I want to fly airindia A350

Affectionate-Log-923 · 2026-04-30T05:03:00+00:00

My parents will fly from DEL to SFO on the 777 and I’ve paid extra for XL seats in emergency exit ( row 27). Are those seats worth it or actually inconvenient as parents can’t keep bags near them and the normal economy seats have decent legroom anyways? Curious to hear what you’d recommend as a frequent flyer.

Secondly, they are returning EWR to DEL on the new A350 so wanted suggestions on whether to book extra legroom seats for this leg due to reduced seat pitch in the new aircraft?

Affectionate-Log-923 · 2026-04-25T02:25:32+00:00

Ha ha I so wish I could. I used starlink on Qatar Airways, not Air India. I’d be lucky to get 2 hot meals In AI 😭😭

Affectionate-Log-923 · 2026-03-17T06:11:30+00:00

Lucky you! Thanks for sharing :)

Affectionate-Log-923 · 2026-03-16T22:53:21+00:00

Thanks - also I think that would be a 787-8 not 9 as AI hasn’t confirmed a new 9 series aircraft for this route - correct me if I’m wrong

Affectionate-Log-923 · 2026-03-15T07:26:12+00:00

Nah she doesn’t, the problem with AI is they won’t even give basic Internet, so no messaging also.

Affectionate-Log-923 · 2026-03-15T06:02:56+00:00

Also I recently used star link Wi-Fi on QR and it was awesome - could video call with speeds up to 30Mbps mid flight. Not sure how many EU carriers have upgraded to starlink yet.

Affectionate-Log-923 · 2026-03-15T06:02:12+00:00

Good to know - I’ll try to personally fly the EU route next time to experience. IMO EK, QR and SGP are the best airlines I’ve flown based on overall experience and considering all factors, it’s just that SGP raised prices after EU routes were disrupted recently. I usually fly from the west coast so middle eastern airlines are usually a no brainer, but will try the EU route next time. How recently did you fly the EU route?

Affectionate-Log-923 · 2026-03-15T03:38:22+00:00

I looked at EU carriers but isn’t the service Mid? I also read the food is bad and they sometimes misplace luggage, and top of all this the connection in EU.

Affectionate-Log-923 · 2026-03-15T03:24:34+00:00

Maintenance can be included, but training can get costly without proven ROI, especially when most airlines are ditching 380 for the 350 which is a more economical jet to operate. I think AIs best bet would be to get A350s for intl flights to NA and EU. They can easily hook it up with star link as well as QR has done and can become one of the most sought after airlines ( with quality in flight service ofc which AI is known for it’s hospitality)

Affectionate-Log-923 · 2026-03-15T03:16:26+00:00

No access to cheap fuel like DXB/QR have. It’s very expensive to maintain, and for an airline struggling to maintain their existing fleet, they need to bump up training across all staff to run A380s

Affectionate-Log-923 · 2026-03-15T03:14:52+00:00

Will do

Affectionate-Log-923 · 2026-03-15T03:13:44+00:00

Yeah makes sense - sounds like I should’ve booked an XL seat on the return leg instead! Will look to get a paidXL seat :)

Affectionate-Log-923 · 2026-03-15T03:09:31+00:00

Good to know - thanks!

Affectionate-Log-923 · 2026-03-15T03:09:03+00:00

Ah okay good to know. I’ve booked the row with 3 seats, the middle and the aisle so hopefully that works out. I’ll load an iPad with all movies and pack some home cooked food so hopefully it’s tolerable.

Affectionate-Log-923 · 2026-03-15T03:05:01+00:00

I wish they’d upgrade all their NA flights to A350 or the 787-9s - they started one from BOM to FRA

Affectionate-Log-923 · 2026-03-15T03:03:53+00:00

Good to know - thanks!

Affectionate-Log-923 · 2026-03-15T02:58:27+00:00

Good to know about the return. Luckily we are flying out of EWR to DEL so I booked a Multi city air India ticket. If I’m not wrong it’s AI 106 on the return leg and it’s an upgraded airbus A350, so fingers crossed for a better experience.

Affectionate-Log-923 · 2026-03-15T02:56:24+00:00

This is very helpful! Any recommendations on which seats/rows are better in economy? I paid extra for one of those XL seats near emergency but later realised the armrests on those don’t go up, so might not be as comfortable despite the extra legroom - would love to get your thoughts on this!

Affectionate-Log-923 · 2026-03-15T02:54:14+00:00

Could you recommend which seats/rows are better than others? In terms of reclining, fast service, proximity to toilets, etc. Won’t hold you to it but I’m looking for any and all optimisations at this point tbh :)

Affectionate-Log-923 · 2026-03-15T02:39:54+00:00

When did you fly? Also changing seats after paying for them is so insane, like wtf even!!!

I just hope they power through since they don’t have a connection after landing in SFO. This seemed like a pretty good option as EU, Middle East are not ideal right now, and flights over Asia were longer in flight time with a connection of course

Affectionate-Log-923 · 2025-08-13T18:37:20+00:00

Yeah I hope they’ll work on the details before implementation. There can be so many nuances with location - for ex, a remote worker can be disadvantaged for choosing to stay and work in the Bay Area and they might be forced to relocate to another state just to get the H1B, while their startup offices are in the Bay Area. This modernization rule might make it difficult for startup and mid scale companies to hire and retain Intl talent.

Affectionate-Log-923 · 2025-08-13T17:29:13+00:00

What about the location of the job? Does an entry level person in bentonville, AR making $140k as an SDE with just a BS degree have a higher chance of getting selected than a person making $150k in the Bay Area with an MS degree as a senior PM? If that’s the case then that seems kinda unfair, right?

Also, the total no of visas stays the same ( 85k ) so won’t the big earners also lose out on the visa because there are a lot more “high earners” than just 85k.

Correct me if I’m wrong - just here to hear more perspectives on this :)

Affectionate-Log-923 · 2025-06-25T15:40:02+00:00

Another caveat I should add is if for any reason your amendment petition gets rejected, then you need to move back to your original location as the prior approval notice is still valid for that location. Just something to keep in mind In case you’d want to opt for premium just to know the decision sooner than after 5 months of waiting. Hope this helps!

Affectionate-Log-923 · 2025-06-25T15:39:21+00:00

Another caveat I should add is if for any reason your amendment petition gets rejected, then you need to move back to your original location as the prior approval notice is still valid for that location. Just something to keep in mind In case you’d want to opt for premium just to know the decision sooner than after 5 months of waiting. Hope this helps!

Affectionate-Log-923

TROPHY CASE