LFCorsten

Anybody experience with EK500 and EK501 in BOM as a direct turnaround?

EK 500 from DXB arrives 2:30 am
EK 501 back to DXB leaves 4:30am

Visa is coming before trip next week. I would like to safe some money for the trip on EK215 :-)

thanks for your input.

jackiedada

Are you doing a mileage run? Should be doable as in the new Airport, there are quite a large number of immigration counters so you are out in like 10 minutes. Note that it is a fairly long walk to the immigration counters, 10 minute walk at the very least, so be sure that you are one of the first ones to disembark. Check-in closes at 3:30 am sharp (1 hr prior to departure), so it would be good if you can get your BP printed at DXB itself so you don't have to worry if you get delayed a bit.

LFCorsten

Tickets from BOM are cheaper than DXB :-) saving some bucks. I do have to do immigration? Is there no shortcut?

jackiedada

I am not sure about that - see if you can speak to the EK call center and find that one out. I believe everyone needs to clear immigration in India, though I am not sure.

ukdoctor

At DEL,once you arrive you can do international transfers prior to immigration . I have not done this myself but do see lots of people doing this. I dont know what the situation with bags is though.The passenger sitting next to me a few weeks ago was flying onwards to KTM and she did not have an Indian visa. I'm not sure if she was flying only with hand luggage or if she had a prior arrangement with the airline for transferring her bags to the next flight to KTM ( bags at Delhi are typically accessed after immigration as common to other airports)


PS: I'm going again to DEL in a week so will check at the transit section and post in this thread.

jackiedada

I think you are correct. See the transit section of this faq, which mentions that one can directly go to the departure area post security check.
http://www.csia.in/passenger/faqs.aspx
Q. What are the transfer/transit processes for the passengers arriving from one international flight and connecting to another international flight?
A. Transit Passengers (arriving from one international flight and connecting to another international flight), post clearing security check can use the lift/elevator located in the transit area and head to the departure hall (level 4). For any other queries, you may contact your airline staff who will provide you the required assistance.

sumayya

You do not need to do immigration. Just go to the transfer desk and get your boarding passes as online check in does not allow issuing boarding passes in India. From the transfer desk you go back to your boarding gate.

LFCorsten

It worked great. The station manager picked me up and had boarding pass, bag tag, lounge voucher with him. I was escorted through security and to the lounge. I had to come earlier for boarding, because I had to identify my bag at the apron in front of the A380.

So possible and no problems.

extramileage

Did the station manager know you were coming?

ukdoctor

I suspect that we are going to see loads of DXB based FT'ers doing direct turnarounds on this route .

asdf1223

Special India fare?

LFCorsten

I asked the dxb station to contact him :-)

ukdoctor

DXB To US fares are not cheap in F/J.

India -DXB- US fares are much more cheaper.

2 tickets needed.

India - long stopover at DXB-- US- stopover at DXB - India. Return

DXB- India ( can even take the economy as I would personally throw away the return if I am DXB based. Another option is a DXB - India J out Y in which will usually be cheaper than a J single)


Travel out to India using the second ticket and fly back using the India DXB portion of the first ticket. Utilise the 'stop over ' at DXB and fly to the US and return to DXB for the next 'stopover'. Throw away the last bit of DXB -India

You can save 30 %or sometimes even 50% off the normal DXB -US First fare.
Even on J fares there is usually a 20-30% saving.

If you do have a reason to visit India then that's the icing on the cake :-)

ukdoctor

Probably the above is against the T&C of EK but I have never heard of anyone being asked why they did not fly the portion that was not used.

Remember that EK is making more money off a thrown away ticket as Y and J cabins are oversold anyway and they get 2 people to pay for the same seat.