Information on air travel in India

There are many ways to travel around India, some of which are scarcely seen elsewhere. Although traveling by train is the premier choice for many travelers because it is both cheap and interesting, there are, of course, many other options.

Air Travel

Several private airlines operate in India, in addition to the government-operated Indian Airlines (which is perpetually on the verge of going under), including some no-frills airlines that offer fairly inexpensive flights.

The easiest way to compare airline prices is to log on to a search engine that includes all the budget airlines. It's worth comparing prices, as the differences between one airline and another and between different flights even on the same day can be huge. The most popular times are usually more expensive, often by a quite a lot. Unless you have to fly on a particular day, you can often save a lot of money by checking on flights that leave a few days earlier or later. Usually, you have to book well in advance to get a good deal. Last-minute flights are usually considerably more expensive, as they are almost everywhere.

Many Indian airline websites and other travel sites don't accept foreign credit cards online, and some airlines may not accept them at all, so the easiest thing can be to decide which flight you want and then book the tickets through an accommodating travel agent. Travel agents typically charge a booking fee of Rs.100 or so, which is not much if it saves you wasting half the day sitting around in the airline's office. It's also convenient to use an agent if you need to make other arrangements at the same time. If you pay with a foreign credit or debit card, the price you have to pay may be significantly higher than the rupee price. If there is any chance that you might have to cancel the ticket, however, going through a travel agent may not be a good idea.

Try to call before heading to the airport as flights are often delayed. You aren't allowed in the terminal building too long before your flight (it's different for domestic and international flights), so verify what time you will be able to enter the terminal building before you get dropped off or you may have a long and uncomfortable wait.

When you enter the terminal building, you usually have to get your checked luggage x-rayed. Once they put a security sticker on the bags, you can go to the check-in counter.

The contents of carry-on baggage are restricted as in other countries, but batteries are a particular concern, so you need to put loose batteries and inexpensive battery-operated items in your checked baggage. Always carry laptops, cameras, iPods, cell phones, jewelry, money, credit cards and other valuables in your carry-on. When you check in, you get tags for your carry-on bags. These will be stamped when you go through security to show that your bags have been inspected, and then the stamps will be examined when you are boarding the plane.

Indian security checks are more thorough than in many other countries, and you'll be patted down, sometimes more than once. When going through airport security, keep a sharp eye on your belongings. If you are a woman, put your bags on the x-ray conveyer belt closest to the booth where they search ladies so that you are not too far from them. If there are two or more of you, one of you should go through a little ahead of the other, with the second person placing the items on the belt so that they are always within view. If you are alone, lock your valuables in your carry-on before putting it on the belt, leaving the lock just slightly off the right combination so it's easy to open if the security personnel want to look.

For flights to certain destinations such as Srinagar and other places where there is thought to be more risk of terrorist attacks, you may also have to go out to the baggage area and identify your luggage after passing through security. Also, they may want to see your boarding pass when you leave the plane, so you don't leave it on board.

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