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Dehli Airport Questions

Old 14th Dec 2015, 13:20
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Grrr Dehli Airport Questions

Guys

hoping i might find my answer here in this forum.

I'm new to travelling in asia and i have a question about checked baggage in Dehli airport.

I have a 13hour layover in Dehli Aiport on the way to colombo from heathrow and i cannot work out if i will need a visa to transfer my checked hold luggage in this period.

I fly in and out with the same airline - Air India - but there is a 13hour wait. Its a budget flight. I'm not going to leave the airport.

Will they transfer my luggage for me?

If not and i have to do it myself, can anyone tell me where this takes palce and most importantly, do i need a transit VISA for this process?

This is my last resort to find out as the airline, airport, indian consulate and booking company are all useless and cant tell em definitely.

ANyone got any experience of this?

PLEASE HELP!

Thanks - James
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Old 14th Dec 2015, 14:44
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I am not sure I am able to be much help but

You will remain in terminal 3 at IGI airport in Delhi and there is an international transfer section.

I would have thought you will not have to reclaim your baggage - you do if transferring to a domestic flight which is the only experience I have

I doubt you will need an Indian visa just what is required for Sri Lanka.

Air India ought to be able to tell you as they will either not let you travel or get fined if you do if you do not have the right documentation.

Otherwise you could try one of the companies that assist with visas e.g. CIBT

CIBTvisas

They might charge you a fee for their advice.
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Old 14th Dec 2015, 15:04
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I don’t have any experience of Delhi Airport, but I’m 99% certain that, provided you have a through ticket (i.e. the Heathrow-Delhi and Delhi-Colombo sectors are on the same ticket), your bags will be checked through all the way to Colombo without you having to retrieve them.

I can’t think what possessed you to book a flight with a 13 hour layover though, let alone via Delhi. Personally I would have paid a little bit more for a civilised connection through one of the Middle Eastern hubs. I hope your tickets were a bargain for the journey you’re going to get!

As 22/04 notes, you WILL need a visa for Sri Lanka, but these are quick and easy to organise on-line before departure.
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Old 14th Dec 2015, 16:21
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Hi jamesdixon201 and welcome to the elite cabin of PPRuNe ...

I'm sure that more replies be along soon, one thing that can help when posing a question is to state when you are travelling. That can tell folks if they can wait till they have more time, or have checked something, or if you are leaving within 12 hours.
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Old 14th Dec 2015, 16:27
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I have not been through IGI but make sure you have backup power for your electronics as not all airports have good access for Pax to charge things.

Despite you being on a budget, you might want to look at the possibility of a paid for transit lounge? This is the airport: Delhi Airport - Official Airport Website for live flight information, flights booking, airport lounge & hotel bookings - IGI Airport, New Delhi, India and Lounges is on the main menu. Not least - they will have plenty of power sockets, Web access and so on. Other posters here might be able to help.
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Old 14th Dec 2015, 18:13
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Jamesdixion 201
I have not been through Delhi transferring into International flight as have always been going to Delhi or internal Indian flight at worst (there Sept 2015). However as other,s have said you should be able to check through your bags from London to Colombo, and I would heartily endorse Paxboy comment re lounge access (do what ever you have to do to get it !), as you will find (depending on flight times ) IGI an "interesting" experience, and a glimpse of what "Incredible India" can offer ! Have to echo Andy S comments, why did you not stage through the Mid East ?,(my normal route) as there are quite attractive fairs ? Anyway enjoy the experience as the people are unfailingly courteous although organisation can sometimes be a little, shall we say, hidden.


Have a good trip but get lounge access if at all possible you have a long wait.


Regards
Mr Mac
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Old 15th Dec 2015, 09:51
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While I echo what others have said re lounge access don't worry too much about Delhi these days - T3 is a lot better than T2 used to be, especially the international area. There are plenty of food outlets, Costa Coffee and the like as well as bars serving reasonable hot food and a beer, unless you are unlucky enough to be travelling on an Indian bank holiday when the whole country is dry. There certainly is a transit hotel and there is also (I think) a paid for lounge. It's also a lot quieter than Dubai and probably in my mind better than Abu Dhabi (though I've only been before the midfield terminal opening). T3 also has very good though not particularly cheap duty free-picked up a bottle of Islay gin there last week.
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Old 15th Dec 2015, 17:00
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I wouldn't fret about a 13hr baggage connection. Network airlines do this regularly. I've got a 23hr connection coming up at DOH (with the airline covering the costs) and they insist I connect my bags through.

Now your mileage may vary depending on the company, but it almost always works - most baggage goes astray from 'interline' connections (i.e. connections between two different companies).
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Old 15th Dec 2015, 23:51
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13 hours ! Forget the lounge and get a room in the airside transit hotel instead.

Your baggage should be checked through at Heathrow, confirm with the counter staff. You may get the boarding pass for the next leg or you may need to go to the transit desk on arrival in Delhi.

This time of the year is fog season so be prepared for disruption in Delhi, particularly with an early morning arrival.

Air India wouldn't be my first choice on this route and nor would the Gulf airlines (in economy) as they carry migrant workers who may not be the best of travellers.

It may be an experience for you.
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Old 6th Jan 2016, 18:49
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I'm going to follow paultheparaglider and go for a slight diversion.

In 1978 I flew London/Frankfurt/Delhi (on Lufthansa) connecting to Royal Nepal Airlines (as it then was) to Kathmandu. Eveything went swimmingly at Heathrow, I got my bags checked to KTM and got boarding passes to DEL.

On arrival at Delhi I had to enter India (took a while but I had about 3 hours). I wandered round to the RNAC desk and the man asked if I had baggage. I proudly showed him my bag tag. He said "follow me"; took me through passport control into the departures lounge and asked if I could see my bag and, there it was upside down parked against a pillar. I picked it up, followed him back to check in got a new tag and a boarding pass and boarded the ropiest 727-100 I think I ever flew on.

I hope things have got better!
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Old 10th Jan 2016, 17:07
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Hopefully helpful

So here are my 2 cents

You will probably fly out of LHR on the AI dreamliners. Service is decent on these as is the crowd as most are connecting from Canada. Flight should be relatively empty post 5 January. The 787 crew are the non unionized Delhi based ones & relatively younger than the ageing aunts who fly the Mumbai 777 routes.

You will arrive into Delhi T3 & based on your nationality are or not eligible for an E visa that would need to be applied for earlier on line. If you have one of these you can step out of the airport & visit the city. You will need your boarding pass & ticket to re enter the airport. Since your bags will be checked to CMB itself you will not need to collect your bags unless you specifically ask for it. If you have a UK passport the visa will cost a bit (reciprocal) & it is not worth it.

The flight to CMB will be on an aging 320 from the same terminal. As some posters have suggested if you want to transit only your bags will be checked thru & you ate best off taking a nap at the transit hotel. Currently T3 is going thru retail renovation with only a spattering of food places open & not much to do for 13 hours. Fog is playing a spoilsport & if you Are lucky your flight from LHR could get diverted to Mumbai & you arrive 10 hours late in Delhi just in time to catch your flight to CMB.

Bon Voyage!
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