India-based Airlines - ORD-DEL-BLR help pls

Hi

I am travelling from ORD-DEL-BLR next week and I hav a transit time of 1.30hr in delhi.My question is.. do i need to pick up my luugage and clear customs and check in at domestic side..or is my luggage checked thru BLR

i called up airindia and they said that i need to clear customs in delhi and then check in my luggage at delhi to BLR.I dont think its possible in 1.30hr transit time..

anyone pls help me

what are the flight numbers?

As long as both flight numbers are in the 100s, this will be an easy connection. Immigration and customs will take place in BLR

If you are connecting from an AI to IC flight, then you will have to go through immigration and customs at DEL. In my experience, AI staffers usually will be at the jetbridge when you get off - with your short connection, you can ask them to escort you through immigration and customs, and they usually are more than happy to oblige.

If you find yourself dealing with an employee who is not feeling helpful that day, just go find another one.

Thanks for your reply.

my flight numbers are ORD-DEL(AI 0126)
AND DEL-BLR(AI 0403)
and both are at terminal 3.

403 is a eIC number.

You will have to go through immigration and customs in DEL, and then go from the international wing to the domestic wing of T3.

How long this takes is completely dependent on how much of a line there is at immigration, customs, and security.

If there are no lines, I'd think that this can be done in 20 or 30 minutes. With the help of an AI employee, I'd think that it could be done in a similar amount of time...

What is eIC number?

What is eIC number?
e stands for erstwhile.

While AI and IC have merged technically, a lot of aspects of their operation are still different. Flight numbers in the 400s are erstwhile Indian Airlines numbers, which can be important to know sometimes.

Anyway, enjoy your flight :)

Thank for all the info...but I am nervous abt the transit time in delhi...
hope everything goes gud...

one more question ...if i miss blr flight with all this hassles...will they put me in the next available flight...(I know u r not AI rep..just asking u if you hav any idea)

Thank for all the info...but I am nervous abt the transit time in delhi...
hope everything goes gud...

one more question ...if i miss blr flight with all this hassles...will they put me in the next available flight...(I know u r not AI rep..just asking u if you hav any idea)

If you miss the AI flight, they will put you on the next available flight definitely. Depending on whose fault it is, they may or may not decide to charge the change fee, which is negligible when you consider what you paid for the ticket anyway. "your fault" would probably be if you got held up in immigration and customs without informing anybody, and then deciding to go use the toilet instead of check-in immediately... As long as you inform the airline of any difficulties, they usually will do their best to assist you and also assume responsibility for getting you to your next flight.

IC has held planes for me twice before for 5 or 10 minutes, but that only happens if I tell an AI rep that I am running late. I guess the point I'm trying to make is that as long as you effectively communicate to everyone that you have a tight connection, things should be fine. However, this is India. You should be prepared to repeat "I have a tight connection, I am about to miss my connecting IC flight" about 50 times.

I don't predict that you will have any problems if your flight is on time :) (and 126 is usually on time - I usually fly it on the DEL-HYD leg though, not from ORD)

PVDtoDEL,

I searched in AI website and found the below info..Can u pls throw some light on this...


Home > Travel Information > On Ground > Domestic > Transfer Desks


You may through check-in from AIR INDIA (IC) to AIR INDIA (IC) domestic & international flights. Similarly this facility is available to you if you are travelling on AIR INDIA (IC) domestic and connecting on to AIR INDIA (AI) (or select other airlines) international flight. In other words a passenger can through check-in himself & his baggage up to New York, if he is travelling Kolkata / Delhi / New York. This facility is available on the reverse direction too. Special transfer desks have been established in the arrival halls of major metro airports, where you would be facilitated and assistance provided to connect you on to your next flight.

PVDtoDEL,

I searched in AI website and found the below info..Can u pls throw some light on this...


Home > Travel Information > On Ground > Domestic > Transfer Desks


You may through check-in from AIR INDIA (IC) to AIR INDIA (IC) domestic & international flights. Similarly this facility is available to you if you are travelling on AIR INDIA (IC) domestic and connecting on to AIR INDIA (AI) (or select other airlines) international flight. In other words a passenger can through check-in himself & his baggage up to New York, if he is travelling Kolkata / Delhi / New York. This facility is available on the reverse direction too. Special transfer desks have been established in the arrival halls of major metro airports, where you would be facilitated and assistance provided to connect you on to your next flight.

Firstly, the through-checking thing. On the itinerary BLR-DEL-ORD, this would be no problem. You would check your bag through to ORD at BLR, and they might (depending on how IT is feeling) be able to print your DEL-ORD boarding pass at checkin at BLR as well.

However, it would not work in the other direction. Why? Because DEL-BLR is a domestic flight. Customs and immigration must be done before you can board your DEL-BLR flight. Since you need your bags to go through customs, you have to pick up your bags at DEL and then recheck it. This is similar to the procedure which would be in place if you were flying DEL-JFK-ORD for example - you pick up your bag at JFK and recheck it.


As for transfer desks, you are better off trying to get help from the nearest AI staffer at the gate than wasting valuable time trying to figure out in which direction you have to go.

Thank you for all the valuable info

the following thread has some good info on connections in delhi....

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/india-based-airlines/1280562-connections-indian-airports.html

flyingonai

1) Don't worry you will not miss your connection. AI ORD-DEL arrives 45 min early almost everyday and most AI domestic flights upto 6pm are adjusted to transport passengers of the 3 Intl AI flight(esp AI 102 from NYC). Should your flight be late, they will most likely delay CCU, BLR, MAA domestic connectors.

2) Both ways your bags will be checked in till final destination and you need to pick only at final point.

3) You do customs/transfer at Delhi both ways. Delhi has separate customs for transfer passengers (just ask) and usually takes less than 5 min from Intl-Domestic passengers but may take upto 30 min from Domestic-Intl depending on crowd/timing.

AI timings both ways are great and you will have a great flight. Please come back to this forum and post your experience