The threads that I've come across mostly deal with International to Domestic transfer at BOM, but I have the reverse question.

My wife is returning to the US, flying HYD-BOM-EWR. She has roughly 6-7 hours between flights at BOM.

She'd like to spend part of that layover visiting with relatives in BOM, who can come to meet her at the airport, but only if she will be able to have free time and not have to deal with baggage transfer issues (possibly 4 large suitcases), and can easily exit the domestic terminal and enter the international terminal from the outside (i.e., not via the official airport transfer bus).

I remember seeing signs for international transfers at Jet's BOM domestic baggage claim, but never paid much attention to them since I was only travelling domestically.

Will all luggage checked in at HYD be automatically transferred to the BOM-EWR flight, or will she have to claim the bags at BOM domestic and personally transfer them (if so, I assume there is a Jet Airways desk at BOM domestic baggage claim to facilitate this?)?

I assume there is a bus for international transfers, but if she doesn't take it, can she just exit the terminal and make her own way to the international terminal?

Where would you recommend to be a good place nearby to sit and relax with family members (e.g., hotel with restaurant/lounge, etc.)

Ideally, this is what she'd like to do, is it possible:

1. Check in at HYD, get boarding passes for both HYD-BOM and BOM-EWR.

2. Check in the bags at HYD, and not have to worry about dealing with them again till baggage claim/customs at EWR.

3. Upon arrival at BOM domestic, simply exit the terminal as an arriving passenger, meet relatives at the curb.

4. A few hours later, go to the international terminal, enter by showing her confirmation paperwork (I assume they'd get into a tizzy if she showed her BOM-EWR boarding pass since you're not allowed to leave the building after checkin)

5. Skip the checkin counters, head straight for immigration.