<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by robb:
When I was on an Air India flight last year, the ticket agent did comment that I hadn't reconfirmed, but I was still allowed on the flight.
What exactly is the point of reconfirmaltion, and why would it be so necessary internationally, but unfeard of domestically?</font>
Air India does NOT require reconfirmation of reservations for passengers flying to/from ORD, JFK, EWR, LHR, CDG, FRA, NRT or KIX. All other destinations require you to reconfirm your reservations at least 72 hrs in advance.
The reason for this is that travel agents tend to make multiple speculative bookings on flights. It is not unusual to see flights oversold by 300% during peak season, but still go out with empty seats. Air India's extensive Middle East and SE Asian network is especially vulnerable to these kind of tactics. The reconfirmation allows the airline to get a more effective idea about space availability 72 hours out and to begin clearing waitlists.