Originally Posted by
IAN-UK
I'm about to make me very first direct international to domestic connection at Delhi. Fortunately it's Air India to Air India, so an intra-T3 event. i was feeling pretty smug about ditching the 1hour-something transit first offered and going for the next, 2H30, option between arriving from Singapore and leaving for Amritsar. I saw myself recovering from a longish-haul flight with a coffee and a rest in the lounge before heading for Punjab.
Then I read through this thread
Can some kind soul suggest the speediest way of getting through the layers of officialdom and upstairs to departures? It's a single economy-class ticket, I'm *G thanks to Lufthansa, I'll be hand-baggage only and expect to have the onward boarding card issued at SIN. The transfer drama will take place early-mid afternoon.
You should be fine, 2h30 is more than enough for a D-to-I transfer at DEL.
Once you arrive, follow signs for immigration and domestic transfers. You will first go through immigration, followed by baggage collection, and then customs. After customs, you'll see a domestic transfers sign and a dedicated area to the right, after exiting the customs area. Head there to the AI counter, where they will do a doc check, and let you through to the departures floor.
Go through the departures security (can be a nightmare during busy periods, especially in Y as there is Gold Track), and then follow the signs to the very mediocre Air India Lounge. I wouldn't spend too long at this lounge, but it has all the basic facilities one would expect in a lounge (except alcohol).