Getting there...Air India??

Nanos

I have been researching getting to and from India using my points (United/Star Alliance) or British Airways/Avios) or AMEX. Ideally I want to go business class. The only direct flight with the least amount of points via Star Alliance is Air India. However, the online reviews are awful with a multitude of complaints about cancellation of flights, excessive delays, poor service etc). And the safety ranking is fair. I do realize that reviews by complainers always out number the praisers but ...

I would love to hear your comments. Alternatively I can return to NYC from Mumbai via ANA-All Nippon but need to go by way of Tokyo-more points than Air India and a bit out of the way but better reviews. Or British Airways by way of London for even more points.

Thank you, Nancy

Cruzing23

We flew BIZ from JFK to New Delhi, returning from Mumbai to EWR, via Zurich.

A very knowledgeable UA agent put the whole thing together for us, all BIZ class, low mileage saver award. She knew her airlines and understood the map of Europe. Flew JFK-BRU, BRU-ZRH, ZRH-DEL. We were flexible and overnighted in Zurich to facilitate the ZUR-DEL leg of the trip. Coming home, BOM-ZRH, connecting to ZRH-EWR.

If the phone agent can't get good flight, hang up and call back. Maybe the next agent can put together a better itinerary.

Wonderful flights.

dddaum

I just returned from this wonderful tour and flew Air India non stop from Chicago to Delhi both ways in Business Class. I had no problems at all with being on time. The aircraft was fine. My only complaint was Delhi to Chicago. When we took off, we were offered one drink and a snack and then nothing else for 12 hours! They turned out the lights and kept it dark for 12 hours. Three hours before arrival, we were offered a dinner, but we were arriving in Chicago at 6am. That is my only complaint. For me, my travel time was greatly reduced by not have to change plane. 14-15 hours and home. It was worth it to me. I just wanted to be home at that point and didn't care about eating. Tauck fed me enough to last a long time!

Nanos

Thanks Cruzing...As soon as flights open up, I will be scouring the possibilities including a call to UA. Despite having booked many trips via points, I never thought to call an agent. Thank you for this tactic!

DDDaum...It does seem odd, ESP in business class, to be offered a drink and snack and then nothing more for 12 hours. But you got home safely and timely which is far more important than airline food! I will eat/drink in the lounge before boarding. Then begin my post Tauck trip diet.

Since the trip is still fresh in mind, do you have any recommendations for your pre-tour time in Delhi or free time during the tour? Anything you should have packed - stuff you packed but you did not need? Did you secure a sim card for your phone-- if so, did you need to get different sim cards for the various cities? Did you read anything in anticipation of your trip? Did you bring some things for the children (as has been mentioned in some forum entries) and if so, what is best to bring? Any information, advice is welcome!

Nancy

British

Phones----we used FaceTime on our one phone call, it's free. It is difficult to find a time to call the US if you wanted to because of the huge time difference. We usually don't make any calls and only made the one call on our last night, it was morning in the US.
Reading --- Tauck always provides a reading list, I usually chose a few of the recommended books before we go on a trip to a new part of the world for us. For the India tour, one of the books I bought was tedious, but can't recall the title, I tossed it.
Food and drink on the plane--- I assume you helped yourself to water, it's not a good idea to get dehydrated on a long flight, it increases the risk of deep vein thrombosis.

Nanos

British-- thank you for your thoughts. Yes, dehydration and deep vein thrombosis are significant issues on these long flights. Because I am a good airplane sleeper, I wear compression socks. They go on as soon as I am comfortably seated in the plane and come off as soon as we land. The socks certainly help with swelling of feet so that my shoes fit fine when we land. And when awake I do drink lots of water and move around as best as possible--mainly to the restroom!

Regarding phone calls:
Last trip I made my calls either early morning or late night (Asia time) to the US. - it worked fine and did not interfere with the tour or my sleep. I just needed some fast checks on work and family. Face time is great but my 95 year old dad only has a flip phone!!

I still have not firmed up my flights. Tauck has not yet published the firm dates. They suggest that I hold off until the dates and pricing are confirmed. Initially they said mid-March, then the end of March and now mid-April. I know they need to find a new hotel in Delhi due the hotel's closure for renovations. It seems like the India trips for 2017 are the only ones not settled with dates and price.

Nancy

British

Hello NANCY, I'm laid low with illness today and missing celebrations with my family, so hear I am on the forum. I learned about the rennovation closure of the Oberoi in Delhi via the forum. I loved that hotel, the staff there were the best of our entire India tour, though we did only the Spotlight on India. I am sure Tauck will find an equally good hotel for you, but a little annoying everything is not fixed for you yet, when are you going?
We always book our flights through Tauck but do not often use the airlines they have contracts with. When we do our research for flights, we first find out what airline Tauck uses. For our upcoming tour we knew they would be using the airline we had researched, so on their advice we held off booking until they suggested and darn it, when we called they had no business class seats left, typical, we don't often fly business class! So now we are in coach on a long haul. Next time we will book when we see the flights come up and call Tauck to do that for us. Using points for Tauck tours is very low priority for us, we prefer to save them for none tour trips that will be more leisurely. It is our priority to get to the tour start as directly as possible for what always are tours that are packed with early starts, India being no exception.
Are you an experienced traveler to third world destinations? Although many who comment on doing lots of things in Delhi before the tour begins, we did not, for several reasons. First we arrived I think it was three days early and used the great facilities in the hotel, gorgeous indoor pool, very good spa massages, cooking lesson with the chef etc. we knew the real India would be tough, we wanted to wait until the tour began to venture outside. We felt that Delhi was sufficiently covered for site seeing opportunities by the Tauck tour, so we did not feel we missed out on any experiences. Once the tour began we were nicely switched over jet lag wise. Due to the weather back in the US, snow, one couple took 3 1/2 days to get to Delhi, that's another reason to think about when to arrive. Other trip members were very tired by mid tour, and remember ours was only the Spotlight, they rested instead of doing some of the site seeing, that's a shame not seeing something you paid for.
We also wear compression socks but mine are so tight I have to put them on before we leave home, I cannot imagine the antics of me trying to get them on in a lady like manner while I am on the plane! I usually do not take them off until we get to the hotel. I know they have to be tight, but I an thinking of trying on my husband's to see if I could get myself a man's pair. I do have a young neighbor who had a DVT from a long haul flight, another worry from flying but the pull to see the world! Enjoy your tour and report on the new hotel!

Nanos

Feel better...it's better to just stay home when you feel under the weather than tough it out. It is sometime nice to have a day with your feet up!!

I try to always use points for my travels and will go out of my way (to a limited degree) to get business class. I am an avid follower of the points guy (www.pointsguy.com). I charge everything and even shop on the airline's portal to accrue lucrrative bonus points. I am still working, so I am limited in my traveling. Although I take only 1 major vacation each year, I keep adding onto the trip so it becomes a 1 month vacation. This is better for me rather than 2 or 3 separate trips both from time away from my work and financially....less airfares!

I have traveled independently quite a bit prior finding Tauck 4 years ago. My life changed and I needed to prove to myself that I could travel solo. Off I went to Tauck's Russian Treasures without knowing a soul! It was beyond fabulous and I found that solo travel in a fantastic group is the best!! I always had marvelous companions for meals and the limited free time. I became quite close to several couples and we still correspond, hoping for another trip together. However, my sisters and friends decided that they wanted to share my adventures!! For my next trip, I went in a river boat cruise with my sister and her husband. I loved it but I greatly prefer land trips. I actually love changing hotels!! I use the travel packs so I never really unpack. I just spread them on the floor!! And my last trip was Indochina (with my best friends)- I added on time in Hong Kong and arrived in Hanoi a day early so I was ready for action!! The trip was so special. Loved it all and highly recommend the trip.

I agree that you need to arrive and acclimate to the time. For the upcoming India trip (with my other sister and her husband and my best friend and her husband)I am going first to Hong Kong. Got great Cathay pacific business class seats using my British Airlines/Avios points. I will spend 3 days there to unwind and enjoy the hectic pace of the city. I may venture into mainland China but not sure yet. I then plan to fly to Singapore for 3 days. And then fly into Delhi 1 or 2 days before tour begins. I may stay an extra day at the end because I want business class and Monday flights are easier to get than Sunday flights. I am planning for the February 16th trip..I want to avoid Republic day and I would prefer not spending the extra money for a small group.

My bucket list included the safaris, and China ...and austrailia, New Zealand, Iceland ... Anywhere!!

Travel is the best!! Nancy

British

Hello Nancy, I'm wide awake, middle of the night, spent so much time in bed yesterday. We too are limited to our travel because my husband is not yet of retirement age. That is why we elected to take the shorter India tour. Our tour director liked to lead the longer tour because after Mumbai the pace slows down and there is less poverty. We chose India over China, but do hope we can visit there someday too. We have to stop thinking about the extra money we spend going on the separated tours because in addition my husband definitely benefits if we can split his meager US vacation time. We certainly envy our English friends who get double his vacation allowance or who retired in their fifties,that's so common there. We took the Tauck Australia and NZ tours separately but added on days, we actually enjoyed them better that way being able to chose the best weather for each location. Our safari later this year will the final one of the four Tauck currently offer, we fell in love with the people in Africa especially Tanzania. We could see the hope there compared to the hopelessness of The Indian situation. When we spoke to my father in law of our India tour he said it sounded no different than when he was there with the RAF just after the war seventy years ago.
I recommend watching the Tv series The Story of India, you can buy from PBS, also The Jewel in the Crown, A Passage to India, indian Summers, the current TV show and for a contemporary flavor Slumdog Millionaire, and the two Best Exotic movies , they were filming the latter when we were on our India tour, the stars had just left our final hotel before we arrived! Ah to have bumped into Richard Gere! Ah the chance to fall asleep now!