International Transit in Delhi for Indians?
Mar 31, 2014, 1:17 am
#1
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International Transit in Delhi for Indians?
Has anyone had the experience of international transit in Delhi?
I'm planning to fly SIN to CDG on Air India biz. Are transit procedures same for Indian passport holders as for foreigners?
I ask because a couple of years ago a friend of mine had to transfer at DEL onwards to LHR. Although her luggage was booked straight through to London, she was called aside on arrival in Delhi, and asked to go out of immigrations, collect her bags and enter the terminal again all the way up from the departure level and go through immigrations all over again. Reason given - that was the procedure for Indians traveling through India. Does this still hold true? Fortunately she had the time between flights to go through this utter nonsense. I have just one hour between my flights. Should I look for an alternative? Any advice? Thanks.
I'm planning to fly SIN to CDG on Air India biz. Are transit procedures same for Indian passport holders as for foreigners?
I ask because a couple of years ago a friend of mine had to transfer at DEL onwards to LHR. Although her luggage was booked straight through to London, she was called aside on arrival in Delhi, and asked to go out of immigrations, collect her bags and enter the terminal again all the way up from the departure level and go through immigrations all over again. Reason given - that was the procedure for Indians traveling through India. Does this still hold true? Fortunately she had the time between flights to go through this utter nonsense. I have just one hour between my flights. Should I look for an alternative? Any advice? Thanks.
Mar 31, 2014, 1:52 am
#2
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The experience you refer about your friend seems strange.
If you have the booking for both the flights on the same PNR (ensuring that it complies with the AI's MCT for DEL) and you avail through check-in at SIN, you should be fine.
If you have the booking for both the flights on the same PNR (ensuring that it complies with the AI's MCT for DEL) and you avail through check-in at SIN, you should be fine.
Mar 31, 2014, 6:40 am
#3
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Mar 31, 2014, 8:45 am
#4
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Apr 1, 2014, 2:34 am
#5
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A similar 'unsual' incident I faced in back in 2004:
I was headed to DXB via MCT on GulfAir, I was told by the BOM GF staff at the check-in desk, that I couldnt fly as my passport didn't have ECNR stamp. Now, I was under the age of 18 and travelling alone, but I did have my residence visa fixed on my passport.
I knew that the ENCR was a requirement for those seeking employment and those who didn't have a long-term visa fixed / stamped on the passport, but those weren't applicable to my case. I tried reasoning with them about it but they weren't budging. I finally asked them to issue me a written statement detailing the reason for which I was not allowed to board the flight.
Hearing that, the staff discussed for a while and then relented, saying that subject to the Passport Control officer's nod, I was free to go. One of their staff member escorted me to the Passport Control and was was not very pleased when the official showed least interest and let me proceed without any fuss.
Later at the boarding gate, it turned out they were heavily over-booked thanks to the last-minute VIP bookings and were desperately looking for "bakra(s)".
I was headed to DXB via MCT on GulfAir, I was told by the BOM GF staff at the check-in desk, that I couldnt fly as my passport didn't have ECNR stamp. Now, I was under the age of 18 and travelling alone, but I did have my residence visa fixed on my passport.
I knew that the ENCR was a requirement for those seeking employment and those who didn't have a long-term visa fixed / stamped on the passport, but those weren't applicable to my case. I tried reasoning with them about it but they weren't budging. I finally asked them to issue me a written statement detailing the reason for which I was not allowed to board the flight.
Hearing that, the staff discussed for a while and then relented, saying that subject to the Passport Control officer's nod, I was free to go. One of their staff member escorted me to the Passport Control and was was not very pleased when the official showed least interest and let me proceed without any fuss.
Later at the boarding gate, it turned out they were heavily over-booked thanks to the last-minute VIP bookings and were desperately looking for "bakra(s)".
Apr 1, 2014, 5:20 am
#6
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Indians transitting through India are required to clear immigration if I recall correctly due to tax / residency reasons (since your transit date is considered a day you are in India) which is important for those seek NRI status.
However, how much this is policed with new terminal like Delhi T3 where one can do direct transit airside I am not sure
However, how much this is policed with new terminal like Delhi T3 where one can do direct transit airside I am not sure
Apr 2, 2014, 1:08 pm
#7
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This is one strange thread. If such silliness was being done, I would have thought it would be done in reverse ( for non-Indians).
Hope this changes so as to give Indian carriers more business from transit passengers.
Hope this changes so as to give Indian carriers more business from transit passengers.
Apr 3, 2014, 2:39 am
#8
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NRIs and their residency/tax situation is more of a concern for the Indian governmental babus than the residency/tax situation of non-Indians merely visiting India. I would sort of expect that.
This may be a legacy of the bureaucratic rule for exit clearance for say income tax purposes that used to hit departing Indians from India sometimes in rather ugly (for example, palm-grease-demand) ways.
This may be a legacy of the bureaucratic rule for exit clearance for say income tax purposes that used to hit departing Indians from India sometimes in rather ugly (for example, palm-grease-demand) ways.
Apr 3, 2014, 4:50 pm
#9
Join Date: Jun 2011
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I recently did SIN DEL MUC ORD international to international transit at DEL (no checked-in bags). It was smooth. From SQ arrival to LH lounge it took all of 15min. On the return I did the same at BOM (new wow terminal). It took a bit longer - about 25min.
SIN-DEL was on SQ. DEL-MUC on LH. Different tickets. I show up at international transfer desk and ring LH to print me a boarding pass. They show up, check my papers and issue LH boarding pass for DEL-MUC-ORD. Two bits of preparation I did
SIN-DEL was on SQ. DEL-MUC on LH. Different tickets. I show up at international transfer desk and ring LH to print me a boarding pass. They show up, check my papers and issue LH boarding pass for DEL-MUC-ORD. Two bits of preparation I did
- Tried getting DEL-MUC-ORD boarding passes at SIN LH check-in but was unsuccessful. Requested they put a comment in remarks that I need transit support in DEL
- Inquired and got DEL LH phone numbers and called them from SIN to let them know of arrival. Sort of testing the numbers/ mechanism works
Apr 13, 2014, 11:00 am
#12
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In the late 60's early 70's Indian traveling abroad on Business and claiming foreign exchange for business purposes on their trip (usually export related) had to obtain an NOC from Air India if they wanted to fly another airlines. Usually this happened if Air India was full, if you knew someone there or if you greased the right palms in the AI building... And today Emirates is basically our national airline...