Long Layover on AI in Delhi - Best Option?
#19
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Indore
Posts: 335
I am travelling to BCN via CDG , have an 8 hours layover, Do you think 9W or Air France can arrange for a transit hotel for the time ??
#20
Join Date: Jun 2012
Posts: 17
Simple really.
I had a query with the flight so I phoned a very helpful AI rep in the UK. Told her the plan.
She noticed we had a long layover on the return journey and was I aware? I acknowledged that I was aware of this and I planned to stay in the transit hotel.
She then mentioned that the airline will pay for the hotel.
A couple of days later we received a hotel confirmation.
I have to say - the AI girl we spoke to was really excellent. Pleasant, helpful, proactive and very thorough.
I think it's part of the standard AI service. Not sure if there's a minimum time you need to be in transit though. We land in Delhi at about 19.00 and depart the following day at around midday.
I had a query with the flight so I phoned a very helpful AI rep in the UK. Told her the plan.
She noticed we had a long layover on the return journey and was I aware? I acknowledged that I was aware of this and I planned to stay in the transit hotel.
She then mentioned that the airline will pay for the hotel.
A couple of days later we received a hotel confirmation.
I have to say - the AI girl we spoke to was really excellent. Pleasant, helpful, proactive and very thorough.
I think it's part of the standard AI service. Not sure if there's a minimum time you need to be in transit though. We land in Delhi at about 19.00 and depart the following day at around midday.
#24
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: MAA
Programs: BA bronze, Marriott silver
Posts: 2,804
#26
Join Date: May 2013
Posts: 39
There isn't the margin in the price of an economy class ticket to provide accommodation on a stopover. The ticket already has to be priced below that of a direct flight to allow for the inconvenience and extra travel time.
Stopover packages work if the location is interesting enough to make the visit worthwhile even if it wouldn't be worth a special trip. The airlines will get a commission from the hotels and tour operators they use. A day or two in Dubai en-route to the far east or Australia makes travelling economy bearable, allows for easier time zone adjustment and gives an extra to the holiday
The margin on business class tickets is much larger and $150 for a hotel room still leaves a decent profit on a $4000 ticket. These passengers are less price sensitive than economy ones and need more incentive to take an indirect flight.
I would quite happily do 14 hours in business class but if I was in economy I would break it up into two legs with a night in a hotel in between.
Stopover packages work if the location is interesting enough to make the visit worthwhile even if it wouldn't be worth a special trip. The airlines will get a commission from the hotels and tour operators they use. A day or two in Dubai en-route to the far east or Australia makes travelling economy bearable, allows for easier time zone adjustment and gives an extra to the holiday
The margin on business class tickets is much larger and $150 for a hotel room still leaves a decent profit on a $4000 ticket. These passengers are less price sensitive than economy ones and need more incentive to take an indirect flight.
I would quite happily do 14 hours in business class but if I was in economy I would break it up into two legs with a night in a hotel in between.
#27
Join Date: Jun 2012
Posts: 17
Nothing interesting about an overnight in Delhi airport! A visa for UK nationals is about 100 pp so not worth getting for a single night out of the airport.
The flight is to / from Aus so we splash out a little for the opportunity to sleep properly on the flight and make the most of our time in Aus. We've done this trip before in economy and spent 2 days in a zombie like state.... after a 13h flight from Singapore.
AI are by far the cheapest (J) at the moment so the very long return journey (40h including the overnight) is worth it for us....
Didn't expect AI to stump up for the hotel - I was about to book it!
The flight is to / from Aus so we splash out a little for the opportunity to sleep properly on the flight and make the most of our time in Aus. We've done this trip before in economy and spent 2 days in a zombie like state.... after a 13h flight from Singapore.
AI are by far the cheapest (J) at the moment so the very long return journey (40h including the overnight) is worth it for us....
Didn't expect AI to stump up for the hotel - I was about to book it!