brunch
Contents of the meal: 2 rounds of pre-meal drinks: first round: just orange juice, second round: pea nuts and orange juice again; Meal: Warm croissant, muffin, sambar, idly, vada holes (like donut holes), cut seasonal fruits, pickles, butter, fruit-bottom yogurt, water and more orange juice
Drink: Orange juice
Special meal: Indian vegetarian
Rating: 6 (for meal), 7 (for service)
Comments: I didn't understand the need for two rounds of pre-meal drinks: the first round was just orange juice served from trays after take off, the second was orange juice served from cart with pea nuts. Lots of pea nuts: a welcome change from the barely-a-few packets served on Southwest. The two idlis were hard. Vadas (shaped like donut holes) didn't taste like vadas. Sambar was excellent. I wonder if idlis and vadas are suitable for flights: they are supposed to be served fresh, soft and crisp. Most passengers had loads of shopping bags, especially from the Mustafa store in Sarengoon Road, Singapore. Flight attendants were all Bengali: were very patient and returned courtesy. Take off and landing were smoothest; like on most Indian Airlines A320 flights.
Camera brand and type: Minolta Dimage XG


014
Photo taken by: GMM.
Route: IC597, Mumbai (BOM) to Goa (GOI), 23 Jun 2004
Ticket price: INR 3300.00 (USD 72.50)
Flight duration: 45 mins.
Aircraft type & class: Airbus – 300 (AB3) Reg. No. VT-EVD, Economy.
Business or leisure trip: Leisure.
Meal type: Evening Snack. (VEG)
Paneer (Cottage cheese) in Schzewan sauce, Veg. Harabara kebab, Cheese / mayo sandwich, Indian mithai.
Drink: Limejuice, Water.
Comments: My friend had this meal and rated it to be fairly nice. A little story about this flight, the Captain and First officer arrived 45 mins after scheduled departure time, which was 16:00 hours. And started taxing within 7 mins. Which made me think if all necessary checks were performed. It felt more like a taxi ride. (this happens only in INDIA). However the Check in and ground handling staff were very polite and courteous.
Rating 1-10 (worst-best): 5/ 10 for food. –10/10 for pilots.
Camera brand & type: Sony.

012-013

012-013
Photo taken by: GMM.
Route: IC597, Mumbai (BOM) to Goa (GOI), 23 Jun 2004
Ticket price: INR 3300.00 (USD 72.50)
Flight duration: 45 mins.
Aircraft type & class: Airbus – 300 (AB3) Reg. No. VT-EVD, Economy.
Business or leisure trip: Leisure.
Meal type: Evening Snack. – (Non. Veg).
Chicken Malai kebab, Lamb Croquette, Cheese / mayo sandwich, Indian mithai.
Drink: Fresh Lime juice, Water.
Comments: Chicken malai kebab and cheese sandwich get a 10/10. Lamb was ok. Fresh Limejuice was awful. No beverage service was made on this flight. Service by Indian Airlines F/A was a 0/10, unpleasant, grumpy ladies who are not interested to serve or in voluntary retirement.
Rating 1-10 (worst-best): 5/10 for food. 0/10 for service.
Camera brand & type: Sony – DSC (something)

011
Photo taken by: medounet
Route: Kolkata CCU - Kathmandu, 30th April 2004
Ticket price: Id ticket
Flight duration: 1H20
Aircraft type & class: Airbus A320 , Economy
Business or leisure trip: Leisure
Meal type: Lunch
Salad ; Rice and Indian vegetarian dish with Tofu; Dessert; Bottle of water
Drink: Seven Up
Comments: Lunch served was very good even the dessert which remain still a mistery for me. The bar service was a bit small as only Seven up was available.
Rating (1-10) : 7

010
Photo taken by: Michal Buciak
Route: Kathmandu (KTM) to Varanasi (VNS), 12 Nov 2003
Flight duration: 0:50
Aircraft type & class: Airbus 320, Economy
Business or leisure trip: Leisure
Meal type: Lunch
Contents of the meal: Sandwiches with some grass (???), apple pie, some cake made of goat milk covered with something silver.
Drink: Orange juice.
Comments: It was the first time in my life I got a meal before take-off.
That's probably due to full aicraft and short flight. Most of the poeple
finished the meal still on the ground (including myself, I was very hungry ;-)) and got the juice later on during the flight.
The sandwiches were terrible, with some kind of grass inside - simply uneatable. The pie was OK, but the cake, with the silver on top (you don't take it of - it should be eaten) was strange, but I put it into my stomach and nothing special was happening in there afterwards.
Rating 1-10 (worst-best): 3

008-009

008-009
Photo taken by: Michal Buciak
Route: Delhi (DEL) to Kathmandu (KTM), 5 Nov 2003
Flight duration: 1:30
Aircraft type & class: Airbus 300-B4, Economy
Business or leisure trip: Leisure
Meal type: Lunch
Contents of the meal: As a standard you get a pure vegetarian set: some unidentified beans with very spicy sauce + good vanilla cake with vanilla sauce _ peanuts. On request you could get a non-veg meal (here seen on my wife's table), which contained hot chicken with rice & cabage.
Drink: Mineral water + orange juice.
Comments: The beans were much too spicy. Chicken was excellent - warm and well prepared. The cake with fantastic vanilla sauce was just perfect to end this meal before going out to Himalaya mountains ;-).
Rating 1-10 (worst-best): 8

007
Photo taken by: NVU
Route: Bangalore (BLR) to Delhi (DEL), 14 Nov 2003
Ticket price: US$385 (r/t)
Flight duration: 2hrs24mins
Aircraft type & class: A320-231 VT-EVR, Business class
Business or leisure trip: Business
Meal type: High Tea
Contents: Non vegetarian option. Open cocktail size sandwiches (cheese, tomato, chutney), peanut coated something croquette, potato puff pastry, chicken garlic tikka. For dessert there was ras malai.
Drink: Coconut water before take off. Water followed by tea during the meal.
Comments: Why even bother? No menus. Flight scheduled at 430pm. The saving grace were the sandwiches, so you can imagine how bad the meal was? The tikka was h-a-r-d. Inedible. The croquette was horrible. The puff pastry okay. I didn't try the dessert. The other non veg option was chilli chicken and noodles. Pathetic food, meal, catering from Bangalore and I would have expected much more for business class. Once again no fruit. The service was robotic, and was opposite of my previous flight.
Rating 1-10 (worst-best): 3

006
Photo taken by: NVU
Route: Delhi (DEL) to Bangalore (BLR), 12 Nov 2003
Ticket price: US$385 (r/t)
Flight duration: 2hrs15mins
Aircraft type & class: A320-231 VT-EVO, Business class
Business or leisure trip: Business
Meal type: Breakfast
Contents: Non vegetarian option 2. Chicken tikka kathi roll, aloo bonda (fried potato balls), cheese puff pastry.
Drink: Pineapple juice before take off. Water followed by tea during the meal.
Comments: Much better option, though still not breakfast. The chicken tikka roll was really spicy and tasty. Even though I was full by then, I still tried the aloo bonda which was original and tasted good with the tomato ketchup. The cheese puff pastry was just puff pastry and no cheese.
Rating 1-10 (worst-best): 8

004-005

004-005
Photo taken by: NVU
Route: Delhi (DEL) to Bangalore (BLR), 12 Nov 2003
Ticket price: US$385 (r/t)
Flight duration: 2hrs15mins
Aircraft type & class: A320-231 VT-EVO, Business class
Business or leisure trip: Business
Meal type: Breakfast
Contents: Non vegetarian option 1. Open cheese and chutney sandwiches, chicken tikka, potato and green peas samosa, semolina and spinach croquette. Dessert was a Indian milky sweet dish.
Drink: Pineapple juice before take off. Water followed by tea during the meal.
Comments: Strange "breakfast". No menus. Flight was scheduled at 0930, and I really expected some cereal, eggs, sausages etc. and some breakfast rolls. What we got is totally different. The sandwiches were run of the mill, and is always included in an Indian Airlines meal. The chicken was a bit raw and not too much flavour. The samosa (shaped as a roll) was nice and hot. The semolina croquette was bland and lacked any idea in preparation. I was surprised that there was no fruit. I didn't touch the sweet dish. I was not satisfied with the meal and requested the other non veg option, option 2. Service was excellent with a young and all female crew. The crockery has changed and is now all ceramic. Cutlery is all metal, barring the knife.
Rating 1-10 (worst-best): 6.5 (food), 9 (service)

002
Photo taken by: Troy M. Litten
Flying from: Bangkok to Calcutta, January 17, 2002
Class: Business Class
Comments: "Paid an extra $50 at the check-in counter to upgrade
our tickets from coach to business, and were subsequently offered
as much food - whatever they had - as we could eat at mealtime.
I tried the '"veg', then the 'non-veg', then came to the conclusion
that Indian food should never be reheated."
Source: email / www.troyland.com

001
Photo taken by: Troy M. Litten
Flying from: Bangkok to Calcutta, January 17, 2002
Class: Business Class
Comments: "Paid an extra $50 at the check-in counter to upgrade
our tickets from coach to business, and were subsequently offered
as much food - whatever they had - as we could eat at mealtime.
I tried the '"veg', then the 'non-veg', then came to the conclusion
that Indian food should never be reheated."
Source: email / www.troyland.com