Air India Sucks, Tata Hotels Rock
Chetan Bhagat
Jul 9, 2025, 20:28 IST
An Indian company gives us world-class hotel experience but low-quality airline experience. Preliminary report on the Ahmedabad air crash should give some explanation for this oddity
Preliminary investigation findings for the horrific AI 171 crash that took 260 lives a month ago, are expected to be made public by Friday. The airline is presumably processing this accident as a wakeup call. Policymakers should be doing the same. What do they need to do to give India a truly world-class airline ? It is what Indians deserve and it would give the country a big strategic advantage too.
Consider, by contrast, that anyone who has visited a Taj hotel – whether for a cup of tea or a long stay – is likely to share positive memories. Taj gets it right. The hotels are clean and luxurious, staff is courteous, food is delicious. The lobby, rooms, facilities, services, and restaurants are consistently top-notch. Be it a Taj property in Kerala, Mumbai, Lucknow or New York, be it summer or winter, day or night, it's always excellent. They even speak of something called 'Tajness' – a unique, elevated feeling experienced at any Taj location.
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News18
37 minutes ago
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Why It's Time To Focus On Foreign Tourist Arrivals Too
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Our destinations are second to none, but India has to get its act together to maximise their appeal as viable choices for foreign holidayers. The US has Niagara Falls, India has Chitrakoot Falls. The US has the Empire State Building, India has the Taj Mahal. The US has the Rockies, India has the Himalayas. The US has the Statue of Liberty, India has the Statue of Unity. The US has the Grand Canyon, India has Gandikota Canyon. The US has Hollywood, India has Bollywood, Mollywood, Tollywood, etc. Not to mention beaches, adventure sports, sand dunes, forested vistas, architecture, and even casinos and shopping. But what India boasts by way of tourism assets is, sadly, offset by wide gaps in supporting infrastructure. To overcome that lacuna as fast as possible requires political will as well as public participation, as there is more to a holiday than just the place; it is the entire experience. 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Then, after his White House stint ends and when Mar-a-Lago becomes a bit boring for a retired President, Trump himself may want to vacation in India too, rather than Pakistan. The author is a freelance writer. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect News18's views. Click here to add News18 as your preferred news source on Google. tags : bollywood hollywood Taj Mahal tourism view comments Location : New Delhi, India, India First Published: August 16, 2025, 20:24 IST News opinion Opinion | Why It's Time To Focus On Foreign Tourist Arrivals Too Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Mint
43 minutes ago
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SBI home loan: State Bank of India raises home loan interest rates by 25 basis points. Check new rates here
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