one way ticket to india: any problems?

GoanCanuck

That is only applicable for tickets purchased at the regular price. Discounted tickets usually do not offer this option.

Priyamav

Hi Shanti, I haven't actually flown northwest ams-blr yet. They just recently introduced this new route (quite a few airlines now fly directly to Bangalore).
But I know people who live in Bangalore and just recently flew directly to Amsterdam on Northwest. Said they got the ticket for Rs 22,000 which I found amazing. Anyways, from my experiences in the past, Northwest / KLM is a good airline. Plus the Bangalore airport is small and centrally located. And the flight will be shorter than the usual London-Chennai I fly on BA.

Have a good trip Shanti!

punzelle

Nomoskar, fellow IM'ers - Since all these posts are a little dated now, I wanted to ask a couple questions of more recent travelers. Looking for fares online doesn't answers these questions, either! My sister was a travel agent, but she isn't certain if one is 'allowed' to enter India with a one-way ticket either -- although the consensus here seem to be that that question is never asked at immigration -- right?

Here's my situation: I'm going to India (thru WDC, for family visits first, then Delhi) and want to know if I have the option of buying a one way ticket for now, both because (1) it IS a little cheaper, but not much; but if, as some have said here, a return one way is much cheaper to purchase IN India, then I could do that; and (2) since my return date is very undecided for now, if I do get the roundtrip ticket, there's a good chance I'll need to change that date, and that has to cost -- what, about $100-$200 at most airlines?

Thanks for any enlightenment - Punzelle

curtdfw

I've traveled to India on one-way tickets a couple of times and had no issues. Last time I changed a return on a cheapie ticket was in 2008 on American Airlines, and I think the charge was $200-$250.

punzelle

Thank you for the info., Curt - wow, that IS a high charge for changing a ticket, so I might as well go on the one way and get the return ticket while in India, it seems --

Haylo

There are restrictions on certain people, for instance those of Pakistani origins, I had heard that there were a few countries whose citizens need return tickets, and anyone on a transit visa needs proof of onward travel, but "normal" tourists on tourist visas and certainly those from the UK and US can definitely enter India without proof of onward travel.

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Digital Drifter

A slight OT note but worth bearing in mind as you're dealing with governments and intel agencies here. Not necessarily the smartest guys around.

One of the flags on profiling people is that "terrorists" will buy one way tickets especially international tickets. Yes, that's the level of profiling they do.

So, it might be a good idea to dress in a way that is easily patted down, as you're not going to book a return just to avoid a body cavity inspection. Besides, if you're the flasher types, this might be even fun.

9/11, you know*


*the reason that Govs. all over the world lose their wits

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punzelle

Drifter - Good point; as a tall, mature, light-eyed American woman, I at least don't fit the usual profile, but I do remember working in Iran (pre-Khomeini) and getting "patted down" at airports (by women, in an enclosure) when I had to travel around the country.

A female friend did tell me of a recent experience traveling in Nepal (I believe) and having the underwire in her bra set off the hand-held metal detector! The female guard immediately backed off and drew her gun -- pretty scary! The friend quickly shook her head, cupped her breasts and kept repeating "support bra, support bra!" - not that the guard understood her words, but the 'visual' got the idea across (after which, of course, the woman had to show the garment) -- the moral being, NO METAL IN YOUR CLOTHING! ~

darkside_of_d_sun

If you are a citizen of the G8 nations (except Russia) and some other traditionally "developed" countries, a one way ticket is just fine! As Haylo said, it depends on your nationality.

P.S. All that can change if the Immigration Officer is in a real bad mood that day

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Haylo

So the guard thought there was something dangerous concealed in your friend's bra and drew a gun on her - and your friend responded by quickly moving her hands to the place in question?

She's lucky she wasn't shot!

punzelle

Yeah, I agree! I guess when you are that rattled and frightened, you just react and try to prove your innocence the fastest way you can think of! At least her hands were outside of her clothing, so it wasn't like she was going for something concealed inside of them; I'm glad the guard showed some restraint, even though I'm sure she was alarmed too. -

I'm just gonna make sure I have NO metal on me going thru airports (besides my silver "om" ring, which I wear on my pinkie all the time). I used to have the bobby pins in my hair set the thing off too, but now I've learned -- thanks to long-haired Indian women in youtube 'instructive' videos -- how to wrap long hair into a pinless, tie-less, secure bun (it amazes me that it holds, but it does!). -

punzelle

Thanks, Haylo, that's reassuring (love your e. e. cummings quote, by the way; so true, too!) -

punzelle

Thanks Darkside -- guess I'll just hope I'm arriving on a day when the Immigration officer is in a good mood!

lotus blossom

the last two times that i've went to india it was on a one-way ticket. however, i got a fair amount of hassle the last time, and was flagged as high security

i just spoke with a friend who nearly did not get out the us the last time she flew to india on a one-way ticket. if it weren't for the residence permit she asked if they'd accept, she says they were not going to allow her to go.

any experiences or updates are appreciated!

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punzelle

I came on a one-way ticket, arriving September 29th in Delhi on Air India, and was never asked about my ticket anywhere at all; I filled out customs forms in the plane before landing, and was never asked to open my luggage, either!
(If they ever looked into my checked bags at all, it wasn't with me around; the counter clerks were, however, happy to see that I had the type of newer combination locks on my bags that could be opened with a 'master key' at the bottom -- a feature I didn't know about when buying the locks -- so they may have been opened somewhere along the way, but nothing seemed disturbed, and there was no notice inside that it had been examined, as I've seen before) -

I still think it makes more sense to buy your return ticket in India, when you have no idea when you are leaving, which is my situation (when you aren't raising any suspicions, I guess --maybe being an 'older' American woman is not a worrisome profile for the airports) - if I had purchased a return ticket, or a round trip one, I'd more than likely have to change the return date, which would cost me even more -- any other comments welcomed too ~