Exploring Southeast Asia With Cheap New Delhi to Bangkok Flights

After watching popular movies like The Hangover, Rambo, Tomorrow Never Dies and The Beach, you might have promised yourself to go to Thailand at least once. It seems, this is the perfect time to fulfill that promise. As per a recent report conducted by industry peers, the overall cost of travelling to Asian cities has dropped by more than 10 per cent. This may be attributed to the fall in the cost of aviation turbine fuel (ATF) in the past few months because flight tickets make a major part of the total cost of the entire trip. Now, travelers can book cheap Mumbai, New York, and New Delhi to Bangkok flights as well as other cities.

Findings of Report

Along with the flight ticket cost, stay in a hotel and travelling expenses at the destination have been taken into consideration during the research. From the United States, the cost of exploring Asia has decreased by a whopping 12 per cent. This figure goes down to around 32 per cent, if travelers decide to go Far East within six months. Around 20 major cities in Asia were subject of observation and 18 out of them proved to be cheaper when compared to the previous year. New Delhi and Beijing were the only two destinations where prices went up by four and five per cent, respectively.

Biggest Savings in Southeast Asia

Popular destinations in the Southeast Asia are among the places, where savings are on a higher side. For instance, a vacation in Singapore now, will be approximately 21 per cent cheaper than what it was in the year 2014. Similarly, on a trip to Kuala Lumpur, you can save up to 26 per cent. Not only flights to Bangkok have become cheaper, the hotel tariff has also dropped to an extent that can positively affect your budget. Despite an increase in the number of travelers in these regions, the fall in trip expenses is a positive sign for its tourism industry.

One interesting figure of the report that should not be missed is that the cost of round trip flights to Jakarta from cities in the United States dropped to $940. However, it is worth mentioning that not all places are this cheap. Hence, before start planning your trip right after seeing these figure, check for flight and hotel booking costs for all the options. It may happen that at some places, the percentage of fall might be lower, but they prove to a cheaper option too.

The pleasant weather of Asian cities, sunny beaches, turquoise waters and verdant valleys make for a perfect spot to relax. You can take break from your routine life and some time amidst scenic surrounding at cheaper price now.

Must-dos while Booking Long-haul Flights

Owing to the convenience and advancement of services, air travel is the most preferred mode of transportation, especially in the case of inter-continental journeys. To make your travel experience even smoother, carriers are adding different options in long-haul journeys, such as Delhi to New York, Mumbai to Amsterdam and Pune to Sydney flights. Even after all these efforts, such flights can prove to be physically and mentally tiring, if not chosen carefully. Here is a list of tips given by experts that can be considered before booking your flight.

In the case of short-haul journeys, decision making is a simpler process as you can go for the cheapest or fastest one. However, while making a reservation for long-haul flights, everything, from the choice of airline, seat configuration to in-flight services matter a lot.

Price is Not the Only Criteria

When you book flights that include more than 10-15 hours of flying time, choosing it only on the basis of price can be a big mistake. After boarding the flight, there is nothing that you can change. For instance, if the carrier does not offer good entertainment facilities, you will get bored. Similarly, if meals served during the journey are not as per your taste, you will end up starving for hours. Hence, frequent flyers suggest on evaluating options on the basis of criteria that are important to you, rather than going directly for the cheapest option.

Stopovers and Layover Period

Most of the carriers prefer operating connecting flights rather than one single lengthy flight. It makes sense from operational as well as business perspective. Though the technological advancement in the recent years is unbelievable, one aircraft in the air for long can be a risky thing. Hence, long-haul flights usually include various stopovers. In the case of Pune to Sydney flights, the layover is usually at Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Abu Dhabi and Bangkok airports. Experts suggest you to check these stopovers and the layover period before making the reservation. For instance, make sure that you are given enough time to transfer from one terminal to other to board the connecting flight.

Keeping An Open Mind for New Options

The airline that you often travel with may not be the best option for long-haul journeys also. Hence, frequent travelers suggest you to check all the options available on the respective route. The main criteria to judge an airline are food, entertainment and comfort. You can easily check these details on travel portals. Carriers meeting your preferences on these points can be shortlisted for further evaluation.

Choice of Aircraft

After short-listing your options regarding carriers, the next step is to check the aircraft deployed by them on the respective route. Seating set up and amenities like seat-back screens or overhead screens legroom are important aspects. Prior information regarding these can prove to be quite handy in choosing the best option. For example, aircraft with 3-5-3 configuration are comparatively better than 3-3 ones in case of long-haul journeys.

If you are planning to book intercontinental flights anytime soon, these points can prove to be quite useful.

A Few Important Tips for Travelers on Connecting Kochi to Goa Flights

Goa is among the most thronged holiday destinations in India, and people from Grade II and III cities like Kochi are also coming here. Though connecting flights from Kochi to Goa are readily available nowadays, rushing from one flight to another can at times be hectic. Though airlines provide sufficient time for passengers to transit between flights, they often face difficulty in this process.

             

People do their best to find the shortest layovers in connecting flights as no one likes to spend hours at the airport, waiting to board the flight. While quick airport connections are nothing short of a blessing, flyers have to be a little proactive to ensure that the aircraft does not fly without them. Reading the following things, you will get to know what you can do to guarantee a smooth transfer from one aircraft to another.

Choose the Most Suitable Layover 

You might be surprised to know that there are several domestic routes, where you only get the option of traveling on connecting flights. When you have over 175 choices, for examples on this route, you can opt for the one where you do not have to wait or hurry to the check-in counter.

Sit Close to the Gate

The closer you are to the exit door, the faster you will be heading off to your next flight. When going to board an aircraft, especially as part of connections, every minute is crucial. Sitting in the front, you can easily avoid the rush of people de-boarding the jetliner.

Know the Airport

Sometimes, airlines provide transportation between the terminals, and at times they do not. If you have to travel across the airport or terminal on your own, then it would definitely be better to know the layouts. For instance, many Kochi to Goa flights have layovers at Kempegowda International Airport in Bangalore and sometimes even at Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport in Mumbai. If you are travelling on this route, then you would not want to be lost at the airport, resulting in a no-show. Having a map of the airfield will allow you to cruise through the airport and board your connecting flight without problems. 

Try to Carry Luggage in Cabin

At times, airlines require you to check-in again before boarding the connecting flight. Waiting for baggage to be taken down from the first flight and checking-in again can waste your precious moments. If you are only going on a short business or leisure trip, then try to carry the entire luggage with you in the cabin.

Check-in Before Arriving at the Airport

In case you have to recheck-in for your connecting flight, you have the option of using the web check-in service. With this service, you can fulfill most of the pre-flight requirements even before your first flight lands at the airport.  

Schedule your Time

It is often seen that there are long stops between two connecting air services, sometimes even for four to five hours like on Bangalore-Goa or Kochi to Goa flights. Though it is a good opportunity for you to go on a small sightseeing venture, you should carefully schedule your itinerary and retreat to the airport just in time for your next flight.

Doing these things can ensure a smooth transition between flights on your connecting flight ticket booking.

Services that Make Travelling with Indigo Online Booking a Hassle-free Experience

Operating from its primary hub at Indira Gandhi International Airport and based in Gurgaon, Indigo is a low-cost Carrier (LCC). With a share of more than 35 per cent in the domestic aviation market, it is the largest airline company in the country. Carrying about 21.4 million passengers in the domestic sector alone, it is one of the fastest growing companies in India. The airline is dedicated to providing a hassle-free travelling experience to all its passengers. Owing to the on-time arrival and departure of its flights, it is often regarded as the most punctual carrier in the country. So, while travelling with Indigo online booking, passengers need not worry about reaching late at their destination.

For operations on all domestic and international routes, Indigo uses a fleet of more than 95 aircraft, which belong to the Airbus A320 family. With an average age of 3.26 years, the airline has one of the youngest fleets in the country. The carrier offers loads of services and facilities to flyers, two of which are described below.

Special Assistance

While travelling by air, there are a few things to consider for a hassle-free journey. Frequent flyers are used to the check-in and boarding processes at the airport and the scenario on board. However, some people may need special assistance while at the airport or on the flight. With Indigo online booking, such people can apply for special assistance.

For children travelling alone, the airline provides the flying Solo Service. Upon payment of some additional fee, a child between the age of 5 and 12 years will be provided full assistance by the staff. For this, the parent or guardian must accompany the child to the airport along with a valid photo id of the passenger and guardian. The parent or guardian must remain at the airport until the departure of the flight. Under the flying solo programme, a child is entitled to a meal on board. Upon arrival of the flight, a staff member will assist the child with the post-flight formalities and release them to the nominated guardian only after checking their photo identity proof.

Passengers with reduced mobility shall be provided a wheelchair as per their requirement. There is no additional charge for the wheelchair service, which also includes assistance by an attendant. Help will be provided by the attendant in transportation within the airport and to the aircraft door.

Excess Baggage Allowance

While travelling for holidays, some flyers like to carry with them as much luggage and clothes as possible. However, most of the times there is a limit to the weight of checked baggage they can carry. People travelling with IndiGo can buy excess baggage by paying an extra amount per 5, 10, 15 and 30 kg.

A maximum of 15 kg of checked baggage can be carried on all IndiGo domestic flights free of charge. People, who want to carry luggage exceeding this limit, can book prepaid excess baggage at least 6 hours before take-off. The prices for 5, 10, 15 and 30 kg of prepaid baggage are INR 1000, 1750, 2250 and 3750, respectively.

The above-mentioned services provided with Indigo online booking make the travelling experience more convenient and comfortable.

Checking SpiceJet Flight Status and its Other Fantastic Services

The low-cost carrier (LLC) SpiceJet is based at Gurgaon, with its main hubs at Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, Chennai International Airport and Indira Gandhi International Airport. This airline was founded in the year 2005; the same year, it commenced its operations. As of September 2015, it caters to 34 destinations across India and 7 international ones. According to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) reports, the airline stands at the fourth position in the country, in terms of market share (12.5 per cent) and passengers carried. Travellers planning to make a booking with this airline can do so with leading travel portals. On the day of the journey, they can check their SpiceJet flight status either on the travel website from where the booking is done or using their mobile app.

How to Check the Departure Status?

The best way to find out the status of a flight is to use the flight number mentioned on the booked ticket. The flight number helps to get information about any delays or cancellations of the flight on the day of departure. All travellers need to do is to find this information on either the travel websites or their mobile-based applications. The results can be known in matter of seconds. This way the time for reaching the airport can be decided for the booked flight.

Priority Check-in

For the convenience of its passengers, the airline offers a priority check-in service. This service can be purchased by the passenger after or while making the flight booking. It is to be noted that it can be booked latest up to two hours before the departure. This pre-paid service can be bought for per sector, per passenger taking the journey by paying a non-refundable fee of INR 200 for flights within and/or originating from India. In case, the flight is schedule to originate from outside India, then the fee becomes INR 300. These fees are not levied for infant passengers. This fee is refundable, in case, the passenger cancels the booking or the airline cancels the flight. It is to be noted that passengers who purchase this service are required to check-in at the airport counter.

Bag Out First Priority Service

Another service that the airline offers for the convenience of its passengers is the bag out first service, which can be used to get the baggage out on priority from the airport. Similar to priority check-in, this service can be purchased after or while making the booking for flight tickets. It can be bought latest up to two hours prior to the departure time. This pre-paid service is only available on domestic flights, at a fixed non-refundable price of INR 100 per baggage. This fee can only be refunded in case the airline cancels the flight or the passengers cancel their reservation.

With such conveniences on offer, passengers will find it pleasant to fly with this LCC. While, when the requirement is to check SpiceJet flight status, all they have to do is to key in the flight number on the mobile applications or website created for the same and get the status in no time.

Unaccompanied Minors Travelling with Thai Airways

Though, letting a child travel alone is a troublesome affair, people often face such situations. Watching a son or daughter walk alone to the boarding area at the airport is bound to worry any parent. If you are allowing your child or a young relative to travel alone, you must be in great stress and wondering if it is worth it.

Flights are now the most used mode of transport and a lot many children fly safely alone every year. This has only been possible because of the pro-activeness of carriers towards providing the most required services.

Thai Airways, the flag carrier of Thailand, is not lagging behind other carriers in terms of child travel. With in-flight and on-ground services, this carrier helps in making minor travelling a hassle-free affair. This jetliner allows unaccompanied minors to fly alone giving all the needed assistance. If your child is travelling alone in Thai Airways flights in near future, then you should be familiar with the related policies of this airline.  

Important Things to Know

While an accompanied minor could travel with a family member or guardian, the unaccompanied minor service can only be applied by the parents of the child. Thai Airways offers this facility to children between the age of 5 and 17 and a parent has to contact the local Thai Airways office to make the reservations. Here, you can get the special assistance and handling form for unaccompanied minors that is required to avail this service.

You are required to fill in the age and date of birth of the child, along with the contact number of an appointed guardian who can be contacted anytime between the take-off and landing of the aircraft.

Besides this, you are required to fill in some more information that helps Thai Airways to make all the necessary arrangements and assist the child in the best possible way.    

Conditions of Carriage for Unaccompanied Minors in Thai Airways

Thai Airways does not accept unaccompanied minors for flights that involve transfers, overnight stops or stopovers longer than six hours. However, if you can arrange or provide assistance for the child at the transfer point, you can avail the service of this carrier. It is also important to know that an unaccompanied minor cannot fly with a pet. You must also consider that, apart from the requisite forms of Thai Airways, additional documentation may be required for certain countries.

It is mandatory for parents to be present at the departure airport and to remain there until the flight departs. Upon arrival of the flight at the destination, the ground staff of Thai Airways will accompany the child and make sure that he/she comfortably completes all the post-flight requirements. You do not have to worry about the safety of your child here, as the airline representative accompanies your child till you, or an appointed person takes responsibility of the kid. 

Conditions Regarding Airfares and Other Charges

For a minor travelling on international routes, a regular fare, that of an adult, is charged. Besides the airfare, a charge of USD 60 is chargeable for this facility.

However, for domestic routes in Thailand, parents only have to pay the 75 per cent of the regular airfare for children between 5 to 12 years of age. However, this carrier does not charge any extra fees for the unaccompanied minor service on domestic routes. 

The best thing about the unaccompanied minor service of this carrier is the age limit of children. While most of the other carriers provide this facility for kids of 5 to 14 years, Thai Airways offers it for children of up to 17 years.

Using this service of Thai Airways will ensure that your child reaches the designated destination safely. 

Holidays at Popular Hill Stations with Amazing Flight Offers and Package Deals

With the winter season just round the corner, holiday plans are being chalked out by many. Some might prefer a lazy holiday on the beach while some might want to explore the enchanting beauty of the hills. However, going by the statistics, hill stations receive more tourists even in the winter season, compared to beach destinations. As a result, it becomes difficult to find suitable hotels and flights to these hill stations, more so at an economical rate if the holiday plan has been made at the last minute. In such a case, it is advisable to look for hotel deals and flight offers from different online travel agencies (OTAs).

Discount Deals on Flight Booking

In the peak holiday season, anywhere in the world, it becomes difficult to find flight tickets. However, if you are lucky enough, you might just get them but chances are that they would be really high priced, which would mean a big hit on your budget. To counter this problem at hand, a good choice would be to look for tickets on offer by OTAs. Generally, these travel agencies, across the year, offer their customers with various discount offers and promotional deals, which come useful in bringing down the flight fare. However, does getting tickets at a lower price solve the problem? What about hotel bookings?

Hotel and Flight Deals

Getting a decent accommodation during a holiday is a must; otherwise, all the fun is lost. Therefore, OTAs offer flight plus hotel deals to cater to those customers who wish to spend less on their accommodation and travelling, but more on exploring their desired destination. These combo deals, usually bring the down the combined price of both flight and hotel bookings, and are quite popular among regular travelers. However, an important to ask here is how much budget is good to actually explore the best attractions of the desired destination? What if it exceeds the budget?

Holiday Packages

To cater this issue of travelers, OTAs offer holiday packages, which include flight, hotel and tour facilities. The reason these packages have more takers is that the entire responsibility of the tour is taken care of by the OTAs; you do not have to worry at any point about the budget. The best part about these vacation packages is that they can be customized as per your choice. These packages include two-way airfares, hotel accommodation and trips to the most popular attractions of the destination chosen by you. The itinerary is shared with you and accordingly, the tour is conducted. Though, there may be times when it becomes necessary to make a few changes to the itinerary because of certain situations, especially weather.

So, if you are still making plans for the upcoming holidays and yet not sure about which hill station to go, then take assistance of OTAs to know the best options available for you. From the northern part of India to the southern, details about all hilly destinations can be known on the websites of these travel agencies. All you need to do is to choose the one that you think will be the best for you and your friends or family.

Jet Airways Flight Booking Likely to Get a Boost with Introduction of 19 Additional Flights

Jet Airways, the second largest carrier in the country in terms of passengers carried and market share, is all set to introduce 19 additional flights on domestic routes for the coming winter schedule. This decision has been taken by the airline by looking at the trend of increase in demand for flights during the winter months, over the past few years. During this period, it will also launch 8 new flight services between four new city pairings. According to the Jet Airways management, the introduction of new and additional flights will strengthen their domestic network and also allow travelers to plan their journeys with greater flexibility. With these 27 new flight services in place, the carrier will operate 11 early morning flights on a daily basis. To make Jet Airways flight booking for these routes, travelers can take assistance of popular online travel portals.

Increasing Flight Services on Important Routes

Starting 15 November, 2015, the airline will run flights to the port city of Vishakhapatnam from its main hubs Delhi and Mumbai. This will provide better connectivity to passengers from/to North America, Middle East and Europe to reach the port city. Also, there will be introduction of daily services between Jammu and Srinagar for better connectivity between these two major cities of Jammu and Kashmir.

There would also be an enhancement on the Bengaluru and Hyderabad route with the launch of a third daily service. Similarly, the frequencies of daily flights between Mangaluru and Bengaluru will be increased to 6. The Mumbai and Jaipur route will also have three daily flights soon. The winter schedule will also see introduction of a second service between Varanasi and Delhi, and a third daily late evening service to Ahmedabad from Delhi.

The Delhi and Hyderabad route will get a fourth daily service, starting 15 November, and starting 30 November, there will be a second frequency of flights between Bengaluru and Goa, on six days of the week. In addition, there will be launch of a new early morning flight from Chennai to Kolkata. The frequency of flights will also be increased between Mumbai and Chennai. Flight tickets for all these routes can be booked in advance with online travel agencies with ease.

Upgrade on Delhi-Mumbai Route

In addition to the launch of new flight routes, the airline has said that the aircraft upgrade on the Delhi-Mumbai route is on the cards. This upgrade would mean that flights 9W 361 and 9W 362 will be replaced with Airbus A330-200, which features 236 domestic class and 18 business class seats. This route will also see an increase in daily flight services to 16 during the winter schedule.

Measures to Increase Market Share

The introduction of these 27 new and additional flight services is most likely to boost Jet Airways flight booking in the coming days. The carrier is keen to gain in terms of market share in the domestic sector and is trying out new things to woo the customers. This was evident in the October offering of Seat Select scheme, which was well received by both domestic and international passengers.

The Seat Select scheme offered passengers a chance to pre-book their seats; window, aisle or middle with an additional payment of INR 500 and INR 800 above the ticket price, on international and domestic flights, respectively. However, business class passengers were not required to pay this extra amount. The pre-book option was available for seats from row 11 to 15 and exit row 24 of the Economy class. However, the scheme was only available on the Boeing 737 aircraft of the airline.

With new schemes like these and launch of 8 new and 19 additional flights on various important domestic routes, Jet Airways has its eye set on making its network robust and increasing its market share in the coming months. It would be interesting to see how it fares in this endeavour since the weather during the winter months has been a real problem for carriers in the past.