In the current socio-political climate of America, the re-entry process at major US airports after a foreign trip holds surprises not just for non-immigrant visa holders. US citizens and Green Card holders are not exceptions to it. Re-entry into the US is a smooth experience for some travelers returning from a month-long trip to India or some other country, while some reported facing intense scrutiny on arrival. Precisely, the experience varies from person to person.

KrishnaKumar Podagatlapalli, an Indian-origin US citizen from Virginia, shared his US re-entry experience at Washington Dulles Airport, with Sourav Agarwal, Senior Editor at Indian Eagle, a leading air-ticketing partner of Indians in America. After a trip to his native place in Andhra Pradesh, he returned on Qatar Airways flights from New Delhi to Washington DC, IAD Airport. His re-entry was neither smooth nor complicated. Rather, it is insightful for many immigrants who would fly back to USA after summer travel.

At Washington Dulles IAD Airport, CBP officers asked him about his trip duration and the places he visited during the trip. They went on to ask whether his cabin bag had food packets, pickles, and/or jewelry. KrishnaKumar told them that he brought two small packets of Indian sweets and a small piece of jewelry in the handbag, no pickles.

“What is the value of jewelry?” the CBP officer wanted to know immediately. “It’s USD 3000,” said Krishna Kumar. “Are you sure? It’s 3K worth? Is it plain jewelry or diamonds?” said the CBP officer with raised eyebrows, trying to ascertain the jewelry value. Krishna Kumar courteously replied he was absolutely sure about the jewelry piece having no diamonds and the worth being not more than $3K. He was further asked whether he purchased the jewelry in transit (during the layover in Doha).

The CBP officer’s interrogation continued, as KrishnaKumar was referred to a secondary check. He was taken to a room where he was told to open the carry-on bag and show the jewelry along with the receipt. On seeing the receipt of about USD 3300, the CBP officer said, “There is a tax for any foreign purchases above US$ 800.” It took him aback, as he was under the impression that any foreign import, cash or jewelry, under $10K is tax free in the US. He ended up paying 5.5% tax on $2500 ($3300-$800).

This is, indeed, an eye opener for many Indians who bring valuables to USA from India and make duty-free purchases at airports in transit during return trips. For anything above US$ 800, you need to submit a declaration to the CBP and pay customs duty at US airports. However, no customs duty for gold coin imports into USA if the value is under $10K.

There is a way to avoid paying the US’ customs duty on gold jewelry and other valuables if you travel in a group. $800 is the tax-free limit to the worth of imports per individual entering the US. If you are four, including your spouse and two children, flying back to the US with gold jewelry worth $3500, you would have to pay taxes only on $300 ($3500 – $800 x 4). Since KrishnaKumar was alone, he had to pay taxes on $2500.

Despite being a US citizen, his US re-entry experience at Dulles IAD Airport went beyond what is considered normal. He also declared that he purchased a couple of perfume bottles and a chocolate box as part of duty-free shopping in transit. Thereafter, the CBP officer asked him, “Are you sure? You didn’t bring any meat pickles.” He denied outright reiterating that he did not bring any such food items except two packets of sweets from India and one chocolate box from Doha.

“What about clothes and gift articles?” was the CBP officer’s next question to him. KrishnaKumar said, “No gift articles and new clothes. I just brought back the clothes that I carried during my onward journey.” The CBP officer clarified his question, “I am asking about designer clothes or bags.”

“These days CBP officers are more vigilant about counterfeit brand imports into the United States. International arrivals at US airports, especially from China, India, Philippines and a few other Asian countries, are facing the law enforcement against counterfeit luxury items if found in their bags. In FY 22 alone, the CBP seized more than 25 million fake goods of various brands, mostly from non-immigrants. Check out the US policy for international travelers carrying items with fake brand tags into USA,” said Sourav Agarwal.

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Disclaimer: KrishnaKumar Podagatlapalli shared his US re-entry experience through Travel Beats, the Indian Diaspora and Travel News portal, with the message that people returning from abroad should not act smart with CBP officers. They must declare to CBP their imports from abroad and politely give honest answers during the entry inspection. We used an AI-generated picture to represent KrishnaKumar Podagatlapalli for the sake of his digital privacy.

The post “My US Re-entry Experience is Insightful for You,” Shares Indian American KrishnaKumar Podagatlapalli appeared first on Travel to India, Cheap Flights to India, Aviation News, India Travel Tips.

Like many other Indians, Rakesh is traveling to India with his family this summer (in July). He proudly holds a Green Card for his permanent residency in the land of American Dream. He had booked his flight tickets from Seattle to Bengaluru with Lufthansa when Indian Eagle was offering US-India flight discounts celebrating Women’s Day 2025 through March. After having secured a good deal for the summer travel, they got busy making a bucket list of things to do and see in and around Bengaluru this time.

Their round-trip itinerary has two Schengen airport layovers – Frankfurt and Munich in Germany – which requires a regular Schengen Visa for smooth transit. We had sent him the booking confirmation email and Lufthansa flight tickets with a note that the itinerary he purchased may require a short Schengen visa or airport transit visa in Germany. It seems that he overlooked the note as he was under the impression that Green Card holders are exempted from this visa requirement in the Schengen area.

He woke up to this requirement for his journey through Frankfurt and Munich, when a user post in some Facebook community group caught his attention. In the post, an Indian from San Francisco shared his ordeal of being denied boarding by Lufthansa for not having a Schengen Visa for his flight itinerary similar to Rakesh’s. Taken aback by the post, Rakesh took no time to call Indian Eagle’s customer helpline and confirm whether a regular Schengen Visa is required for transit via two airports in Germany.

He got into a dilemma over whether he should cancel their reservation with Lufthansa and book a new round trip with one-stop flights from Seattle to Bengaluru with some other airline, or apply for a short Schengen Visa. Cancelling the scheduled travel would have incurred him a hefty airline fee for each of four travelers in the booking, though the itinerary was refundable. On top of that, a new booking would cost him more than what he paid (minus the Women’s Day discount) in March.

After two days of deliberation, he chose to apply for a regular Schengen Visa. It was the third week of April; thankfully, not too late to meet the transit visa requirement for their US-India round trip with Lufthansa. Many travelers like Rakesh are still unaware of this critical visa rule involving transit between two Schengen airports in Germany. Most of them realize this late, and thus have no other option than cancelling their travel in the eleventh hour and seeking last-minute flight tickets with deals.

Indian Eagle, the most trusted travel-booking partner of Indians and Americans, thanks Rakesh Gupta for this story. We wish him a safe and happy trip! Subscribe to Travel Beats, a leading US-India travel news community for latest updates on airlines, airports, transit visas, routes, etc.

The post Hidden Schengen Visa Rule for Transit via Frankfurt and Munich, Rakesh Decodes and Saves His Travel on Time appeared first on Travel to India, Cheap Flights to India, Aviation News, India Travel Tips.

Indian Eagle is not just a leading international air-ticketing agency in America or the best platform to book flight tickets in India, but an ever-growing family of Indian expats in thousands across the United States. For more than 16 years, we have come a long way with their collective trust in booking hundreds of thousands of Indian Eagle cheap flights to India from USA. We felt an urge to decode what makes us the most trusted ticket booking partner for Indian expats in USA, through our hard-earned customer testimonials.

Best Flight Deals for any Routes between USA and India

Indian Eagle deals for US to India travel are not just limited to popular routes such as flights from Chicago to Delhi, San Francisco to Mumbai, New York to Bengaluru, Chicago to Hyderabad, D.C. to Delhi…Rather, we have itineraries with unmatched fare deals for any routes between USA and India, to say, from San Antonio to Visakhapatnam, Atlanta to Nagpur, Minneapolis to Kolkata, Denver to Lucknow, Raleigh-Durham to Kochi…You search IndianEagle.com for your travel origin and destination, you would find tens of flight deals in your preferred travel class, from Economy to Business.

Save Big with Exclusive Deals and Discounts

For more than 16 years at Indian Eagle, our brand promise has been – making international travel affordable with the lowest airfares available, and we continue to deliver on it. Thanks to our airline partners among the best airlines between USA and India for their insider deals that you can grab through IndianEagle.com or as phone-only by calling our 24/7 customer helpline +1800-615-3969.

On top of that Indian Eagle flight discounts, $25 to $50, are released at the onset of a festive season or a travel season or on some occasions like International Women’s Day, so our customers could save BIG on US to India flights tickets for round trips or one-way bookings. Many Indian families across the US unlocked good savings during our Diwali 2024 campaign – Indian Eagle Festival of Flights – and grabbed our Women’s Day special discount coupons throughout March 2025.

Anita R, an IT Consultant in Duluth, Georgia, shared, “I saved $250 on Atlanta to Mumbai flight tickets for our winter holiday family trip in 2024 with Indian Eagle deals. Online booking was a breeze!”

Transparent Pricing and Reliable Information

Transparent ticket pricing and reliable information, from flight search to payment, make Indian Eagle the most trusted ticket booking partner for Indian expats in America. We fairly comply with country-specific pricing policies and tax regulations leaving no space for hidden charges and ensuring you get the best fare deal to travel with peace of mind. We believe in communicating clearly whether an itinerary is cancellable, refundable, or what fare rules or airline policy applies to it before you buy it.

Informed Travel with Airport & Airline Guides

Booking flight tickets for the lowest fare is just not enough to make your international travel hassle-free. You need to know whether you need a transit visa for a Schengen layover, what layover length is ideal for smooth international to international or domestic connection, whether you can leave the international transit airport during a layover, how to spend long connection time at the arrival airport, how to get a visitor pass at US airports, how to upgrade your travel class on Air India flights….

Our community portal – Indian Eagle Travel Beats – is a one-stop platform for travelers to get all the above information and more in a few seconds. Our travel news blog was the first to reveal that Air India reduced checked baggage allowance for VALUE fare tickets starting 5 June 2025. “Travel Beats was our only reliable source of information on air bubble flights, Indian airport guidelines for international arrivals, safe travel norms, etc. during the COVID-19 pandemic,” shares Nisha Desai from Virginia, among our customers.

Post-Booking Assistance through Omni-Channel Support 

Our service to customers does not end with booking of US-India fight tickets with the best deals. Indian Eagle’s customer service unit has a dedicated team to assist you with emergency rescheduling of your confirmed travel, or refund against cancellation (if your booking is refundable). Our omni-channel support extends post booking to alert you whether a suddenly emerged geo-political conflict would impact your travel, or if there is an update on the checked baggage allowance for your itinerary.

“I received the first intimation from Indian Eagle that my journey got extended by 4 hours due to rerouting of Air India flights amid Pakistan’s airspace restrictions. They provide real human support especially when you need it the most. It makes Indian Eagle our trusted ticket booking partner,” said Vikram Nag from Chicago.

The post Know What Makes Indian Eagle the Most Trusted Ticket Booking Partner for Indian Expats in USA appeared first on Travel to India, Cheap Flights to India, Aviation News, India Travel Tips.

Ananya had dreamed of this moment for years – her parents’ first visit to her in the US. She moved to Boston in 2019 for an MS degree. She is now working as a senior Data Analyst in New York. It took her years to plan their first trip to America, as she wanted them to travel in comfort on the flight where they won’t have to squeeze into tight seats. Recently, her parents traveled in Air India’s brand new Premium Economy from Kolkata to New York.

Flying in Premium Economy is no luxury. Rather, it is a matter of comfort for those who always made compromises and endured discomforts to save for their daughter’s education. Like most middle-class parents, they always preferred buses and auto-rickshaws over cabs while putting Ananya’s needs ahead of their own. Their day-to-day struggle did not go unnoticed by her. Hence, she had eagerly been waiting for the day she would be able to book premium economy flight tickets.

Ananya’s dream came true at Indian Eagle

With Indian Eagle deals for Air India flights to USA, her dream came true. Premium Economy offers a greater deal of comfort than Economy but costs lesser than Business Class. This significant upgrade comes with cozy seating, extra legroom, priority boarding, and personal attention to travelers’ inflight needs. For her parents, it was more than a travel experience, it was a matter of pride for them.

When Ananya called Indian Eagle customer support helpline, she was very clear about what she was looking for – the best flight deal. I recall her words, “I just don’t want my parents to arrive exhausted or stressed. I wish their first international flight to be full of joy, not fatigue,” said the chief ticketing officer of Indian Eagle Travel. We offered her the most unbeatable fare deal from Air India, one of our airline partners, for a nonstop flight from New Delhi to New York including a domestic connection from Kolkata.

Why Air India for Premium Economy Travel

One of her colleagues in the US referred Indian Eagle to her as a reliable travel partner for parents’ solo international travel. Our ticketing team goes the extra mile when it comes to booking international flight tickets for parents and family travelers. For Ananya’s parents, we recommended Air India not only for unmatched fares, but also nonstop travel, short flying time, brand-new A350 aircraft, premium economy comfort, etc.

Flying in the Premium Economy was their first such premium travel experience, from priority check-in at Delhi International Airport to smooth onboarding to the A350-900 plane, cushioned seating with extra legroom, business-class-like inflight dining, personalized service to their individual needs – all these made their first international trip nothing short of a dream as Ananya shared with us later.

Air India’s A350-900s, one of the most advanced widebody Airbus planes in the fleet of major airlines, have earned rave reviews for elevating passenger experience in terms of comfort, luxury, and inflight service. Indian Eagle best deals for Air India flights in all travel classes on A350s between New York to Delhi, and Newark to Delhi are available both on the website and on calls to +1800-615-3969.

Ananya further shared with us that her father, a retired schoolteacher, has kept the boarding passes safe as a cherished memento of her love for them. When they landed at JFK Airport in New York, she welcomed them with tears in her eyes. Precisely, this was the moment that she waited for long because, sometimes, a flight is not just a flight – it’s a way to say “Thank You”.

The post Indian Eagle Fulfilled a Daughter’s Dream with Best Deals for Her Parents’ First Flight to USA appeared first on Travel to India, Cheap Flights to India, Aviation News, India Travel Tips.

Searching for an itinerary, selecting the best deal, and booking flight tickets. Not everyone’s international travel booking is that easy; especially, first-time travelers. They have many questions, like “Should I opt for connecting flights?” What is more convenient, flying via Europe or the Middle East?” “What are the best and safest airlines for long-haul international travel?”

Planning and booking an international itinerary feels like a dream only if you have a trusted air-ticketing partner like Indian Eagle. For more than 15 years, Indian Eagle has been offering not only unbeatable flight deals but also seamless travel-booking experience. Among hundreds of thousands of happy customers, we have served till date, M. Tajendra has a story to share.

Seven years ago, Mr. Tajendra took the biggest leap of his life. He secured an H1B visa, the most coveted US visa for an “American Dream” career, and took his first international flight from Bangalore to Austin, Texas. That flight was just the beginning of his life-changing journey and the future he was planning to build for his family in the US.    

He took the very first step towards that unforgettable journey at Indian Eagle. Advised by a friend who was settled in the US, Tajendra called us for cheap flight deals to Austin from India. He still recalls how anxious he was that day 7 years ago. He was confused about routes, airlines, layover lengths, etc. This is common to many first-time international travelers. On top of that, the very thought of leaving the home country, parents, friends…behind rattled him.  

Our ticketing team provided him with the best fare deals from Delhi to Austin, Mumbai to Austin, and Bangalore to Austin. Sensing his state of mind, we recommended booking BLR to AUS flight tickets for hassle-free departure from Bangalore International Airport. In those days, navigating the terminal of BLR Airport was a lot easier than that at New Delhi and Mumbai airports. He trusted our recommendation. Since then, he has been a loyal patron of Indian Eagle, grabbing our lowest fare offers for his holiday trips between the US and India.    

Fast forward to 2025. Tajendra’s son, Vedant is a graduate scholar now. In April, he traveled to Hyderabad from Austin to celebrate his graduation with his grandparents and other family members. He followed in his father’s footsteps and stopped by IndianEagle.com. It was an absolute pleasure for us to book his AUS to HYD flight tickets and a rare honor to be the trusted travel partner of two generations.    

“Interestingly, Tajendra is a member of the Indian Eagle loyalty program. He earned ‘Eagle Points’ from Indian Eagle on every booking for his solo trip and family travel, which he redeemed for decent fare discounts as and when applicable. With the patronage of Tajendra and many other customers like him, we have grown and come a long way as a leading source of “Indian Eagle deals” not only for holiday trips but also last-minute flights for emergency travel to India,” said the chief ticketing officer of Indian Eagle.

The post Indian Eagle: The Only Trusted Travel Partner for Two Generations of Indians in USA appeared first on Travel to India, Cheap Flights to India, Aviation News, India Travel Tips.

“A son’s true success is measured not by what he achieves, but by what he gives back to the hands that raised him.” While many senior citizens are ending up at old age homes in India, Krishna Kumar took his mother on a pilgrimage spanning four countries – without international flight tickets. He rode his late father’s old scooter with his mother sitting behind him for over 93,000 kilometers. His devotion and duty that go beyond any child’s basic responsibility of looking after his/her mother has earned him the moniker – a modern-day Shravan Kumar.

The story of Krishna Kumar and his mother’s epic pilgrimage started in January 2018. Once his mother casually mentioned she had never seen the temples of Hampi and Halebeedu. This made him realize that she had never traveled beyond Mysuru. “How small her world has been for so many years! She spent her whole life serving the joint family.” After his father passed away in 2015, she hardly stepped out of home. With this thought lying heavy on his mind, Krishna took a vow to take her to the places that she had ever dreamed of visiting.

Krishna Kumar, an engineer, quit his corporate job in Bengaluru, dusted off his late father’s 2001 model Bajaj scooter, and set out with his mother on a countrywide pilgrimage that extended to Nepal, Bhutan, and Myanmar. To make her see the outer world, taste freedom, and live a carefree life became his life’s only mission. He named it ‘Matru Seva Sankalpa Yatra’, meaning a pledge to serve mother. While even traveling to religious places has become a leisure or luxury, this Shravana Kumar transformed it into a diving offering.

Their journey began on 18 January 2018 when he kick-started the nearly two-decade-old scooter after modifying it for his mother’s comfort. To make the road journey comfortable for her against uneven surfaces, he got the scooter upgraded with extra cushions and a backrest. For almost 6 years (excluding two years of the pandemic), they had been on road travelling more than 93,000 kilometers, from several states of India to Nepal, Bhutan, and Myanmar.

“I was just the charioteer. My parents were the pilgrims,” Krishna said, feeling his father’s presence with them at every step of the pilgrimage. “The sooter is not just a piece of my father’s legacy, it is his blessing for me,” he added.

You might wonder how they managed to live on the road for so long. Krishna and his mother kept things simple. They never checked in at hotels; instead, they took shelter at temples, ashrams, and dharmshalas along the way. Most of the time, temple prasad kept them on the go. Sometimes, their fulfilling meal was a most humble staple like rice and dal cooked on a small stove they carried.

Also Read: Geetha Feels Like a 20-year-old in Her 60s while Traveling with Her Son

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, they got stranded near the Bhutan border for almost two months. Krishna made sure his mother stayed safe and healthy, relying on the kindness of local people who treated them like their own. “We never felt alone, wherever we went, people became our family.” Krishna said in media interviews. Even in the most uncertain times, his focus remained clear: protecting his mother and continuing their sacred journey.

In the first year of their pilgrimage, their travel story became an inspiration for many. Even Anand Mahindra, the Chairman of the Mahindra Group, was deeply touched by it. He could not help but express his admiration through a social media post and offered him a brand-new Mahindra SUV. Krishna Kumar gratefully accepted the gesture but made sure that the SUV was not going to replace his father’s Bajaj scooter. “My journey is complete. I wanted to give my mother the experience she missed. That scooter gave us more than any SUV ever could,” he said.

Throughout their travels, Krishna never took donations, nor he turned their yatra into a social media campaign. His motivation was simple and pure: to give his mother the dignity, happiness and freedom that she deserved. His mother, who is now 75 years old, would hesitate to travel even to a relative’s house. Today, she is a travel inspiration for many. She bathed in the Ganga, climbed sacred hills, visited historic places she had only heard about in stories, and met people from various cultural backgrounds.

This exclusive story is brought to you by Travel Beats, a leading community portal by Indian Eagle Travel. IndianEagle.com, the most trusted air-ticketing partner of Indians and Americans in the US, offers unbeatable fare deals and books best flights for senior citizens’ solo travel, with focus on their comfort and convenience. Subscribe to our monthly newsletter and follow us on Instagram for more stories.

The post This Modern-day Shravan Kumar Quits IT Job to Take His Mother on Pilgrimage across Four Countries on Scooter appeared first on Travel to India, Cheap Flights to India, Aviation News, India Travel Tips.

Long-haul travel from India to USA, and that too with an international layover, is overwhelming for first-time travelers. The very thought of navigating big airports, sitting buckled up for hours, transit in a third country, stepping into a different time zone…evokes fears and anxiety to the extent of pressing the panic button. On top of that, language barriers intensify the fear of flying alone, especially in non-English-speaking elderly travelers from India.

The above sums up Ramana Jalluri’s Reddit post wherein he poured out his apprehensions about his sexagenarian mother’s first international trip to the US: “Amma in her 60s would be flying to USA via London all alone for the first time. She can’t speak Hindi or English other than Telugu. How would she navigate the bustling terminal during her transit at London Heathrow? She may miss the connecting flight as she won’t be able to understand the wayfinding signage or announcements in English. What if anything goes wrong…”

His post resonated with many Indians in USA, among the Reddit users, who have had the same feeling about their elderly parents’ first solo flight. Contrary to Ramana’s anxiety, his mother had a comfortable journey, a safe flight, a pleasant experience – she flew from Hyderabad to Dallas, Texas smoothly. Before booking her flight tickets to Dallas, he tried to find a fellow traveler having the same itinerary as hers. He even reached out to online communities and groups, but his efforts bore no fruit.

“While googling for special airport service for senior citizens, Ramana Jalluri came across Travel Beats, Indian Eagle’s in-house travel magazine for Indian Diaspora. Our article on British Airways’ in-person airport assistance in Indian languages caught his notice. Available for free, the newly introduced service aims to help non-Hindi or non-English-speaking Indians with airport procedures from departure to boarding to transit. On knowing this, he heaved a sigh of relief, as it mitigated his worries to a great extent,” said Sourav Agarwal, Senior Editor of Travel Beats.

He went on to purchase British Airways flight tickets from IndianEagle.com for his mother’s round trip between India and USA. Once the tickets were confirmed, he visited the airline website, booked in-person airport assistance for his mother at RGI HYD Airport and selected Telugu as her only medium of communication. British Airways’ meet and greet service is available in Hindi, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, and Punjabi, and at five major airports: New Delhi IGI, Mumbai CSMI, Hyderabad RGI, Bengaluru Kempegowda, and Chennai MAA.

He further wrote on Reddit, “British Airways’ in-person airport assistance service is a welcome relief. The moment Amma arrived at Hyderabad Airport, she was greeted by an assistant who spoke fluent Telugu. At every step of her journey from Hyderabad to London Heathrow where she had a connecting flight to Dallas with American Airlines, she had someone by her side to assist her. I was mostly worried about her transit at Heathrow; however, she had hassle-free connection to American Airlines.”

“Now she’s here with me, smiling, glowing, more confident than ever. And I’m just… proud. So proud. We kids often forget that it’s our mothers who brought us into this world and had far tougher journeys than a few hours in the air. They raised us without Google Maps, mobile apps, social media, and yet, when they travel alone, we panic. Sometimes we worry too much, forgetting that the strength they gave us has always been their own,” Ramana Jalluri concluded.

The post “This is How Maa Traveled Alone from India to USA First Time,” Shares a Green Card Holder appeared first on Travel to India, Cheap Flights to India, Aviation News, India Travel Tips.

Business class travel is about comfort and joy rather than luxury and extravagance. Flying Business Class is still a dream for many middle-income Indian families. Just imagine how middle-class parents feel when they get to travel on business class flights with cozy seating, extra legroom, sumptuous meals and other indulgences! Undeniably, it is more than honor and pride, especially for those parents who invest in their daughters’ education and career rather than fairytale wedding.

“Let’s not throw our tickets. We will frame them,” said Ishpreet Kaur’s father on seeing business class air tickets to the US in his hand after he entered the terminal at New Delhi International Airport. Her parents had no knowledge of the travel class they were actually about to fly in until Ishpreet revealed it to them as a surprise just before they were going to check in for the Economy class.

Ishpreet would never forget her father’s words of joy, “First time in our life, we are traveling in business class. Ishu converted our economy class tickets to business…” At the airport, she told her father to look at the boarding passes carefully before moving further. At first, he could not understand what was so special about the boarding passes. The very next moment, he uttered “business class” out of his absolute surprise, as if a cloud of happiness burst inside him to shed tears of joy.

She recorded a video of the heartwarming moment and shared it on Instagram first. The viral video resonated with overseas Indians, many of them struggle to fly out their visiting parents on business class flights. In the video, her father is seen checking the boarding passes with all smiles over and again, and telling her mother not to throw them ever. Hundreds of feel-good comments poured in for Ishpreet Kaur on Instagram. Some comments were in praise of what she did, while some comments echoed similar sentiments:

“I feel so happy for your parents. They are lucky to have a daughter like you,” wrote an Instagram user praising Ishpreet. Another social media user wrote, “Being able to afford business class travel for parents is the best feeling. It is a child’s way of appreciating all that the parents have done for the child over the years.” One of the users commented, “My dad would have sent me to the airline counter to change the tickets back to economy class and get refund.”

“Coming from a middle class family, it’s a huge deal to be so financially independent that I’m able to see my parents flying with me in business class,” wrote Ishpreet Kaur, a lifestyle coach, in her Instagram post. She wanted to experience business class air travel herself, but her conscience did not allow her to splurge only on herself. She had always wished to do something special for her parents. Flying them out with Air India’s business class tickets to USA is the super manifestation of that wish nurtured within the deepest recess of her heart.

She upgraded Air India’s economy tickets to business class in the last minute, and described it as “the BEST decision ever.” “There reactions were priceless and my dad almost cried but held back. The joy was so pure and real. I did not have to think twice before doing this for them,” her Instagram post reads. She concluded the post wishing for her parents to travel in business class every time they would be flying.

The post “Let’s not throw our tickets. We will frame them,” said Her Parents on Seeing Business Class Air Tickets to USA appeared first on Travel to India, Cheap Flights to India, Aviation News, India Travel Tips.

December being the busiest month of winter travel and air passenger traffic being close to the pre-pandemic numbers; Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru airports have been in the news for all the chaos and congestion in the departure and arrival areas. Amid the news headlines and social media posts of frustration over excessively long security check lines and immigration clearance delays, a traveler shared her happy story of being safe and helped after her international arrival in “Namma Bengaluru”.

Piyu Dutta, MD of a startup and the founder of LeadHers (a non-profit working to level the playing field for women), landed at Bangalore’s Kempegowda Airport past midnight two days ago. There was no heavy rush for immigration clearance at that odd hour. She smoothly exited the terminal and walked towards Airport Taxi. “Surprisingly, there was no queue at all,” she heaved a sigh. Some drivers were standing outside leaning against their cabs, while some others were sitting at the steering wheel in cabs. They directed her to a cab towards the end.

The eerie silence of the night was disturbing her. “Ma’am, are you a single lady passenger? That pink taxy is for you,” a person unexpectedly approached Piyu and said pointing out to a pink taxi. Down with jet lag on an international flight to Bengaluru, she was relieved to see a lady driver. She felt assured of being safe past midnight. “I could catch up on some sleep peacefully, as she would take care of me all the way to my final destination,” Piyu smiled and muttered to herself.

Launched in 2019, Go Pink Cabs is one of the initiatives that Bangalore International Airport and the state government have jointly taken for the safety of solo women travelers. Equipped with GPRS and emergency safety features, Go Pink Cabs offer women-only service round the clock. The best thing is that women drivers are trained in self-defense.

“Well, the story does not end here,” Piyu Dutta wrote on LinkedIn. The cab slowed down as Brigade Road, a most happening commercial hub in the city, was teeming with Friday night revellers. All of a sudden in her drowsy state, she found to her surprise that she left her duty-free shopping bag hanging on the trolley at the airport and thought that the chances of getting the bag lost at a busy airport were negligible. She told the cab driver Swetha about it in a regretful voice while waiting at a traffic signal.

“Ma’am, should we return to the airport?” Swetha responded immediately. Before Piyu could say anything to her, Swetha called a fellow driver at the airport, told her about what happened, and connected Piyu to the team leader. She helped him identify the duty-free shopping bag, and he confirmed having the bag in their safe custody. Without any delay, the Go Pink Cabs driver steered the wheels back to the airport for 30 kms again. Swetha informed the team leader about their traveling back to the airport. Piyu received her bag intact.

“The responsibility to look after the safety of passengers and safekeep their lost items, is not just a policy, but a culture that I am proud of. The airport was bannered with “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam” (meaning the world is one family), and my incident reiterates just that. Big claps for Swetha, my superhero,” Piyu concluded her story on LinkedIn.

The post What She Experienced after Arrival at Bangalore Airport will Assure You about Safety of Solo Women Travelers in India appeared first on Travel to India, Cheap Flights to India, Aviation News, India Travel Tips.

Traveling to India has been an overwhelming experience for many from the time immemorial. In the previous centuries, it was the natural bounty and abundant wealth of India that attracted colonial traders from Europe. Sometimes, the ancient heritage and scriptures of India fascinated knowledge enthusiasts from across the world. Sometimes, foreign visitors were wowed by the cultural diversity and incredible stories of India.

Even modern-day globetrotters take fancy to the enigmatic being and the mystic soul of India. Whoever visits India carries the abstract footprint of India in their memory or concrete souvenirs in their bags while going back home. This is what happened to an American couple from Los Angeles during their first visit to India in 2004.

Charles Kramer and his wife Brenna Moore travelled to the Indian state of Kerala from Los Angeles in 2004. They fell in love with the scenic hill stations, quaint monuments, picturesque backwaters, exuberant culture, lush green landscape and progressive society of Kerala. The impact of Kerala tourism on them was so intense that they named their firstborn ‘Kerala’ after this particular state of India in 2009.

Charles Kramer and Brenna Moore are great travel enthusiasts, and so are their children including their 8-year-old daughter Kerala. In June 2016, the American couple from Los Angeles set out for globetrotting, along with Kerala and her young brother, Julian. Though India was not on their travel bucket list, they happened to visit India again as their daughter was eager to see and explore Kerala that she was christened after.

They did so also on being advised by their guide, Michel, who has an Indian connection in Kerala too. Michel has adopted a boy from a village in Kerala. She got the American couple accommodation in the house of her adopted son’s sister in Cherppunkal, a small Keralite town blessed with the bliss of nature and the simplest way of living.

Kerala was enrolled in a local school where she learned Malayalam, the language of her namesake state, for a month or so. She was received with a hearty welcome on the first day of school and offered a chance to address the morning prayer assembly. Her brother, Julian, also got admission to a playschool there. Since she was curious to explore the nuances and experience the tidbits of Kerala’s culture in the native language, her excitement knew no bounds.

The globetrotting American couple from California spent quite a long time in Cherppunkal, giving their daughter adequate space and time to learn the interesting facts of Kerala’s cuisine and culture. Kerala learned how to pronounce and write her name in Malayalam. It doubled her joy in God’s Own Country, where bull racing and boat racing are the most popular mediums of sporty entertainment.

Charles Kramer and Brenna Moore, along with their children, left India in January 2017 to tour other places on their travel wishlist. Kerala made some friends in her namesake state, and felt happy about the fact that she would be able to make her native friends as well as acquaintances pronounce her name ‘Kerala’ accurately.

Kerala is a must visit during the Onam Festival and monsoon. The first Indian state to beat the COVID-19 pandemic, Kerala recently received a UN award for prevention and control of non-communicable diseases. This is what ensures safe travel to Kerala. We at Travel Beats, an overseas Indian community portal by Indian Eagle Travel, are happy to share the first-hand experience of safe travel on VBM and air bubble flights to India in recent times. (Watch the video of Kerala’s experience in her namesake state below)

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