Plane Ticket Advice

xKRISHNACOREx · Mar 16th, 2008, 07:37

I plan to goto India in October of this year.

However, I do not want my trip limited to a time limit. I dont know when I am going to be ready and willing to return back here.

What kind of plane ticket do you think will be best for what I want to do?

Also, what airlinse would you recommend? I have heard either AirIndia or IndiaAir (I cant remember which one) is really dirty. The bathrooms didnt work completely, seats broken etc.

Thank you!

Nick-H · Mar 16th, 2008, 08:30

How flexible your ticket is usually depends on how much you pay for it. The cheapest have no flexibility at all; the next step up allow you to make one change...

You could buy a single, of course, but on the route/airline I usually fly one single ticket is nearly three times the cost of a return, so on the occasion I needed to fly one way only I bought a return for a random date and just didn't use the other half.

luv2go · Mar 16th, 2008, 09:55

I'm not sure about what type of ticket would be best, but I flew Emirates and had a great experience. Clean, food was tasty, new,good in-flight entertainment choices, and friendly. In Heathrow, we had a bit of a mix-up. An Emirates employee walked us through the entire process, we would have most definitely missed our flight if not for her. You may want to give them a look. I know they fly out of NYC, I am not sure where else.

ananda2193 · Mar 16th, 2008, 10:31

Most tickets from the States to India are for 3,6 or 12 months. 3-6 month tickets being the cheapest and 12 month one's usually a little more. If your not planning on more than 6 months or a year then I would buy one of those and set the return date to the maximum day you can return and if you choose to come back earlier than then, you would have to pay around $150 u.s. to change it.

As far as airlines, I flew Air India once and it wasn't totally bad. Do they fly from California?

I always fly from the east coast so don't know which airlines fly from the west. But Virgin,Jet and some others have pretty cheap fares most of the time.

edwardseco · Mar 16th, 2008, 11:07

Emirates is the fastest growing airline. For the broadest perspective I would check with an Indian ethnic travel agent..

atala · Mar 16th, 2008, 15:46

OP lives in California and probably wants to fly out West, perhaps thru Hongkong, instead of East.

With an Indian airline you also have to deal with Indian hygene circumstances. Apparently, many of your co-passengers are not used to using toilet paper, and do not know what to do with it after using it. I flew once with Indian Airlines from Kuala Lumpur to Chennai. The toilets were a stinking dump, even though it was just a 5 hour flight. The Indian social disaster often begins in the plane you are using - not always though. Emirates manages its Indian flights quite well, it seems. But the idea of Indians cleaning up in-flight behind fellow-Indians does not seem to go well with sometimes rather arrogant crew-members on airlines from India. I do sympathize with their problem, since they have this social conditioning of not doing menial services to others who are below their social standing. Let alone touch a latrine used by others.

nycank · Mar 16th, 2008, 18:15

If you are on a tourist visa, your trip will indeed be limited by the maximum number of days you can stay continiously - 180 days.

Most airlines have a fare basis which has a 6 months max limit. Typically minimum is Sunday stay. All these fall under APEX (Advance Purchase Excursion) fare.

Not knowing what your gateway city is or where you want to land in India, one cannot be of much help. Most Airlines arrive in either BOM or DEL, the two busiest airports for international flights; and served by diverse airlines.

Hope this helps....

xKRISHNACOREx · Mar 27th, 2008, 00:12

Thank you all for your advice. My aplogies for not getting back to the post until now, Im not very computer friendly

I think the best bet would be for me to get a roundtrip ticket with the latest returning date and I can come back earlier if needed.

NeeliAankhen · Mar 27th, 2008, 01:15

It is definitely Air India that I have heard the most bad things about.

Also re: Emirates: if you mind the idea of people talking on cellphones during your flight, check on the airline's new policy - I am pretty sure I read that they are now going to allow cellphones on some? all? flights.

(I myself do care, I pretty much would stay home rather than risk being subjected to cellphone conversations while I am more or less trapped on a plane for 15 hours!)

Oyar · Mar 27th, 2008, 02:37

Jet Airways will soon be starting services to the US via China. They already operate to New York. On international sectors i have flown emirates, thai, air france, malaysian, air india, sri lankan, etc My personal opnion is that Jet Airways is the best.

Mar 16th, 2008, 07:37	#1
xKRISHNACOREx Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: California Posts: 14	Plane Ticket Advice I plan to goto India in October of this year. However, I do not want my trip limited to a time limit. I dont know when I am going to be ready and willing to return back here. What kind of plane ticket do you think will be best for what I want to do? Also, what airlinse would you recommend? I have heard either AirIndia or IndiaAir (I cant remember which one) is really dirty. The bathrooms didnt work completely, seats broken etc. Thank you! __________________ It is not length of life, but depth of life. Guard well your spare moments. They are like uncut diamonds. Discard them and their value will never be known. Improve them and they will become the brightest gems in a useful life. Live in the sunshine, swim the sea, drink the wild air. - Ralph Waldo Emerson

Mar 16th, 2008, 08:30	#2
Nick-H Loud-mouthed, Noisy Bird Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Chennai, India Posts: 25,811	How flexible your ticket is usually depends on how much you pay for it. The cheapest have no flexibility at all; the next step up allow you to make one change... You could buy a single, of course, but on the route/airline I usually fly one single ticket is nearly three times the cost of a return, so on the occasion I needed to fly one way only I bought a return for a random date and just didn't use the other half. __________________ . Just one member of the IndiaMike Mod Team

Mar 16th, 2008, 18:15	#7
nycank Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: NYC Posts: 269	Depends If you are on a tourist visa, your trip will indeed be limited by the maximum number of days you can stay continiously - 180 days. Most airlines have a fare basis which has a 6 months max limit. Typically minimum is Sunday stay. All these fall under APEX (Advance Purchase Excursion) fare. Not knowing what your gateway city is or where you want to land in India, one cannot be of much help. Most Airlines arrive in either BOM or DEL, the two busiest airports for international flights; and served by diverse airlines. Hope this helps.... Last edited by machadinha : Mar 16th, 2008 at 18:17. Reason: removed full quote

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Mar 16th, 2008, 09:55	#3
luv2go Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: usa Posts: 22	I'm not sure about what type of ticket would be best, but I flew Emirates and had a great experience. Clean, food was tasty, new,good in-flight entertainment choices, and friendly. In Heathrow, we had a bit of a mix-up. An Emirates employee walked us through the entire process, we would have most definitely missed our flight if not for her. You may want to give them a look. I know they fly out of NYC, I am not sure where else.

Mar 16th, 2008, 10:31	#4
ananda2193 Maha Guru Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: you essay Posts: 1,381	Most tickets from the States to India are for 3,6 or 12 months. 3-6 month tickets being the cheapest and 12 month one's usually a little more. If your not planning on more than 6 months or a year then I would buy one of those and set the return date to the maximum day you can return and if you choose to come back earlier than then, you would have to pay around $150 u.s. to change it. As far as airlines, I flew Air India once and it wasn't totally bad. Do they fly from California? I always fly from the east coast so don't know which airlines fly from the west. But Virgin,Jet and some others have pretty cheap fares most of the time.

Mar 16th, 2008, 11:07	#5
edwardseco Maha Guru Member Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Land that shakes and bakes. Posts: 3,780	Emirates is the fastest growing airline. For the broadest perspective I would check with an Indian ethnic travel agent..

Mar 16th, 2008, 15:46	#6
atala Senior Member, 8 yrs in India Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Switzerland, just back from India 2008 Posts: 691	OP lives in California and probably wants to fly out West, perhaps thru Hongkong, instead of East. With an Indian airline you also have to deal with Indian hygene circumstances. Apparently, many of your co-passengers are not used to using toilet paper, and do not know what to do with it after using it. I flew once with Indian Airlines from Kuala Lumpur to Chennai. The toilets were a stinking dump, even though it was just a 5 hour flight. The Indian social disaster often begins in the plane you are using - not always though. Emirates manages its Indian flights quite well, it seems. But the idea of Indians cleaning up in-flight behind fellow-Indians does not seem to go well with sometimes rather arrogant crew-members on airlines from India. I do sympathize with their problem, since they have this social conditioning of not doing menial services to others who are below their social standing. Let alone touch a latrine used by others.

Mar 27th, 2008, 00:12	#8
xKRISHNACOREx Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: California Posts: 14	Thank you all for your advice. My aplogies for not getting back to the post until now, Im not very computer friendly I think the best bet would be for me to get a roundtrip ticket with the latest returning date and I can come back earlier if needed.

Mar 27th, 2008, 01:15	#9
NeeliAankhen Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: New York, NY USA Posts: 268	It is definitely Air India that I have heard the most bad things about. Also re: Emirates: if you mind the idea of people talking on cellphones during your flight, check on the airline's new policy - I am pretty sure I read that they are now going to allow cellphones on some? all? flights. (I myself do care, I pretty much would stay home rather than risk being subjected to cellphone conversations while I am more or less trapped on a plane for 15 hours!)

Mar 27th, 2008, 02:37	#10
Oyar Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Mumbai Posts: 162	Jet Airways will soon be starting services to the US via China. They already operate to New York. On international sectors i have flown emirates, thai, air france, malaysian, air india, sri lankan, etc My personal opnion is that Jet Airways is the best.

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