To bridge the gap across the Indian Ocean from Mumbai to Mauritius, my wife Ashley and I flew Vistara A321neo business class.
This would become my second flight with the airline, as we’d flown the regional A320 business class product earlier in the trip.
I was particularly excited about this flight, as I’d heard great things about Vistara’s international business class, and I was keen to try it for myself.
Vistara A321neo Business Class – Booking
I booked this flight as part of a larger itinerary using Aeroplan points.
Originally, we were set to fly with Air Mauritius from Mumbai; however, our flight was cancelled, and we were rebooked on Vistara instead.
I actually preferred this amendment, as we were set to fly Air Mauritius’s flagship product to London upon the completion of our time on the island nation, and I’d been excited to fly long-haul with Vistara ever since it was announced as an Aeroplan partner in 2020.
For this booking, we redeemed two Super Elite Priority Reward vouchers, which halved the total number of points required for our trip from around 466,000 points to just 233,000 points.
I was particularly pleased with the redemption, as we maxed out the highest distance band on the “Between North America and Atlantic zones” section of the Aeroplan Flight Reward Chart.
It’s worth noting that A321neo aircraft are currently being used for domestic flights, although this situation may change in the future.
Vistara A321neo Business Class – Ground Experience
Our flight was set to depart very early in the morning, so after completing a comfortable stay at the JW Mariottt Mumbai Juhu, we booked a hotel by the airport to cut down on travel time in the wee hours of the morning.
After a quick trip to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport and a breezy check-in experience, we headed through security with plenty of time for a lounge visit.
Thanks to our business class tickets, we were granted access to the nicely appointed Adani Lounge Mumbai (Eastern Wing).
The lounge’s interiors stand out, with a contemporary atmosphere that includes a live wall. The lounge has ample seating, a spacious layout, and a dedicated bar area.
The range of buffet selections was also notable, especially when it comes to Indian dishes.
While not extraordinary, the Adani Lounge Mumbai (Eastern Wing) provides a pleasant environment to enjoy a meal and pass the time before a flight.
With just a bit of time at our disposal, we made the most of our time in the lounge, and before we knew it, it was time for boarding.
Vistara A321neo Business Class – Cabin
Upon boarding, we were warmly greeted by the flight attendants, who welcomed us to our seats at the front of the plane.
In Vistara A321neo business class, there are 12 seats arranged in a 2-2 configuration, spread across three rows at the front of the cabin.
With its gentle purple mood lighting, the cabin has a sense of calm, which makes for a welcoming setting.
It’s worth noting that the Airbus A321neo is a narrowbody aircraft, and this was my first experience in a single-aisle lie-flat business class setting.
The seats are separated by semi-private dividers, and due to the 2-2 configuration, there isn’t a significant advantage for solo travellers over couples in terms of seat selection.
In the first row, there’s a bit more legroom, while in the other rows, there are designated areas under the seat in front for storage.
For this flight, we found ourselves comfortably settled in seats 2D and 2F, located in the second row of the business class cabin.
Vistara A321neo Business Class – Seat
The seat, which is a modified version of the Collins Aerospace Diamond seat, features a grey backdrop with subtle purple accents on the divider and surface space.
Upon taking your seat, you’ll find a cozy pillow and blanket set thoughtfully placed for your comfort.
Directly in front, there’s an entertainment screen, and beneath it, a slim storage compartment.
Further below, you’ll discover the footwell for extra legroom.
On the right side of the seat, there’s a literature pocket within easy reach.
Close to the literature pocket, you’ll find the entertainment controller, which can be easily withdrawn for handheld use.
Storage is split into two distinct compartments: one located beneath the entertainment screen, and the other positioned beside the headrest.
A nifty cubby nearby played host to a bottle of juice and headphones, complete with a charging outlet, USB port, and headphone jack.
The cubby has a decent amount of storage space, which is enough to comfortably stow electronic devices and any small, loose items.
You’ll also notice the prominent Vistara logo adorning the bag that houses the headphones.
The seat controls are located on the armrest. Here, you can adjust your seat to your liking, or transform it into a lie-flat bed.
Between the pair of seats, you’ll have access to additional surface space, as well as a dedicated area for placing your drinks.
When it’s time to dine or work, a sturdy tray table flips out of the armrest, unfolding into its full size.
If you wish to customize your armrest height, you can do so with the push of a button for some extra space when the seat is in lie-flat mode.
Additionally, between the entertainment screens, there’s a coat hook, a feature I think is underrated and underutilized.
The seating arrangement was quite roomy, thanks to the open layout of the cabin.
While it lacks in privacy compared to other modern products, it was interesting to see lie-flat seats on a narrowbody plane for the first time.
As I was travelling with my wife, we didn’t mind the 2-2 configuration of the seats, and enjoyed the journey without feeling cramped or crowded whatsoever.
Vistara A321neo Business Class – Meal Service
Upon boarding, we were offered a pre-departure beverage, and were also presented with cold towels and the food and drink menus.
The pre-flight beverage on our flight was passionfruit juice, which was delicious.
Unfortunately, it’s worth noting that no amenity kit was provided for this particular flight, and sparkling wine wasn’t an option either.
Shortly after take-off, the cabin crew began meal service.
I started off with a bowl of nuts, which I enjoyed alongside a cappuccino and a glass of sparkling water.
There were four meal choices for our flight: a spinach omelette, paneer mutter bhurji (scrambled cottage cheese and green peas), a South Indian platter, or the light continental breakfast.
I opted for the South Indian platter, which was presented on a platter with a bowl of fresh fruits, while my wife Ashley ordered the paneer mutter bhurji.
The meal service onboard Vistara A321neo business class was quite good. The dishes were well-prepared, and it was a solid service that left us both feeling quite content.
Towards the end of the flight, I sipped on a gin and tonic.
Vistara A321neo Business Class – Entertainment
The in-flight entertainment system on Vistara features the Panasonic X Series and the Panasonic Arc Map system.
You can operate it either through the touchscreen interface, or by using a remote placed within reach of the seat.
Although I had initially intended to make use of the IFE, I had to catch up on some work after my time off. However, there seemed to be a decent selection of Hollywood and Bollywood films.
Two days prior to our flight, we were sent Wi-Fi vouchers via email, which provided us each with 50MB of data. I went through it quickly, and decided to work offline for the rest of the flight.
Additional Wi-Fi plans were available for purchase, with pricing as follows:
- Chat: 372 INR ($4 USD, $6 CAD)
- Surf: 1,577 INR ($19 USD, $26 CAD)
- Stream: 2,707 INR ($32 USD, $44 CAD)
Vistara A321neo Business Class – Bed
Prior to testing out the lie-flat bed, I popped into the restroom to freshen up. There wasn’t anything particularly remarkable to note here, aside from some mouthwash.
When I returned to my seat, I opted to try to nap for part of the journey, since we’d woken up in the middle of the night to catch the flight. I was pleasantly surprised by the bedding provided, with the blanket’s lovely shade of purple and the fluffy pillow.
I don’t tend to sleep well on planes, but I was able to comfortably kick my feet up for the latter part of the flight. My wife Ashley slept for a couple of hours, though, and reported that the pillows were particularly noteworthy.
Conclusion
I was quite happy with my first long-haul flight with Vistara, and I’d love to try out the airline’s widebody product on the Dreamliner. It’ll be interesting to see what happens with Vistara following the merger with Air India in 2024, and I hope that Vistara’s overall quality remains intact.
In particular, I enjoyed the meal service and the comfortable seats, which were more than suitable for our roughly six-hour morning flight to Mauritius.
Throughout the flight, I certainly noticed the influence from Singapore Airlines, which is one of the founding joint venture partners for Vistara. This was most apparent in the service culture, which was great.
If you have the choice, I’d certainly recommend giving Vistara a try the next time you’re flying to or from India.
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