MLE to BOM--Flight advice
 

We're spending some time in the Maldives. On the way back home, we plan to spend a few days in Mumbai.

Flying from MLE to BOM, we have some options. The prices are relatively the same.

We can fly

1. Air India to BLR then Kingfisher to BOM
2. Air India to BLR then Jet to BOM
3. Air India to BLR then Air India to BOM (this layover is about 2 hours longer than the other two).

We're going to have a lot of checked luggage with us that we will want to check through from MLE to BOM.

Any advice from the experts?

Also look at UL on a thru ticket MLE-CMB-BOM...

There is also the AI from MLE-TRV option with TRV-BOM on multiple carriers...

since you are making a domestic connection (BLR - BOM) - you cannot check in your baggage from MLE to BOM

you need to clear customs at the point of entry in India since in the domestic flight you will arrive at a domestic terminal which has no custom's facility

you may want to consider Sri Lankan Airlines from MLE to BOM as this will be two international flights and should check your luggage through to BOM (connection at Colombo) - i am sure experts can provide some information on this connection)

Considering there's a lot of luggage to be checked in right thru to BOM, looks like UL or AI would be the best options

i did a similar route a couple of years ago....del-trv on 9w & trv-mle on ai....then mle-blr on ai & blr-del on 9w....

it doesn't matter what airline you will be connecting on in blr, you will have to clear customs & immigration so ai will not give you any advantage over the other carriers....since they are all priced similarly, just stick to whatever works best for you in terms of the least amount of waiting time in blr....

I know about the UL flight, but that gets in at 0240 with a loooong transit in CMB.

I thought we would be better off clearing customs, etc. in BLR than BOM--is that correct?

Also, if we switch carriers in BLR, is there an easy way to re-check the luggage after customs or do you have to go back to check-in?

Thanks.

If you fly the same carrier you could ask them to assist. Or find a flight that departs from the international terminal itself (there are some domestic flights like that).

forget the ul flight....its not worth it....

blr would be slightly easier....

the international & domestic terminals are in the same airport so you will basically have to clear customs & then take the bags back in to the domestic terminal to check in again....

DEL-MLE??
 

Similar question. What's the best way to get to MLE from DEL. I could use my Jet vouchers to upgrade via CMB but then that flights gets into CMB early evening so night stay in CMB or on arrival in MLE which I don't want.

Ideally want to be in CMB by early afternoon and leave by late afternoon.

I faced the same issue a few months ago!

I ended up booking DEL-CMB-DEL on 9W J and nested a CMB-MLE-CMB on UL within it.

Left DEL around lunch, reached CMB around 5pm, had an onward connection leaving CMB on UL at 7pm. The UL lounge at CMB was quite decent too.

Return however, to avoid overnighting in CMB, I took the 2am departure from MLE, landed CMB at 4am, left at 6am on 9W.

Quite comfortable all around.

For MLE-BOM, you could go via CMB using EK/9W. Fare may not be great (probably have to do a full IATA or 2 seperate tickets and get EK to tag bags through at MLE).
MLE-CMB is 1615 dep 1815 ARR and CMB-BOM on 9W is 2045 dep 2320 arr (this helps avoid that god awful timing on UL which is the middle of the night for a 2 hour flight) and also gives you a decent connection without the hassle of needing to clear customs.

For DEL-MLE you could take an early am DEL-BLR on IT or AI and connect the AI flight to BLR. This gives you 2and a half hours at BLR (Safe transit outside fog season) and a 1pm arrival into MLE.

For MLE-DEL there is a UL connection which departs MLE at 9:15 and arrive DEL at 1810 with a 3 hr 20 min layover at CMB (not ideal but beats flying shorthaul overnight) or also the better option of flying back via BLR.
MLE-BLR on AI is 1350/arr 1630 which gives you plenty of time to connect any carrier's last evening departure to DELHI (9W at 1920, AI at 2010 and IT at 2030).

How reliable is AI to MLE!?

I was horrified at the thought of AI cock-ups reducing my previous (and super-expensive costing!) time in the Maldives, that I decided to avoid AI completely.

You may have the usual AI 20-30 min delay, but usually on MLE they are quite reliable on the few times I've taken and had colleagues / friends take their flight.

The AI options seems the best. Anyone on here got any AI points? Please PM me.

If I book via cleartrip there seems to be a option that gives IT and AI on one ticket. What happens if my flight is delayed by IT will they get me there still via CMB or ask me to wait in BLR overnight?

Wait in BLR overnight! This is not the EU. ;)

Infact they might even ask you to go and deal with AI yourself for the next day rebooking!