AQ68DUm3

Hi all,

Thanks in advance for your help.

I am planning a PIT - BOM trip in the second half of December 2010. At present, I am getting a decent fare on DL + AI with just one stop (PIT - JFK - BOM). Before I commit to this, I have a few questions and would be grateful for your answers. I also hope AI is still running this flight come December (have not flown them in 16 years, but have heard very good things about this flight and the new 777 LRs).

1. I assume Orbitz would issue me a single itinerary for the whole trip? I believe having a single itinerary (or PNR or whatever that is called) makes life easier.

2. Can I check my bag all the way from PIT - BOM?

3. Can I do on-line checkin and seat selection on AI? I cannot select my seats on Orbitz at the time of booking; hopefully I can select them either via calling AI or doing OLCI.

4. If I cannot do OLCI, can DL check me in for the AI flight when I am at PIT? I am pretty sure this is _not_ possible, just hoping.

5. If I have to do manual check-in at JFK, how soon can I do it? I saw a trip report that mentioned the check-in opened at 4:30 pm for the 9:30 flight. I should be there at that time given the DL flight times.

Just planning ahead to make sure I get the all-important aisle seat :-).

Thanks!
AQ68DUm3

dgxoxo

I don't know about whether you will get one PNR or whether you can check your bags all the way to BOM from PIT. What I do know is that:

(1) you will get your bags from the PIT - JFK luggage carousel;
(2) there is no OLCI for AI. You can go on their website and select seats (or call in and select certain seats);
(3) DL cannot check you in for AI - flying to India has special security checks that requires checking in with AI at JFK
(4) I have no idea how early you can check in since I am usually one of the last to check in for the flight.

You can get your all-important aisle seat by calling or choosing your seat online. I 100% recommend getting the exit aisle seat (row 32?) since it is lots of leg room, close to the galley (but close to the restroom). Only issue is that pax will congregate in those areas 9 - 10 hours from when you leave JFK or BOM bc they are truly bored sitting down...

Keyser

why would you think ai would not be running this flight come december????

you will have a single itinerary as far as orbitz is concerned but they will also give you a seperate pnr for your ai leg of the journey....

you should be allowed to do this....

i don't believe you can do an online check-in but you can call ai & block your seat....

you are right, this is not possible....then can check in you bags to your final destination but you will have to get your boarding pass at jfk....

they are definitely open 4 hours before the flight....could also be earlier....

call ai once you have made the booking....this should not be a problem....

oliver2002

A colleague did DTW-DL-JFK-AI-DEL on one ticket and DL checked his bags all the way to DEL. The ticket was visible with both segments on DLs and AI's website, OLCI was only possible on DL's website for DTW-JFK. In JFK he just went over to the AI checkin counter and registered his bag tags and received his BP.

nigam

I flew DCA-JFK-DEL on July 2nd (AA, then AI). I was able to check in bags on AA all the way through to Delhi without any problems. I had to get my boarding pass at JFK.

Keyser

very true....i regularly used to fly this route (dca-jfk-del) a couple of years ago on aa & ai....i always checked my bags to my final destination in dca, but had to get my ai boarding pass in jfk....

ash_79

On a side note about carry on baggage, can anyone confirm if AI would allow a laptop backpak and small stroller 20" / 21" on a flight from ORD ... i have been told by some friends that AI only allows ONE carry on and NO personal items (unlike other airlines).

Keyser

i have always taken a laptop bag & my carry on bag....

AQ68DUm3

Thanks everyone.

Since AI changed the non-stop from JFK-BOM to EWR-BOM, the fares have gone up. I ended up booking AA/9W PIT-JFK-BRU-BOM. That's another set of questions, for another forum .

dgxoxo

get a waffle in bruxelles. enjoy.

phillykp

To answer your thru' baggage check question - when in doubt, call your first carrier(now AA, would have been DL in your previous scenario) and ask the rep if they have an interline agreement in place with your connecting carrier. If they do, then you should be able to check your bags all the way to your POE/final destination, when you show your complete itinerary at check-in, even though you might need to get your boarding pass/seat assignment separately from the other carrier.

Hope this helps.