Tired of squeezing liquids into tiny 3.4-ounce (100ml) bottles for flights within and out of the US? The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has an update for you. In a welcome move this summer holiday travel, TSA has exempted 11 liquid items from its 3-1-1 size rule. You can now pack those TSA-approved 11 items more than 100ml each in your carry-on bags and get past TSA security select airports in the US without breaking any protocol.

This is an AI-generated picture

For nearly two decades, passengers flying across the world have been subject to the strict 3-1-1 liquids rule introduced in 2006. Whether on domestic routes or international flights from USA to India, travelers are allowed to carry liquids in 100 ml containers and pack in a quart-sized clear plastic bag. If you ever wonder why this rule exists, it’s because it was designed to prevent fatal events like terrorist attacks using liquid explosives.

While the 3-1-1 liquids rule still exists, only 11 items have been exempted from the TSA security rules 2025. All thanks to the new CT scanner technology being implemented at TSA checkpoints across the US. Currently, the powerful Computed Tomography (CT) scanners are available at Atlanta (ATL), New York (JFK), and Los Angeles (LAX) airports. These advanced 3D scanners give TSA officers a full digital view of what’s in your cabin bags, allowing them to inspect items more quickly and accurately.

The current list of TSA-approved 11 liquid items you can carry in any size through New York JFK, Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson, and Los Angeles International airports:

1. Prescription medications (liquid, gel, aerosol)
2. Over‑the‑counter medications and contact lens solutions
3. Breast milk and infant formula
4. Baby/toddler food & drinks
5. Liquid-filled teethers
6. Ice packs, gel packs, freezer packs for medical products
7. Fresh eggs (neatly separated for inspection)
8. Live fish or coral in water (in a transparent container)
9. Biological specimens in preservative solution
10. Non-spillable wet batteries
11. Duty‑free liquids in sealed, tamper-evident bags

Do I need to declare any of the 11 full-size liquid items to TSA officers?

It is recommended that you declare to TSA officers if you carry any of the approved 11 liquid items more than 100ml. it is because the approved full-size liquid items in your carry-on bag may be screened in some situations.

Does TSA’s 3-1-1 limit still apply to packing personal care liquid items in carry-on bags?

Yes, the old 3-1-1 liquid rule sill applies to most personal care items like shampoo, cream, sunscreen, perfume, hair gel, etc. You can pack full-size bottles of these items only in your check-in bags. However, the list of TSA-approved full-size liquid items is anticipated to grow with time.

The post What are TSA-approved 11 Full-Size Liquid Items that I can Pack in a Cabin Bag and Pass through TSA Security? appeared first on Travel to India, Cheap Flights to India, Aviation News, India Travel Tips.

Many Air India flights between North America and India are no longer nonstop due to route adjustments with refueling stops in view of the continued closure of Pakistan airspace. The rerouting of US-India flights in order to bypass the restricted airspace has increased not only total travel hours but also fuel consumption each trip. Initially, Air India’s operating costs soared due to refueling stops, additional ground time, and extra landing fees in Vienna, Austria. If it were to continue, it would have strained the airline’s revenue by incurring losses in millions of dollars.

PC: Travel Beats

As cost-effective alternatives to Vienna, Air India has started using Mongolian airspace and taking fueling stops within India for some of its 71 weekly North America flights to and from India. This strategic shift is aimed at reducing the soaring operational overheads and cutting down on excess travel time without compromising passenger safety and regulatory compliance. Mostly, Air India flights from San Francisco to Delhi and Vancouver to Delhi are being rerouted through the Mongolian airspace.

Those who have Air India flights from SFO to Bengaluru in June or July 2025 should brace themselves for longer flying times, 23-28 hours. Some flights (180|2845/2603) from San Francisco have two pitstops – Kolkata (CCU) and Mumbai (BOM) – en route to Bengaluru, each pitstop scheduled for 1 hr 15 min. Currently, some other SFO-BLR flights by Air India include a DEL Airport layover stretching 1 hour 35 minutes. But Bengaluru to San Francisco itineraries have some relief for Air India passengers. Some flights (AI 175) are nonstop while some (AI 2661|173) have one stop (Delhi).

Among Air India’s US to India flights, SFO to Mumbai itineraries do currently have one pitstop – Kolkata or New Delhi – increasing the total travel time to 20-22 hours, as seen on IndianEagle.com. On the other hand, flights from Mumbai to San Francisco are being rerouted via Bengaluru Airport or Delhi IGI Airport. Some SFO to Delhi flights operated by Air India are two-stop itineraries with Kolkata and Bengaluru as domestic pitstops in India.

Air India’s Chicago to Delhi flights and JFK to Delhi flights are back to nonstop operations, as refueling stops have been removed from the itineraries scheduled in June and July 2025, according to IndianEagle.com, the most trusted travel-booking partner of Indians and Americans for over 15 years. But DEL to ORD itineraries (Air India 127) continue to have a refueling stop in Vienna for 1 hr 10 min, which makes the journey as long as 19 hours 45 minutes.

You can check out Indian Eagle last-minute deals for alternative flights from San Francisco to Mumbai and Bengaluru for summer travel. Our exclusive phone-only fare deals from Air India and other airlines are also available at +1800-615-3969 round the clock. Subscribe to our newsletter for significant updates on USA-India airlines that could impact your travel plans.

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In 2023, India received nearly 65 million international footfalls from across the world. Of these, 37 million passengers took direct or nonstop flights to India. There was a new high in the numbers compared to 2019, according to the reports by OAG, a UK-based air consultancy firm. While the booking of direct flights to and from India rose 3% in 2023 from 54% in 2019, the sales of flight tickets for itineraries with connecting airports dipped by 2.5 million last year.

Air India and IndiGo are the biggest Indian carriers increasing the number of direct international flights. The demand soaring for direct international travel seems to pose an opportunity for Delta Airlines’ comeback to India. In one of the recent business meetings held in Minnesota, Delta Airlines’ CEO Ed Bastian hinted at the likelihood of making a comeback to India that the airline served with its New York to Mumbai nonstop flights until the COVID-19 pandemic hit aviation.

Following the pandemic, the Russian airspace closure became too strong an obstacle for Delta Airlines to resume flying to India. It forced Delta to lease some long-range planes like B777-200LRs from its fleet grounded during the pandemic to Air India and other airlines. Subsequently, Delta Airlines’ nonstop service to its favorite destination, Mumbai BOM, has not been reinstated since then. Needless to say, Delta’s loss has been Air India’s gain in the US-India market.

Precisely, Delta Airlines’ CEO is looking forward to 2026 for a comeback to India with nonstop flights from Atlanta to New Delhi, as per reports. It all depends on the delivery of Delta’s order for twenty A350-1000 planes. This aircraft is capable of flying a longer range than the current A350-900 in the fleet of Delta Airlines. A350-1000 aircraft will facilitate the comeback of Delta Airlines to India bypassing the Russian airspace restricted to American carriers. “We really want to serve that market directly,” CEO Ed Bastian said.

Alongside the plans to revisit India, Delta Airlines has partnered with IndiGo, the only Indian carrier with the largest domestic network. Providing India-bound passengers with easy connectivity to domestic destinations from a major entry airport, New Delhi or Mumbai, is key to the survival of foreign airlines in the Indian market. That’s why IndiGo is a codeshare partner of Qatar Airways, American Airlines, Turkish Airlines, British Airways, and Japan Airlines for their expansion in India.

A number of developments accomplished and lined-up by IndiGo makes it a favorite codeshare partner of the Middle East airlines and their European counterparts to bet on for domestic penetration across India. IndiGo, which operated as an all-economy airline for budget travelers until the end of 2024, has rolled out business class cabins on domestic and short-haul international flights. It has placed an order for 30 Airbus A350-900 planes in a strategic move to reposition itself as an international carrier and expand its network to long-haul destinations.

Delta’s plans for nonstop Atlanta to India flights in 2026 is good news for Indians in Georgia given the failure of their petitions to Air India for nonstop connectivity to the home country. By the way, you can have the most affordable phone-only deals of Virgin Atlanta, Air France-KLM, British Airways, Etihad, Qatar Airways, and other airlines by calling Indian Eagle at +1800-615-3969 (24/7) or visiting IndianEagle.com to save BIG this year.

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All these years, Air India has been a preferred airline for family travel to India for its generous checked baggage allowance in Economy Class, irrespective of fare types. A once-in-a-year trip to home (generally) means heavy luggage, especially gifts for parents, close relatives, and friends. Even many parents visiting the US prefer Air India not just for nonstop flights but also its two free checked bag policy, as they pack in various homemade savories and other Indian essentials for their children settled there.

Not anymore! Air India’s free check-in baggage allowance on economy flights is now varying with fare types – VALUE and CLASSIC, effective for bookings made on or after 5 June 2025. The lowest economy fare with two pieces of free checked baggage (each up to 23kg) will be all history for new reservations starting June 5. Precisely, you can check in only one bag (max 23kg) for free with Air India flight tickets in the VALUE segment (lowest economy fare). Checking in a second bag for the VALUE economy fare would cost you USD 240 per one-way trip.

However, the CLASSIC fare type will let you check in two bags for free on Air India’s economy flights between USA and India, irrespective of routes, aircraft, and travel dates.

Air India: Fare Difference between Value and Classic in Economy 

The difference between Air India’s VALUE and CLASSIC fares is only $60, which is just one-fourth of USD 240 for checking in a second bag with the VALUE economy tickets. If you have two bags (each 23kg) to check in, it is wise to choose the CLASSIC fare type over the VALUE fare type for Economy Class travel on Air India. The CLASSIC fare (though $60 more than the one-way VALUE fare) is worth not only for a free second checked bag but also lesser fees for rescheduling and cancellation.

“By choosing the lowest economy fare (VALUE) to save only $60 one way, you may end up incurring additional costs. If you need to pack more stuff into the free checked bag rather than checking in a second bag, Air India will charge you USD 130 for the free checked bag’s excess weight up to 32kg. Given all scenarios, we recommend CLASSIC fares to our customers for economy travel on Air India,” said the chief travel economist of Indian Eagle, the trusted air-ticketing partner of Indians and Americans.

I booked my flight tickets to Mumbai in April but I will travel in early July. I got the lowest Air India deal from Indian Eagle. Can I check in more than one bag for free?      

Yes, you can. Since your booking was done in April, Air India’s revised checked baggage policy for the VALUE fare tickets does not apply to you. The changes to the check-in baggage allowance for the cheapest economy fares of Air India is effective for new bookings made on or after 5 June 2025.

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Since the onset of 2025, American Airlines has been innovating travel within and to the United States. In a major new development, TSA PreCheck Security have got a touchless upgrade for AAdvantage members among passengers of American Airlines. The Touchless ID program makes the US airport security process smarter, smoother and safer by eliminating the need to present a physical ID. It is mostly helpful for family travelers with kids and unaccompanied elderly travelers who can now pass through TSA security checkpoints with their physical IDs safe in the handbag.

What is American Airlines’ Touchless ID for TSA PreCheck?

American Airlines’ new Touchless ID program uses facial recognition technology to simplify and speed up passenger identity verification at TSA checkpoints for eligible flyers. Launched in collaboration with the US Transportation Security Administration, this is a step into the future of air travel. With contact-free security options being the new cool, your face is now your ID and boarding pass for American Airlines flights to India or any other destination.

Who can use American Airlines’ TSA PreCheck Touchless ID?

Among the passengers of American airlines, those who are both AAdvantage members and TSA PreCheck travelers with an active Known Traveler Number (KTN) are eligible for the Touchless ID program. You must also have a valid passport. Once you meet requirements and opt in for the program through American Airlines’ website or app, you can breeze through the TSA security screening via a dedicated touchless ID lane at certain airports in the US. The opt-in is valid for one year and can be canceled at any time.

How American Airlines’ Touchless ID Works?

When you enter a TSA PreCheck touchless ID lane, a facial recognition camera scans your face. It then checks that scan against the passport photo you already saved during your check-in with TSA. If identification is successfully done, you’re cleared to go through security without the need of showing your ID or boarding pass. This can save a lot of time, especially for frequent flyers and families trying to catch a connecting domestic flight after landing from long international flights from India to USA.

The Touchless ID program is part of a larger trend that US airlines, including United and Delta, are adopting to facilitate more biometric applications, like self-check-in, self-bag-drop, faster boarding, and even lounge access. India’s Trusted Traveler Program for faster immigration clearance uses the same technology.

While American Airlines is the latest to introduce Touchless ID, the technology itself isn’t entirely new. Delta Air Lines was the first to test facial recognition for TSA PreCheck passengers, starting at its hubs in Atlanta and Detroit. United Airlines followed, rolling out touchless ID at major airports like Chicago O’Hare and Los Angeles. Alaska Airlines also joined the bandwagon by launching similar touchless identity verification at Seattle and a few other locations.

Which US airports have got American Airlines’ Touchless ID?

American Airlines has rolled out the Touchless ID program at seven major airports in the US:

• Roland Reagan National Airport, Washington DC
• Dallas Fort Worth International Airport
• Chicago O’Hare International Airport
• Atlanta Hartsfield Jackson International Airport
• Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport
• New York LaGuardia Airport
• Salt Lake City International Airport

American Airlines, its codeshare partner Qatar Airways, and other major airlines’ best flight deals are available at IndianEagle.com for your travel between USA and India. Indian Eagle is the most trusted travel-booking partner of Indians and Americans for more than 15 years. You can also call us at +1800-615-3969 to grab exclusive phone-only deals from our airline partners and save BIG.

Also Check: Mobile Passport Control, a free alternative to Global Entry, for faster US immigration & customs

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North Carolina is emerging as a destination of interest for several international airlines, including Etihad Airways. In 2024, Lufthansa added RDU Airport to its network and connected Raleigh to India and beyond via Frankfurt. In 2026, Etihad Airways will launch flights to Charlotte from Abu Dhabi with connections to major cities across its global network. Charlotte, the most populous city in North Carolina, is the airline’s sixth gateway in the US, after New York, Chicago, Boston, D.C., and Atlanta.

Etihad flights to Charlotte will take off on May 4, 2026, and this is good news for Indians in North Carolina. They will get to travel on a Middle East airline other than Lufthansa, American Airlines, and United Airlines. Precisely, Etihad Airways is the first Middle East carrier to expand to North Carolina and operate flights from Charlotte to India via Abu Dhabi, a popular transit layover in the UAE. Etihad will further connect travelers from North Carolina to Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Chennai, Bengaluru, Kochi, Ahmedabad, Kolkata, Kozhikode, and Trivandrum.

With more than 450,000 Asian Americans living in North Carolina, and Indian-origin immigrants being the largest ethnic group, Etihad Airways is a more convenient option for them. Among the perks of flying with Etihad, you will get to enjoy the inflight hospitality and award-winning service that the Middle East airlines are known for. Etihad is a family-friendly airline with inflight nanny service for infants and trained nurses for passengers with a medical condition.

Booking Etihad flight tickets for a round trip or two one-way trips between USA and India is an opportunity to explore Abu Dhabi City for less. Of course, it depends on the layover length in your itinerary. Etihad Airways offers various Abu Dhabi stopover programs to international transit travelers. Interestingly, US citizens are eligible for the UAE’s visa on arrival at Zayed International Airport, Abu Dhabi. Indians can get a single-entry transit visa to Abu Dhabi for 48 to 96 hours.

Among the top 10 airlines on major India-USA routes, Etihad Airways stands out for the US immigration preclearance facility at AUH Airport, a major advantage for USA-bound travelers from India and other countries. Unbeatable flight deals from IndianEagle.com, the most trusted travel-booking partner for Indians and Americans, make it another advantage of flying with Etihad.

The post It’s Official: Charlotte to Get Etihad Flights with One-stop Connections to India via Abu Dhabi in 2026 appeared first on Travel to India, Cheap Flights to India, Aviation News, India Travel Tips.

With the summer travel season nearing, Indian families abroad are gearing up for trips to India and looking to spend quality time with loved ones back home. To make their arrival and departure easier and much convenient during this busy season, Air India has launched dedicated ‘Family Assistance’ counters. These special counters are designed to offer on-ground support to families in real time, especially those traveling with children and/or elderly parents needing a little extra help or special assistance.

Currently available at Indira Gandhi International Airport, Air India’s ‘Family Assistance’ counters aim to make your airport experience smoother and far less stressful by providing personalized support and guidance, from check-in to baggage handling, customs queries, and immigration formalities. Air India is not only transforming into a more family-friendly carrier but also joining the ranks of best international airlines to fly between USA and India.

PC: Air India

Integral to the Tata Group’s transformation plan – Vihaan.AI – for Air India, the Family Assistance counters extend support to passengers with special requirements, such as wheelchair assistance. This initiative comes in handy if you forget to request wheelchair assistance for yourself or your elderly parent at the time of booking Air India flight tickets. You can ask for wheelchair support at the Family Assistance counter.

Elevating your experience also in the sky, Air India’s new ‘Family Assistance’ service may get you seated with your family on flights from New Delhi to USA, London, Singapore, and other destinations. It depends on seat availability during your airport check-in. This one-stop initiative is very useful for senior citizens’ unaccompanied travel. The airline staff at the Family Assistance counter will offer service to “help them navigate from the check-in counter to the designated boarding gate of their flight while completing all the airport formalities”, and thereby ensuring peace of mind for their families.

Part of Air India’s meet and greet service, the dedicated Family Assistance check-in counters are similar to British Airways’ in-person airport assistance at five Indian airports. British Airways’ ‘Meet and Assist’ team offers assistance in five Indian languages: Hindi, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, and Punjabi, from check-in to boarding at Indian airports to transit at London Heathrow. It seems that this kind of thoughtful passenger-friendly service has become a bandwagon that airlines are jumping on.

Prior to setting up Family Assistance counters at New Delhi Airport, Air India brought screen-free entertainment for children on long-haul flights that Indian Eagle Travel books at the most unbeatable fares. Air India’s collaboration with Vobble, an audio content platform, is a deliberate move to reduce inflight screen time for kids, who otherwise indulge in visual content for hours. During its ongoing transformation journey, Air India has made several key improvements and achieved some milestones – which make Air India worth flying with for trips to and from India.

The post Air India Launches ‘Family Assistance’ Counters to Help You with Check-in, Baggage, Wheelchair, Immigration appeared first on Travel to India, Cheap Flights to India, Aviation News, India Travel Tips.

Inflight entertainment is the only pastime during a long-haul flight. While it helps adult travelers beat boredom at 35,000 feet in the air, it is a concern for parents traveling with kids. Children end up glued to the inflight screen for hours, watching comics and playing games within limited space aboard a flight. Being a parent, you probably don’t like it, but what other choice do you have when you are in the air for over 15 hours?

Air India partners with Vobble to keep kids engaged on board      

This AI-generated image is for illustration purpose only

However, it is no longer a concern for those taking air India flights from USA to India, or from India to USA and other countries. Air India has become a family-friendly airline in a bid to reduce inflight screen time for children. Most recently, the airline introduced screen-free entertainment for children aged 4 to 12 by partnering with Vobble, a dedicated audio OTT platform for kids.

Air India’s partnership with Vobble to reduce inflight screen time for children is a relief for many parents choosing nonstop flights to/from India. Accessible on Vista Stream, Air India’s wireless inflight entertainment service across the fleet, Vobble offers more than 20 hours of kids-friendly audio content in various genres, including stories, music, podcasts, and shows. Vobble is an audio library of educational content and world knowledge trivia too for kids to fly engaged with minimal screen time.

“This development came at a juncture when rerouting of Air India flights to New Delhi from Chicago, New York, Newark, Washington DC, and SFO has extended trips by 2-3 hours. The longer flying hours, the more screen time for kids on board. With Vobble audio content for kids, the Tata Airline mitigates your worries about how to keep your child entertained for long hours. Interestingly, this makes Air India as kids-friendly as its rivals – Emirates and Etihad,” said Sourav Agarwal, Senior Editor of Travel Beats.

Air India vs Emirates and Etihad

Air India’s partnership with Vobble for kids to fly engaged with audio content is just one of the offerings that Emirates and Etihad make for family-friendly air travel. Emirates and Etihad flights to/from India offer a range of thoughtful services and activities as part of onboard entertainment tailed for young passengers. Emirates ensures children have a delightful flying experience engaging with age-appropriate activity packs. Etihad is also second to none when it comes to family-friendly inflight offerings, such as Flying Nanny service to keep kids engaged with cartoon games, coloring kits, and storybooks, so parents can relax during a long-haul journey.

Check out the rerouting of Air India flights from East Coast USA to New Delhi on our Instagram page.

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We long to have a few more moments with our near and dear ones when we go to see off them at an international airport. Many Indians in the US bid goodbye to their departing family, parents, or friends from outside the airport terminal, as non-travelers can’t enter the terminal except at some airports, like Philadelphia International Airport, where visitor passes are available for non-flyers.

Deepika Jain, an Indian immigrant in New Jersey, shared with Indian Eagle how she obtained the Philadelphia Airport Visitor Pass for herself, how it enabled her to accompany her parents to the departure gate, and how she was able to lessen their pre-travel anxiety. Early this month, her visiting parents on B2 Visa traveled back to Delhi with Qatar Airways. Then, they reached home in Ahmedabad after a short stay at a family friend’s in New Delhi.

This AI-generated image is for illustration purpose only

It was her parents’ first international travel to the US and first visit to her. Their long-haul travel journey to the US did not worry her as much as their return trip did, as one of her friends accompanied them on nonstop Air India flights to New York from Delhi some three months ago. They came to bless their daughters for her housewarming ceremony near Flushing, Queens where the Ganesh Temple of New York is located. Deepika’s time with them passed like a dream over the past 3 months.

“I began to feel anxious as their return travel neared. They had to fly back unaccompanied this time. I wanted to be with them as long as possible before their departure to India,” Deepika said with moist eyes. Luckily, she read about Seattle Airport Visitor Pass on Travel Beats. It propelled her to google whether Philadelphia Airport allows nonticketed visitors to enter the terminal and go past security, as she had booked their return on Qatar Airways flights from Philadelphia to Delhi for Indian Eagle’s best deals.

She discovered Philadelphia Airport’s Wingmate Guest Pass program that enables non-travelers to go through security checks, from 4 am to 10 pm, just for one day. “I could not believe PHL Airport offers visitor passes. Just knowing I could accompany them to the departure gate through TSA security checkpoints gave me peace of mind,” said Deepika Jain. She shared with Travel Beats – how to apply for the PHL Wingmate Guest Pass online.

She visited Philadelphia Airport’s website and filled out the application with her personal information, as well as a valid email ID. She had to give a reason for visiting the airport and upload a copy of her government-issued photo ID. She received a confirmation email with a QR code to her registered email ID on successful review of the application by TSA. It was that easy to get a visitor pass for Philadelphia International Airport.

Since the PHL Airport Guest Pass program was unveiled in November 2023, thousands of non-flyers have used it. You can apply for it 7 days before your planned visit. Same-day applications are likely to be rejected. The airport issues only 100 Wingmate Guest Passes every day. Those under 18 years of age can also apply, but an adult person must accompany them to the airport. You may visit with service animals.  The most critical condition is that your name must match with your government-issued ID.

On the day of travel, Deepika effortlessly accompanied her parents through check-in and TSA. Since they reached the airport early, they had a meal together in the terminal. Also, she got some time to make them understand the international transit process at Doha Airport, as they were scheduled to fly with Qatar Airways. She heaved a sigh of relief while bidding them goodbye.

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Since the closure of Pakistan airspace to Indian airlines with effect from April 24, Air India has been rerouting its nonstop flights to and from the US, Canada, and the UK. The forced bypassing of Pakistan airspace has added fuel stops to Air India routes between India and North America, thereby increasing the total travel time for passengers. Most of Air India flights, US-India, are being detoured to Vienna or Copenhagen in Europe for refueling – which is causing departure and arrival delays by 4 to 6 hours.

Though Air India has streamlined its long-haul operations through rerouting, additional fuel stops are mostly impacting passengers with connecting domestic flights in India and/or the US. Chicago to Delhi flights, which are usually operated nonstop under 15 hours, are taking 18 to 19 hours, including stoppage in Vienna. Flights to Delhi from Newark and New York JFK, and flights to Mumbai from New York and Newark EWR, and flights between DC IAD and Delhi are having schedule changes, which Air India is communicating to customers.

“In the event of extended flight duration and significant delays, you need to plan your upcoming travel with Air India and have certain post-arrival preparedness if your itinerary includes a connecting flight from Delhi, Mumbai, or Bengaluru. You may have to wait overnight at the arrival airport for the connecting domestic flight. Knowing accommodation options and other facilities available at Delhi and Mumbai airports would ease the stress of wait times post arrival,” said the chief customer relations officer of IndianEagle.com.

 Accommodation options at New Delhi and Mumbai Airports

There are sleeping pods and transit hotels at New Delhi and Mumbai airports. You can rent out a sleeping pod or stay at a transit hotel by paying hourly charges. You may have access to airport lounges in the international arrival area through your ‘frequent flyer’ status with the airline, travel class (mostly business and premium economy), premium credit cards, or programs like Priority Pass (a membership program for airport lounges).

New Delhi IGI Airport:

New Delhi Airport’s international arrival area has several accommodation options, including the Holiday Inn Express at T3. This is the only transit hotel for international arrivals in Terminal 3. The best thing is that you can book hourly rooms at Delhi Airport’s Holiday Inn Express hotel to spend the overnight layover comfortably. The transit hotel accommodation comes with dining facility, medical help, and Wi-Fi.

Snooze at My Space offers convenient sleeping pods within the international wing of Delhi Airport’s Terminal 3. Equipped with mobile device charging ports, Wi-Fi, and secure storage, the sleeping pods provide cozy space for rejuvenation and rest. It is a cost-effective accommodation option at Indira Gandhi Airport.

Mumbai International Airport

Niranta Transit Hotel & Lounge within Terminal 2 of Mumbai CSMI Airport provides comfortable accommodation at hourly rates. It has a restaurant with good dining space and offers free Wi-Fi. 24-hour check-in and check-out are available. You can access the transit hotel at Mumbai Airport after post-arrival customs and immigration clearance.

Are there sleeping pods inside Mumbai Airport T2? Yes, Aviserv Lounge sleeping pods are located in the arrivals area (landside). You can book a sleeping pod for yourself or your parents having a long wait time for the connecting flight at Mumbai Airport, wit/without lounge and shower service.

Is Air India changing aircraft requiring passengers to deplane and board again during a fuel stop in Vienna or Copenhagen?    

There is no change of aircraft during Air India’s technical stops in Europe on the way to USA or back to India. Obviously, passengers remain seated on board during refuelling of the aircraft – which takes as long as 90 to 120 minutes. The latest report is that Air India is actively exploring various alternatives, like having a technical stop in Mumbai or Ahmedabad for flights from New Delhi, to reduce the extended flying hours and operational costs.

My connecting domestic flight is rescheduled the next morning due to international arrival delay. Will Air India provide free accommodation? 

The airline is not bound to provide free accommodation and meals to international passengers on arrival if the international to domestic connection is extended at Delhi or Mumbai Airport, because travel duration extended by unforeseen events like airspace closure of a third country amid geopolitical tensions is beyond the airline’s control.

Can I recheck-in my bags for domestic travel after customs clearance even though the connecting flight is next day?

Generally, you cannot check in bags hours before a domestic flight. It is because domestic check-in is allowed only 3 to 4 hours prior to your scheduled departure for onward travel. You may need to wait in the transit area until the domestic flight check-in window opens.

What if I choose to cancel my Air India booking for longer flying hours in Economy Class?

You can choose to upgrade your Air India tickets from Economy to a premium segment for elevated comfort by paying an additional amount; however, it is subject to seat availability, aircraft types, and routes. You can call your travel-booking partner, Indian Eagle, to explore options for an upgrade with Air India. Or, you may go for cancellation.

Is Air India offering alternative options to passengers with confirmed flights?

The airline is offering to reschedule your flight given the current circumstances impacting the operating schedules, travel duration, domestic connections, etc. You can choose an alternative flight for the same route and with the same travel class within 3 days before or after your original travel date. It may incur the airline’s change of date fee and a fare difference (if there is any at the time of rescheduling).

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