# Connecting flights & baggage issue



## pugsybaby (22 Jun 2010)

I'm travelling to Kathmandu (Nepal) in a few weeks and I have two connecting flights and I'm just curious with regards my baggage and whether I have to continiously check in at each airport and go through security etc.

Travel arrangements:

Dublin - London (Heathrow) - - - Aer Lingus

2 hrs gap

London (Heathrow) - Delhi (India) - - - Virgin Atlantic

2hrs gap

Delhi - Kathmandu (Nepal) - - - Jet Airways

Similar story with my return flights back home....

I have booked the following through a company (think trailfinders etc) and I'm just curious as to the position with baggage etc.

When I book my baggage in for my outbound flight to London do I have to collect my bag again at arrivals and then change terminals and then recheck in my bags again for the flight to Delhi.

Also whats the issue with going through security? Do I have to go through it again as I'm conscious of time between flights and hence don't fancy the thought of queing up and delaying more time going through it again at each airport.

Also the fact that I'm flying with three different airlines to get to my destination, I'm unsure as to the issue with my baggage.

In summary, will my bags automatically get routed to each airport and I just have to worry about picking my bags up when I arrive in Nepal or do I have to collect my bags in arrivals, then head to departures check in, go through security etc. I'm just slightly unsure of the process as i'm flying with three differnet airlines.

Anyone know what the process is?


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## hippy1975 (22 Jun 2010)

You shouldn't see your bags until your final destination (although in the U.S. you sometimes have to pick them up and place them on another belt but it's only the Americans who do that)

when you check in in Dub give them your tickets for all three flights and they should be able yo check your bags right through to final destination, ask them to do that and they will tell you if, for instance, they couldn't do that for the last regional flight.  They should also be able to give you your boarding cards for all flights they can check you in on, so when you get to heathrow you have to change terminal so that is basically like coming in off the street into departures (except you are already checked in and have your boarding card so takes the pressure off a little). In other airports you would follow the signs for connections/transfers instead of going out through arrivals.  Don't hang around in heathrow anyway keep moving as it can take time to get thru security. 

Jealous!  Have a good trip!


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## pugsybaby (22 Jun 2010)

Hippy1975, cheers mate!

Regarding boarding cards which you mentioned.. would aer lingus be able to issue me with boarding cards for my other two flights even though I'm not flying with the same airline for my other two journeys?

Would they be in a position to see the flight seat plan of the say the Virgin Atlantic and Jet Airways flight and issue me with a boarding card with my sepcified seat choice?

Also, form a bit of digging around I seen that Virgin is has a partnership arrangement with Aer Lingus and so presumably they definitely should be in a position to check my baggage straight through.

Also, Virgin have the same arrangement with Jet Airways so presumably they will be able to route the bagge form Virgin onto the other flight.


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## TheShark (22 Jun 2010)

Yes , Aer Lingus should be able to give you boadring cards for all three flights , likewise on return.


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## hippy1975 (22 Jun 2010)

yeah they should be able to check you in even though different airline, not sure if they can allocate your seat but they def have done for me in the past, the regional flight might be a bit different, or it may be too far away time-wise even you're checking in in Dub, but  more than likely will be fine, same for return journeys of course, I checked my bags in once in Fiji had two connections didn't see them till Dub


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## Satanta (22 Jun 2010)

On a recent trip to Manilla we flew AL to Gatwick then Qatar to Doha and onto Manilla. Bags were checked all the way, but we had to collect the AL boarding cards separate to the Qatar flights (e.g. a quick stop at the Qatar desk on the way over to pick up the next 2 boarding cards and at the AL desk on the way home to pick up the final boarding card). 

I assume it depends on the individual airlines and the systems they have in place.


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## shesells (23 Jun 2010)

Are all your flights on the same ticket? Aer Lingus only interline bags if they're on the same ticket http://www.aerlingus.com/travelinformation/baggage/#d.en.1371


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## EvilDoctorK (23 Jun 2010)

Provided it's all on the same ticket definitely should be able to get your Bags and yourself checked in for the Virgin LHR-DEL flight when you check in at Dublin Airport (you'll likely need to check in at the desk - online or kiosk check probably wont work)

The DEL-KTM flight on Jet Airways mightn't be so easy though .. you might be able to get your bags through checked ... but I'd be fairly surprised if Aer Lingus in Dublin could give you a boarding card for this flight - I'd imagine you've got to pick up those boarding cards in Delhi - which is a bit of a chaotic place (though there's a new terminal due to open soon , maybe already so it might be better now)


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## pugsybaby (23 Jun 2010)

Hi all,

Just a heads up and update after a fair few phone calls....

EvildoctorK - You seem to be spot on and it's similar too what I'm being told from the airlines.

AerLingus should be able to check my baggage through for the Dub - Lon and also for the Virgin flight form Lon - Delhi. They also should be able to issue with me the boarding card for the Virgin flight and hence all I need to do is go through the connecting fights area.

But virgin said they will not be in a position to through put my backage for the Jet airways flight and hence I will have to get my backage form arrivals and travel through departures and check in to obtain a boarding pass and also to put my luggage through.

I didn't think this would be the case seeing as Virgin and Jet Airways are suppose to have a partnership arrangement in place but that's what they seem to be telling me.

Also all of my flights are on the same ticket.

Presumably, I will get the full story when I rock up to Dublin airport and see what exactly is in store for me!


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## EvilDoctorK (24 Jun 2010)

pugsybaby said:


> But virgin said they will not be in a position to through put my backage for the Jet airways flight and hence I will have to get my backage form arrivals and travel through departures and check in to obtain a boarding pass and also to put my luggage through.



If they can't through check your bag past DEL then it sounds like Delhi airport could be fun with Visa complications  - http://www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntree/thread.jspa?threadID=1880638 .. seems do-able if painful! .. though there's imminently supposed to be a new terminal opening there so things may have improved

I'd certainly try to get your bag checked through if possible or travel with Hand Luggage only if that's an option - but I'm sure you will work it out !


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## redchariot (24 Jun 2010)

Funny enough, I was actually thinking of booking the exact same flights in July but was then going to travel overland back to Delhi and fly with Virgin/AL back to Dublin from there; flights got far too expensive before I got a chance to book so I am only going as far as Delhi instead (I was going to book an independant flight with one of the local carriers from Delhi to Kathmandu but it also is quite expensive); I will get to Nepal another time.

I was going to book through e-bookers and they were selling it as three connecting flights DUB-LHR-DEL-KTM and it appeared that your luggage was checked the whole way through. I believe that you will need a Transit Visa to connect through Delhi so you will have to apply to the Indian embassy in Dublin before you go (€15 I think). You can get your visa for Nepal upon arrival at Kathmandu airport


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## pugsybaby (25 Jun 2010)

Is it a definite requirement that I have to obtain a transit visa for my connection flight through Delhi.

On both my outward and inward journey I am only in Delhi for just over two hours.

Do I have to obtain this visa from the embassy here in Dublin or can I get one upon arrival at Delhi?

I didn't realise I would need a visa for such a short stopover.

Can anyone elaborate or provide some useful insights?

Cheers


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## dereko1969 (25 Jun 2010)

best bet would be just to ring the Indian Embassy here


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## pugsybaby (25 Jun 2010)

Doing that as we speak... but you can't get through directly to a person but rather an answering machine!

Trailfinders are saying it can take two weeks to obtain one through them so hopefully the embassy can sort one out in quick speed.


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## EvilDoctorK (25 Jun 2010)

pugsybaby said:


> Is it a definite requirement that I have to obtain a transit visa for my connection flight through Delhi.
> 
> On both my outward and inward journey I am only in Delhi for just over two hours.
> 
> ...



I wouldn't be 100% you need a visa - as you won't be leavign the airport you may not need one .. that link I posted seemed to suggest you wouldn't   - if you can avoid it's best to avoid .. . try posing your question on the Lonely Planet forum  - (thorntree.lonelyplanet.com) .. there's likely people there with relevant experience more recent than you'll find here ... I've been to Delhi airport a few times (it's a complete hole!) but never in international transit


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## pugsybaby (27 Jun 2010)

EvildoctorK,

I posted up my visa querey and I got a reply from a perso who has been to Nepal about seven times and assures me that I do not need a transit visa... seems to be an awful lot of conflicting opinions.

I really want to be sure about whether or not I need to have a visa and I do not want to rock up over in Delhi and have complications regarding immigration and my bagge and transfer flights etc.

On a side note... regarding Delhi airpport.... why on earth would they have the baggage area on the opposite side to immigration knowing well that people may have connecting flights. Seems very backwards to me and absolutley absurd.

Also why on earth have an indian embassy based in Dublin who dont answer phones but rather let you talk to an answering machine.

I'm going to the embassy tomorrow and asking them out straight out. Surely they should be able to tell me whether or not I need one. If they say I dont need one and I want them to put it in writing for me.

Very frustrating but from researching this alot there is no definitive answer as to wheter one needs a transit visa for a 2 hour stay in Delhi airport on an outward and inward journey.. Some say get one, some say don't and others say get one to be on the safe side...

This isn't rocket science stuff but rather frustrating stuff indeed.

Anyone who has travelled through delhi with a connecting flight share to comment on vida requirements??


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## EvilDoctorK (28 Jun 2010)

Short answer .. it's India .. wonderful place but things often don't make sense .. though to be fair baggage reclaim after immigration is standard practice pretty much everywhere.

If you go to the embassy I'd be fairly sure they'll tell you that you need a visa regardless of whether you actually do or not  (if nothing else to get € out of you to issue one) ... but it certainly sounds as though it mightn't be necessary .. but for piece of mind if it's only cheap and easy then you may as well get one . .. Even if you don't actually need it for baggage if something goes wrong on your journey and you mis-connect for example then it would be easier to have one if you have to stay the night in Delhi in transit.


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## pugsybaby (28 Jun 2010)

Appreciate the reply EvilDoctorK,

I've just returned from the Indian embassy and the guy behind the desk in the Embassy said I do not need a visa and was pretty adamant about it. He kept reassuring me that you are just using Delhi as a connection hub and are not tecnically enterign India. I explained my issues about my baggage and that I only have a two hour difference between when I land in Delhi from my virgin flight and when I depart on my Jet Airways flight all the time explaining that would this be enough time. 

If it's the case that I do not need a visa I really need someone to grab my baggage asap form the carousel and give it to me behind the transit desk as I will need to check in pretty quickly so as not to miss my flight.

Surely there will be other people in the same situation form the VIrgin flight form London to Delhi with similar issues / situation to myself!

I'm heading next monday and hence would need an expediated visa and by the looks of things they speed is not on the top of the priority list.


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## EvilDoctorK (28 Jun 2010)

I'd imagine it will be fine .. but I have no personal experience .. the links I posted suggest it's doable .. so if it's a hassle to get a visa then I guess that's fine.

I imagine there may well be other passengers as yourself on the same itinerary and I'm sure people have done it before so I wouldn't worry too much... with luck maybe Virgin will tag your bags through at Heathrow anyway and you mightn't have an issue at all.


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## pugsybaby (28 Jun 2010)

EvildoctorK,

Many thanks the prompt responces and I appreciate your advice.

I just rang Aer Lingus and the ahve stated as long as the flights are all on the same ticket my bags "should" be checked all the way through...

I still have my doubts about the connection between Delhi and Kathmandu and the transfer of baggage etc but never the less we will wait and see what happens.

Touch wood everything goes to plan and I will be back in a month to hopefully say that my transit was successful without any major events along the way!


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## EvilDoctorK (28 Jun 2010)

No problem.. enjoy your trip .. as always don't pack anything into your checked luggage that you can't afford to be without for a day or two if it goes astray!


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## Towger (28 Jun 2010)

BTW I have never been there, but if they are like other 'developing' countries keep the stubs from the baggage labels when you check in. You may have them checked against the corresponding luggage labels by security before you can leave the airport.


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