Air travel is not only the fast-growing but also ever-changing industry, living up to the maxim – the only constant in the world is change. The average passenger load factor for airlines has increased to nearly 85% in 2023 from 80.4% in 2018 and 70% in 2000, supporting the fact traveling by air between two hemispheres has become a lot easier than before. The US-India travel corridor is not untouched by developments that continue to improve the standards of flying.
The proliferation of codeshare partnership among airlines has streamlined long-haul flying into single-ticket journeys. The launch of point-to-point routes has reduced multi-layover flights into one-stop trips. Long connection time does not stand still at international transit airports any more. The busiest routes between USA and India are seeing more service frequency by major airlines. Major gateway airports in both countries are expanding their terminals and overhauling the infrastructure with better facilities. Airlines started offering free inflight Wi-Fi to facilitate mid-air messaging.
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Growing Air Connectivity between USA and India
The air connectivity between USA and India for passenger flights is growing by leaps and bound with airlines expanding their networks and launching new routes in response to the post-pandemic travel rebound. For instance, Seattle to India travel got a boost with new one-stop flights by Qatar Airways and Turkish Airlines when the pandemic was on the ebb. Come May 2024, Lufthansa will put Seattle on its network map. The more one-stop and nonstop flights, the better the connectivity.
Among the upcoming and new routes between USA and India, Air India’s nonstop service to Boston and Los Angeles is the most anticipated in early 2024. Boston will see Etihad flights to and from India starting on 31 March 2024. Etihad Airways is all set to add Kozhikode and Thiruvananthapuram to its India network in January 2024. The likelihood of Denver to be among Turkish Airlines’ US destinations is pretty high after the airline started Detroit to India flights this month. Both Kuwait Airways and SWISS Airlines are adding Washington DC to their respective networks – which will raise the competitiveness of airfares from Washington IAD to Delhi and Mumbai.
Other than the Middle East airlines, Lufthansa and Air France are on an expansion spree in the US and India travel corridor. Raleigh in North Carolina and Minneapolis in the Midwest are the new destinations of both Air France and Lufthansa. The German flag carrier is also cementing its presence in South India with its comeback to Hyderabad in early 2024. Lufthansa’s one-stop flights to Hyderabad from Denver, Detroit, Charlotte, and Orlando will make USA to India travel easier for Indians residing in those US cities.
Airline partnerships facilitating seamless connections
Airlines having limited network in India and/or USA are providing seamless connections beyond their direct destinations through codeshare and interline agreements. Air India’s interline agreement with Alaska Airlines and the codeshare partnership between two rivals, Emirates and United Airlines, are two major instances in this context. This partnership gave Air India seamless access to 26 US destinations in Alaska Airlines’ network beyond five major gateways in the US. United Airlines’ passengers from across the US get access to Emirates flights to India from New York, Chicago, San Francisco, and Houston.
Air Vistara connects travelers of United Airlines’ flights from Newark to Delhi on domestic flights to their final destinations in India. American Airlines’ passengers are flown to Indian cities by Qatar Airways via its hub, Doha Hamad Airport. Air Vistara is a codeshare partner of British Airways and Lufthansa Airlines, thus extending their domestic connections in India. Delhi and Mumbai are the only destinations for Turkish Airlines flights from USA to India, but Turkish Airlines has indirect access to 30 Indian cities through its codeshare agreement with IndiGo, the fastest-growing low cost Indian carrier. IndiGo is a codeshare partner of Qatar Airways and Air France-KLM too.
Codeshare and interline agreements of airlines result in the convenience of traveling thousands of miles between USA and India with a single flight ticket, thereby making US to India long-haul travel easier than before. Code-sharing gives two, three or more partner airlines access to each other’s network and enables them to serve passengers on routes beyond their own network.
US and Indian Consular services expansion to new cities
Be it a tourist visa, OCI card, H1B visa or any other US visa, it can make or break USA to India travel plans. The more US and Indian Consulates, the better the visa services. The US-bound students from India and the Indian community being a fast-growing immigrant group in the US are supporting the aviation economy with their rising travel demand, which has outgrown the consulates’ capacity for visa interviews, document verification, passport renewals, and other consular services.
India is setting up its sixth consulate in Seattle and planning to open two more consulates, one of which is likely to be in Los Angeles. In turn, the US has selected Bengaluru and Ahmedabad for its two new consulates in India. The new consulates are expected to expediate visa-processing services to facilitate travel between the US and India in the coming days.
While certain measures such as extending the drop box facility (interview waiver) to H-1B and L among other visa categories and restoring domestic visa renewals (H-1B, L1, H4, L2, etc.) have been announced, new consulates will further reduce the burden on existing ones and help streamline various aspects of travel.
Meet & Greet services at airports
Airport procedures for international flights are somewhat stressful, particularly for senior citizens, pregnant women, unaccompanied minors and differently-abled travelers requiring special assistance. Meet & Greet services comes into play to make the airport journey as stress-free as possible for arriving/departing as well as transit passengers. This payable service helps travelers navigate the airport with ease, guiding them through the departure and/or arrival process, security checks, immigration, etc.
At present, this passenger-friendly service is available for arriving and departing passengers at Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Ahmedabad, and Kochi airports. These airports customize Meet & Greet packages to cater to individual needs. Air India launched its own Abhinandan service to provide personalized on-ground assistance to its passengers. Air India’s specially trained Service Assurance Officers are stationed at 16 Indian airports to engage with passengers, addressing their queries and concerns and reach out to them during an emergency on ground.
Transit airport facilities and terminal tours
Modern airports have become much more than just transportation hubs. Changi Airport, Hamad, Abu Dhabi and Dubai Airports are a world unto themselves! Besides offering endless shopping, dining, and lounging options, these airports feature amazing art installations, nature-inspired relaxation spaces, family-friendly zones, themed playgrounds, indoor gardens and more. Singapore Airport’s Jewel Complex and Dreamscape at Terminal 2, Hamad Airport’s Orchard, and Dubai Airport’s Zen Gardens are oases of greenery and tranquility away from the constant buzz at terminals.
Travelers who prefer not to leave the airport during transit in a third country can take a casual tour around the terminal or sign up for guided tours and explore various attractions within the terminal building. Most international airports offer guided tours that usually range from 1-3 hours. For example, Hamad International Airport has payable tours for transit passengers having less than 5 hours of connection time. Passengers can opt for a 2-hour tour of the interesting art exhibits installed within the airport. Singapore Changi Airport has group tours for 15-30 members.
International airports serving as transit hubs are equipped with useful facilities, including pay-on-hourly-basis sleeping pods for travelers to get some sleep between two long flights. Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Hamad Doha, London Heathrow, Munich, New Delhi, Chennai MAA, and Bengaluru airports have comfortable sleeping pods. Abu Dhabi Airport also has free rest zones with reclining seats. Free and paid shower facilities are available at transit hub airports. For family travelers with kids, these airports offer private family rooms, kid-friendly zones, baby care rooms, play areas, etc. Free baby strollers are available for Emirates’ passengers with infants, so they can comfortably tour the terminal during a layover at Dubai DXB Airport.
Stopover programs and transit city tours for transit travelers
Gone are the days when layovers used to be boring, with limited scope for entertainment and relaxation at the connecting airports. Layovers are fun these days at hub airports, such as Dubai, Doha, Abu Dhabi and Singapore offering city sightseeing tours for international transit passengers. Also, the flexibility to explore an intermediate city while traveling from US to India via Middle East or Europe is one of the compelling reasons to opt for connecting flights with long layovers, which are usually cheaper than nonstop flights to India.
Middle East airlines’ stopover programs turn a long layover (typically 5 to 8 hours or more) into a quick sightseeing tour of the transit city. Transit travelers at Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Hamad Airports can take advantage of the airline stopover programs that come with complimentary 1-2 night stay or cost-effective accommodation packages. Turkey Istanbul Airport, Seoul Incheon Airport, Switzerland Zurich Airport, and Singapore Changi Airport also offer curated layover tours for transit travelers. The best thing, most of these layover tours are free!
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