Intro
Flying 24 hours with broken entertainment screens on Air India’s Paris-Melbourne route?
The crew felt so bad that they brought me business class snacks as an apology.
What matters most is that Air India serves authentic Indian food with genuine spice levels, not the watered-down “curry” that most international airlines pass off as Indian cuisine.
Paris to Delhi
The meal service began with crunchy corn snacks that had visible spices coating each kernel.
The main meal offered the standard vegetarian and non-vegetarian choices.
I chose the chicken curry, which arrived with fragrant basmati rice. The curry was mild with tender chicken pieces.
The dal had that creamy consistency you’d expect, with visible cumin seeds and turmeric lending golden colour and earthy flavour.
This tasted like proper Indian home cooking rather than the generic “curry” many international airlines serve.
Before landing in Delhi, they served a lighter mealโa sandwich with fresh fruit.
Nothing spectacular, but the sandwich had decent fillings.
Delhi Transit
Delhi’s transit experience needs improvement. Unfriendly staff and security at transfer counters make connections more stressful than necessary.
The Air India Maharaja Lounge offered a quiet respite from terminal crowds, although the space desperately needs renovation.
The lounge food selection was disappointingly limited – basic snacks and tired-looking options that didn’t represent Indian cuisine well.
The dining offerings felt like an afterthought for a flag carrier’s home base lounge rather than showcasing local flavours.
Fortunately, the lounge staff remained helpful, and facilities like shower rooms provided necessary rest during the long transit.
Delhi to Melbourne
Air India made announcements about their “enhanced” economy meal service earlier in the year.
The reality was modest improvements rather than dramatic changes – a small salad alongside the main course, plus a slightly larger dessert, but the core experience remained similar.
However, food quality improved noticeably on this home port departure.
When meal trays opened, the aromas were genuinely appetising, with proper Indian spice blends filling the cabin rather than generic airline food smells.
My vegetarian thali featured perfectly spiced dal makhani – each component had distinct flavours rather than everything tasting similar.
Before the second meal service, I spoke with the crew about the non-functional inflight entertainment system.
Perhaps feeling sorry for facing such a long journey without screens, she disappeared and returned with premium snacks from business class as a genuine apology gesture.
Between meal services, passengers could help themselves to drinks from the galley.
Four hours later, the second meal service delivered a small pastry snack.
The final meal before landing featured chicken korma that was well-spiced and flavourful, with tender pieces that had absorbed the aromatic seasonings properly.
The dessert deserves special mention โ instead of a generic airline cake, they served a decadent chocolate cake that was actually moreish.
Conclusion
For travellers seeking authentic Indian flavours during long-haul flights, Air India delivers experiences that honour their culinary heritage while keeping you fed.
They’ve maintained their cultural identity while meeting international service standards.
That’s worth appreciating in an industry trending toward generic standardisation.
