Welcome to my Flight Review For 2024!
My flying stats for 2024 (Photo: Flighty)
Another great year for my flying adventure, visiting new cities and spending time with my loved ones. I had a lot of fond memories such as flying on New Year's Day and also flying on one of my favourite airlines on my birthday. What makes this year travel more enjoyable compared to 2023 is the requirement of the covid vaccination certificate was dropped and the need to show the negative result of the covid test is no longer required in all the cities I been to and that saved a lot of time and money.
Flights: 33
Introduction
Photo: Konstantin von Wedelstaedt
Economy Class
In this flight review, I would list down my thoughts and summary of each airline and the flight experience with them, similar to my previous flight reviews. Hope you find the information useful. Without further ado, let's begin!
My flight routes for 2024
Flights: 33
Total Miles: 46,999
Classes Flown: Business, Premium Economy and Economy Class
Most Flown Aircraft Type:
Airbus A350-900 (5 flights)
New aircraft type flown in 2024:
ERJ-190 E2
Worst Delay
Qantas A380 QF 1: SIN-LHR (1 hour delay)
Airlines and Aircraft flown in 2024:
Aegean Airlines: A320ceo and A320neo
Akasa Air: B737-8
Air Do: B767-300ER X 2
Air India: A350-900
Air India Express: B737-8
Batik Air Malaysia: B737-800
China Airlines: A350-900 X2
EVA Air: B787-10
Gulf Air: A321neo and B787-9
Indigo: A321neo X2
Japan Airlines: A350-900
Juneyao Airlines: B787-9 X2
Peach Aviation: A320ceo
Qantas: A380 X2
Scoot: A320ceo and ERJ-190 E2
Skymark: B737-800
Solaseed Air: B737-800
Singapore Airlines: A350-900 and Boeing 787-10
Skyexpress: A320neo
TAP: A320neo and A321neo
Thai Airways: A320ceo
Vistara: A320neo and A321neo
22 Airports visited in 2024 (* denotes first visit)
*Frankfurt
*Athens
*Thessaloniki
*Bahrain
London Heathrow
*Lisbon
Shanghai (PVG)
*Mumbai
*Delhi
*Bengaluru
*Hyderabad
*Chennai
Subang
Kuala Lumpur
*Hat Yai
Bangkok
Taipei (TPE)
Taipei (TSA)
*Okinawa
*Fukuoka
Tokyo (HND)
Sapporo (CTS)
11 Countries Visited: India, Japan, Malaysia, Thailand, England, Germany, Greece, Bahrain, China, Taiwan and Portugal.
Summary of my flight experience with the airlines flown in 2024
1. Aegean Airlines
Introduction
I kicked start the year by flying this Star Alliance airline from Frankfurt to Athens, a new route for me and the visits of both airports were also the first time for me. Later on I planned a trip to Thessaloniki, flying the return leg with this airline on the airline's A320ceo so I get to experience both the domestic and international flight experience with this airline.
Frankfurt has been one of the airports I wanted to visit for a very long time and I managed to find a great fare from Singapore to this airport and then I decided to some hops over a few cities for the route back to Singapore and Athens came into my mind with Aegean Airlines an easy decision to made.
I found a good fare for the one-way ticket on new year's day and once you see it, don't hestiate, book it immediately because sometimes once the offers goes away, it might not come back.
1st Flight: Airbus A320neo SX-NEC FRA-ATH (1st Jan 2024)
Economy Class
2nd Flight: Airbus A320ceo SX-DNA (Route: SKG-ATH)
Photo: Konstantin von Wedelstaedt
Economy Class
My thoughts
My impression of the airline is favourable as on the first flight, I was treated to a nice 2024 celebration by the crew distributing a 2024 theme cupcake and a cup of champagne offered to us, I thought that was quite memorable. For the 2nd flight, I thought the crew handled quite well especially it was a turbulent flight and I find the service on both flights quite pleasant. What makes the ride more pleasant is the complimentary wifi available on both flights with good connection as I was able to keep myself occupied especially during the turbulent flight on the 2nd flight.
As for the economy class seats, they are similar to the ones you see on low cost carriers and so is the legroom space. There are no seatback entertainment system but at least there is usb charging ports and inflight wifi to keep your mind occupied. For the legroom space, I find it bearable for these relatively short flights. Lastly for the business class, I can't see myself paying more for it since my priority in flying business class is the seats on board. Lounge access and inflight meals are great but I prefer to be able to stretch my legs and recline them to make myself feel more comfortable.
My rating:
Frankfurt Airport Experience: 4/5
Inflight Service: 4/5
Inflight Snacks: 5/5
Economy Class Seats: 3/5
Cleanliness: 5/5
Inflight Entertainment: 4/5 (Wifi Streaming)
Total Score: 25/30
Percentage: 83%
2. Akasa Air
Akasa Air is the newest airline in the Indian aviation started operation 2 years ago in 2022. This airline made a huge impression with some aggressive marketing from the airline management and that certainly caught the public's attention. I was quite impressed with how the airline set themselves up and how they have managed so far with a fleet of only Boeing 737 MAX fleet. Although I am not a fan of this aircraft model, I have to give the management credits for how things are running and if it wasn't because of the delivery delays of the aircraft, the airline's fleet would have been doubled by now.
Boeing 737 MAX 8 VT-YAK (Route: BOM-BLR)
Economy Class
My thoughts
Despite the late departure and a bit of drama on board the flight (family wanted to sit together so I ended up giving up my seat 6A to move to 1F), it was a pleasant flight with the friendly crew and the fairly comfortable seat making this flight an enjoyable one. I like the cabin interior and the service was not bad, I was glad the cabin crew didn't forget my pre-order snack and beverage after I shifted to a new seat. Comparing the bulkhead row seat and my original seat 6A, the former has better legroom space and I recommend it for tall passengers. For flights not longer than 3 hours, the standard seat is bearable. Akasa Air also operates the 737 MAX 8-200 and that has 197 seats in an identical size aircraft, I can imagine how tight the legroom space is on that aircraft! As this is a low cost carrier, there is no in-flight entertainment and you can pre-ordered (my recommendation) the snack and beverage during the booking process. Overall, I am glad to have ticked this airline of my list and have no hestiation flying with this airline on my next adventure in India.
My ratings
Mumbai Airport Experience: 3/5
Inflight Service: 4/5
Inflight Snack: 4/5
Seat Comfort: 4/5
Cleanliness: 4/5
In-Flight Entertainment: 0/5
Total Score: 19/30
Percentage: 63%
3. Air Do
Introduction
I had about 2 days in Tokyo and my original plan was to spend a day for sightseeing. However I decided to use this free day to do a joyride on this airline, furthermore I wanted to fly on the airline's pokemon jet and I decided to go for it both ways on the 767. The Boeing 767 is well known for its versatility and often is compared to Airbus's A330 but personally I find the A310 more of a rival to this aircraft model and of course the 767 wins the battle hands down. It's great to see these former ANA's aircraft are still in operation and they are been well loved by both the ground and air crew.
1st Flight: Boeing 767-381ER JA613A (HND-CTS)
Economy Class
Photo: Jerry Pang
Economy Class
My thoughts
The airline, a subsidiary of ANA, offers a comfortable economy class cabin in both the B737-700 and B767-300ER fleet. It seems to be more of a hybrid airline offering complimentary beverage, 20kg baggage allowance and seat assignment for passengers, making it affordable for passengers who prefer to travel without worrying about all these. I find the airfare to be at a reasonable cost and what I enjoy about the airline is I don't have to worry about adding extra costs as once I book my air ticket, I get to enjoy these perks.
My inflight experience on both flights were similar, I enjoyed the comfortable seats and the complimentary beverage of hot soup was great on these short haul flights. The cabin looks clean and well maintained and there is even online streaming available so I do recommend this airline? Definitely, you can't go wrong flying with airlines under the ANA group.
My ratings
Tokyo Haneda Airport Experience: 5/5
Inflight Service: 4/5
Inflight Snack: 4/5
Seat Comfort: 4/5
Cleanliness: 5/5
In-Flight Entertainment: 3/5
Total Score: 25/30
Percentage: 83%
4. Air India
Introduction
Air India's reputation has not been the best in recent years with a lot of passengers complaining about the airline's poor soft and hard products on board the aircraft and I did had an experience before the TATA group's takeover. However, after the takeover from the TATA group, the airline has made a few significant changes including an upgrade and expansion of its current fleet. When the airline announced it was inducting a fleet of 6 A350-900 undelivered to Aeroflot from Airbus, I knew I had to give this airline a try especially on the domestic routes. Fortunately for me ,everything went to plan and I got to experience the airline's business class (designed by Aeroflot) experience and it has to be one of the most enjoyable flights to date. Currently there is no news about the airline's owned A350-900 and -1000 aircraft that will be joining the fleet in 2026 regarding the cabin products. Whatever it is, I am glad I have done this before the aircraft started international routes.
Airbus A350-900 VT-JRF (Route: BOM-DEL)
Business Class
My thoughts
This business class seats are different from the airline's owned business class product and comparing between both is like comparing apples and oranges. This product is newer and in my opinion, one of the best in the market. I thoroughly enjoyed myself in this cabin and find the flight time too short to enjoy it. The sliding door adds more privacy and is very useful for long haul flights when one decides to take a rest and I can imagine myself sleeping many hours on it. For the inflight meal, I find out it to be quite delicious and because this is just a domestic flight, the purpose for the airline is to gain enough experience before being allowed to deploy the aircraft on long haul destinations, I didn't get much time to thoroughly enjoy the experience. However this flight gave me a good impression and I am looking forward to seeing the airline's new aircraft in the fleet from their recent massive order of over 450 aircraft!
My ratings
Mumbai Airport Experience: 3/5
Inflight Service: 4/5
Inflight Meal: 5/5
Seat Comfort: 5/5
Cleanliness: 5/5
In-Flight Entertainment: 5/5
Total Score: 27/30
Percentage: 90%
5. Air India Express
Introduction
I was originally booked with 2 airlines, AIX Connect and Air India Express (Both airlines were merged into Air India Express) but somehow the schedule on the airline's app had forced me to make a last minute change otherwise I might get stranded at Bengaluru. AIX Connect is formerly known as Air Asia India and the airline was sold to the TATA group. With the flight Bengaluru to Goa cancelled, I rebooked myself on the direct flight to Hyderabad.
Just like it's parent airline, Air India, this low-cost subsidairy also undergo changes including a new livery and I was keen to try out on the aircraft featuring the new livery and my flight was operated by the Boeing 737 MAX 8. The Boeing 737-8 aircraft was not taken up by the Chinese Airlines so the TATA group and a few other airlines took the chance to snap these aircraft probably at a discounted rate, that is why some of these airlines are quietly expanding their fleet.
Boeing 737-8 VT-BXU (Route: BLR-HYD)
Photo: Sriram Hariharam
Economy Class
My thoughts
Although this is not the airline's owned product, I like the economy class seats, finding it to be quite comfortable. The extra legroom space at the emergency row is a nice bonus but I still felt disappointed that I lost my original seat can had to settle for a aisle seat at the emergency row, still it was better than being originally placed in a middle seat. The flight was quite a pleasant one with my snack being served quite late during the flight due to bad weather during departure from Bengaluru. This airline is currently expanding the fleet very quickly as it is currently taking delivery of the 737 MAX 8 aircraft not taken up by various Chinese Airlines. It is operating a mixed fleet of Airbus A320ceo/neo and Boeing 737 MAX 8 and in the future the 737 MAX 10 will join the fleet once this aircraft is certified. A big future for this low cost carrier as the TATA group aims to give the competitors the run of their money.
My ratings
Bengaluru Airport Experience: 5/5
Inflight Service: 4/5
Inflight Meal: 4/5
Seat Comfort: 4/5
Cleanliness: 5/5
In-Flight Entertainment: 0/5
Total Score: 22/30
Percentage: 73%
6. Batik Air Malaysia
Introduction
Batik Air Malaysia is formerly known as Malindo Air is a key player in the Malaysian aviation, giving Air Asia and Malaysia Airlines some much need competition among themselves. The last time I flew with this airline was when the airline was under the Malindo Air branding. As I arrived the previous day with Scoot to try out the inaugural flight from Singapore Changi to Subang Airport, I thought why not try out Batik Air Malaysia to see whether there is any remarkable difference between now and before.
Batik Air Malaysia Airlines operates a small fleet of Airbus A330-300 and Boeing 737-800/MAX 8 and is owned by the Lion Air Group (Based in Indonesia). In 2016, the previous rebranding Malindo was changed to Batik Air Malaysia adopting the Batik Air's livery as shown below. Now it is expanding with a current fleet of 41 aircraft and more are due to join the fleet.
Batik Air Boeing 737-800 9M-LCU (Route: KUL-SIN)
Economy Class
My thoughts
After my recent flight with this airline, it is quite obvious the management has cut cost by removing some of the amenities offered to the passengers such as complimentary snack and beverages. If you want snacks or beverages, you need to pay for them. Depending on your airfare ticket, the cheapest tier means you have to pay for your seat selection, a common practice among every airline these days. Back then when the airline was under Malindo, I remember seat selection was complimentary regardless of what class you booked. Those were the days!
This cabin interior is standard between the Batik Air Malaysia and Batik Air Indonesia fleet, the aircraft are interchangable so that means any aircraft from either fleet can transfer over to the other if demands requires, all they need to do is to re-register the aircraft and pay for the necessary documents to allow the aircraft to operate in the country.
Since the IFE system was not in operation for this flight, I managed to rest a bit on this flight. The inflight service was ok and BOB (Buy On Board) service was offered. As many on board didn't purchase anything, there wasn't much interaction between the cabin crew and the passengers. As this was a 45 minutes flight, it was a routine flight, only thing I didn't like was the misalignment of the window so if you are flying with this airline's 737-800, avoid row 8A and row 8F.
My ratings
KUL Airport Experience: 3/5
Inflight Service: 3/5
Inflight Snack: 0/5
Seat Comfort: 4/5
Cleanliness: 5/5
In-Flight Entertainment: -
Total Score: 15/25
Percentage: 60%
After flying with Starlux not too long ago, I thought at this time would be a great time to try out China Airlines and the A350. While the airline's product may feature the older products compare to Starlux, I would still do a comparison between both airlines and how China Airlines could innovate themselves by introducing an even better cabin product in all classes for 2027.
For those wondering, China Airlines is based in Taiwan and is a national airline for the country while Air China is the national airline for mainland China.
I have flown a few times with the airline before on the airline's A330-300, Boeing 737-800, Boeing 747-400 and there wasn't anything excited about these flights as the cabin of these aircraft were quite dated. So to try out the airline's latest aircraft in the fleet, hopefully gives me a better impression of the airline.
1st Flight: Airbus A350-900 B-18907 (Route: SIN-TPE)
Photo: Mark A.Harris
2nd Flight: Airbus A350-900 B-18919 (Route: TPE-SIN)
Photo: Steve Chang
Photo: Steve Chang
For the trip report, click here
My thoughts
While there is nothing much to get excited over both the premium economy and economy class products, it is certainly an improvement in cabin experience over the older aircraft such as the Airbus A330-300 (due to be replaced by the Boeing 787-9) and the Boeing 737-800 (being gradually replaced by the A321neo). What I like about both of my flights are the decent inflight meals and the inflight entertainment which is adequate for the duration of my flight.
The airline could certainly improve on the website/mobile app, it is not very user-friendly and the current cabin products (B-18907) are certainly not the best out there, personally I find the premium economy class seat to be a bit uncomfortable especially after a few hours on it. For the SAS configured cabin on the B-18919, I thought SAS did a decent job with the cabin products and the premium cabin is my preferred choice over the China Airlines's product. However the airline has announced plans to upgrade the 3 classes and I can't wait to see them.
For now, this airline's future is bright. With a recent announcement order of new aircraft such as the A350-1000 and Boeing 777-9, these aircraft will most likely be fitted with the new cabin and hopefully the products will be competitive against its fiercest rivals. More competition the better for us.
My ratings
SIN and TPE Airport Experience: 5/5
Inflight Service: 3/5
Inflight Meals: 4/5
Seat Comfort: 3.5/5
Cleanliness: 5/5
In-Flight Entertainment: 3.5/5
Total Score: 24/30
Percentage: 80%
8. EVA Air
Introduction
I don't think it is a secret that EVA Air is one of my favourite airlines in my list. For my birthday, I decided to fly with this 5 star airline on the airline's Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner and the route I decided happened to be at the airports I first flew the Boeing 787, reminiscing the moments of excitement and joy of flying even in the dreadful weather in Tokyo, experiencing the dreamliner flying through some rough turbulence and this day, I would fly from HND to Taipei Songshan airport on the airline's workhorse, the 787-10.
This taiwanese airline has grown from strength to strength these years and I have been lucky to watch it grow, flying the airline's Boeing 747-400 Combi, Airbus A330-200/300 and also the Hello Kitty aircraft, capturing the hearts of the small kids looking out and smiling when a hello kitty aircraft approaches the gate or passing through.
Next month (May 2025), I will be flying on EVA Air's 787-9 Dreamliner, stay tuned for the trip report.
EVA Air Boeing 787-10 B-17809 (Route: HND-TSA)
For the trip report, click here
My thoughts
This is the newer economy class product from EVA Air featured only on the Boeing 787 fleet. I am quite familar with the popular Recaro CL3710 which many airlines picked for the economy class seats and the comfort level also depends on the seat cover and for this case, it is quite comfortable. The ride of 3 hours 40 minutes went past very quickly as the flight was what you expect, a comfortable ride assisted by the lovely set of crew who were hardworking through out the flight. The inflight service in general has been on the up curve with many travellers like myself has been impressed with the airline's inflight service. As for the inflight food, I thought the beef rice option was quite good.
Only bad thing I need to voice out about the airline is the mobile app and the website, they are both not user-friendly as one needs to get past a couple of obstacles in order to log into the account. While the mobile app allows the account to stay online for a while but you can't access or manage your account directly as the option on the app will direct you to the website which you need to log in. Let's replace this with the Face ID if the need of extra security is mandatory.
Other than that, I am quite pleased with my flight experience with the airline's service and also finally tick the airline's Boeing 787 off my list.
My ratings
HND Airport Experience: 5/5
Inflight Service: 5/5
Inflight Meals: 5/5
Seat Comfort: 4/5
Cleanliness: 5/5
In-Flight Entertainment: 4/5
Total Score: 28/30
Percentage: 93%
9. Gulf Air
Introduction
Flying with Gulf Air came into my mind while I was deciding on the one-way flights from Singapore to Frankfurt and onwards to Athens before heading home. It so happens that I found some amazing fare and I decided to go for it so my final stop was at Athens and Greece is one of the cities that I wanted to visit for quite a while so once I decide my route to Athens, it was then I had to decide which airline would fly me home from there. 3 airlines came into my mind, they were Saudia, Gulf Air and Scoot. Scoot and Saudia's airfare were quite expensive and the funny thing about Scoot is that it actually cost lesser to fly out of Berlin that means the route would be Berlin-Athens-Singapore so would I want to fly from Athens to Berlin and fly home from there just for the cheaper fare? I don't think so, so the idea of flying with Scoot was dropped and Gulf Air was the best option after comparing with Saudia as the fare is not only cheaper but I get to fly the A321neo-LR. The LR version from the passengers point of view is no different from the standard version but from the technical point of view, the LR can fly further.
Anyway, flying with Gulf Air allows me to fly the A321LR to Bahrain and from there I fly the 787-9 Dreamliner to Singapore. With this trip done, I didn't have to do the 5th freedom flight which the airline operated from Singapore to Bangkok (This route ended on the 27th October 2024).
1st Flight: Gulf Air Airbus A321LR A9C-XD (Route: ATH-BAH)
Photo: Alperen Yeni
Economy Class
2nd Flight: Gulf Air Boeing 787-9 A9C-FJ
My thoughts
I am glad to be able to take experience the Gulf Air, however, I wasn't impressed with the inflight service on the 1st leg (ATH-BAH) but the service on the 2nd leg was definitely better. Inflight meals were quite good and the seats were comfortable. Is it worth giving the airline a try? I say why not especially if you get the chance to fly on the business class cabin on the 787 Dreamliner.
My ratings
ATH and BAH Airport Experience: 4/5
Inflight Service: 3/5
Inflight Meals: 4/5
Seat Comfort: 4/5
Cleanliness: 5/5
In-Flight Entertainment: 4/5
Total Score: 24/30
Percentage: 80%
10. Indigo
Introduction
This airline has to be one of the fastest growing airlines in India, operating a fleet of ATR 72 and Airbus A320 family aircraft. The airline also wet leased numerous Boeing aircraft such as the 737 MAX 8 (Qatar), Boeing 777-300ER (Turkish Airlines) and Boeing 787-9 (Norse) to align with its ambition to grow and operate international flights. It has plans to use its own aircraft when they are delivered (A350-900) on routes to the North America and Europe. The airline has shown a lot of evolution recently by introducing its own business class cabin but are they stepping away from the low cost model? Perhaps only on the international routes. Whatever it is, it's nice to see some much needed competition especially on the international routes.
Regarding my 2nd flight with the airline, I was originally planned to fly on one of the domestic routes but later on because Spicejet cancelled the route from Hyderabad to Chennai, I decided to book with Indigo on this sector as the flight timing was more suitable for me compared to the other airlines.
1st Flight: Indigo Airbus A321neo VT-ILG
Economy Class
2nd Flight: Indigo Airbus A321neo VT-IUP (Route: HYD-MAA)
Economy Class
My thoughts
This is a low cost carrier that offer basic amenities, with no frill service and just like any other airlines, you need to top up in order to make your flight more comfortable. While I find the seat quite comfortable, I was disappointed for the lack of usb charging ports and at least on these flights, there was no IFE streaming or anything so you need to bring your own entertainment. However, for the airline to offer cheaper fares, some sacrifices have to be made such like not installing wifi system on board or IFE screen so for the flight duration of most flights in India, they are not really necessary.
I find the service on board both flights to be pleasant and the pre-ordered sandwich was quite delicious. While I am not a fan of the high density configured A321neo, it was bearable for these short flights. For the bean counters at the airlines, they love this sort of aircraft as it brings more revenue especially if the routes can easily fill up these seats. For us, it is like a torture especially if the flight is full but my experience on both flights were not too bad, still I prefer to fly on a 2-class cabin narrow-body when the option is available.
Overall, this is a good airline and I hope to try out the business class on some of their selected A320neo or A321neo in the near future.
My rating
DEL and HYD Airport Experience: 3/5
Inflight Service: 4/5
Inflight Meals: 4/5
Seat Comfort: 3/5
Cleanliness: 5/5
In-Flight Entertainment: -
Total Score: 19/25
Percentage: 76%
Introduction
Japan Airlines is one of the top airlines and I was lucky to have flown it before during the Boeing 747 days and during that time, the airline was operating an all Boeing fleet. It came to a surprise for many of us when the airline ordered the Airbus A350-900 to replace the Boeing 777-200/-300 (Non ER) on the domestic routes. I thought the airline would have opted for the Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner. However, according to the sources from the internet, at that time before JAL placed an order for the 777 domestic aircraft replacement, the airline was not happy with Boeing for the 787 issues and also I think they received a very good offer from Airbus for the A350. So today, the airline is operating the A350-900 which replaced the Boeing 777-200 and since the 777-300 has a bigger capacity, there isn't a direct replacement for this aircraft, I suppose the airline would just increase the frequency on the former 777-300 routes.
This time in Japan, flying the airline's A350-900 was my top priority and I managed to find a suitable route, OKA-HND. In addition, I decided to treat myself by paying a bit more to enjoy the class J (equivalent to Premium Economy) on this flight.
As far as I know, the Japan Airlines management is very happy with the A350 performance and they have shown it by ordering more of this aircraft for international routes and ordered a replacement A350 to replace the aircraft (JA13XJ) on the domestic route. In addition to the A350-900, the airline also ordered the -1000 version and are operating them now on international routes. I have plans to fly on this model, so stay tuned for this update.
Japan Airlines A350-900 JA08XJ (Route: OKA-HND)
Class J
My thoughts
This domestic configured aircraft I dare say is better than some of the other A350 operators out there. The cabin interior is amazing with 3 different classes catered for different types of travellers. As these aircraft are operating only on short haul domestic flights, I think they are fantastic, a top class product in all classes, that's for sure. There is not a need to lie-flat beds as the recliner seats in both the Class J and First Class cabin are comfortable. I thought the airline has done its homework and design an excellent product on this aircraft. I can imagine how good the international configured aircraft is like on the A350-1000.
Inflight service was top notch and even though I was reminded not to photograph anyone on board in a polite manner, we ended up chatting for a bit and it was nice to be able to interact with the cabin crew, exchanging knowledge. Although there is no meal service (only beverage was provided) in this class (only First Class gets full meal service), I thoroughly enjoyed this flight with a great cabin and inflight service.
I highly recommend you to give the airline's A350. Currently this aircraft is operating on some of the popular routes such as Osaka Itami to Okinawa, Okinawa to Tokyo Haneda and Tokyo Haneda to Fukuoka.
My rating
OKA Airport Experience: 4/5
Inflight Service: 5/5
Inflight Beverage: 5/5
Seat Comfort: 5/5
Cleanliness: 5/5
In-Flight Entertainment: 5/5
Total Score: 29/30
Percentage: 96%
12. Juneyao Airlines
Introduction
Juneyao Air is one of the many airlines in mainland China wanting a piece of action in the aviation market starting from 2005 and became a household name not long after. Initially it started with a fleet of Airbus A320 narrowbody aircraft, the airline expanded its fleet and ordered both the A320neo and Boeing 787 aircraft for expansion in both the domestic and international scene. This airline went against all odds thrown against them especially from the main carriers (Air China, China Eastern and China Southern) but fortunately the airline weathered the storm especially during the covid period and now the airline is doing well operating both domestic and international routes.
1st Flight: Juneyao Air Boeing 787-9 B-207N (Route: SIN-PVG)
Economy Class
2nd Flight: Juneyao Air Boeing 787-9 B-207N (Route: PVG-SIN)
My thoughts
The most frustrating part about flying with this airline is the booking process. While I was about to successfully completed my booking, I was not able to do the selection of seat and complete the online check-in so I had to do so at the counter. The reason for that is a local chinese mobile number is required and since I don't have that, there was nothing much I can do. So without this number, I also was not able to take advantage of the complimentary wifi. Apart from these issues, I enjoyed my flight experience.
As you can see from the photo, the popular Ricaro CL3710 was selected for the Boeing 787 fleet and like any other airlines with this seat, it is comfortable and the colours does match the corperate livery of the airline. The inflight service and meals on both flights were not bad and for the money I paid, I think its money well spent. Flying back was better for me as I had the whole row to myself and the time I went was a good time because the Boeing 787-9 at that time were not yet deployed on the international long haul routes so instead of leaving their aircraft around at the airport, they chose Singapore as a destination to deploy the aircraft and also help both the cabin crew and pilots gain more valuable experience.
What I hope from the airline is to improve their website/mobile app and allowed foreign travellers to use their local number to access the wifi or make seat selection during the booking process.
My rating
SIN Airport Experience: 5/5
Inflight Service: 4/5
Inflight Beverage: 4/5
Seat Comfort: 4/5
Cleanliness: 5/5
In-Flight Entertainment: 3/5
Total Score: 25/30
Percentage: 83%
13. Peach Aviation
Introduction
I had to make a decision on which airline to fly from Taipei to Okinawa as I had an event to attend to and my first choice was actually Jetstar Japan however that requires a stopover and the air fare was not favourable so I ended up decided to fly with this airline as it offers the best timing (evening flight) and also get the chance to see how the airline is like in 2024. At this point, the airline operates the A320ceo, A320neo and A321neoLR but unfortunately, the older A320 version operates on this route and there was only a very small percentage of my flight being operated by the A320neo.
Do you guys remember Vanilla Air? It is a low-cost carrier that was managed by the ANA group and the airline was merged with Peach Aviation and became a single company under Peach, therefore this airline has grown in size andnow flying quite a number of regional and domestic routes with the longest route, Osaka to Singapore, operated by the A321neoLR.
Peach Aviation A320ceo JA820P (Route: TPE-OKA)
Photo: Yamasan
Economy Class
My thoughts
My flight experience for this flight was similar to my previous 3 flights, the standard low-cost carrier seats - they are alright for short haul flights and the wonderful Japanese hospitality. I noticed for the inflight menu, they seem to have lesser selection and what is new to me is the online streaming (Wifi) is available but with limited choices of entertainment, at least there is an inflight map to look at during the flight. For this one hour flight, it was a quick and pleasant. You can't go wrong with any of the Japanese low cost airlines.
As for the airline's website and mobile app, I find them more user-friendly compared to the my previous booking experience with the airline years ago. The information on my flights was clear and I was able to navigate the website without any issues.
It's great to fly with this airline once again with one of my favourite low cost carriers. I hope to do the Osaka-Singapore route in the near future with the A321neoLR.
My rating
TPE Airport Experience: 5/5
Inflight Service: 4/5
Inflight Beverage: NA
Seat Comfort: 3/5
Cleanliness: 4.5/5
In-Flight Entertainment: 2.5/5
Total Score: 19/25
Percentage: 76%
14. Qantas
Introduction
I could have flown this airline many years ago but because I chose to fly on Air France's Boeing 777-200 (Brand new at that point of time) over the airline's 747SP, my fate to fly with this airline didn't take place until 20 years later on the airline's A380 from Singapore to London and return.
This is the national airline of Australia that is well known of its kangaroo's tail livery and there are a good mix of reviews of the airline and finally I took the chance in 2024 when the airline re-introduced the A380 SYD-SIN-LHR route after suspending it during the Covid period. This 5th freedom flight allows tickets to be sold in stopover, flying either to Sydney or London and thankfully this gave me a chance to try out Qantas on the long haul flight.
1st Flight: Qantas A380 VH-OQD (Route: SIN-LHR)
Photo: Jonathan Rankin
Economy Class
2nd Flight: Qantas Airbus A380 VH-OQH (Route: LHR-SIN)
Photo: Paul McCarthy
Economy Class
My thoughts
While the Qantas A380's economy class inflight product has a lot to be desired, the inflight service on both flights makes up for it. I was pleasantly surprised how nice the crew were and the inflight meals were great. After being warned what to expect on my first Qantas experience, it didn't turn out that bad although the only thing I have to complain is the hardware on board the A380 but from what I heard at that time, the airline has plans to upgrade the cabins so let's see what happens then.
For booking with the airline, the website and mobile app were not bad. I was able to book my flights and do the online check in on the mobile app without issues. The economy class seats were not too bad and on the return flight, I had an extra seat besides me which makes the ride more comfortable. So overall I thought my experience with Qantas was ok.
I hope to fly on the airline's A350-1000 from SYD to LHR probably taking place in 2027. Watch this space!
My rating
LHR Airport Experience: 3.5/5
Inflight Service: 4/5
Inflight Meals: 4/5
Seat Comfort: 3/5
Cleanliness: 5/5
In-Flight Entertainment: 2.5/5
Total Score: 22/30
Percentage: 73%
15. Scoot
Introduction
Scoot is a Singapore Airlines' subsidiary set up to operate to compete against the other low cost carriers in the region. This airline took delivery of the first ERJ-190E2 and would go on to operate a total of 9 aircraft, leased from Azorra. With the introduction of this regional jet, the airline can expand its network and start flights to destination that doesn't require a lot of capacity and replace the A320's low demand routes.
I booked 2 flights with this airline for different reasons: the first is to try out the airline's ERJ-190E2 aircraft and the second reason is to fly on the airline's inaugural flight from Singapore to Subang and this is significant because the airport based in Subang, Selangor, allowed the jet aircraft of the size of the A320 or Boeing 737-800 to operate at that airport.
1st Flight: Scoot Embraer ERJ-190-E2 9V-THA (Route: SIN-HDY)
Economy
2nd Flight: Scoot A320ceo 9V-TRX (Route: SIN-SZB)
Economy Class
My thoughts
The Embraer ERJ-190E2 is a smaller size aircraft compared to the A320ceo (2-2 vs 3-3 seating configuration) and the best thing about this arrangement is there is no middle seat but I find the cabin to be quite cramp. However, the aircraft is an upgrade over the E1 version such as the quieter cabin and the Embraer's new cabin interior which enhance the passenger's comfort. For Scoot's configuration on both A320 and ERJ-190, there is no USB charging port but WiFi streaming is available and of course meals can be pre-ordered or order on board if BOB (Buy on Board) service is available. I find the inflight service on both flights to be alright and the older A320ceo may have the older cabin products but they are still around due to the A320neo's engine issues and once they are sorted out and more A320neo delivered, we can expect them to be retired. For both flights, I didn't try order the meal due to the exoribitant price.
Although this is a low cost carrier, I find the airfare to some of the destinations compared to some of the full cost carriers to be quite expensive, and for the slight price differences, I rather fly with the full cost airlines.
My rating
SIN Airport Experience: 5/5
Inflight Service: 3/5
Inflight Meals: -
Seat Comfort: 3/5
Cleanliness: 5/5
In-Flight Entertainment: 3/5
Total Score: 19/25
Percentage: 76%
16. Skymark
Introduction
Skymark is one of the low cost carriers in Japan giving the major airlines good competition especially in the domestic market. This airline has always been in my mind especially when they hit the news in the Airbus A330-200 and A380 order which happened many years ago and the A380 delivery didn't take place for financial reasons. Although I missed out the chance to fly on the airline's A330, I am glad to have finally ticked this off my list.
I booked with this airline on the Fukuoka to Okinawa route, hoping to fly on the airline's one of the 2 Pokemon aircraft in service, but that didn't happen. The airline has a schedule for the pokemon aircraft, you can check them out over here.
Skymark Airlines Boeing 737-800 JA73NT (Route: FUK-OKA)
Economy Class
My thoughts
For a low cost carrier, I think this airline is pretty good. Not only does the airline offers compliementary beverage, charging ports are available on this Boeing 737-800. The airline has recently introduced new economy class seats which would replaced these seats as shown on the photo above. Personally, I find the seats quite comfortable but the legroom space is tight making this 1 hour plus flight slightly uncomfortable.
However, for the price I paid which includes seat selection and baggage check-in allowance, I think it is quite a good deal. With other airlines competiting on the same route, one has to be on their very best to keep their customers happy. For the airline's website, I find it easy to use however in this era, I find it strange that this airline doesn't offer online check-in, so you must do so at the self check-in kiosk at the departure airport.
Overall this is a good airline, I won't hestiate to fly on this airline again in the near future.
My rating
FUK Airport Experience: 5/5
Inflight Service: 4/5
Inflight Beverage: 3/5 (Limited choices)
Seat Comfort: 3.5/5
Cleanliness: 5/5
In-Flight Entertainment: 0/5
Total Score: 20.5/30
Percentage: 68%
17. Solaseed Air
Introduction
I have always been curious about this airline since my last few visits in Japan and I am glad to be able to book and fly on this airline during this trip. With a user-friendly website, I was able to complete my booking within minutes and regardless of what fare you choose, you get a baggage allowance and complimentary seat selection.
Just like Skymark, Solaseed air has an aircraft painted in the Pokemon livery but of course I didn't think much about it because the odds are very low, it is like encounterin a shiny Pokemon on a non event day in the Pokemon Go game.
I booked myself on the Okinawa to Fukuoka morning flight so that I can have a good view of the morning scenery and I chose the seat in front of the wing with the engine view to get the perfect window view photo.
Solaseed Air Boeing 737-800 JA803X (Route: OKA-FUK)
Economy Class
My thoughts
Instead of the standard dark colour leather seats, the airline chose an unusual fabric design for them, giving me somehow a retro feeling to it. What is more important is the seats are quite comfortable and I am certainly happy with the legroom space. As this airline only operates on domestic routes, I thought this product is quite good although IFE screen is not installed. The airline offers online streaming and it works pretty well during the flight.
For the inflight service, this set of crew was friendly towards each passenger and the Captain briefed us and explain the reason for our late arrival. If I have to stay longer on a flight due to reasons beyond the airline's control, this flight was perfect to do so. I thoroughly enjoyed this flight for the beautiful view, comfortable seat and the Japanese hospitality that never failed to amaze. So if you have an opportunity to fly on this airline, I recommend you to give it a try.
My ratings
OKA Airport Experience: 4/5
Inflight Service: 5/5
Inflight Beverage: 5/5 (Soup is delicious)
Seat Comfort: 4/5
Cleanliness: 5/5
In-Flight Entertainment: 3/5
Total Score: 26/30
Percentage: 86%
18. Singapore Airlines
Introduction
After flying many times with this airline, I was able to finally try out the business class products on both the A350-900 (Regional) and Boeing 787-10 on the regional routes. The previlage of flying on this class is not just enjoying the inflight products, one can also enjoy the airport lounges before the flight and this is where the top airlines excel especially in their home airports.
Before the flight, other than selecting the seat, you can also choose your meal (not all outstations provide this option) on the Book The Cook which offers many different types of cuisine and only the flight to Mumbai gave me this option. For the 2nd flight, Bangkok to Singapore, I was only given the choices of inflight meal offered and I can select pre-order the meal and its best to do so in advance to avoid disappointment if you chose to select your meal on board.
1st Flight: Singapore Airlines Airbus A350-900 9V-SHA (Route: SIN-BOM)
Photo: Dongwon Seon
Business Class
2nd Flight: Singapore Airlines Boeing 787-10 9V-SCO (Route: BKK-SIN)
Photo: Tang Chia Hao
Business Class
My thoughts
The business class product by Stelia Aerospace is not bad, I was able to recline and lie flat comfortably on both flights without any issues. What I don't like about the seat is the troublesome 3 point safety belt and the seat partition covering part of the window making myself bend forward in order to enjoy the window view. Other than that, the seat is fine especially on regional flights. For the inflight service, both flights were not what I expected, maybe I was just unlucky especially for the SIN-BOM flight. For the cabin crew to come forget my order especially the beverage is not what one would expect flying one of the top airlines in the world. Sometimes these sorts of issue may happened but I would not make a big deal out of it.
For the inflight meals and IFE system, they didn't disappoint. The complimentary wifi (only for krisflyer members) is one of the highlights as I was able to chat with my friends or surf internet while cruising at 40,000 feet in the air. The Krisworld is certainly top notch with many contents to keep one entertained. So overall, I enjoyed both flights and while I didn't find the inflight service exceptional, the other aspects of the flight experience made up for it. The airport lounges at Singapore's Changi SKL Terminal 3 and Bangkok's SKL lounges are top notch, I recommend you to drop by there before your flight.
Now that I have done with the regional business class experience, I hope to fly on the business class products in the near future.
My ratings
SIN and BKK Airport Experience: 4/5
Inflight Service: 3.5/5
Inflight Meals: 4/5
Seat Comfort: 4/5
Cleanliness: 5/5
In-Flight Entertainment: 5/5
Total Score: 25.5/30
Percentage: 85%
19. SkyExpress
Introduction
To be honest, I didn't know much about this airline before I started researching on the flights and airlines in Greece. My original plan was to fly with Olympic Air and I remember the glory days of the airline operating the Airbus A340 but now it is operating a small fleet of ATR-72 and a couple of DHC-8 aircraft. After much thoughts about the routes in Greece, I settled for Athens to Thessaloniki with this airline and the return flight with Aegean. Booking with the airline was not an issue and at this point, there is no mobile app. The website is quite basic but at least it was functionable when I did the booking.
Sky Express operates a modern fleet of Airbus A320ceo/neo and Airbus A321neo, along with the ATR-42 and -72 and I booked myself on the A320neo flight which later on the aircraft turned up to be an A320neo fitted with Air Asia's cabin and apparently this aircraft was not taken up by the original operator.
Sky Express Airbus A320neo SX-CNG (Route: ATH-SKG)
Photo: Grzegorz Krupa
Economy Class
My thoughts
The cabin of this aircraft is absolutely basic, there are not usb ports, inflight entertainment or wifi installed on this aircraft. The problem with Sky express' fleet is there are many A320neo with different configuration so you won't know what you are expecting until the assigned aircraft is known. My guess is the airline needed capacity so the management decided it would be better to lease whatever A320neo aircraft is available in the market, just as long as the engine type is the same.
For this flight, the service was alright but I find the seats quite cramp with a miserable seat pitch of 28 inches. Fortunately the flight time was short, otherwise my knee cap would hurt and that's not a pleasant feeling. As this is a low cost carrier, no beverages or food was served but you can order them from the crew. It was a good day of flying as we were treated to a spectacular view of the sunset and that was my entertainment for the flight.
My ratings
ATH Airport Experience: 3/5
Inflight Service: 4/5
Inflight Meals: -
Seat Comfort: 3/5
Cleanliness: 5/5
In-Flight Entertainment: 0/5
Total Score: 15/25
Percentage: 60%
20. TAP Air Portugal
Introduction
For this trip, I wanted to take my mum somewhere and we listed down the places in Europe we could visit and we all agreed that Lisbon is the best option. This is where I come in, since I was paying for the trip, I would get to decide where to stay and the airline to fly us to our destination. TAP Air Portugal was my first choice and I did my booking after a couple of days later after the discussion.
This Portugese airline has always been in my mind to fly with even when they have introduced new aircraft (A320 and A321neo) but fitted with a cabin similar to those low cost carriers. It is always about trying out new airlines and experiencing the hospitality of the airline and I am glad I did it. This Star Alliance airline also allows us to earn mileage points with our membership and this also gives us an advantage over flying with the low cost airlines that also fly direct from London to Lisbon.
Booking with the airline was not an issue but since the price difference between the lowest fare and the standard fare was quite substantial, I decided to take a risk and go with the lowest fare and hoping we get to sit together on the flight.
1st Flight: TAP Air Portugal Airbus A320neo CS-TVL (Route: LHR-LIS)
Photo: Konstantin Von Wedelstaedt
Photo: Josecampelo
Economy Class
My thoughts
The configuration of the cabin is quite unique in the sense that it depends on what tier of ticket you have purchased. If you paid for the highest tier, you get the better seats from row 5 to 10 which offer 33 inches of legroom space and usb charging ports for free, otherwise you have to settle for row 13 to 29 which the airline will assign you any of these seats if you purchased the lowest tier. Of course you can purchase your seat assignment but that cost quite a bit. This ticketing system is quite similar to a low cost carrier and after experiencing both flights, I felt a bit disappointed that the food and beverage services was not complimentary and it only took the second flight to realise that they do actually serve water for free upon request. Not much difference from flying with a low cost carrier. Even my flights with Aegean, they offered a sandwich and a choice of drink but I guess different airlines have their own policies regarding this.
Another thing that annoys me about the airline is whenever I want to manage my booking, the OTP password is required and there are a few times I had a to wait for quite a while to receive it.
Overall I find this airline more of a low cost airline after the experience on both flights. If you are fortunate enough, you might be able to fly on board one of the airline's A321LR which has individual IFE screen on every seat, along with the A330neo which they are used mainly on international routes.
My Ratings
LIS and LHR Airport Experience: 3.5/5
Inflight Service: 3.5/5
Inflight Meals: 0/5
Seat Comfort: 3/5
Cleanliness: 5/5
In-Flight Entertainment: 0/5
Total Score: 15/30
Percentage: 50%
21. Thai Airways
Introduction
Flying with this airline only happened after Nok Air cancelled the afternoon flight and I had to rebook with this airline so instead of flying to DMK, I had to settle for another flight to BKK. It is a good time to experience the airline's A320 which the airline inducted from Thai Smile. Fortunately for me the airfare was not expensive at the time of booking and the basic function of the website allowed me to complete my booking without difficulty.
Thai Airways used to operate a great variety of aircraft and that was a joy for the aviation enthusiasts and the wide-body aircraft are seen frequently on the domestic routes, such as the A300, A330, Boeing 747-400 and the Boeing 777. However, all that has changed as the airline has done numerous steps to simplify the fleet and now after the airline absorbed the A320 into the fleet, they are used primary on domestic routes and selected regional routes, depending on the load factor.
For my flight route, there are multiple flights a day and they are operated by the same aircraft type, the A320ceo. The airline has started installing new business class seats on this aircraft so they should be sticking around for a while and later on, A321neo will join the fleet with the first of this type to join in the middle of 2025.
Thai Airways Airbus A320ceo HS-TXD (Route: HDY - BKK)
My thoughts
It was a pleasant surprise to be able to enjoy the emergency row seat when the ground staff offered it to me. I decided to go for it for the extra legroom space and usually this type of seats cost more than the usual. Looking at the condition of the aircraft is a different story, the aircraft has certainly seen better days with lots of scratches on the window screen and seat condition was not the best. However, the Thai service mades up for it and each passengers was given a bag which contains a snack (apple pastry) and a bottle of water. Considering this is a short domestic flight, this is pretty good and the ride to the BKK was pleasant. I like these seats, finding them to be quite comfortable and the legroom space didn't disappoint.
For this aircraft, there is no IFE or charging USB ports installed as it was originally built for Thai Smile, operating as a low cost carrier. The first few rows in this old configuration is reserved for the Premium Economy class passengers and the difference compared to the economy class is the middle seat is to remain vacant (Sounds familiar - Euro Business Class?) and they are being phased out in favour of recliner business class seats.
Overall, I find this cabin product adequate for short haul flights, only thing is to bring our own entertainment when flying on this aircraft.
My Ratings
HDY Airport Experience: 2.5/5
Inflight Service: 4/5
Inflight Meals: 4/5
Seat Comfort: 4.5/5
Cleanliness: 4/5
In-Flight Entertainment: 0/5
Total Score: 19/30
Percentage: 63%
22. VIstara
Introduction
This Indian airline was a joint venture between Tata group and Singapore Airlines. It is one of the airlines that I wanted to fly for quite a while and I decided to go ahead after the TATA group management announced the merger between the old Air India and this airline.
Checking the airfares, I found a good deal to fly on the airline's business class and I decided to splash more money to give myself a treat and furthermore I could also check out the lounge at the Indian Airports. Initially I wanted to do return flight with this airline but later on I decided to fly with SQ's A350-900 regional to BOM and instead I return home with this airline from Chennai to Singapore via Delhi as I found a good fare on this route on business class.
Selecting my flights, I get to experience both the A320neo and A321neo which offer different cabin products. The A320neo offers the business class recliner seat while the A321neo offers the lie-flat business class seat.
I managed to complete the booking without issue, only problem is adding my krisflyer number into the system was not possible but fortunately that was settled by the ground staff at Chennai.
Whatever it is, I am delighted to be one of the many passengers got to fly on this airline before the branding disappeared.
1st Flight: Vistara Airbus A320neo VT-TNW (Route: MAA-DEL)
Business Class
For the trip report, click here
2nd Flight: Vistara Airbus A321neo VT-TVA (Route: DEL-SIN)
Business Class
My thoughts
I thought Vistara was an excellent airline which remind me very much of Jetblue, an U.S based airline. Comparing this airline and the old Air India, this airline in opinion was a few leaps ahead of the national airline but now that both airlines have merged, the management picked up some of the positive traits of this airline and adapt them into the new Air India. For example, for the A320neo family, the management had gone ahead to refurblish the Air India's A320neo fleet with new cabin products and also add another class to the configuration, the Premium Economy to standardise the fleet.
I enjoyed both flights as the cabin crew were helpful and engaged with us with small little chats. There was a difficult passenger on the 1st flight, but I felt the crew handled it very well. The inflight meals were great and I was able to enjoy and stretched my legs on both flights. Although the branding is gone, this airline will always be remembered and with Air India operating the former aircraft of Vistara, for now, you can try to fly them on their A321neo and Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft.
My ratings
MAA and DEL Airport Experience: 3/5
Inflight Service: 4/5
Inflight Meals: 4/5
Seat Comfort: 4/5
Cleanliness: 5/5
In-Flight Entertainment: 3.5/5
Total Score: 23.5/30
Percentage: 78%
Summary
(Charles Ryan's Award is based on the airlines shown below)
Akasa Air: 63% (Economy)
Air Do: 83% (Economy)
Air India: 90% (Business)
Air India Express: 73% (Economy)
Batik Air Malaysia: 60% (Economy)
China Airlines: 80% (Premium Economy and Economy)
EVA Air: 93% (Economy)
Gulf Air: 80% (Economy)
Indigo: 76% (Economy)
Japan Airlines: 96% (Class J)
Juneyao Air: 83% (Economy)
Peach Aviation: 76% (Economy)
Qantas: 73% (Economy)
Scoot: 76% (Economy)
Skymark: 68% (Economy)
Solaseed Air: 86% (Economy)
Singapore Airlines: 85% (Business)
SkyExpress: 60% (Economy)
TAP Air Portugal: 50% (Economy)
Thai Airways: 63% (Economy)
Vistara: 78% (Business)
(These ratings are based on my satisfaction level on each flight and cannot be compare with each other due to various reasons such as different class flown, types of carriers (low cost vs full cost carrier)...etc)
0-49% - Fail
50-60% - Average
60-70% - Not bad
70-80% - Good
80-90% - Great
90-100% - Excellent
Charles Ryan's Award for 2024!
(Disclaimer: I am not sponsored by any airline and all flights are self funded unless stated. )
Best Premium Airline
3. Singapore Airlines
Best Low Cost Carrier
2. Air Do
3. Peach Aviation
Best Economy Class
EVA Air's Boeing 787-10 Cabin
2. Juneyao Air Boeing 787-9 Cabin
3. Air Do Boeing 767-300ER cabin
Best Business Class
(Airbus A350-900 cabin - ex Aeroflot)
2. Singapore Airlines Boeing 787-10 cabin
3. Vistara A321neo cabin
Best Inflight Entertainment System
(Airbus A350-900 in domestic configuration)
Exterior Camera
Complimentary WiFi
3. Air India
There is wifi router installed on this aircraft but at that time the airline hasn't received the green light to activate the wifi service.
Best Punctuality (Arrival)
Flight: 6E514 HYD-MAA (Airbus A321neo VT-IUP)
Schedule Arrival: 1440
Actual Arrival: 1429
Arrived 11 minutes ahead of schedule
Most memorable Flight
Flight: AI687 BOM-DEL (Airbus A350-900 VT-JRF) - Business Class
Best Scenic Route
Okinawa to Fukuoka (Japan) (On board Solaseed Air)
Best Inflight Economy Class Meal
This is the beef rice accompanied by pudding, assorted fruits, almond tofu, bread and egg omelette (blocked by the inflight bread).
Route: HND-TSA
Best Inflight Business Class Meal
This is the Seared Chilean seabass served together with roasted vegetables, carrots and mashed potatoes.
Route: BKK-SIN
Best Airport Lounge Experience
@ New Delhi (India)
Most Interesting Airport Terminal
Bengaluru (BLR) - India (Terminal 2)
Best Airport Observation Deck
Fukuoka (Japan)
The 2-story observation deck
It gives you good view like this as the terminal is quite close to the active runway.
Best Airline Mobile App
Air India
For the user interface, I give this a big thumbs up.
Very detailed information about my flight which also includes the aircraft type and even the registration of the aircraft.
The seat map of the aircraft
Weather update
Best Cabin Crew Uniform
Juneyao Airlines (Photos: TheDesignair.net)
I thought the design of the uniform is very nice after seeing it in person.
Most interesting livery
Air India Airbus A350-900 VT-JRF
After seeing this livery in person, I am certainly a big fan of it.
That's it for my Charles Ryan's Award for 2024! What do you think?
Conclusion
It was another successful year for flying, visiting new cities and more importantly, adding more airlines into my flight logbook. I am relieved that every flight went well and I didn't encounter any major issues on any of them. It was a quite an adventure especially the visit to India, certainly an eye opener for me exploring the streets and checking out the local food. The domestic flights I experienced in India turned out to be quite fun and luckily the monsoon period in Mumbai didn't ruin my trip. Trips to Japan and Europe were fun too especially travelling with my family.
There are other notable memories like my first ride on the ERJ-190E2, the first of its kind in Asia and while the cabin is basic, the ride was an enjoyable one and flying with Vistara for the last time is probably the most sentimental as history has closed its chapter as many of us who cares about Indian aviation would know that this airline was probably one of the best out there before the merger took place. I could see why is it well liked!
Now that I have concluded my thoughts on my 2024 Flying Adventure, I have already begun my 2025 trips and there would be more trip to look forward and I hope to share them with you as how I have normally done. Stay tuned for the trip reports and I hope you enjoy them as much as I do.
Did you have a good 2024 year for travelling? Feel free to share your experience below.
Have a good one!
Charles
For my 2023 Flight Review, click here
(If you are happy with my work, feel free to contribute by donating any amount over here. Greatly appreciated!)
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