On April 1, 2019 Air India took aback those flying between Newark and India with its revision of the free check-in baggage allowance for economy class flights. Air India’s check-in baggage allowance for free was reduced to one piece of bag for economy flights from Newark to India and Far East – South East Asia. It was no April Fool’s Day prank, as some of the travelers thought then and were not allowed to check in the second piece of baggage for free.

Picture Credit: Air India

This month Air India has decided to roll back the previous revision of its economy class check-in baggage allowance for direct flights to India from Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR). Starting February 2020, the national airline of India will allow 2 pieces of free check-in baggage to travelers having booked economy flight tickets on or after January 3, 2020 for travel on or after February 1.

Come February, you don’t have to spend $50 to check in a second piece of baggage (up to 23kg) on Air India flights between Newark and India, and in the interior part of USA and Canada over EWR.

Owing to Pakistan’s airspace closure with effect in late February 2019, most of Air India flights made fuel stops en route between India and USA, which increased the travel time from one hemisphere to another hemisphere. But, Air India’s Newark-India flights have continued to be operated nonstop (without fuel stops en route).

To avoid fuel stops en route and operate Newark to India flights nonstop, Air India had to either reduce check-in baggage allowance in economy or make losses. The Newark to India route was subjected to the payload restrictions, which surprisingly did not impact Washington Dulles to India flights.

“The latest revision of Air India’s check-in baggage allowance for flights to and from Newark is a welcome move for hundreds of thousands of travelers flying to and from India. After all, Newark to Delhi and Mumbai is one of the busiest routes with high demand for cheap airline tickets online round the year,” said the cheap travel-booking adviser from Indian Eagle.

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“To know thyself is the beginning of wisdom.” Likewise, to know your airline is the beginning of a good flight. The collapse of Jet Airways and Thomas Cook Airlines was felt like tremors of a sudden earthquake in aviation leaving thousands of travelers jittery and agitated worldwide. Knowing whether your airline has overbooked a flight or revised its baggage policy or modified the itinerary you have booked or broke up with a major codeshare partner helps a lot.

A recent incident involving Air India’s lower free check-in baggage allowance for economy flights from Newark, once again, affirms the upsides of booking travel through a reputed, reliable air-ticketing agency like Indian Eagle.

Picture Credit: PTI

Many passengers, who turned up at Newark Liberty International Airport for Air India flights to Mumbai, were unaware of the airline’s new check-in baggage policy, which Indian Eagle Travel reported and circulated in March this year before the revised policy came into effect on April 1. They learned to their dismay that Air India slashed the free check-in baggage allowance by half for economy flights to and from Newark six months ago.

A passenger who had his flight with Air India from Newark to Hyderabad via Mumbai complained that he had no idea of the change to the baggage rules nor he got to know anything from the booking agent. Many other passengers voiced the same exasperation as the limited freedom of choice between – to leave one piece of baggage behind and to pay an additional $100 for the second piece of baggage – irked them.

“While most international airlines allow checking in two pieces of free baggage on economy flights to India, why did Air India take such a drastic step?” said a few passengers at the top of their voice. Justifying its revision of the economy class baggage rules, Air India said that the weight of the arriving or departing planes had to be reduced for safe landing or take-off, as there were some obstructions along the Mumbai airport runway. Initially, the airline did so by operating flights with a few empty seats. Later, the free check-in baggage allowance per economy traveler was reduced by half to avoid making losses.

Our heart goes out to those who were kept in the dark about Air India’s reduced economy baggage allowance by their agents. We can imagine how difficult it is for a family traveler to pack all the essential things in one piece of baggage, especially during the festive season. However, our customers do never suffer, simply because we publish the latest travel news, circulate it to them through our free newsletter and notify them about every update/development related to their flights to India through our 24/7 customer service,” said the chief customer relations officer of IndianEagle.com.

“It is highly recommended that travelers check the airline’s website for the latest baggage rules before they pack their bags,” he said further.

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The mountaineering season of 2019, with a very short weather window for climbing, has been one of the deadliest for adventure seekers on Mount Everest. With hundreds of mountaineers queuing up the one-lane road to hit the summit, the death knell rang for 11 climbers at the high elevation this season. The images of overcrowding on Mount Everest and the news of climbers stepping over dead bodies evoked disgust and dismay in people across the globe, instead of awe that vistas of the snow-clad Himalayan peak do usually leave people with.

Among the climbers this season were two Indian Americans in their late 40s, who summited Mount Everest and returned safely to tell their stories of wonder and euphoria, anger and anxiety. One is 50-year-old Gurinder Ricky Singh of Newark, and the other is 45-year-old Rakesh ‘Rock’ Patel of Michigan.

The first Indian American to have completed 50 marathons in all 50 states of the United States, Gurinder Ricky Singh hit the summit of Mount Everest with the experience of climbing less-challenging mountain peaks including Mount Manaslu and after three years of strenuous training. A fitness freak, he had only one wish on the bucket list to be fulfilled by the time he turned 50 in May 2019.

The most precarious part of a climbing expedition to the summit of Mount Everest is what is known as the “death zone”, which includes an awfully narrow, gusty descent of about 3,000 feet to Camp Four. After safe return to Camp Four, mountaineers must climb down to Camp Two where they can rest overnight, according to Gurinder Ricky Singh.

He decided to reach the summit the day before weather was forecast to be in favor of the mountaineers. Despite a harsh weather, he continued the expedition to avoid the overcrowding of climbers on Mount Everest as much as possible. Stepping over the dead bodies on the way to the most elevated destination through the death zone added dollops of angst to his jubilant mood at the summit.

After breathing in ecstasy of a few moments on the world’s highest peak, 29000 feet above sea level, Newark’s Indian American businessman was gripped with concerns about his safe return to the base.

Gurinder Ricky Singh, who owns all the Speedy Gas Stations in Delaware and a 7-Eleven store in Newark, is looking to help others with their mountaineering goals. “Mount Everest is great, but the lesson from Everest is you have to be careful, you have to do your homework and you must have a reason.”

Unlike Gurinder Ricky Singh, the other Indian American – Rakesh Rock Patel of Michigan – is an accomplished mountaineer who boasts the distinction of having climbed some of the tallest mountains in the world. He says that none of his previous experiences is close to that of scaling up the highest peak on earth.

A resident of Ann Harbor and an assistant professor of orthopedic surgery at the University of Michigan, Dr. Rakesh Rock Patel ascended to the top after 10 weeks of climbing through thick and thin. “It was always like a fantasy. I was on the verge of tears when I reached the summit,” said Rakesh. The once-in-a-lifetime experience of breathtaking views from the top of the world is slightly embittered by the pale look of the dead bodies that he and others had to step over to make their way up the mountain.

He decided to wait to approach the peak of Mount Everest until the overcrowding of climbers subsided. Hence, he had to face much windy and snowy weather conditions with very low visibility.

Patel, who grew up in Queens that is home to the famous Ganesh Temple in New York, aspires to join the “7 Summit Club” by conquering the highest peaks of Australia and Antarctica in the days to come. He has already summited the tallest mountains in five of the seven continents. He is happy upon return to his 9-year-old daughter after more than two months.

“I think she is proud of me. I want her to pursue her dreams no matter what anyone tells her,” said Michigan-based Rakesh Rock Patel confidently.

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Hope, Air India is not playing with ideas to make you a fool this April 1. In a surprising move for some yet-to-be-known reasons, Air India has decided to revise its free baggage allowance for Economy class flights between Newark (EWR) and India, with effect on April 1, 2019. The revision will also apply to economy tickets of Air India flights from Newark to Australia, and Far East – South East Asia (Singapore, Seoul, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Bangkok, Osaka and Tokyo).

Air India’s economy flight tickets from Newark to India and Far East – South East Asia, purchased and issued on and after April 1, will allow one piece of free check-in baggage up to 23 kg per adult traveler. The free check-in baggage allowance for Economy class will not be affected for the tickets issued until March 31, 2019.

You will have to shell out USD 50 for an additional check-in bag of up to 23 kg for Air India’s economy fares booked on or after April 1, 2019.

Notably, the revision of Air India’s free baggage allowance for economy will not apply to other routes between the United States and India, and other routes from the US to Far East – South East Asia. Those flying Air India from New York, Chicago, San Francisco and Washington IAD to India or any destination in the Far East – South East Asia are allowed to continue to check in two pieces of free baggage.

New York JFK is likely to benefit from the revision of free baggage allowance for Air India’s economy class flights between Newark EWR and India, according to the chief itinerary specialist of Indian Eagle Travel.

In order to carry two check-in bags for free (within permissible weight limits), Indians in and around Newark can book Air India flights in economy class to travel from New York to Delhi or Mumbai for more or less the same fare. Nonstop Air India flights from Newark EWR to Mumbai is shorter than Air India flights from New York to Mumbai by only 4.5 hours. On the other hand, Air India’s New York to Delhi nonstop flight is 6-hour shorter than its flights to Delhi from Newark.

To be precise, if you choose to travel from New York, instead of Newark, to Delhi by Air India, you will benefit in terms of cheap fares, generous baggage allowance, and short travel time.

In February 2019, Emirates Airways too halved its free baggage allowance for the cheapest economy flight tickets from USA to India.

Also check Air India’s brand new food menu for flights to and from India, and subscribe to our free newsletter for latest Air India news as well as updates about other airlines.

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One of the secrets for finding cheap airline tickets from USA to India is to check alternative flights for your itinerary. Usually, nonstop flights for major US to India routes sell fast and their fares run high with the decreasing number of seats available. Flights from major US cities with one-stop access to major Indian cities are the best alternatives to high-selling nonstop services, in terms of airfare.

We at Indian Eagle hope that the upcoming Emirates nonstop Newark to Dubai flight with one-stop access to nine Indian cities be a good alternative to the following nonstop flights from Newark (EWR) and New York (JFK):

• Nonstop Newark (EWR) to Mumbai (BOM) flights
• Nonstop Newark (EWR) to Delhi (DEL) flights
• Nonstop New York (JFK) to Delhi (DEL) flights
• Nonstop New York to Mumbai (BOM) flights

A much-welcome addition to Emirates Airlines’ nonstop services from the greater New York City area to Dubai (DXB), the new Newark-Dubai daily nonstop starting June 1 this year is “a boon for nearly 700,000 Indian Americans residing in the greater New York area.”

Alongside two Emirates daily nonstop flights between New York JFK and Dubai International Airport, the new EWR to DXB nonstop daily will give seamless access to Emirates flights to Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, New Delhi, Hyderabad, Kochi, Kolkata, Mumbai, and Thiruvananthapuram. Notably, Dubai has good air connectivity with most of the major Indian airports.

Providing Indians in New Jersey and New York Indians with one-stop access to India from Dubai, the new nonstop Newark to Dubai flight will complement Emirates Airlines’ existing service from New Jersey to Dubai via Athens.

Additionally, Emirates’ new Newark to Dubai nonstop daily service is good for those having a US visa or green card, since they are eligible for the UAE visa on arrival for 14 days at Dubai. It will benefit family travelers and business flyers who are looking to spend a vacation or attend a conference in Dubai before catching flights to their respective destinations in India.

Since nonstop flights to India from USA sell out faster than expected for peak travel seasons of the year, flights like Emirates’ Newark to Dubai with one-stop access to India relieve many travelers of the last-minute air travel worries. Though we at Indian Eagle book cheap connecting flights from Newark, New York and other US cities, we mostly recommend these services to business travelers, solo trippers and backpackers who choose to visit or explore Dubai over a short layover at Dubai.

On March 25, 2018, Emirates Airlines launched nonstop daily flights from Orlando (MCO) and Fort Lauderdale (FLL) to Dubai, with one-stop access to its Indian destinations for Indians in Florida.

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Air India will operate the extended service along its existing Ahmedabad-London route up to Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey this August 15. Air India has restored its London to New York route and joined it with the Ahmedabad-London route, thereby making it a direct service from Newark, New Jersey and New York to Ahmedabad.

From August 15 onwards, Air India flights will be operated between Ahmedabad City (AMD) and Newark (EWR) via London Heathrow Airport. The airline will deploy Boeing 787 Dreamliner with business class and economy class for this extended route.

Scheduled to be operated thrice a week, Air India’s Ahmedabad-London-Newark route will also give access to and from New York City since Newark Liberty International Airport is only 15 miles from New York City. Evidently, Indians from the New York Metropolitan Area can board Air India’s Ahmedabad flights from Newark.

Air India restored the London-New York route and extended the Ahmedabad-London route in response to the demand of the Gujarati Indian community in USA and India.

According to the new schedule, Air India flights from Ahmedabad to London will be operated to Newark Liberty airport on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Air India’s flights from Newark to Ahmedabad on the return will take a halt at London Heathrow every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. The same aircraft will fly to Ahmedabad.

The extension of Air India’s Ahmedabad-London route is in keeping with the airline’s expansion strategy for the US market. The launch of direct Air India flights from San Francisco to New Delhi in 2015 was part of the same strategy.

IndianEagle is a US-based leading international travel organization for the Indian Community in USA. Book the cheapest flight from anywhere in USA to anywhere in India at IndianEagle.

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