Back in Dallas after a 30 hour plus travel schedule

I am back in Dallas safe and sound. The trip from Delhi to Chicago was the longest ever to me. It took 15 hours and the flight route was also new to me. The Boeing 777 took off in Delhi, and flew west of Himalayas north, through Russia and east of Finnish border, crossed Greenland at the most northern point I have never experienced. The flight was slightly delayed due to late incoming aircraft in Delhi, so I missed my flight in Chicago. This was unfortunate as I had been upgraded to business class. Oh well, I the flight was only 2 hours long, so considering the fact that I had already been traveling for more than 30 hours, did not make a big difference...

The overall travel time was like this: I started my journed from Mumbai, India on sunday 02.00 PM local Mumbai time. My flight left Delhi around 01.00 AM local Delhi time and then with the 15 hour flight, plus 4 hours until I came home, it is easy to calculate that my trip was more than 30 hours (32 hours).

Overall, the trip was awesome, I now have lots of new friends from different parts of India and I learnt alot from experienced Indians how the market in India is specifically in IT.

Delhi airport transfer hassle

My previous blog 2 hours ago was from the domestic terminal in Indira Gandhi airport in Delhi. We had to pick our bags, transfer people and bags were put in a bus with 2 soldiers with us. The travel between the two terminals with everything said and done was 1 hour but it is obvious that these guys know how to move people. They have the experience of 1.3 billion people.

Once we got to the terminal, the next challenge was to get to the ticket counter with the bag. Before entering the terminal, passport and ticket information was requested.

Once the security did their drill at the ticket counter, it was time to fill the immigration papers and go to the immigration que. After this, there was yet again security check of bags in xray and passport, and boarding card. I thought that this was it.

All of the international flights leave from the same facility and there are not seats for everybody and each gate does not have a ticket counter. So, if you did not do your thing initially or request, nothing would be available after this.

The biggest surprise was that business class, executive platinum are let in last and I eventually got to know why. It was because everybody was body and bag checked once more. Then we had to wait for another 30 minutes before we got on the plane.

I was a lucky camper as I was upgraded to business class and as this flight is 15 hours, I can sleep all the way. That is way cool.

As before, the system works even with all checks and I was happy with the fact that these guys really take security seriously specifically as tens of people died yesterday in bomb blasts in this city. I am sure that the security measures where even more strickt today.

All good, in a couple of hours I will sleep like a baby with a seat that goes down completely.

Mumbai-Delhi-Chicago-Dallas: two times hassle with bags

This is the scoop. If you fly domestic from Mumbai to Delhi, you need to pick your bag when arriving to Delhi, but the good news is that you will get friendly help. I have a personal carry person that transfers me to the bus. So I am all good. The domestic Indira Gandhi terminal seems nice, the temperature now when it is close to midnight is 30 centigrades... Because of the bomb blasts yesterday in Delhi, the security is tight and this is what I was told already at the Mumbai hotel.

Food on the flight from Mumbai to Delhi was nice and plenty. I sat in economy.

Flying back to Dallas, Texas: a piece of advice from a traveller

I am on my way back to Dallas. My flight today is Jet Airways from Mumbai to New Delhi and from New Delhi to Chicago. The final leg is from Chicago to Dallas.

The very exclusive hotel Renaissance arranged a driver to take me to the airport and the first question that the driver asked was: domestic or international? I said international of course. The driver said that he doesn' think so. I said that I arrived to Mumbai with codeshare flight with American, operated by Jet Airways and I will assume that I will be flying the from the same airport. The driver insisted that it must be domestic.. So, I decided to call my Executive Platinum desk in US and they were clueless.... So what I did was that I asked the desk what the Jet Airway flight number is and used this to ask the driver to call the hotel which airport.

I was chocked when the driver was right. I am flying from the domestic terminal (very new terminal) which is far from the international and as today Hindus have a huge celebration here in Mumbai, I might have missed my flight without the great service from Joseph, my driver and Renessaince, Mumbai which was my hotel.

So, do not assume anbything, do not rely that your airline knows where you should be (in this case American Airlines) and do let the locals help you when needed.

Thank you Joseph!

Mumbai, India crash course during one day with a car and driver

Saturday morning was very rainy in Mumbai, India 5ue to monsuun rains. I had planned a few hour trip to visit the most famous locations in Mumbai such as "Gateway to India" where the Brits came in and left the country. Also, I had a chance to have english tea in a five star hotel Taj with lovely tomato soup and bread. I could feel and smell the 1800 century when people were having coffee.

I also had a chance to visit Mahatma Ganghdi house were he stayed and worked while visiting India. Other places such as parks, famous railway station in Mumbai, rivers and such was on my visit route.

Fortunately, a good friend Suresh of mine had created a list of places to see (local Mumbai resident) as my driver did not talk english very well. He was very polite, and took me to wherever I wanted to go.

I have to say that I got a good feel of Mumbai, India and the place is large and has lots of people. Mumbai is the fiancial center of India and that can be seen of all the banks that they have.

Mumbai, India in a September 2008 morning

Mumbai, India in a September 2008 morning
Originally uploaded by petriisalonen

This is the view from my hotel Renaissance Mumbai Hotel & Convention center. This is the rain season in India, but the weather today has been nice. This hotel is around 20 minutes from Mumbai International airport.

Verdict from a very travelled person: American Airlines vs. Jet Airways

I have now flown Boeing 777 with American Airlines and 777 with Indian Jet Airways. Both flights in coach. There is nothing to compare. The food and service in Jet Airways coach is like food in American Airlines business class. There is something fundamental wrong here. The service in Jet Airways was so good I felt that I really was a customer and during my flight from Chicago to Brussels yet again a few flight attendants demonstrated that they passionately hate their job. It is sad to me as I have clocked close to 3 million miles on American and the service get poorer every year. I am now convinced that airlines such as Jet Airways or similar will take over the fat and non-service oriented US airlines. This is not to my interest as I support my local company, but they are now causing this on themselves.

I salute your service Jet Airways!

I am impressed with Indian Jet Airways 777 - 300 ER

I have to say that American Airlines need to come and check the seats of Jet Airways. I am sitting here in Brussels waiting on the departure to Mumbai and the seats are awesome and the service unreal. It is nothing to compare with typical American airlines where the misery shows in the way people are treated in the cabin. Luckily this is a AA codeshare flight so I get the benefit of flying a better American Airlines..... which is called Jet Airways from India.

Chicago-Bryssels an uneventful flight

My flight was ok, even if it was in coach class. The only thing that one can do is to read or sleep as the use of laptop computer (regardless of size) is almost impossible in coach. The seats are so close to each other that I can smell the person in front and the one back.

Brussels airport is big, but somehow lacks the character that one can find in other airports. Maybe it is only me being tired, but that is what comes to my mind.

Airlines should make money the way they are booked

I have to say that if airlines do not make money they have a broken model that can not be fixed. I am flying on American on regular basis and the flight are so booked that I feel like a sardin. Today the flight to Brussels from Chicago is so full that American has to give 800 dollars for somebody to get off the plane. Same thing with my flight from Dallas to Chicago. Completely booked.....

So my point is that it is not only the gas that is the reason these companies are loosing money. It is also something in their operational model....

Mumbai India, here I come

Once again, I am on for a trip. This time it is Mumbai, India via Chicago and Brussels. The flight or travel time is almost 24 hours and I am doing this in coach class. I hope I survive. It was raining heavily in Dallas today and based on the forecast in Mumbai this week, it is going to rain every day.