GMOChicken

Outbound transit via the UK is allowed (VS & BA metal on various tickets), as is transit via CDG on Air France metal with a Delta ticket. These flights are much more convenient to west coast US destinations & I would argue (BA excepting) much better quality than UA/AI.

superboi

What dates did you check for QR? I wasn't able to find any availability on their website till March at least. They might have resumed for summer schedule by which time restrictions might have changed.

Regarding EK, if they were offering direct same-day transit in DXB all your other points would hold good. Adding a 24-hr stopover (or running the risk of maneuvering with their call centre) is additional hassle. So till they do, I think the directs are better.

The problem is that the US doesn't permit entry (except for US citizens and a handful of other exempted groups) for people who have visited or transited through the EU & UK. So these flights are largely useless for Indian citizens.

oliver2002

Everyone (US3, ME3, EU3) still have their summer schedule filed as if the pandemic and the bubble trouble didn't exist, and are accepting booking as if the bilaterals, not the bubble, apply. This is to put pressure on the MoCA to own up to their promise that the bubbles will be lifted for S21.

Depending on the outcome of the negotiations the schedules and bookings will be change to reflect the compromise. I wouldn't trust anything what is visible on the systems. The same drama happened in October a month before the start of the W20/21 schedule.

quarryking

Are they still stamping passports on arrival for non global entry arrivals ?

galaticos

In August when GE wasnt working when I landed, physical stamp was done at EWR for me

xobile

Anyone have experience flying from India on Qatar Airways recently? It's about half the cost of Emirates but they have significant more restrictions on entry so I'm not sure how it works. They allow you to book a regular same day transit flight unlike Etihad or now Emirates.

Keyser

i have the same question....have a booking for this coming may, which was booked many months out when there weren't any restrictions on one way travel out of india....the route is del-iad with a couple of hours transit in doh....

superboi

Data point from mid-Jan earlier in this thread ("she" is my sister):

As always with Indian immigration YMMV etc. At the time of her travel QR had stopped issuing through tickets from India but they honoured ones which had been booked earlier, so your booking should be safe. Also May is still some time off so bubble regulations might change by then...

abhilife2001

I booked a OW flight from CCU (India) to PDX (Portland) for early April using UA MP miles. Considering all the haziness with bubbles etc, decided to book the direct India - US flight.
UA website was showing very decent pricing and availability for this route with two stops (DEL, SFO) with the domestic connection (CCU-DEL) having availability in both AI or UK.
Initially I booked UK for CCU-DEL and then UA for DEL onwards. The ticket showed 1 pc baggage allowance for checked baggage.
Tried paying online ($100) for the 2nd bag and it did not allow as 1st sector was by partner airline.
I modified the domestic leg from UK to AI, with the same international connections and this ticket showed 2 pcs of checked in baggage allowance.

For some unknown reason, checked in baggage allowance seems to differ depending on which airline is being taken for the domestic leg.
Thought to post here and maybe relevant for some folks.

PiperAtGatesofDawn

It took a little bit of time to figure out how you booked a OneWorld trip using UA MP!

But the baggage thing is a little complicated. Sometimes you don't see a correct baggage allowance across carriers (esp. non-alliance ones)... sometimes it's the status thing and sometimes it's IATA or USDoT that's nixing things up.

In your case assuming the allowance was stated correctly... and UK was a codeshare... then UA's allowance would apply. So if you don't have *G status and are flying Y - 1 bag is correct. AI might be offering a larger baggage allowance to connecting partners (since they offer the same on their US flights - including those connecting to UA/DL etc).

But this is good to know.

azhagan

I flew QR J from Chennai to IAD on Sunday Feb 14. I had booked a round trip at the end of December, and flew to Chennai on Jan 4. Flight was good, and nearly full on both sectors. I am a US Citizen with an OCI card.

Grmaht

this is good to know. thank you! it looks QR has opened up inventory to India and back now from what I saw but zero'ed it back again through March 1st.

azhagan

I’ve been looking for J fares in May back to Chennai, and fares are back to ore pandemic levels. I love QSuite, but probably will have to go with British.

xobile

Thanks for the QR info. Good to know they are a reliable option from India to the US.

I figured out a workaround for Emirates btw. They won't/can't allow you to book a standard transit flight through the end of February as the air bubble continues through them (and will keep being extended) , but if you book a flight on a future date (even a few days later in March) for the same routing, you can call in to Emirates and they can then change it for free to a February date, though a fare difference may apply.

My initial options were two PNRs on one day in late February ($1600), or one PNR on the next day ($1300)--both as Economy Flex fares and one way. Instead I booked a day in March with an Economy Saver fare for $800. Called in immediately to change the date to late Feb, which they did with a fare difference of $100. I was told they could not take initial bookings for Feb same day flights due to the air bubble, but once it is booked and thus in their control, they can change a booking to be the same day.

So this works, and is yet another reason why everyone can avoid the AI lobby!

abhilife2001

OW = One Way in this scenario
The surprising thing was that the booking for both tickets were done from UA's website and the baggage allowance was shown in the itinerary on their website. This allowance changed depending on whether the domestic leg was on UK or AI and as the international legs were on the same flight (UA metal), that was surprising. As you note, usually on same ticket the intl leg allowance is allowed but this time, overall ticket allowance was changing between 1PC and 2PC's depending on whether domestic partner was AI or UK.
Ticket is for mom and she has no status and flying Y.