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.

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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.

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