[Indizen]

Originally Posted by karuna

Randomviolins, Sitaparityaga recently used Namaste India Tours pickup, search for the NIT thread where she talks about it.



They seem to have added an extra layer of ticket-checking, although this might be a post-Mumbai-attacks thing. Someone checks your ticket before you queue to enter the terminal, and then the usual policeman checks your ticket and passport at the door.

Luggage scanning machines have gone it seems.

No luggage scan at all?
Sounds dicey to me!

[puchoo]

and me....they must have done something else...i find it next to impossible to believe that luggage is not being scanned...

[obione980]

Luggage is now scanned 'in line' as happens in most modern airports worldwide. It was incorporated as part of the massive terminal modernisation project not yet totally completed.

[cool blue]

I was also surprised not to have luggage scan before check in when I travelled out of Delhi a couple of weeks ago - so what is this "in-line" scanning? (sorry techno dinosaur )

[puchoo]

Ah ok , i read the post as saying scanning is alltogether out...

Originally Posted by obione980

Luggage is now scanned 'in line' as happens in most modern airports worldwide. It was incorporated as part of the massive terminal modernisation project not yet totally completed.

[obione980]

Most airports scan all checked in luggage as it travels from the check-in desk down through kilometers of luggage belts to the loading docks. If there's an irregularity the offending passenger is called out (bar code reveals who!!) and their baggage opened and gone through in their presence (which happened to me in HoChiMinh City - Saigon). Saves lots of time and angst!!

[warlock]

So I am landing in the International Terminal at 10:30 pm Via Jet Airways and then connecting to Kolkata next morning at 9:30 am.So here are some questions I have

1)Does anyone have expereince about transferring their luggage? I am told that Jet Airways has a counter at the International Arrival where you have to approach them and they will transfer the luggage for you? I believe you can also approach them for voucher to the Jet Lunge but it all depends on your luck.

2) Should I stick around in the International Terminal and then board the transfer bus only about 2-3 hours before my connecting flight? I have heard horror stories about waiting in the domestic terminal

[Indizen]

Originally Posted by warlock

So I am landing in the International Terminal at 10:30 pm Via Jet Airways and then connecting to Kolkata next morning at 9:30 am.So here are some questions I have

Should I stick around in the International Terminal and then board the transfer bus only about 2-3 hours before my connecting flight? I have heard horror stories about waiting in the domestic terminal

In January some of those problems at the domestic terminal are due to delayed flights - the reason being fog and limited visibility. It makes sense to stay put in the International terminal for a few hours.

[greigite]

Originally Posted by ehofen

Has anyone every stored luggage at the IGI airport? We're leaving India on a 2-week stint to Australia, and would like to leave a suitcase with our india-clothes, rather than haul it with us. The website says this facility is available for 15-20 rps/day. Any insights?

Hi,
This might be too late for you, but for others that would like to know- The left luggage facility at the international terminal is closed because of security concerns, in spite of what they tell you at the domestic terminal. We confirmed this with the terminal manager (12 Jan 2009). There is nowhere to leave luggage at the airport. You cannot leave luggage at the ND train station either without a ticket. The day we left India we came in on a domestic flight from Ahmedabad at noon, and the international flight didn't leave until 11:30 pm. We ended up having to lug the backpacks into Delhi where we found an obliging hotel in Paharganj that let us leave them in their back room for Rs 100.

[karuna]

obione980,

You had your checked luggage searched?! What was it that aroused suspicion? I note you use the words "offending passenger"- did you have something in there that you shouldn'ta? I'm all intrigued now.

Just a note to say- aren't the security guys weird? I tried to go through security but the guy wouldn't let me because my flight boarding was longer than a hour away. Then he promptly let through 3 other people on the same flight. So I wandered down to another security queue, where another guy let me straight through.

So, there you go. You might get stopped at security if you're there too early, but also might not depending on if the guy feels like it or not.

[karuna]

I just reminded myself:

On departure, make sure all your hand baggage has a tag put on it at check in, and make sure that tag is stamped by security after the bag is screened.

A guard will check for this security stamp at the departure gate. You can help speed up the queue by having it ready for him/her to view along with your boarding pass.

Last time out I collected my bag from the scanner and walked off without having it stamped. Thankfully I quickly remembered and went back, they scanned my bag again and stamped the tag. Don't leave the security area until they've done it!

I once got held up for a while at Delhi domestic airport because the guard couldn't find the stamp on an untagged bag of books I was carrying. It was plainly a plastic bag containing nothing but four or so books, but it was a case of if your bag's not stamped you ain't getting in. A tag would have made things easier- the ink hadn't taken well on the plastic.

Of course you could just fly with your belongings in something more upmarket than a Tesco bag.

[wisetraveller]

My flight generally reaches Delhi past mid-night. I am not too keen to take a ride to town then as i am a woman and alone. Is there anyplace in the arrival area where i can sit out the night? A lounge, even if i need to pay would be a big relief. Any info?

[karuna]

There are seats, yes, but why not pre-book a transfer to your hotel from a reputable car hire firm, or call EasyCabs or Dial-A-Cab to pick you up?

[Haylo]

Originally Posted by karuna

I once got held up for a while at Delhi domestic airport because the guard couldn't find the stamp on an untagged bag of books I was carrying. It was plainly a plastic bag containing nothing but four or so books, but it was a case of if your bag's not stamped you ain't getting in.

At security, I removed a small stuffed toy from my bag so I could retrieve the ziplock bag of liquids which has to be presented separately.

They would not allow me to return the teddy bear to my bag, they insisted on putting a separate stamped tag around his neck. It wasn't even my teddy, honest!

Originally Posted by wisetraveller

My flight generally reaches Delhi past mid-night. I am not too keen to take a ride to town then as i am a woman and alone. Is there anyplace in the arrival area where i can sit out the night? A lounge, even if i need to pay would be a big relief. Any info?

I don't recall seeing the chairs in arrivals, but if they are anything like the ones in departures they won't be at all comfortable. In any case, the arrivals "lounge" is not a particularly nice place to hang out.

I'm with karuna on this one, take a taxi to your hotel. Given the horrified reaction of most newcomers to Delhi on seeing the traffic, getting to your hotel in the middle of the night when the roads are clearer might be the less scary option!

[Indizen]

Anyone flying to/from Delhi, please make a note: flight timings have been changed due to operational reasons, in view of Republic Day celebrations till January 26th. Check with your airline website.