Slightly OT, India arrivals/departures
Jun 21, 2011, 1:58 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: London
Programs: BA Silver, I'm back!
Posts: 657
Slightly OT, India arrivals/departures
Morning all
Looking at MFU to CW an open jaw into DEL out of BOM.
Stuck between arriving at 01:25 or 05:00 into DEL. Is it easy enough to get a cab at 01:25 and check into hotel (for some more kip before heading out) or is there an arrivals lounge there worth visiting?
For the departure, it's either 02:30 or 13:20. Is the lounge at Bombay/Mumbai worth an extended stay?
If this needs to be moved elsewhere that's fine
Thanks in advance
Looking at MFU to CW an open jaw into DEL out of BOM.
Stuck between arriving at 01:25 or 05:00 into DEL. Is it easy enough to get a cab at 01:25 and check into hotel (for some more kip before heading out) or is there an arrivals lounge there worth visiting?
For the departure, it's either 02:30 or 13:20. Is the lounge at Bombay/Mumbai worth an extended stay?
If this needs to be moved elsewhere that's fine
Thanks in advance
Jun 21, 2011, 2:35 am
#2
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Cham CH
Posts: 1,645
easy enough to get a cab and head to a hotel. The absolute easiest option is to have the hotel send their car to pick you up. Most hotels catering to westerners expect to do this, and on an international arrival there will be a hotel-transport-manager gaggle close to the exit, from the different large hotels. tell them which hotel and the appropriate man will summon your driver for you from the driver crowd (just in case you can't read your own name on the sign-board after your flight 
)
)
Jun 21, 2011, 3:28 am
#4
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Increasingly rarely on a plane
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Posts: 611
My advice is to go for the 0230 departure - stay in one of the niceish hotels near the airport, go to the gym, have a sauna and a swim in the evening. Have dinner around 2130, move to the bar for some ales, then around 0030 head out to the airport and by the time you're on board you're ready to have seven hours of beautiful uninterrupted sleep
Jun 21, 2011, 3:46 am
#5
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: SE1, London
Posts: 23,441
01:25 arrival at DEL is far preferable.
02:30 from BOM means an overnight flight arriving in London fit for a days work. Have a late dinner at a hotel near the airport then get to the airport around 1am.
The day flight back is exceptionally dull and boring.
02:30 from BOM means an overnight flight arriving in London fit for a days work. Have a late dinner at a hotel near the airport then get to the airport around 1am.
The day flight back is exceptionally dull and boring.
Jun 21, 2011, 5:22 am
#6
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Romsey, UK
Programs: BA, UA
Posts: 748
As above, although as I've only ever travelled to India for leisure, I have a tendency to take the later flight back to LHR, just 'cos I prefer it and half the time on an overnight totally fail to get any sleep!
In that regard, I've actually found the 9W flight back from DEL (I know you're coming back from BOM, but anyway.....!) far preferable.
In that regard, I've actually found the 9W flight back from DEL (I know you're coming back from BOM, but anyway.....!) far preferable.
Jun 21, 2011, 7:06 am
#7
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: MSY
Programs: BA GfL
Posts: 5,929
Be aware that the nutty flight times mean that your hotel will be extracting one or two extra paid nights from you, an aggravating constant of traveling to India. If you arrive DEL at 01:25 or 05:00, you'll have to book your hotel starting the night before if you want to check in as soon as you arrive. Similarly, upon your 02:30 departure, you'll have to pay for an extra night at the end if you want to do the "stay at your hotel and go for a late dinner" thing. It is always infuriating to pay for a full day and use 6 hours of it, but I do it anyway.
Jun 21, 2011, 7:25 am
#8
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: London
Programs: BA Silver, I'm back!
Posts: 657
Thanks all, that's settled then, early arrival and early departure.
Henners, I'll be sure to take your advice for some ales before boarding, it will certainly help with the sleep
Travelmad478, seems fair enough I suppose but would be worth it I think, arrive middle of the night then have a few hours sleep before stepping out into the unknown
Any hotel recommendations?
Cheers
Henners, I'll be sure to take your advice for some ales before boarding, it will certainly help with the sleep
Travelmad478, seems fair enough I suppose but would be worth it I think, arrive middle of the night then have a few hours sleep before stepping out into the unknown
Any hotel recommendations?
Cheers
Jun 21, 2011, 7:46 am
#9
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Increasingly rarely on a plane
Programs: Losing status by the day
Posts: 611
Rubbish! Never had a problem storing luggage and using spa/gym on evening of flight after checking out.
Jun 21, 2011, 7:47 am
#10
Join Date: Sep 2008
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Posts: 611
Jun 21, 2011, 7:47 am
#11
FlyerTalk Evangelist
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Dakshin in the Sheraton was always my dinner options before flying, followed by a drink or two in the Hyatt across the road. All of the BOM airport hotels are pretty decent.
Pick your DEL hotel on the basis of where you want to be during the day. Trekking from the Imperial to deepest Gurgaon can take a long, long time.
Jun 21, 2011, 8:02 am
#12
Join Date: Mar 2006
Posts: 420
On the subject of Indian lounges, anyone know what Bangalore lounge is like.
I'm going to have about 4 hours to spend there before heading off for an onward flight later in the year. (and will they let us in, arriving BA First into Bangalore and departing kingfisher to Trivandrum but in economy - we do have a priority pass too if that helps)
I'm going to have about 4 hours to spend there before heading off for an onward flight later in the year. (and will they let us in, arriving BA First into Bangalore and departing kingfisher to Trivandrum but in economy - we do have a priority pass too if that helps)
Jun 21, 2011, 8:07 am
#13
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: SE1, London
Posts: 23,441
BLR lounge is a normal contract lounge. Nothing special, but so much better than the Rs150 coffee voucher that was offered at the old airport! However your F BP won't get you in as you aren't flying out on BA.
Check with PP whether they have access arrangements with the lounge.
Check with PP whether they have access arrangements with the lounge.
Jun 21, 2011, 8:08 am
#14
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Increasingly rarely on a plane
Programs: Losing status by the day
Posts: 611
It's a bit different from arriving on one of the many flights to India that get in at ridiculous o'clock in the morning, where you have realistically no choice but pay for the night before. I tried going straight to the office from the BLR flight once and would never do it again
Jun 21, 2011, 8:21 am
#15
Join Date: Mar 2006
Posts: 420
which I'm not, I was hoping someone might be able to say that you could get in having come off internatinoal flight