FlyArystan Booking Experience

I had written about the new low cost airline from central asia- Fly Arystan earlier. They had announced one way flight between Delhi and Shymkent (CIT) for about 5000 INR. But the return ticket was around 10-12k, making round trip expensive at around 15-17k INR, so I had not booked any ticket.

A friend, Amar Singh Solanki who runs Lily travels, had booked their ticket and had a successful trip to central Asia, which added to my confidence that I too can try this airline-Fly arystan. Fly Arystan seems to be a subsidiary of Air Asthana.

Recently I noticed that they are no longer selling DEL-CIT ticket. Instead they are selling Delhi to Almaty ticket for low price- managed to spot a return ticket for about 83 USD on their website for several dates in November/Dec 2023 as well as Feb/March 2024.

This time I decided to book. But to my surprise their payment page was failing. I couldn’t make a payment so the process came to a halt.

Anyone managed to book a ticket on @FlyArystan ? pic.twitter.com/9ddLIxbWPC

— Shrinidhi Hande (@enidhi) September 20, 2023

I wrote a mail to their support team, giving my intended ticket details and asking for a payment link (That is how it worked with Lufthansa-Swiss Air last year for me)

Later Amar Singh Solanki told me I can book via Cleartrip. On Cleartrip the total amount payable was some 500 INR more, but at least I could pay, book and get a confirmed ticket.

After 5 days the support team replied, asking me to check with my bank, while the issue is on their side- there was no option to select bank or card or anything- payment page itself was not opening. Anyway I had booked ticket through cleartrip so didn’t brother to respond.

Now that ticket is booked, I need to prepare for my trip- got another 6 months- have to see how to manage with 5 kg cabin bag limitation. Wish me luck.

Flyarystan website seems to be managed by Kiwi- I tried to sign up so that I can get cheap deals but now I have ended up signing up for Kiwi and will have to deal with them spam mails now.

Akasa Air First Impressions

I had my first flight with Akasa air this month. That is pretty late- Akasa air was inaugurated several months ago but I didn't have a chance earlier. They don't fly to Mangaluru and I couldn't force fit a flight n spend money just for the sake of it.

As I was checking prices for Lucknow, when I saw a 3500 Rs one way ticket I decided to plan a trip. At that time GoFirst had cheapest tickets- like 2200 INR but better sense prevailed and I decided NOT to go with GoFirst. Indigo also had a flight, similar time, similar price, decided to try Akasa.

Ticket booking experience:

My original preference was to book directly on Akasa Air website, but they were charging 350 INR extra as convenience fee, so I had to eventually book on Easemytrip to save some 700 INR round trip.

While I got BLR-Lucknow for 3500, return from Varanasi to BLR cost me 6500. Other option was to travel back to Lucknow and take cheaper flight but that would cost time and money to reach Lucknow, so decided to spend.

After booking Akasa Air kept spamming me regularly, advertising their 10% discount in base fare, convenience fee less booking on app and other things. I summarily ignored them and blocked them on WhatsApp for irritating me.

Web Check-in

Can be done 48 hours before. Akasa air gives an option to auto assign seat or pay for seat selection. I opted for auto assign seat- this experience was better than Indigo. I got email and SMS that my web check in is done, seat allocation will be done 6 hours prior. I got prompt SMS and email with my boarding pass.

This web check in experience was much better compared to Indigo- Indigo doesn't send any acknowledgement if you don't pay for seats and seat allocation will be done just 3 hours prior. We will have no proof that we've done web check in. When I tweeted this Indigo social media support called and acknowledged the same.

I was auto assigned middle seat on both occasions, but at airport check in counter I could request for a seat change without paying extra. Got exit row seats both time. Row 16 had reclining seats but row 15 don't have reclining seats. Indigo wouldn't give exit row seat to anyone unless they pay. Also their flights are almost always full, so chance of changing a seat- particularly window or aisle last minute-is very low.

Flight Experience:

Akasa air gate opening time is full 1 hour prior to departure time- I don't know why they open the gate so soon. I can understand for first flight of the day, but for other flights opening gate even before inbound flight lands makes no sense.

BLR Lucknow was first flight of the day and operated 10-15 mins earlier than scheduled.  Service was good. This aircraft didn't have any USB charging ports but the return flight had one. Most of Akasa Air's planes are new, compared to rivals who have 10-15 year older aircrafts-Akasa seat back had a placeholder for mobile phones- easy to keep your phone there and watch video while USB port ensures you won't run out of charge.

Varanasi-BLR flight was an evening one, had about 20-30 minutes delay. Both the flights were fairly loaded.

Due to sudden resignation of 43+ pilots, Akasa had to cancel over 700 flights in September. I felt lucky both my flights operated without issues.

Onboard purchases

I ordered Upma for my return journey- costs 250 INR (includes a drink). The taste was fine but quantity is just one third of the box. Got one Kombucha as well. (if purchased individually onboard Upma costs 200 INR and Kombucha 150)

Kombucha is Akasa signature mango drink- I thought it is pure mango juice, but it is not. It has some gas in it and didn't have essence of Mango. Felt like Mango flavored sprite. Won't buy again.

 

Akasa Air Summary

Good things

- Newer planes with USB charging

- Better web check-in process compared to Indigo

- Good inflight food menu for purchase

- Both my flights were fine with no issues

- International flights soon

- Very responsive social media team

- Free seat change at airport counter

To be improved

- Boarding 1 hour in advance feels too much

- Airline needs to come out of pilot shortage issue

- Yet to reach many airports like Mangaluru

Hope they resolve their pilot issue. With Go Air gone, Akasa will have to compete with two giants- Indigo that has huge market share and Tata Group looking to consolidate Air India, Vistara, Air Asia and Air India Express. The founder Rakesh Junjunwala is no more and former Jet Airways head Vinay Dube is leading Akasa. Will look forward to flying more with Akasa.

Cheap Food at Bengaluru Airport Nandi Upachar

If you are worried about super expensive food inside Bengaluru airport (Coffee/Tea : 250 INR+, Masala Dosa 500 INR and so on),there is one cheaper option

Nandi Upachar outside Bengaluru international airport.

Nandi Upachar is located near Vayu Vajra bus bay in terminal one of BIAL. 

Nani Upachar rates are as below- 145 INR for Masala Dosa, 125 INR for Bisi bele bath and so on

It is not cheap-2x compared to city prices, but one third of inside airport cost. Even outside the airport their rental cost must be pretty high, forcing them to price their food higher. Nandi upachar has got some seating place, but no AC. 

So if you couldn't have your food in city before leaving for airport, you can grad some before entering the airport. If you are arriving passenger, you can spare some time, grad a bite and then board your bus or taxi.

Similar: Mangaluru airport food cost * 

Varanasi city to Airport-cheapest options

How to reach Varanasi airport from city or vice versa?

Varanasi’s Lal Bahadur Shastri international airport is 20-25 kms from city center, hence hiring a taxi to reach there will set you back by about 1000 INR easily. But not all passengers are keen to spend so much and look for cheaper alternatives even if it is a bit inconvenient. If you have time, if you are ok to try public transportation, you can save lots of money. Sharing my experience

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A post shared by Shrinidhi Hande (@enidhi)

Best option: Airport to city AC Bus: E101, E102 Electric AC mini buses ply between Varanasi airport and Varanasi Cantt (Cantonment area near railway station, main city center for Varanasi). However the frequency is poor. I waited at Cantt for over 30 mins but didn’t see a single bus to the airport. If you are OK to wait 30+ minutes you can wait for this bus, which operates during day time. Early morning/night flights don’t rely on this

Next best option- intercity buses passing through Babatpur:

Varanasi airport is in a town called Babatpur. Airport is about 1.2 kms from the highway. Many long distance buses going to Jaunpur, Lucknow pass through Babatpur. Few city buses also ply till Babatpur. You can get into these buses and get down close to airport. Confirm once before boarding.

Last 1 km- from highway to Varanasi airport you can walk or hire an auto

Option 3: Share autos

If you scout around in Cantt area, some auto drivers are happy to operate a share auto towards airport. Instead of asking 500-600 rupee from one person, they try to get hold of 4-5 people heading towards airport/babatpur, collect 100-150 rupee from each person. I was trying for a bus but one auto driver consistently pestered me- initially I refused- later he said he has got other passengers to go on sharing basis, I can join by just paying 100 rupees. As I wasn’t getting bus I thought 100 rupees for 20 kms is NOT bad, I can try this.

Auto driver got a few long distance (city to airport) and few short distance customers- got 80, 15, 20, 150, 100, 40 etc from different customers and made some 500 rupees by the time he reached the airport. I am sure he will manage to get another set of customers on his way back to the city and make a cool 1000 rupees on the 50 kms trip.

All these options work if you have light bags, have enough time and comfortable with bit of walking, using shared public transport. In return you will save 100s of rupees otherwise spent on taxi rental. You can treat yourself to some nice food onboard or save this money for future travel.

if nothing works, ask your hotel to arrange a taxi

Flew AirAsia after 4.5 years

Flew AirAsia Malaysia again after 4.5 years. My last flight was to Brunei in 2019 Jan.

After that I had a set of tickets- AMD-KUL for 502 INR, Vizag to Australia, Kuala Lumpur to Cambodia & Laos, world's cheapest flight ticket ever for 200 INR,  and many more- all got cancelled due to covid. 

There was an issue viewing Air Asia International website after Air Asia India and Air Asia Malaysia separated. Indian customers didn't have a way to view their international tickets, refund credits etc. It was a mess for sometime. Finally sometime in 2022 this got sorted. I had got some credit points for covid time cancelled flights, which I didn't know by when it would expire. Because I couldn't fly out of India I couldn't take many of the flights originating from Malaysia which were not cancelled- so I didn't get refund for them. Got credits only for flights in and out of India.

So armed with some 15k worth points, I booked a short trip to Thailand for 3 days, just to use this. 

Thailand trip means having to spend about 4500 INR on Visa on Arrival, plus another 8-10k in other expenses- stay, local travel, sim card, food, travel from home to BLR etc for 3 days. So around 22-25k was spent.

I was excited to check what all has changed in AirAsia in recent times. Summary: Nothing much. Thai Air Asia was same as earlier- almost on time performance, basic services of a budget airline. Below are my observations:

Best food options for vegetarians are this Hyd Biryani, Thai Panang Curry with Rice or Noodles. Rice bowl costs 180 Baht (420 INR) each. 

Similar rice products are available for 50 to 70 baht at 7Eleven store at DMK airport, if you can wait.

Check in was fine. Because of Visa on Arrival, staff checked if I have cash, hotel booking and return ticket. Cabin bag was not weighed. Boarding was fine, they do zone wise, but that is only limited from gate to bus- then everyone is mixed 

Both my onward and return flights were on time.

Indians' behavior on international flights remains unchanged. Few passengers who were sitting in extra leg room seats without paying were made to go back by staff.

Visa on arrival was smooth- took about 20 odd minutes as crowd was less at the time of my landing. As I completed formalities by 5-5.15 AM but buses wouldn't start so early. had to wait for an hour for public transport to begin- took bus to my stay- Bangkok's cheapest hostel- PLOY

Return trip was smooth as well.

My only concern is the pricing. Now everything costing 3x-4x compared to pre-covid. Hopefully Air Asia will revert to cheaper tickets and I can plan more trips. Let us see.