Hi Friends!

Here is my first trip report! I had to make a quick business trip to Tashkent from Winnipeg (where I live). While planning the trip I thought why not to include India enroute to meet my parents in CCU. The whole trip has 9 flight segments and 6 different airlines! Here they are:

1. YWG-YYZ: Westjet (WS) Boeing 737-800 : It was a reward ticket!


2. YYZ-FRA: Lufthansa (LH) Airbus 340-300


3. FRA-DEL: Lufthansa (LH) Boeing 747-400


4. DEL-CCU: Air Sahara (S2) Boeing 737-700


5. CCU-DEL: Indian Airlines (IC) Airbus 320


6. DEL-TAS: Uzbekistan Airways (HY) Airbus 310-300


7. TAS-SVO: Aeroflot (SU) Tupolev 154M (my all time favourite!!)


8. SVO-YYZ: Aeroflot (SU) Boeing 767-300ER


9. YYZ-YWG: Westjet (WS) Boeing 737-700

YWG-YYZ on Westjet: From check-in to landing at Toronto Pearson airport (Terminal 3), everything was very smooth. The cabin crew were great ( a refreshing change from Air Canada's mundane service)! Had enough time to change Terminal for my next flight.

YYZ-FRA on Lufthansa: I was among the firsts to check-in. Myself had very little luggage but saw others struggling with shape and weight restrictions. Pax profile: 35% India-bound, 20% Africa bound. Older 340 but nice and clean, inflight service is pretty basic but free drinks (even a second service!). Reached early morning at Frankfurt. I had to kill 6 hours before my flight to DEL. Tried to catch up some sleep but was chased around from one departure area to another as soon as a flight was assigned to that departure gate! Real shortage of space at FRA.

FRA-DEL on Lufthansa: As soon as our gate was announced, in no time I found myself surrounded by about 350 souls (mostly Indians). Hats off to LH..only they know how they fill up their so many flights to India day after day.

This Boeing had seen its better days long back but still does the job! The flight was almost full and food had a share of Indian dishes, so was the inflight entertainment. My neighbours were two young Indians, one of them was returning home after a gruelling IT assignment (phone never stopped ringing whenever she could keep it on), the other guy was returning home from an raw material sourcing trip all over Europe. Time just flew...in no time we landed at IGI DELHI.

DEL-CCU on Air Sahara: Bought this and IC tkt (CCU-DEL) on line thru a very popular portal, S2 was an e-ticket but IC was a paper ticket (couriered to my parent's CCU address well in time). Paid peanuts for both tickets ( I really don't know how long this price war can continue, it is just not sustainable). I was little sceptical about S2 but from "on time departure" to "in flight service" - everything was immaculate! And for a 7PM flight, the flight had about 95% load. I wish all the best to S2 (new avatar)! Also I had a first hand view of "Indian air travel revolution" in about 2 hours of my waiting (couldn't find an empty seat!) at DEL's domestic terminal.

CCU-DEL on Indian: We were about 30 pax for this older A320 morning flight on a weekday(with about 7-8 cabin crew members). But no delays, hassle free flight. This IC flight was about 5 years after I flew last with them but I found IC has come a long way! Competetion is keeping everyone slim and trim! Spotted Druk Air's A319 (just landed from either Paro or BKK) and Emirates A330 from Dubai.

DEL-TAS on Uzbekistan Airways: While waiting spotted quite a few interesting planes! First of all, AI's majestic 744 (velha Goa) getting ready for LHR-JFK run! We all complain about AI's lousy service but they are one of the few lucky airlines who has a very dedicated customer base (whether the loyalty is because of service quality or homely feeling on a desi airline, that's debatable). Spotted S2's infamous 767 parked far away, Virgin Atlatic's gorgeous 340-600 (spotless!) for LHR run. 9W's 340-300 just landed from LHR ( I guess).

Some more interesting observations while waiting to board my HY service to Tashkent. Very interesting pax profile on IC's service to Kabul from next gate. Lots of Indian migrant workers, quite a few Kabulis (some on medical treatment) and a good amount of westerners (embassy staff, aid worker, I guess). I bet IC is making a kill on this route. The other gate was for Bangladesh's GMG airline for their MD82 service to Dhaka. They had altogether 25 pax as the service was just introduced.

We waited for about 1 hour for traffic congestion. My neighbour (Uzbek elderly lady visited India first time on a business seminer) commented in Russian: "Traffic jam on land and now also on air!" Finally, we took off from the domestic runway (or is this the only runway?).

On landing at Tashkent Airport, spotted some vintage planes; IL-76F, IL-86, IL-114, Variety of Tupolevs, Yak-40, Yak-42 and also HY's modern aircrafts (757, 767, 313, AR8 etc)

TAS- SVO on Aeroflot: Finally on my favourite aircraft Tu-154. Believe me, TU5 gives you the best take-off and landing experience! I flew them many many times, never been disappointed. I was curious to see SU post-skyteam and was impressed. I asked for an english news paper on board, F/A (an middle aged lady) didn't have any but insisted on giving me one in Russian since I could utter a few Russian words! Very good load considering there are about 5-6 daily flights between TAS-Moscow. Landed at SVO on a very foggy morning. Forgot, Russians clap when a plane lands safely! Saw the same tradition in Africa.

SVO-YYZ on Aeroflot: I had doubt whether we will depart in time considering the poor visibility but I was proved wrong. Newer 767-300ER, pax load was about 50 altogether, everyone had a good sleep in the middle section of the plane soon after take-off. SU's meal quality has improved a lot, though the quantity was not enough for a 10.5 hours flight! The drinks were not complimentary (that's odd on a transatlantic flight). Landed at YYZ on time to catch the last flight of my journey on Westjet.

There I spotted AI's check in counters for YYZ-BHX-ATQ-DEL flight. The queue to the 3 or 4 check-in counters will remind you of the long serpentile lines once we used to form to submit stock application forms of some blue chip companies post-1991  reform era of Dr. Singh. Now I know how Mr. Thulasidas keeps smiling (ear to ear) even when AI fails to maintain its schedule regularly on this route (some Indian agents will tell you not to buy tkts on some particlular days on AI flights ex-YYZ, "Woh flight nehi aayega, mat lijiye"). Anyway, the sight made me proud.

YYZ-YWG on Westjet:YWG is one of the less happening airports I have ever been. But it's good to be back home (even though the temp is minus 25 degree)!

Guys, I had some photos but don't know how to upload (I am from old economy). But your comments are welcome!