4.5 hour domestic to international connection in DEL
Mar 3, 2015, 8:00 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2010
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 546
4.5 hour domestic to international connection in DEL
Hello,
Later this week, I'm connecting from an AI domestic flight to LH (HYD-DEL-MUC). I booked a 4.5 hour connection in DEL as I didn't want to take the last HYD-DEL flight (with a 2.5 hour connection) and risk a misconnect in case of delays. If my flight from HYD is on time, will I be permitted upstairs to the International departures area, or will I be stuck on the lower floor after I exit domestic arrivals? Is there a transit passage directly from the domestic arrivals level (before going down the escalator to baggage claim) through immigration and security, and does anyone know if LH operates a transit counter there (and if so, what time it opens)?
Thanks!
Later this week, I'm connecting from an AI domestic flight to LH (HYD-DEL-MUC). I booked a 4.5 hour connection in DEL as I didn't want to take the last HYD-DEL flight (with a 2.5 hour connection) and risk a misconnect in case of delays. If my flight from HYD is on time, will I be permitted upstairs to the International departures area, or will I be stuck on the lower floor after I exit domestic arrivals? Is there a transit passage directly from the domestic arrivals level (before going down the escalator to baggage claim) through immigration and security, and does anyone know if LH operates a transit counter there (and if so, what time it opens)?
Thanks!
Mar 3, 2015, 9:13 pm
#2
Join Date: May 2010
Location: VABB
Programs: AI-FR, 9W-JP
Posts: 723
My guess is that your are on AI840 & LH763. If so, you can through check-in with AI at HYD and get your bags tagged all the way to MUC.
If its on the same PNR, you should have same baggage allowance, else AI may charge you the excess fee, depending on your FFP tier.
After through check-in, at DEL you would just need to clear passport control and security so as to be airside.. no further issues. Check out the Lounge options in the Lounge Wiki.
If its on the same PNR, you should have same baggage allowance, else AI may charge you the excess fee, depending on your FFP tier.
After through check-in, at DEL you would just need to clear passport control and security so as to be airside.. no further issues. Check out the Lounge options in the Lounge Wiki.
Mar 3, 2015, 9:22 pm
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2010
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Posts: 546
Great, thanks! So after I complete the inevitably long walk from the gate to the central part of the terminal, I'll expect to stay to the left for the transfer area (instead of taking the escalators down on the right to get to domestic baggage claim).
Mar 3, 2015, 11:36 pm
#5
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Mar 5, 2015, 8:58 pm
#6
Join Date: May 2010
Location: VABB
Programs: AI-FR, 9W-JP
Posts: 723
If your flight is alloted a remote parking bay / parked at the international side of the terminal, you may be transfered via the bus to the terminal building. Keep an eye out for the signage for 'transfer desks'.
At the transfer desk, you can confirm the boarding gates and proceed airside.
At the transfer desk, you can confirm the boarding gates and proceed airside.
Mar 6, 2015, 12:41 am
#7
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2010
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 546
So here's how this ended up working out:
In HYD, the AI check in agent refused to allow me to carry on my bag (rules are rules! it was over the carry-on weight allowance), but she offered to short-check it to DEL because of my long 4.5hr connection (I said that I would need the bag during my connection, which was true). Also, she was unable to print a boarding pass for my LH connecting flight. When I arrived in DEL, I made the long walk from my arrival gate to the central transfer area, took the escalator downstairs past domestic transfer security, and tried to ask the transfer desk agent to assist with a boarding pass; it turned out that this wasn't much of a transfer desk, but more of a not-too-helpful person sitting there telling people with boarding passes to proceed straight and people without boarding passes to exit through domestic baggage claim and proceed back upstairs to the departures area. I picked up my bag from domestic baggage claim (very short wait and priority tagged bags arrived near the beginning; EWR baggage claim ops should take a lesson from these folks!) and proceeded through the exit as instructed, turning left after the exit to go all the way to the end of the terminal for the one elevator (and security guard checkpoint) that lead to the departures area. After heavy scrutiny of my Lufthansa reservation printout ("This is not ticket! Need 'etk'!" whereas the Lufthansa page says "etix") and consultation with another security guard, I was permitted upstairs. This put me in the transfer passenger holding pen (my understanding is that even transfer passengers aren't permitted in the departure area too early), and just one more ticket check later, I made it to the check in desk and got my boarding passes all the way to NYC.
Phew. Moral of the story: when connecting from an Indian domestic flight to an international flight, get your onward boarding passes at your origin city. Find a way. No matter what it takes. Otherwise, you have little time advantage of this being a connection (other than baggage being checked through to your destination, you arrive like a passenger terminating in DEL and depart like a passenger who was just dropped off at the curb). This is still better than the Domestic > International bus transfer in BOM, of course, because you don't leave the building or take a 30 minute bus ride.
Thanks again for the tips!
In HYD, the AI check in agent refused to allow me to carry on my bag (rules are rules! it was over the carry-on weight allowance), but she offered to short-check it to DEL because of my long 4.5hr connection (I said that I would need the bag during my connection, which was true). Also, she was unable to print a boarding pass for my LH connecting flight. When I arrived in DEL, I made the long walk from my arrival gate to the central transfer area, took the escalator downstairs past domestic transfer security, and tried to ask the transfer desk agent to assist with a boarding pass; it turned out that this wasn't much of a transfer desk, but more of a not-too-helpful person sitting there telling people with boarding passes to proceed straight and people without boarding passes to exit through domestic baggage claim and proceed back upstairs to the departures area. I picked up my bag from domestic baggage claim (very short wait and priority tagged bags arrived near the beginning; EWR baggage claim ops should take a lesson from these folks!) and proceeded through the exit as instructed, turning left after the exit to go all the way to the end of the terminal for the one elevator (and security guard checkpoint) that lead to the departures area. After heavy scrutiny of my Lufthansa reservation printout ("This is not ticket! Need 'etk'!" whereas the Lufthansa page says "etix") and consultation with another security guard, I was permitted upstairs. This put me in the transfer passenger holding pen (my understanding is that even transfer passengers aren't permitted in the departure area too early), and just one more ticket check later, I made it to the check in desk and got my boarding passes all the way to NYC.
Phew. Moral of the story: when connecting from an Indian domestic flight to an international flight, get your onward boarding passes at your origin city. Find a way. No matter what it takes. Otherwise, you have little time advantage of this being a connection (other than baggage being checked through to your destination, you arrive like a passenger terminating in DEL and depart like a passenger who was just dropped off at the curb). This is still better than the Domestic > International bus transfer in BOM, of course, because you don't leave the building or take a 30 minute bus ride.
Thanks again for the tips!