BOM International Terminal

[icn.sg]

Hi all,

I'll be traveling through Mumbai International Airport's Terminal 2C soon, and would like to find out if the terminal has any smoking facilities once passengers clear immigration? The last time I was there was more than a year ago, and there wasn't a single corner where smokers could take a puff before their flight.

Your advice would be most appreciated, as it will determine if I clear immigration early to enjoy the newly renovated terminal or later....

Thanks

[Savage25]

Its just T2 now - no separation between T2A and T2C. Used to be you could smoke in the restaurant next to the T2C Celebrations lounge, definitely less than a year ago. However, when I went through the airport in December, they'd renovated the airside area, and I went to another lounge in the old T2A side where there wasn't any smoking area.

[icn.sg]

Thanks for the update. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that there's be at least an F&B joint that allows smoking. In the same vein, smoking in public is now not allowed, so I'm doubtful if that's going to be allowed in an enclosed space like the airport.

[B727]

I really did not see (or smelled) any smoking areas inside the departure terminal when I was there in Jan either.

[phaleesy]

This is my current plan. A domestic flight DEL to BOM. Then BOM-LHR. What's the minimum connection time? It seems the domestic and international terminals are not located in the same place? Would that mean I would have to collect my luggage, take a cab from one airport to the next, check in again, etc?

If it's so inconvenient, I might have to change my current plan. A DEL departure might be more appropriate. Thanks for your help.

[jhm]

A domestic flight DEL to BOM. Then BOM-LHR. What's the minimum connection time?

The standard is 2 hours 30 minutes according to Sabre but subject to exceptions depending on the specific airlines/flights involved (there are pages and pages listed).

T*CT-BOM«                                                       
STANDARD.D/D...D/I...I/D...I/I.                                 
ONLINE    .30  2.30  3.00  1.30                                 
OFFLINE   .30  2.30  3.00  1.30

[Savage25]

This is my current plan. A domestic flight DEL to BOM. Then BOM-LHR. What's the minimum connection time? It seems the domestic and international terminals are not located in the same place? Would that mean I would have to collect my luggage, take a cab from one airport to the next, check in again, etc?

If it's so inconvenient, I might have to change my current plan. A DEL departure might be more appropriate. Thanks for your help.

What time of the year? DEL can be subject to delays due to fog in Jan/Feb, so I wouldn't count on domestic flights leaving on time.

The BOM transfer is now much easier than before. Collect your baggage at the domestic terminal, then follow the signs to the International Transfer. There is a shuttle bus that runs every 20 min on the tarmac, so no traffic delays.

[phaleesy]

What time of the year? DEL can be subject to delays due to fog in Jan/Feb, so I wouldn't count on domestic flights leaving on time.

The BOM transfer is now much easier than before. Collect your baggage at the domestic terminal, then follow the signs to the International Transfer. There is a shuttle bus that runs every 20 min on the tarmac, so no traffic delays.

Departing DEL evening on 19th Feb. Catching the 0245 from BOM.

Savage, what would the latest possible time I should be arriving at BOM for the connection?

All these terminal transfers, they'd take place land side and just by the exits? I don't want to be taken for a long taxi ride by crooked drivers. The shuttle bus is run by the airport authorities? I know I'm sounding overly cautious but it's just that I've been forced to read horror India travel stories by various people.

[UMD]

Departing DEL evening on 19th Feb. Catching the 0245 from BOM.

Savage, what would the latest possible time I should be arriving at BOM for the connection?

All these terminal transfers, they'd take place land side and just by the exits? I don't want to be taken for a long taxi ride by crooked drivers. The shuttle bus is run by the airport authorities? I know I'm sounding overly cautious but it's just that I've been forced to read horror India travel stories by various people.

At this early morning hours, you should be fine. Connecting to Int'l from Domestic is a pain in both DEL and BOM. Make sure you have your connecting ticket with you as the security to take the airport transfer bus will check for it or you won't be allowed to get on the bus.

The last Domestic to International connecting flight in BOM I had last month, I only had 55 mins left due to late arrival from Hyderabad. The original schedule was around 2 hours. Since my colleague and I were traveling IT on both sectors (a big plus in this case), IT ground staff decided to put us in a city taxi from the Domestic terminal to the International Departure terminal. When inquired about the airside transfer, we were told we weren't be able to make it if we went on the bus. The cab ride was around 40 mins due to the traffic and pre-paid by IT. We were told not to pay any more extra fare so we didn't although the taxi driver did ask us to pay additional fare upon arrival.

The IT staff at the International Departure terminal were waiting for us and had to rush us through immigration and security checks once we arrived. You should see the abuses they got from both the immigration and the security staffs to make sure we could get on our flight on time.

[Savage25]

Departing DEL evening on 19th Feb. Catching the 0245 from BOM.

Savage, what would the latest possible time I should be arriving at BOM for the connection?

All these terminal transfers, they'd take place land side and just by the exits? I don't want to be taken for a long taxi ride by crooked drivers. The shuttle bus is run by the airport authorities? I know I'm sounding overly cautious but it's just that I've been forced to read horror India travel stories by various people.

What airline are you flying DEL-BOM? I'd recommend planning to arrive by midnight just to be safe with delays. Fog hits DEL around midnight as well, so its good to get out before then.

The shuttle is run by the airport and takes place landside, but via the tarmac. Perfectly safe. Once you collect your bags from the domestic flight, don't exit the terminal, but instead follow the signs for the international terminal transfers. You will need a printout of your itinerary as UMD said to show airport security. There will be airport employees to load the bags on and off the bus - you don't have to tip them. The bus will run on the airport tarmac (not on public roads) every 20 min and take about 10 min to the international terminal.

[phaleesy]

Thanks, UMD and Savage.

What airline are you flying DEL-BOM? I'd recommend planning to arrive by midnight just to be safe with delays. Fog hits DEL around midnight as well, so its good to get out before then.

IC 602
DEL 19/02/10 21:00
BOM 19/02/10 23:15

IT 3355
DEL 19/02/10 21:50
BOM 19/02/10 23:50

9W 2060
DEL 19/02/10 22:30
BOM 20/02/10 0:25

I've not booked yet. Most likely the IT flight to arrive before midnight as you suggested.

What time should I be checking in for a 2150 domestic flight at DEL? My travel companion is on a US-bound CO flight departing at 2335 and we thought we'd arrive at the airport together.

A computer printout showing my RTW itinerary should be sufficient to keep airport security happy?

BTW, any thoughts on the visa application on arrival at the airport service? I've sent my passport to the embassy to be on the safe side because I wasn't sure how long the queues at the airport would be.

[UMD]

[QUOTE=phaleesy;113377]

What time should I be checking in for a 2150 domestic flight at DEL? My travel companion is on a US-bound CO flight departing at 2335 and we thought we'd arrive at the airport together. [\Quote]

At least 1 hour before should be fine. I have done a few of those myself.

A computer printout showing my RTW itinerary should be sufficient to keep airport security happy?

plus a passport with a matching name.

BTW, any thoughts on the visa application on arrival at the airport service? I've sent my passport to the embassy to be on the safe side because I wasn't sure how long the queues at the airport would be.

To be safe, I would pre-arrange my visa with the embassy first. VOA has just been implemented starting today I believe and it is only for 5 countries for now. Unless you are a citizen of Finland, Japan, Luxembourg, Singapore, and New Zealand, you are not allowed to apply for VOA.

[Kyo]

They allow NZ and not Australian citizens?! Heheh...

[Kiwi]

They allow NZ and not Australian citizens?! Heheh...

AFAIK the visa on arrival is a trial. Perhaps they worked out how many they can easily cope with and picked countries from the list of those they'll eventually offer it to in order to manage volume? OTOH it could be that Australia charges more for Indians to visit than NZ.

[scooby5]

The last Domestic to International connecting flight in BOM I had last month, I only had 55 mins left due to late arrival from Hyderabad. The original schedule was around 2 hours. Since my colleague and I were traveling IT on both sectors (a big plus in this case), IT ground staff decided to put us in a city taxi from the Domestic terminal to the International Departure terminal. When inquired about the airside transfer, we were told we weren't be able to make it if we went on the bus. The cab ride was around 40 mins due to the traffic and pre-paid by IT. We were told not to pay any more extra fare so we didn't although the taxi driver did ask us to pay additional fare upon arrival.

The IT staff at the International Departure terminal were waiting for us and had to rush us through immigration and security checks once we arrived. You should see the abuses they got from both the immigration and the security staffs to make sure we could get on our flight on time.

On this, and by means of an update....

I was ticketed on AI from Kolkatta to Mumbai and onto Singapore last Friday. There is a 1hr 40min time between flights but the important thing to remember for later is that AI ticketed it.

My flight arrived on time from Kolkatta at 10:30pm. After confirming there was still no luggage transfer facility i bumped into AI staff who was looking for me when i got my bag. He told me to take a taxi to International because...
'For sure if you take the shuttle bus you miss the flight.'
'I have no money, i will take the bus.'
'But you'll miss the flight!'
'Buddy, not my problem. AI ticketed the flights.'
'Okay, not mine either.... but I let them know you're coming'

It took the bus 55min to get between the terminals and i arrived 15-min before the scheduled departure. One guy was holding up my name on a sign and the rest...... is blur blur what? The same guy carried my backpack all the way through security to the gate and a nice female supervisor from the check-in row (she even filled up my Departure Card...sweety) rushed with us through immigrations queues and the rest. All this whilst another guy carried my case to the plane. Even the queue to get into the terminal initially looked like 10-15min long!!!

10-min after arriving i was at the gate waiting on the bus to the plane.

All i can say, is it makes perfect sense to issue a connecting flight and not issue separate tickets, otherwise i (& UMD) would have been stuffed. It's either that or count on a 3hrs transfer time. The problem is that even though you transfer, you still have to enter the International terminal via a queue at the door basically as a fresh check-in.