[audioholic]

Originally Posted by ranjitp1

Just to add to your comments,my observations :
Etihad is no different in the India-Middle-east sector either.

Transit at AUH is the pits,hopefully things might change once the new Midfield airport opens(was scheduled for 2017,but now pushed to 2019),the present airport was built and used to service just a couple of flights in the 80s(I remember it from then as I studied in the country) and it is still the same.That circular food court was a marvel for us kids back then,but today it looks so shady

Originally Posted by libranof1987

Minor correction: Jet is very good except when between India - Middle East where it serves Etihad as a shuttle service.

Agree with you guys. The experience depends upon the actual carrier. Once upon a time, the people in my office were accustomed to booking Etihad since it had the only direct flight to the destination, ie Stuttgart. However, the AUH-STR sector was handled by Air Berlin which was just pathetic, and these people had to spend 6-7Hrs in an A321 with very poor in flight catering, no IFE, and poor service. The BLR-AUH sector was only good if the flight was serviced by Jet. If it were the regular Etihad plane, the experience would be average. Knowing this, I have never choosen Etihad, or rather even Jet airways in case the carrier was Etihad. Due to these codeshares, unless the people read the fineprint, as to who the actual flight carrier is, they would not know how it would go.

I got the sad privilege of taking it once, and regret the decision. My flight from BLR to AUH was a Jet airways flight which though a B737, the catering was good and then I ended up in an Etihad flight to Frankfurt which was an A330. It was plain horrible. Dirty interiors, dirty plane and service as though they are doing it for free.

After that, I never looked beyond Emirates. Some of my colleagues who had only flown with Etihad were surprised by the experience offered by Emirates, Qatar.

[narayans80]

Originally Posted by anubshar

I am planning to travel to Spain in March, will there be any problem during Passport check or I can travel without any worry.

There is no passport control inside Schengen. The gates for these flights too are assigned accordingly.

In my 5 year stay as a resident, I was asked for the resident card only once for a Schengen flight at checkin. The only place where any sort of passport check is in place is in Parisian airports of Orly and CDG, that too happened post the attacks.

Originally Posted by audioholic

After that, I never looked beyond Emirates.

Emirates is great in economy. In business (got bumped up twice) the pampering is beyond words Ofcourse they are among the expensive options for a India-Europe destination.

Only thing that I didn't like is the oddball start (0415) and transit timings (2345-0245) that I had compared to my other options.

[audioholic]

Originally Posted by anubshar

Hi All,

I am currently in Germany Frankfurt on a work permit visa having validity till 30th June 2018. I haven't got a resident permit card usually the case for long term visa holders but only have the work permit visa on my Passport.
I am planning to travel to Spain in March, will there be any problem during Passport check or I can travel without any worry.

Thanks

I have travelled to Spain multiple times from Frankfurt and Stuttgart. I have done this on both work visa and business visa. They have never asked my identity proof while travelling to Spain. However, on the return leg from Spain to Germany, they ask for passport or visa as an identity proof. Thats it. As long as you have a valid visa for the Schengen area it is sufficient. Heck, I have done this travel even without a passport, with just a copy of my Visa and an Emergency white passport since I had lost my passport in Germany. After getting the Emergency passport, which is a document valid to travel back to India only, I had toured across Spain, France, Switzerland and Austria Thankfully I had a copy of my Visa and passport.

[silversteed]

Originally Posted by anubshar

I am currently in Germany Frankfurt on a work permit visa having validity till 30th June 2018. I haven't got a resident permit card usually the case for long term visa holders but only have the work permit visa on my Passport.
I am planning to travel to Spain in March, will there be any problem during Passport check or I can travel without any worry.

You're free to roam around the entire Schengen region with your Work Permit. Regarding visa and related matters, it's always prudent to check the respective consulate's website or ring them up - people on forums such as this can only provide info based on experience and YMMV based on prevailing regulations.

You can expect border control and/or security checks if there are heads of states visiting or international events being conducted, or security threats.

Originally Posted by audioholic

Heck, I have done this travel even without a passport...

I've done something similar - had to renew my passport while abroad and I had only copies of the visa and passport after sending the original to the Consulate General of India. The Bundespolizei & equivalent at various places I'd visited initially gave me a stare and after explaining my situation let me through. The first time I was stopped, made me a little nervous but not after that

[narayans80]

Originally Posted by silversteed

I've done something similar - had to renew my passport while abroad and I had only copies of the visa and passport after sending the original to the Consulate General of India.

Which year was this? I had to renew for 2 dependents in 2015, its now happening the other way around, you submit the copy along with the renewal application. The original stays with you in its original form till the day you go and collect the renewed passport.

On the day you collect the renewed passport, the old passport is cancelled (edges cut off so it wont work in the scanner at Indian immigration) and given to you.

Besides if you were a resident, wouldn't you have a resident card of a local identity card (similar to State ID in US, Carta d'Identita in Italy). These serve as an identification within the country for a resident, and doesn't need to take the passport for a local/within the resident country visit.

[silversteed]

Originally Posted by narayans80

Which year was this? ... The original stays with you in its original form till the day you go and collect the renewed passport.

The year was 2016, and the Consulate did give me the option to keep the old passport until the new one is ready, however due to some other reasons I had to sent the original to them and have the new one and the old one (after cancellation) mailed to me. The other trips with just a copy of the passport and visa were unplanned

Originally Posted by narayans80

Besides if you were a resident, wouldn't you have a resident card of a local identity card?

Some foreigners' registration offices affix the residence permit on the passport itself, while some others issue a separate card - both serve the same purpose. I had the former.

[carboy]

I am going on a very short trip to Singapore. After I land at the airport, I need to be able to shower & change my clothes. I see that some terminals have places where I can get access to a (paid)shower, whether others I need to do check into a short duration resting room where I can have a shower (this is more expensive).

So my question is - how big is the airport? Is it possible to quickly move from one terminal to another to take a shower? Will I be allowed into the other terminals.

I am taking the Air India flight in night which reaches at 7:45 am - I have no idea which terminal it will land in.

Another question is whether i can get a locker where I keep some stuff & collect it back in the evening when I am on the way back to India?

[hserus]

Originally Posted by carboy

So my question is - how big is the airport? Is it possible to quickly move from one terminal to another to take a shower? Will I be allowed into the other terminals.

I am taking the Air India flight in night which reaches at 7:45 am - I have no idea which terminal it will land in.

Another question is whether i can get a locker where I keep some stuff & collect it back in the evening when I am on the way back to India?

Changi is large but very easy to get around. AI lands in Changi T2.

There's the Ambassador Transit Lounge near the F gates (take the lift to go to the 3rd floor) where you can pay a few sing dollars and get a shower + breakfast before you clear immigration and head into the city.

There is a left luggage counter in the arrivals hall of each terminal and you can leave your bags there, of course for a few more sing dollars.

[drhoneycake]

Originally Posted by libranof1987

Minor correction: Jet is very good except when between India - Middle East where it serves Etihad as a shuttle service.

The planes Jet has between Indian cities and Abu Dhabi (I've traveled on them from Mumbai, Bangalore and Delhi) are plain horrible. The seats lack cushion, the leg space is terrible and I know enough people who've complained of mosquitoes in the cabin.

Originally Posted by ranjitp1

Just to add to your comments,my observations :
Etihad is no different in the India-Middle-east sector either.From most Indian cities barring Mumbai they operate the single-aisle configuration aircrafts on most schedules(exceptions are there) which is very very uncomfortable. Inflight catering too in Etihad is pretty sad when compared to Emirates etc.The catering part is uniform across all their sectors (Middleast and Europe)-they are just so miserly.

Transit at AUH is the pits,hopefully things might change once the new Midfield airport opens(was scheduled for 2017,but now pushed to 2019),the present airport was built and used to service just a couple of flights in the 80s(I remember it from then as I studied in the country) and it is still the same.

Absolutely spot on Ranjit. My experience with Etihad has been the same. AUH isn't a great place to transit at all. Going via DOH was an expensive option, hence stuck to Etihad, else I'm a frequent flyer on Qatar- hands down the best airline I've ever travelled in.

Also, Jet is very good ONLY when between Mumbai - International destinations. My last experience with Jet flying AUH-BLR was dismal to say the least. The onward BLR-AUH was on Etihad-what a class apart.

The plane was a horrible rattling piece of metal. My seat wouldn't recline, the IFE system was a joke and the food and beverage service was subpar.

But hey I'd do anything to avoid Emirates, an absolutely over-rated airline. Jet Airways over Emirates anyday, hell even AI is better than EK.

[rst89]

Hi all,

I have a small query. I plan to fly to USA in end April and return in Mid May. I plan to arrive at NewYork JFK and return through Chicago to Mumbai.
I have generally observed while browsing so many airline sites that if you book a return ticket through same airport, for example JFK, you save a lot. Around 10000 INR to 20000 INR. But if your port of entry airport is different from exit airport, the tickets are expensive.

Just to give you example, for the time frame I mentioned, Mumbai-NewYork return is hovering around INR79000, Mumbai-NewYork single journey is around INR45000 but Chicago-Mumbai single journey touches 1028 USD! All these rates are lowest price rates queried on Emirates official website for reference.

I am little bit puzzled. Makes my trip a little bit inflexible for exit port.

[hserus]

Did you try a multiple city booking like BOM-JFK-ORD-BOM? Might be closer to the roundtrip rate rather than the two oneway rates you're looking at.

[JMaruru]

Why is Emirates flying via Athens to Newark?
From what i knew, they used to fly directly from DXB > EWR and now its like DXB > ATH > EWR.

Perplexed.

[hserus]

Originally Posted by JMaruru

Why is Emirates flying via Athens to Newark?
From what i knew, they used to fly directly from DXB > EWR and now its like DXB > ATH > EWR.

Perplexed.

They extended a Dubai - Athens flight to Newark. Most of their directs are to JFK. This extension allows them to use shorter haul equipment (that isn't equipped for ultra long haul operations) and also allows them to pick up athens - new york passengers.

https://www.emirates.com/media-centr...ark-via-athens

[autorahul]

Originally Posted by rst89

I am little bit puzzled. Makes my trip a little bit inflexible for exit port.

As mentioned above by hserus, check out the multi city option.

Brief search on Makemytrip shows fares starting at 60k for the trip you have mentioned. Add credit card offers, you can get upto 10% off additionally.

https://cheapfaresindia.makemytrip.c...11609#/listing

[JMaruru]

Originally Posted by hserus

They extended a Dubai - Athens flight to Newark. Most of their directs are to JFK. This extension allows them to use shorter haul equipment (that isn't equipped for ultra long haul operations) and also allows them to pick up athens - new york passengers.

https://www.emirates.com/media-centr...ark-via-athens

Ahem! Seems, so NO need to disembark at Athens for passengers flying onward? How to kill 2 hours in a stationary plane OR we need to disembark and embark again?

Has anyone traveled on this section/route? Please share your experience.