Originally Posted by
msntriathlete
After business in Chennai, we're being taken on a backwaters tour in Kerala. Our business-hosts are arranging air on Jet Konnect MAA-COK, a night in Cochi 18 Jan, then an overnight houseboat backwaters tour 19-20 Jan.
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Upon return from the backwaters tour on 20 Jan, will it be realistic for us to do Kingfisher COK-BLR at either 16:30-17:50 or 20:30-21:50, then check in for the Air France departure? (By realistic, I mean in terms of being sure to make my Air France departure.)
Is the later flight too risky? Does anyone know the reliability of these flights? While I don't relish the idea of 8 hours in the BLR airport (so far from town I wouldn't bother), I wonder if it's worth it to be on the second-to-last flight and still have a later option, rather than the last flight of the day.
I have some recent COK experience. Typically, the backwaters tours start after 9.00 am and must end by 6.00 pm, because of some kind of arrangement that the travel & tourism industry has reached with the fishermen. I suggest you try and make sure that the backwater tour finishes early enough. Remember, COK airport is at least an hour's drive (WMMV based on traffic experiences) from COK city.
Secondly, the last 2 times I was in COK (both within the last month or so), the 20.30 IT flight to MAA was either cancelled or delayed (and in both cases they offered to put the pax up in 9W / AI). While the MAA flights are no basis to go by, do be prepared. I would suggest an earlier flight, if only to avoid the risks of booking the later one and it being cancelled or delayed - at least, that's what I would do.