Downgrading from Singapore Airlines to Indian Airlines - what happened?

Singapore Airlines wins awards for being the best airline. You get more privileges if you book a premium economy seat, or are a frequent flyer. 

My husband earlier this year took a flight to Singapore on a longer but cheaper Air Indian route instead of direct on Singapore Airlines, at a considerable saving. The alternative flight he chose involved a stopover of a few hours at an airport in India. Was it worth it and would he do it again, or recommend it to me or you?

I thought that having an Indian meal, or two, might be interesting. It could be fun, seeing another country's foreign airport in transit.

He said these were the advantages.

1 He saved a lot of money.

2 The Indian food was better, more interesting.

In flight meal. Photo by Trevor Sharot. Copyright.

3 He was able to use a lounge during the stopover.

If you don't have a free lounge linked to your regular airlines, the cost of using a lounge on a one-off basis as a paying guest might still leave you considerably better off than flying on a more expensive leg of the journey.

The disadvantages:

Packing comparison

Increased risk of losing luggage, or personal items you accidentally leave behind in the transit airport or extra flight when you are overtired and stressed and thinking about making your connection.

Carrying bulky items such as climbing sticks for trekking is a nuisance when you have to keep hold of them in transit. He had to take a larger suitcase in order to pack them into checked luggage.

Not using the regular airline which gave him extra luggage weight allowance meant he could not pack food and drink in heavy bottles in a bulky heavy container. He had to decant wine into a Platy Preserve and take a lighter folding cool bag.

Frozen food and perishable food and drink would be in transit longer and less likely to be fresh or even edible and drinkable at the other end.

In Flight Comparison

On one leg of the flight he had no movie screen, no pillow and no blanket. When he asked, he was given a pillow borrowed from another class.

Verdict

Even if you don't mind the hours at the transit airport, the entire time spent between leaving home and reaching your destination might be exhausting or eat into a holiday or working week.

So he saved money in peak season, but will return to his favourite airline in the off season when prices are lower.

Useful Websites

https://seatguru.com

https://www.flyertalk.com

https://seatguru.com/help.php

https://www.flyertalk.com/articles/airlines-targeted-in-google-search-scam.html

Please share links to your favourite blog posts.

Argopuro Trek Pictures, near Surabaya, Island of Java, Indonesia

Trevor Sharot on the jetty on the lake half way up, or half way down, Argopuro. Photo by Trevor Sharot. Copyright.

So peaceful. Think of the Simon and Garfunkel song, 'the sound of silence', an oxymoron (contradiction) which suddenly makes sense. The perfect moment. the perfect picture.



Walking across uneven wet stones. This is why only the most intrepid take treks like this. Not for the nervous. If you are unsteady on your feet you need others willing and able to assist. Not everybody carries sticks. Younger people tend not to take sticks. Two sticks are handy in situations like this.

If you are on a handphone or laptop you cannot see the person in front has sticks. If you have blown this post up on a screen in an study at home or an office at work or a hotel conference centre you can see the sticks.

Socks
In town we would carry a second pair of dry socks to cope with rain and puddles and open toe sandals. On a trek, instead Goretex boots are waterproof for a short time.



Triumphal arrival at the top. Argopuro. Indonesia. Photo by Trevor Sharot.

Photo taken with a mini tripod. you have to make sure the picture is in focus. If your camera has focused on grass or branches or stones in the foreground, your group of people may be out of focus. So you have to push or cut anything in the way of the lens. Then take the picture again. Perfection.

For more photos by Trevor Sharot see
trevorsharotphotography.com

Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker.