Air Vistara A320 Business Class Review - MLE to BOM (Maldives to Mumbai)

Check-in and Boarding

After wonderful 2 weeks in the Maldives, it was sadly time to head back to reality. My flight home started with a quick hop to Mumbai from Male on Vistara Airlines followed by a second flight on Air Canada with a stopover in London Heathrow.

Check-in at Male Airport was fast and the line was short. Unfortunately, while there are lounges at Malé Airport, Vistara passengers do not receive complimentary access so you'll be on your own here. The airport has 2 levels with some seating areas in front of each gate. There were also several restaurants and shops.

The Gate was being used for another flight initially but once that flight had taken off, the Vistara staff updated the info screen and opened the counter for boarding. Vistara has a separate dedicated boarding line for business class passengers. As I waited in line, I checked the Find My App on my phone to make sure my luggage was loaded on the plane. I always leave an AirTag in my suitcase so I can track my suitcase (AirTags only work with iPhones but you can also use a Samsung SmartTag or a Tile). They are very useful to locate your luggage in case the airline loses them). Boarding was quick and we took a shuttle to the plane just a short ride away from the gate.

Cabin

The business class cabin was laid out in a 2-2 layout rather than the tighter 3-3 layout in economy. The seats were wide and spacious. Unfortunately, I did not see any noise cancelling headphones as is commonly provided in business class but I always travel with my own Sony Noise Cancelling Headphones as they do an excellent job at turning the engine rumble and cabin noise into a quiet whisper.

The seats on board the A320 were spacious with a 2-2 layout and plenty of legroom

The armrest opened up to a sealed blanket waiting for me.

Food and Dining

Soon after boarding, we were offered a drink by the flight attendant. I opted for a gin and tonic which was served with a bowl of roasted almonds and cashews. The crew handed out dinner and drink menus at this time.

I was not expecting a full meal service on this short flight so I was pleasantly surprised by both the service and the meal. The drinks menu included cocktails and a wine list. After takeoff, the flight attendant came by to set up the tray table for dinner.

The wine list

Tablecloth set up by the flight attendant

I chose the spicy curry dish, palak paneer and naan for dinner and it did not disappoint! Indian has some of the best cuisine in the world and this in-flight meal lived up to it.

There wasn’t much offering for flight entertainment. I put on my headphones and listened to some music. After dinner, we were already approaching India and soon afterwards, it was already time to land.

If you are visiting India or the Maldives, you can pre-purchase your esim on the Airalo App ahead of time so you're connected as soon as you land and can call your Uber, use Google Maps and WhatsApp without searching for WiFi. If you sign up with my referral code C0887, you’ll get $3 USD off your first purchase!

Conclusion

I wasn’t sure what to expect on this flight given that Air India generally receives negative reviews and having never heard of Air Vistara before, I was afraid it might be similar to Air India. However, even though a few amenities were missing, I was overall very pleasantly surprised with the seat comfort, food and service.

RELATED

Air Canada A330 Business Class Review - London Heathrow to Montreal (LHR to YUL)

After visiting the stunning Maldives, this was my last flight on my way back home to Canada. Check out my previous reviews of Air Canada’s Business class from Mumbai to London and the amazing scuba diving in the Maldives. I had a short layover at London Heathrow Airport where I visited the Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge and had time to take a shower and eat breakfast. Air Canada Business Class passengers receive complimentary access to this lounge. Soon afterwards, I headed to the gate to board my flight.

I always leave an Airtag in my suitcase so that before boarding, I can track my luggage location using the Find My App to make sure it’s loaded onto the plane (Airtags only work with iPhones but you can also use a Samsung SmartTag or a Tile). They are also useful to locate your luggage in case the airline loses them). In this case, the app showed my suitcase was on board so I was worry-free knowing my luggage was flying back home with me.

Boarding started on time, with a separate line for Business Class and Premium Economy passengers. I soon found myself aboard the Airbus A330. As I settled into the Signature Class Suites (what Air Canada calls their lie flat seats), it became evident that this aircraft offers a smaller experience compared to the Boeing 777 and 787.

If you are visiting the UK or Canada, you can purchase your esim on the Airalo App ahead of time so you're connected as soon as you land and can call your Uber, use Google Maps and WhatsApp without searching for WiFi. If you sign up with my referral code C0887, you’ll get $3 USD off your first purchase!

SEATS

Having just flown on Air Canada’s Boeing 787 a few hours earlier, I definitely felt the difference but it may be more subtle otherwise. The first noticeable difference was the size of the suites themselves. The A330's Signature Class Suites are smaller than those on the 787. The screen is also on the smaller side.

The personal entertainment system

To my right was a storage compartment

The TV Could be controlled by a remote

The backside feature a full keyboard

Amenities

At my seat was the newly designed Aqua Di Parma amenity kit which included a toothbrush, toothpaste, lip balm, hand cream, socks and an eye mask. It was placed on the tray table which extends out then folds open further for meals. At my seat were complimentary noise cancelling headphones although I can’t comment on their quality since I always travel with my own Sony Noise Cancelling Headphones as they do an excellent job at turning the engine rumble and cabin noise into a quiet whisper.

FOOD & DRINKS

After takeoff, the cabin crew started the meal service. It started with a drink and small snack. Note that no warm nuts were served in a separate bowl before or right after take-off as is often common on Business Class flights. Instead, I received a small bag of salted almonds. No menus were provided prior to dinner.

One peculiar aspect of the flight was the meal service. At 1 pm, the crew served what they referred to as “dinner”. Following this, a snack was provided at 4 pm just before landing. They served a smoked salmon platter with bread and salad as the appetizer. For the main course, I had their lamb dish which was delicious but nothing compared to what Etihad serves on their business class flight. I unfortunately didn’t grab a picture of the main course. For dessert, I had the chocolate pie with wine.

The Appetizer

Who are the plastics?

Cady found out she was really pretty!

Dessert

By this point in the movie, Susan from Planned Parenthood had urgent news!

After dinner, I clicked the lie flat button and watched my seat turn into a cozy bed. Each seat was provided with a pillow, duvet and mattress pad. I put on my Noise Cancelling Headphones to get some peaceful rest.

When I woke up, we were only an hour or so from landing. It was 4 pm EST at this point and the crew started another meal service. This time, we were offered a club sandwich and fruit salad. The meal was average.

In conclusion, this Air Canada flight felt lacking somewhat basic with an average meal service. The seats however, were very comfortable although smaller than what you would find on Air Canada’s 787 and 777.

Some of the links above are Amazon affiliate links. This means that, at zero cost to you, I may receive a small commission from sales of certain items. Thank you for supporting the blog.

Check out my other Air Canada reviews below:

Is Air France Premium Economy worth it? (Flight Review | Paris CDG to Montreal | Boeing 777-200)

In this trip report, I'll review my last flight in Premium Economy on Air France from Paris CDG Airport to Montreal, Canada. Having flown Air France multiple times travelling back and forth to Mauritius, they’re still one of my favourite airlines despite the issues I’ve had with them over the years and they are significantly better than Air Canada. I also flew Air France’s Premium Economy earlier this year if you want to check out that review as well.

Some of the links below are Amazon affiliate links. This means that, at zero cost to you, I may receive a small commission from sales of certain items. Thank you for supporting the blog.

Priority Check-in and Luggage Drop Off

This benefit may or may not be worth it for you depending on the airport you're flying out of. Some busy North American airports can have very long lines for luggage drop off, specially if you're using the lines of Delta, Air France's partner.
Having upgraded last minute while I was already airside after security, I was not able to use the Skypriority luggage drop-off line at the Check-in counter. While the line was not particularly long, it would've saved me about 15 minutes of waiting.
Next time, I would upgrade before arriving at the airport because there was no one in the Skypriorty line and luggage drop-off would've been a breeze.

Priority Security

Depending on which airport you are flying out of, you'll likely have a dedicated Skypriority or Premium security line that you can use for faster access. This is really going to depend on how busy your departure airport is, sometimes it can save you an hour or more while other times it's not any faster than going through the regular security line.
When flying out of Paris, there are dedicated Skypriority lines everywhere at Paris CDG Airport that are accessible to Premium Economy Passengers. Most times I’ve gone through security in Paris CDG, the security line was usually short. However, I have transited through Paris CDG Airport before where the security line took over an hour to get through.
In those cases and if you hate waiting in line or have a very short layover, access to the Skypriority line is absolutely worth it. It also makes a difference if you are carrying a heavy backpack like I was. It makes the experience a little exhausting. If you can, I always suggest travelling with a rolling carry-on, your back will thank you!

If you are visiting France, you can purchase your esim on the Airalo App so you're connected as soon as you land and can call your Uber, use Google Maps and WhatsApp without searching for WiFi. If you sign up with my referral code C0887, you’ll get $3 USD off your first purchase!

Lounge Access

Unfortunately, Air France Premium Economy passengers do not benefit from complimentary lounge access. Air France probably wants to avoid overcrowding their Premium Lounges but they should offer some deal for lounge access. Your only option here is to pay the normal price. I feel like having lounge access would make paying for premium economy significantly more worth it, specially if you have a layover in Paris where you can shower, have lunch with an open bar and even take a nap at Air France's Lounge.

Boarding

You'll be assigned to Zone 2 boarding, which boards just after business class although they don't usually separate the Zone 1 & 2 boardings. Economy is usually Zones 3,4,5 but since it's a single line, people start lining up from up to an hour before so you may easily have to wait for atleast one to two hundred passengers to board first. Even if you are in Zone 3, the line is so crowded that you are not getting past everyone to board. I always enjoy this priority boarding perk. The stress of not having to line up early or wondering if you'll find enough space in the overhead bin is worth it to me.

I always leave an AirTag in my suitcase so that before boarding, I can track my luggage location using the Find My App to make sure it’s loaded on the plane (AirTags only work with iPhones but you can also use a Samsung SmartTag or a Tile). They are also useful to locate your luggage in case the airline loses them). In this case, the app showed my suitcase was just outside the gate so I was worry-free.

Boarding on this flight was speedy. The priority line was very short (around 10-15 people max) compared to at least 100 for economy and you can usually show up even after boarding has started and they'll let you right on without having to wait.
If you show up later during boarding, the line is usually empty but they keep it open for business and premium passengers so no worries there.

Cabin

My flight was on the Boeing 777. While I tried to search for the layout on Seatguru to help me pick the best seat, I couldn't find this layout on their site (this plane had 4 rows in the Premium Economy Cabin).
I sat in the bulkhead row and right away I noticed there was no personal TV on the wall unlike my last Air France flight. The TV was in armrest instead. The bulkhead row provides a lot more leg room but at the cost of having to watch TV staring down as the arm is too short and the screen does not rise up to eye level. The worst part is you cannot use the TV during takeoff and landing because it has to be stowed away. The cabin is arranged in a 2-4-2 layout.

Amenities

At my seat were a pillow and blanket. The blanket we large and thicker than the one offered in economy. In between the two windows seats were a pair of noise cancelling headphones. I always travel with my own Sony Noise Cancelling Headphones as they do an excellent job at turning the engine rumble and cabin noise into a quiet whisper but the Air France ones they did look sturdy and they tend to work very well from prior experience.

A flight attendant passed by after takeoff to hand out complimentary amenity kits. These included a single use toothbrush, toothpaste and socks.

Basic Wifi for messaging is complimentary for ALL passengers

Once boarding was complete, we took off on time. A glass of Champagne on a tray was served immediately after takeoff along with a refreshing towel. A cabin crew member soon came by to ask if everything was ok and to let her know if I needed any help. I mentioned that their headphones port was splitting the sound unevenly and she quickly took note of it.
She provided some information on which lavatories were available for us and to feel free to walk around through the cabin during the flight. This is as a big improvement over my previous Air France Premium Economy flight where I was pretty much ignored for the first hour. The Premium Economy cabin had 3 lavatories available for the small cabin; a decent ratio as I rarely had to wait for more than 1 person to use the washroom.

Food

Lunch was served soon afterwards. After a subpar experience on Air Mauritius, I was pleasantly surprised by the meal on this flight. I had salmon risotto with bread and camembert cheese followed by a lava cake for dessert. Wine and beer was available with lunch but sadly no gin and tonics. For the digestif, mini Cognac bottles were served. Although the service was more personal and much quicker than economy, this is generally the same meal that is served in both cabins so nothing extra for flying premium here. By the time the pilot announced the lunch service for economy, the premium economy cabin had already been served lunch.

Seat

I thought that these seats were similar to the other Air France Premium Economy seats but I was very wrong about that. While the seat is indeed very spacious, it reclines inside a hard shell. In fact it felt more like the seat slid down and forwards rather than reclined. It's hard to describe, it kind of feels like you're falling forwards and it's hard to sleep in that position. I kept waking up and my head fell forward throughout the flight since I didn't bring my travel pillow with me. It maybe works if you bring one and lean against the window but overall I didn’t manage to sleep comfortable. The seat next to me was empty and I found it more comfortable to rest my feet on them and sleep sideways despite the immovable armrest sticking up under my thighs. This seat needs a serious redesign!!

This Boeing 777 is noticeably louder than the A350 I had just flown on. The plane also felt much older. Since there were so many empty premium economy seats, I have to wonder if my flight was originally on a newer Boeing 777 without Premium Economy that had to be swapped for maintenance and that's why they didn't have enough time to sell all the seats in this cabin.

Snack

About 2 hours before landing in Montreal, we were served a snack consisting of a sandwich and drinking yogurt with choice of tea or coffee. It was nothing to write home about but the sandwich was better than the muffin and slice of cake they often served.

Overall, this premium economy flight was much better experience than my previous Premium Economy Experience on Air France. Although the plane and seat were not as good, the food and service was better. Of course their Business Class is an elevated experience with a lie-flat bed but I don't consider that necessary on a 7 hour flight.

CONCLUSION - WAS IT WORTH IT?

✅ FOR

• Spacious Seats - Enjoy wider seats with ample legroom

• Priority Check-in, Security and Boarding lines make the entire experience so much more calm and hassle free.

❌ AGAINST

• Seats not comfortable for sleeping when “reclined”

• No complimentary lounge access

• Standard economy food offerings may disappoint some travellers.

The big value proposition here is skipping the lines for luggage, security and boarding while having wide, comfortable seats. If those are not important to you, it’s unlikely that you will find it worth your hard earned dollars.

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Air Canada 787 Business Class Review - Mumbai to London Heathrow (BOM - LHR)

After spending two amazing weeks exploring remote islands and scuba diving in The Maldives, it was sadly time to come back to reality. Since there is no direct flight between Canada and the Maldives, I had to fly via Mumbai and London back home. My first flight on Vistara was a short hop to Mumbai. My second fight with Air Canada was marketed as Mumbai to Toronto as a “Direct, 1 Stop” which means you still need to disembark in London so in no way is it a direct flight. However in my case, it wasn’t an issue since I planned to fly to London then change planes to take the direct flight from London to Montreal. It seems with the war in Ukraine, the plane can no longer fly direct from Mumbai to Toronto and needs to make a refueling stop in London.

Lounge

After landing at Mumbai Airport, I made my way through security then straight to the Adani Lounge. Air Canada passengers flying in Business Class receive complimentary access to the Adani lounge. However, access was not straightforward as I found out the hard way. Since I was on a layover and my boarding pass was issued in the Maldives by Vistara Airlines and not from Air Canada, it did not specify lounge access. This was a problem for the lounge agent in Mumbai and we couldn't enter the lounge. She said access is only allowed if your boarding pass specifies lounge access on it. She called the Air Canada desk using a flip phone to verify that we are allowed to enter. As Air Canada just has the single flight out of Mumbai Airport and we were several hours from departure, the check in counter was not open yet. Therefore no one picked up the phone and the lounge receptionist wouldn't allow us in. They told us to come back in a few hours. Pretty disappointing.

Access to a lounge is not guaranteed by Air Canada until their check-in desk opens. You may need to pay for another lounge like this overcrowded Loyalty Lounge.

Since I had a priority pass membership, I went to another lounge called the Loyalty Lounge which ended up being way too crowded and chaotic. There was a very long line just to get in. There were no seats available. After walking around for a while, we found someone leaving and grabbed a seat at the bar corner and just had a beer while regretting our decision. The Wi-Fi was also not working. We asked the bartender and he gave us a paper with a list of Wi-Fi codes and told us to try them until one works… We did not bother waiting in line at the buffet. This was just after Covid and there were people openly coughing on the food. We left early and just grabbed a seat at the terminal and waited until the Air Canada counter opened. It was far more calm and pleasant there. At that point, I inquired again at the Adani Lounge and they called Air Canada again and were able to reach an agent who confirmed that we can in fact be allowed into the Lounge.

The Adani Lounge was very comfortable with plenty of available seats! The food was decent too. There was a large bar in the center of the lounge where you could get cocktails, mixed drinks and a strong cappuccino as well. The bartender was exceptionally kind that I left a tip but they advised me that they are actually not allowed to accept tips. Additionally, there was also massage area. Although I did not personally partake in this service, it seemed like it would be a relaxing experience. We were approaching midnight at this point and I had the feeling that I would just fall asleep.

The wall decor at the Mumbai Adani Lounge

The shower at the Mumbai Adani Lounge

One important thing you need to know regarding the Wi-Fi access is that you require a phone number to receive a pin to login. Keep that in mind if you get charged for receiving text messages while travelling internationally.

When travelling, you can now purchase your esim ahead of time on the Airalo App and install it so you're connected as soon as you land and can call your Uber, use Google Maps and Whatsapp without searching for WiFi. If you sign up with my referral code C0887, you’ll get $3 USD off your first esim purchase!

The lounge also had a shower which I love during a layover. Despite my first flight being just under 2 hours, it was a sweaty trip that involved a beach walk and speed boat ride from Fulidhoo Island to Male Airport. We left the lounge a few minutes before boarding started. The Gate was not close to the Lounge.

Boarding

Boarding started a little early. As usual, there was a separate priority boarding line for Air Canada Business Class passengers which allowed us to board with minimal waiting. I did notice some people cutting in line to access the priority line to make it onto the plane early. Boarding was via a single jet bridge so we turned left after entering the plane.

The cabin was the standard grey-white combination found on most North American and European Airlines, unlike Etihad’s Gorgeous Cabin or Fiji Airways' Island Pattern Theme. The Boeing 787 features Air Canada’s Signature Class Cabin.

The cabin is configured in a 1-2-1 layout with direct aisle access for all seats

The window seats felt more private. Couples might prefer the center seats together.

Each seat was topped with a pillow, duvet and mattress pad and an amenity kit. There was an airport agent lady yelling the boarding announcements which gave off a chaotic vibe. Immediately after, a crew member came by with a tray to offer us some champagne and water.

Boarding was fast! We chose windows seats

Champagne is served during boarding.

Seat

A water bottle and slippers were provided at each seat

The Signature Cabin features lie flat seats

The seat controls allow you to fully customize your seat

The seats were very comfortable with the latest tech. They are lie flats seats that allow for sleeping. There was a large TV, a remote, massage functions. You could also can adjust the firmness of the mattress/seat pad using the controls. The Boeing 787 has electronically dimmable windows that can be controlled by a button under the window.

There was a footrest and space underneath for your shoes

At 5 ft 10 long, I could fully stretch my legs

Amenities

An amenity kit is provided at each seat. These were the stunning new Acqua Di Parma kits which were a significant upgrade over the old and tired black kits they used to offer. The Acqua Di Parmma pouches feel much more upscale, better quality and generally more roomy. They also kept their shape and prevented the contents from being crushed. The kit includes lip balm, socks, lotion, a toothbrush, toothpaste and an eye mask. The travel pouch adds a much needed pop of colour in this 50 shades of grey cabin.

While style is a bit "bland",

A complimentary amenity kit is provided

It includes lip balm, hand cream, socks and an eye mask

A mattress cover, blanket and pillow are also provided

At your seat, you will also find a pair of noise cancelling headphones (they are complimentary in the sense that it’s for flight use only, they are collected at the end of the flight). I always travel with my own Sony Noise Cancelling Headphones as they do an excellent job at turning the engine rumble and cabin noise into a quiet whisper.but these are always a welcome bonus. The business class cabin is at the front of the plane so it is already quiet but I highly recommend using noise cancelling headphones. If you are prone to headaches or migranes, don’t skip the headphones!

Complimentary Noise Cancelling Headphones

A pair of slippers are also provided

The business class cabin had one bathroom in front and 2 at the rear. To my surprise, there was also a window in bathroom. I never thought about it before but it made the bathroom feel more spacious and less like an airplane bathroom. We waited quite a while to take-off.

The blanket was wrapped in biodegradable plastic

An extra seat pocket provided some storage

Food and Drinks

With departure around 4:30 am and arrival at 9 am, the meals on this flight were 2 breakfasts. There was no menu provided, just the flight attendant walking by, telling you the options and taking your order. I found the breakfast strange. There was an overly sweet yogurt bowl with granola, a stale bowl of fruits served with hot and fresh delicious Chana masala with flatbread (roti). The Chana masala dish was delicious and spicy! Finish your champagne first though as it tickles the tongue if you're eating spicy food at the same time. I paired the dinner with some red wine for bed. I did not eat the rest as it honestly was just good. The meal was served all at once in a single tray. The packaged croissant did not hold a candle to what Air France serves in their Business Class Meals.

After the 5 am breakfast, I turned down my seat into a bed to get some shuteye.

The rest flight was smooth with no turbulence. For the second breakfast you have the option of asking to not be woken up which was what I chose so I could get some extra sleep. I planned to go to the Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge during my layover so I was not worried about missing breakfast.

Once we landed at London’s Heathrow Airport, we had to go through security which took some time on this early Sunday morning. Afterwards, we headed straight to and go to the Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge linked below.

Conclusion

The flight was overall very pleasant but a few quirks made this below average. While the seats and amenities were excellent, the subpar food with lack of any menus or wine list diminished the experience. My main motivation for flying business class are always the lie flat seats and those did not disappoint. British Airways also flies this route so it may be worth checking out reviews of their flight for comparison before booking.

Some of the links above are Amazon affiliate links. This means that, at zero cost to you, I may receive a small commission from sales of certain items. Thank you for supporting the blog.

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