Reasons behind Increasing Demands of Flights to India

Flanked by splendid Himalayan Ranges in the north and bordered by pristine stretch of sparkling beaches in the south, India is a land of great wonders that lures throngs of Britons every year.

The country is a vibrant kaleidoscope with many priceless gems including the epitome of true love, Taj Mahal, blissful backwaters of Kerala, astonishing Ajanta and Ellora at Aurangabad, royal palaces and forts of Rajasthan, imposing historical spots at Delhi and awe-inspiring Mother Nature at Darjeeling. India has a great tourism potential and attractions that bewitch all sorts of Britons to book cheap flights to the country to partake in escapades, cultural tours, religious tours, leisure holidays and much more.

With an increase in the number of travellers planning holiday breaks and booking tickets for flights to India, the tour and travel sector of the country has reached to an unmatched level.  A holiday break to India offers unstrained learning based travel experience. Its visitor-friendly customs, diverse cultural heritage and interesting fairs and festivals are enduring draws for the travellers. The other attractions of the country including sun kissed beaches, flourishing forests, imposing wild life and awe-inspiring landscapes for eco-tourism; pristine snow, foaming river and soaring mountain peaks for adventure tourism; splendid technological parks and science museums for science tourism; divine pilgrimages for spiritual tourism and rich heritage, modern trains and high-tech hotels for heritage tourism - all amalgamate to raise the number of travellers booking tickets for flights to India across the world.

The magnificent Indian handicrafts including jewels, rugs, leather items, ivory and brass goods mirror the real hidden talent of the locals here and top the shopping list of every traveller booking holiday deal for cheap flights to India. 

The medical tourism is also a significant segment of Indian tourism industry. With all scales of treatments available in the country, millions of Britons book cheap flights to India to get themselves treated at the best hospitals and centres on the globe. 

With a boost in the tourism sector, Indian infrastructure has also seen a massive improvement over the last few years. Delhi airport stands as testimony of this country’s flourishing hospitality standards.

Most airports of the country are well equipped with all sorts of modern facilities and operate many domestic and international airlines that serve British holidaymakers looking to book flights to India. UK’s British Airways and India’s Air India and Jet Airways are few popular airlines for people hopping to fly to the ancient country.

Hyderabad – An Eclectic Blend of Historical and Modern

Epithets like ‘City of pearls’ and ‘Istanbul of India’ fall short when one starts to describe the true essence of Hyderabad. This hypnotic city quintessentially resonates with its exotic cocktail of multi-ethnicities, quaint traditions and hi-tech buzz.

Hyderabad offers a visually delightful treat to overwhelm the senses of visitors buying tickets on cheap flights to India! Hyderabad, situated on the banks of the river Musi, is modernistically sophisticated yet traditional at heart. Visitors planning leisurely breaks to the city are greeted with an eclectic blend of modern and historical right from the time they land at the Hyderabad’s futuristic international airport!

City’s urban sophistication and quaint elegance becharms even the most discerning of tourists transiting through the airport persuading them to come back for a leisurely break to explore the city!

With infinite and imposing ancient charms, the city promises a travel back in time of erstwhile Indian royal era! Besides innumerable ancient charmers, the splendiferous contemporary marvels intoxicate the senses with an extravagant dose of flamboyant modernity! With attributes such as these, it is quite unsurprising that thousands buy cheap tickets on flights to India only to explore the exotic blend of historical and modern marvels of this city!

Charminar, an architectural wonder of the ancient times, casts an incessant spell by the virtue of its sheer majesty. Adorned with stunning minarets and embellished with mind-boggling architecture, this ancient charm offers the true essence of Hyderabad. The lure of a bird’s eye view from the looming minarets of Charminar persuades thousands of culture vultures to hop on flights to India.

Those buying tickets on cheap flights to India would not miss out the site of one of the worlds tallest and astounding statue of Buddha located in the Lake Hussain Sagar. The splendid and magnificent Golconda Fortress and the wonderful tombs of the Quatab Shahi Kings make for the most irresistible lures for those spending money on cheap airline ticket deals to explore the country’s chequered past.

Nehru Zoological Park, yet another dynamic modern marvel, remains the perfect getaway for an easy escapade from city’s frantic pace! The grand and flamboyant ‘Ramoji Film City’ wins the limelight and remains a must-visit attraction for those willing to bask in unending revelry on their India holidays!

Family vacationers with children who travel to Hyderabad on cheap airline ticket often add the Birla Planetarium & Science Museum to their travel itineraries for a close encounters with twinkling stars! The Birla Science Center is a must-visit thought-provoking treasure of a heavenly Planetarium and an enriching Science Museum.

ibis Launches Its Newest Hotel in Bangalore

In the recent times, India has seen a spate of hotel launches. Be it luxury hotel or budget hotel chain, India has morphed into a key player in the global hospitality market.

The latest to join the league is ibis hotel, a part of the renowned Accor group. ibis hotel has recently announced the launch of its newest hotel at Hosur Road in Bangalore in April 2012. The new hotel will be the second ibis hotel in Bangalore after the successful launch of ibis Bangalore Techpark.

Globally popular for offering affordable accommodation deals with ultra-modern amenities and facilities, ibis hotels remain preferred accommodation option for numerous less-extravagant business travellers as well as leisure travellers on holiday breaks landing at Bangalore on flights to India.

With superlative facilities, contemporary comforts, revered hospitality, delectable dinning and much more, the new ibis hotel promises to be the best bet for those with airline tickets to Bangalore on cheap flights to India and desirous of premium services at economical prices.

Located 45 km from the Bangalore International Airport, the newest ibis hotel will house 185 luxuries rooms that will eclectically feature  5-star facilities like queen size beds, large work stations, LCD TV’s, in-room Wi-Fi access, tea-coffee maker, digital safe and multi-pressure shower units, etc.

The latest edition of the renowned ibis hotel will also feature a restaurant called ‘Spice It’, which will delight gourmands with its signature 15 minute services and a unique ‘You Create, We Cook’ concept. Besides ‘Spice It’, the Hub bar housed in the new ibis hotel will pamper the guests with a breathtaking selection of beers, wines, alcohols and cocktails!

ibis hotel is presently the only International Brand hotel in South Bangalore serving economy segment!

Reference: http://www.southalltravel.co.uk/news/India/90402092/ibis-All-Set-Woo-Tourists-With-New-Hotel-In-Bangalore.html

Best Airline Seats: How to Get Them!

Everyone wants to grab the best seats on an aircraft. While the term ‘best’ may have different implications for different travellers, the essence remains that comfort is what everyone is looking for!

Comfort becomes paramount if the traveller is looking to undertake a long journey, like flights to India from London and this is where it becomes all the more important to land up with most comfortable airline seats unless you want to become the cheese in a seat sandwich!

Take a look at certain factors that can assist you in landing up with best airline seats on your next flight.

Research Well

Make sure to research well before booking tickets to far off destinations like India. Not only does it help the traveller in netting cheap flights to India but it may also make it easy for them to find the best seats on the aircraft. There are number of travel websites as well as booking engines that provide an illustration of the aircraft you are booking tickets for. Such portals specify what seats are still available for each flight. It sure is the most convenient way to get your preferred seat option.

Book Early

Early booking is a key that unlocks many a locks! Holiday destinations like India are highly popular and it makes sense to book your flights as soon as possible. It goes without saying that with more options available you are in better position to find seat of your choice. Tourists can also net cheap flights to India in case they are smart enough to make bookings months before.

Money Pinching Is No Good

One can also consider spending few pounds more to ensure having an enjoyable in-flight experience. Saving money on a plane ticket might cost you in regards to on-board comfort and relaxation. Especially for long-haul journeys like London to India, it is best to cough up a bit extra to make sure your flight experience is as good as your rest of the holidays.

Compare Seat Pitch and Width
For travellers who are unsure regarding which seats are comfortable and which are not, it is best to compare seat pitch and width dimensions. It must be kept in mind that seat pitch and width can vary significantly with different aircraft type. While one or two inches may not seem much, it can make huge difference when it comes to comfort or lack of it. The best way to go about it is to find the type of aircraft you will be flying in and also find out how many seats the airline is offering in the travel class. It seems logical that in a same plane type, an airline offering more seats than the other is likely to have less legroom.

Exit Rows
Exit row seats are usually snapped up quickly on long flights to India. These seats have more legroom and are thus pretty popular among seasoned travellers. However, many airlines do not permit exit-row seats to be pre-booked. Usually, airline personnel wish to verify that passengers sitting on the exit-row seats are physically capable of opening the emergency exit, should the need arise.

Bulkheads

Bulkhead seats, located right behind the partitions that separate travel classes from one another, can also be good option for those looking for extra legroom. With no one sitting in front of you, there is no possibility of anyone reclining back and cramping up your space. It is also easier to enter and exit your bulkhead seat.

Seats to Avoid

Your long flight to India will seem even longer in case you are struck with bad seats. Passengers seeking comfort on their flights would like to avoid seats that are located n front of the exit rows. These seats usually cannot be reclined back.

Seats near the washrooms can also be steered clear off as no body wants people to hover around them waiting for their turn.

Hyderabad breaks record for sky lanterns

Hyderabad has entered into the Guinness Book of Records for having the largest number of paper lanterns in the air at one time.

The city broke the record by setting free 12,000 lanterns on Sunday March 25th 2012 after a few false starts.

While the releasing of the lanterns was the main event, a number of other smaller side shows were also staged to entertain the people who attended, including a sand art display and a performance by a band.

Although the number of lanterns was enough to break the record and seal Hyderabad's place as the holder of the title, the number was still down on the 30,000 lanterns that had originally been planned for the display.


Reference: http://www.southalltravel.co.uk/news/India/801327585/Hyderabad-breaks-record-for-sky-lanterns.html

More Luxury Hotels in India to be Set Up

India is on the radar of most hospitality groups. Be it luxury hotel chains or budget hotel groups, everyone is on their way to India to ensure they have a slice of the country’s burgeoning travel and tourism pie!

The latest to jump on the bandwagon is the Thai hospitality group, Lebua Hotels & Resorts. The group has a property in India’s capital city, Delhi and is now planning to establish one more in Goa. Both Delhi and Goa are top notch holiday destinations and remain two of the biggest lures that tempt tourists to book flights to India. Delhi is also a major business hub and by setting up a luxury property in the city, Lebua Hotels & Resorts has ensured that corporate travellers will now have one more on their list when it comes to choosing a hotel in Delhi!

While the partially-opened Lebua Delhi will have the highest number of rooms, 400, for Lebua worldwide, the group’s Goan property will feature 14 rooms and 40 villas. Lebua Delhi will be formally launched in September and the Goan property is most likely to open its doors to guests in May 2013.

The company claims that one of Lebua Delhi’s restaurant would be the world’s most expensive Indian restaurant! Well, here is something that would perhaps put off most budget travellers who taking cheap flights to India! But then again the group’s lavish properties were never meant for the shoe-string travellers booking airline tickets to India!

Reports doing rounds in Indian media suggest that Lebua Hotels & Resorts is also scouting for land to build its third property in India, which is expected to come up in Cochin, another popular tour destination.

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British Airways Codeshare Agreement, American Airlines Codeshare Agreement

British Airways (BA) and American Airlines (AA), members of Oneworld alliance, have been approved by the Indian government to route codeshare flights to major Indian destinations like Bangalore, Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad and Mumbai.

The codeshare agreement between the two airlines allows American Airlines to place its code (AA) on British Airways’ flights to India from the United States via London Heathrow Airport.

The new codeshare flights to thriving Indian cosmopolitans are scheduled to go on sale starting March 26th 2012 with the first travel date starting March 29th 2012.

Furthermore, the codeshare agreement between American Airlines and British Airways will be complementing the former carrier’s existing India-bound flights with partner airline Jet Airways via Brussels.

The new codeshare agreement between the two airlines is likely to delight US flyers contemplating holidays or business tours to India with convenient choices, greater flexibility and excellent connectivity. 

Over the years, BA and AA, popular luxury full service airlines offering excellent in-flight services, have been the best bet for those leisure business class travellers seeking deals for business class seats for leisurely breaks to India.

The new codeshare agreement between the American Airlines and British Airways is likely to get popular even with those who generally are not inclined to splurge on airfares and look for tickets on cheap flights to India.

Additionally, the agreement will spell bliss for the American Airlines’ AAdvantage members as they will now be able to earn miles, incentive, perks and advantages on the codeshare flights to India with British Airways.

Source : http://www.southalltravel.co.uk/news/India/90402090/BA-and-AA-Delight-Flyers-With-New-Codeshare-Agreement.html

Gudi Padwa festival takes place in Mumbai

The events of the Gudi Padwa festival have been filling the streets of Mumbai with dance and colour.

Taking place to mark the start of the new year in the Hindu calendar and is celebrated by Maharashtrians around the country.

It is also seen as marking the change in the seasons and the start of the warmer months.

The ghundi is an important part of the events, with a piece of brightly coloured material tied to the top of a bamboo pole and a metal pot is placed over the top.

In Mumbai the celebrations are particularly marked, with people celebrating the date taking to the streets dressed in brightly-coloured clothing to take part in processions and dances.

Children are an important part of the celebrations, with youngsters also dressed in costumes and taking part in the displays.

A number of exciting festivals take place in cities across India each year, with the joyous Holi celebrations taking place in the country earlier this month.

Written by Erin Marshall

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Useful Entry Tips for Britons Taking Flights to Australia

Sun-drenched beaches, flamboyant cities, barren deserts, and rugged mountains – Australia offers everything to pamper its visitor. Unsurprisingly, millions plan holiday trips to this magical nation filled with stunningly beautiful diversities.

Australia’s wonder packed cities like Sydney, Melbourne, Cairns, Adelaide, Brisbane, etc offer overwhelming charms to rule the heart and soul of visitors. No wonder, hordes of Britons buy cheap flights’ tickets to exotic Australian cities. However, it is sensible to get well acquainted with Australia’s entry requirements for UK citizens to avoid any embarrassments or worse upon arrival in the country.

Visa

• Britons need to procure a visa before catching their flights to Australia. British travellers have access to two types of electronic visitor visas - eVisitor Visa and Electronic Travel Authority (ETA).

• eVisitor Visa requires no application charge or service fee and can be obtained directly from the Department of Immigration & Citizenship. ETA can be applied through tour operators, travel agents or airlines by paying a service fee of A$20.

Passport

• Britons planning to catch cheap flights to Australia must hold a valid passport. Additionally, the passport must be valid for the proposed duration of intended stay in the country.

• However, those intending an onward journey or transit flights en route to/from Australia to other countries in the region should be mindful of checking the passport validity policies of the intended destinations.

For exhaustive information on entry requirements to Australia, one can contact the Department of Immigration & Citizenship or Australian High Commission in London or can visit the website of Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

Kenya Airways Starts Direct Flights to New Delhi from Nairobi

Kenya Airways has decided to kick-start a new route from 15th May 2012 to operate flights to India connecting New Delhi with Nairobi. The new route will fly four times per week using Boeing 767-300.

With the new flight service, Kenya Airways will perhaps boost up its popularity among holiday makers looking for tickets on cheap flights to India from Kenya.

The new flight to India, KQ220 (operating Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday) will depart from Nairobi Airport on 15th May at 13:50 hours and will arrive in Delhi at 23:20 hours. Whereas, the return flight, KQ221 (operating Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sundays), will depart from New Delhi Airport at 00:50 hours the next day and will arrive Nairobi at 05:30 hours.

The airline’s new flight to India new route of the airline will offer easy connectivity to leisure holiday makers and to those on business tours and seeking to travel between the two regions.

India has been advancing its business bonds with Africa to access the growing African markets. The launch of the new route will also help in promoting the bilateral and business relations between the two regions and will lure travellers booking tickets on cheap flights to India connecting at Delhi.

Kenya Airways will also launch a right issue offer on 30th March. The airline anticipates to make Kshs20.7 billion from its shareholders to support its 10-year expansion plan Project Mawingu that will help the airline in raising its global destinations from 56 to 115 by 2021.

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Bahrain Air Increases Flights to South India

Bahrain Air seems to have taken a fancy to the southern part of India! Kingdom of Bahrain’s second flag carrier, Bahrain Air has further strengthened its position in the region by offering new flights to South India!

The airline announced that it will offer four weekly flights to India connecting its southern city of Trivandrum and it has plans to increase the frequency of flights to seven a week by the summer.

India is a top holiday destination and people are tempted from all corners of the world to book cheap flights to India – especially state of Kerala in South. However, more than leisure breaks and tours, it is the massive presence of the Keralites in Bahrain that compels Bahrain Air to offer a good number of flights to the region, catering to the population.

Captain Ibrahim Al Hamer, Managing Director of Bahrain Air, doled out the figures. There are about 350,000 Keralites in Bahrain and another 400,000 in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia, he said.

Bahrain Air's CEO Richard Nuttall took the first flight from Bahrain to Trivandrum International Airport and was ecstatic with the support shown by the passengers. Maiden flight to Trivandrum was fully booked, while the return flight had 75% passenger capacity, said Richard Nuttall. Mr Nuttall also said that Bahrain Air is now branding itself as a premium value airline with two travel classes.

The flight will leave Bahrain at 9.25pm (local time) and arrive at the Trivandrum International Airport at 4.15am (local time). The return flight will take off from Trivandrum at 5am (local time) and land in Bahrain at 7.30am (local time).

Experience Navratri in Delhi this September

Holidaymakers in search of more spiritual adventures than a week of sitting by the pool will often book flights to Delhi so they can discover the mystery of the Indian subcontinent.

The country has a rich past and is replete with culture, no where more so than at the Kalka Devi temple near Delhi's Nehru Place.

One of the oldest temples in the region, the site demands a visit at any time, and attracts more than a million pilgrims from across India a year. The Kalka Devi itself is believed to be over 3,000 years old.

But if you're lucky enough to be there during the autumn, then you simply must visit the temple during the Hindu Festival of Navratri.

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Delhi Jazz Festival 'to build on last year's success'

This year's instalment of the Delhi Jazz Festival is set to be even more memorable than that from 2011 as the organisers seek to build on its success.

Taking place in Nehru Park, the event will see musicians travel from around the world to perform, with groups from Germany, Mexico and Poland just some of those included on the line-up, the Daily Mail reported.

Sanjeev Bhargava, who heads the cultural NGO and event co-organiser, said the growth of the festival will help to secure Delhi's position as an international destination.

"The international bands that had come for the festival last year were delighted with the response they got. Most of them wanted to come back this year," Mr Bhargava told the newspaper.

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More Hotel Options in Five Years for Travellers Flying to India

India will be able to offer much more options in terms of hotels in the coming few years.

India’s Wadhawan Group has jumped on what seems an already crowded but highly crucial bandwagon that is going full steam ahead to resurrect India’s weak hospitality infrastructure!

Wadhawan Group, a Mumbai-based entity, has announced to set up nine hotels in India in next five years. All these hotels will be in four and five-star segments, serving luxury seekers who travel on their business tour or holiday break.

As per a report in a major Indian daily, the group has joined hands with hospitality chain Minor International to manage its hotels. Minor International operates more than 1,000 restaurants and 30 hotels worldwide.

As per the source, the first of its two hotels, in Mysore and Pune, will begin operations in the next two quarters. Other hotels will be set up in Wayanad in Kerala, Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh and Udaipur in Rajasthan. A hotel will also come up in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. Each of these cities is a popular tourist destination of India and is visited by hordes of travellers who book flights to India every year.

India has emerged a hot tourist destination with many wanting to explore its many realms. There are some 15 companies planning to establish 600-odd hotels in India in the coming future. These hotels will not only include lavish properties but also comprise budget hotels serving those with cheap tickets flights to India.

The figures may be encouraging however the country’s current hotel scene is not very encouraging. Reports indicate that Shanghai, the second biggest city in China, alone boasts better figures than the whole Indian market taken together in terms of availability of organised rooms.

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Jet Airways to Launch Delhi-Dammam Service from March 17

Jet Airways, perhaps the top name in Indian airline industry, is all set to expand its horizons. Come Sunday, the airline will start offering direct flights between Delhi and Dammam, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

The airline announced that it will be a four times a week service (Sundays, Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays) and will kick start off from March 17.

Flights to India already connect Dammam to the country’s commercial hub Mumbai and Trivandrum.

Jet Airways’ flight 9W 567 will take off from Dammam at 2355 hrs (local time) and land in Delhi at 0615 hrs next day. On the return leg, 9W 568 will depart Delhi airport at 2035 hrs (LT) and arrive in Dammam at 2255 hrs (LT).

Jet Airways is going to deploy a Boeing 737-800 on the route. Travellers who would rather take tickets on relatively cheap flights to India will find a number of Economy class seats available for them on the aircraft apart from the Premiere travel class seating options.

Jet Airways boasts a substantial presence in the Gulf with flights to Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Dubai, Doha, Kuwait, Sharjah, Jeddah and Riyadh already offered by the airline. Jet Airways’ Chief Commercial Officer, Sudheer Raghavan, believes that the new route would prove to be as popular with the customers as the airline’s other services to the region. He emphasised on the viability of the route by stating that new service will offer easy connections from and to Delhi to cities like Kathmandu and Dhaka.

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Air India Seeks $1bn Compensation from Boeing for 787 Delay

It seems that all the delays that prevented Air India from inducting 787 Dreamliner into their fleet are going to pay well! India’s Aviation Ministry has asked the Boeing Co. to cough up as much as one billon dollars for the delay in delivering the Dreamliner!

A senior airline official reveals that the American company has already agreed to pay half of that amount and the negotiations are underway to make it almost a billion dollar compensation.

India’s flag carrier, Air India is most likely to get the delivery of its first Dreamliner in May. And if something goes wrong and the aircraft delivery date is pushed further away then the compensation by all means will spiral upwards, something that the ministry official made very clear. And given the fact that Boeing has still to procure the needed certification for the 787 engines from US regulators, it doesn’t seem an altogether improbable scenario either.

Boeing 787 Dreamliner is widely regarded as the world’s most fuel efficient aircraft and many airlines all over the world have opted to include this airliner in their fleet. However, Boeing's Dreamliner project has faced several delays due to technical snags.

Air India, popular among patrons as a top choice for flights to India, had ordered 27 Dreamliners few years back but is yet to receive the delivery. Dreamliner, being regarded as a highly fuel efficient aircraft, is likely to save money on fuel costs for the airlines, something AI is counting on. Even travel enthusiasts, who look for tickets on cheap flights to India, can afford to remain hopeful once the Dreamliner is plied on long-haul routes.

Boeing 787 will be displayed at the Indian Aviation Show 2012, which kicks off today in Hyderabad.

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India Aviation 2012 to begin in Hyderabad

The India Aviation 2012 event is set to begin in Hyderabad on March 14th and will showcase the country as being one of great innovation.

Ajit Singh, the Union Minister of Civil Aviation, will inaugurate the event and it is hoped that it will build on the success of the previous two editions of the bi-annual event taking place in 2008 and 2010.

Under the theme of India: The Emerging Aviation Hub, the event will see a number of important landmarks for Indian aviation, including the first time the Boeing 787 Dreamliner will be put on display in the country.

People interested in the aircraft who are not able to attend can still get involved with the festivities as a special stamp is being released on the first day of the festival to commemorate it.

Hyderabad is becoming increasingly popular as a location for organisations to host international events, with the global Biodiversity Summit to be held in the city later in the year.

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IPL 2012 - Major Attraction In India This Year Among Tourists

Tourists catching flights to India from 4th April to 27th May, 2012 are sure to get swept away in the maddening frenzy of cricket IPL 2012. After all, the lure of watching world’s best players in action while visiting enigmatic India is too irresistible!

Enigmatic and Incredible India will be draped in a maddening frenzy of a non stop action and widespread excitement during the IPL cricket 2012 tournament from 4th April 2012 to 27th May 2012. Those looking for an absolute treat with some action-packed cricket and checking out dazzling Indian destinations during the spring months would do well to book their cheap airline tickets to India, well in advance!

Indian cities serving as IPL event venues are all set to bedazzle tourists. Many tour operators and airlines are ready to lure those who wish to witness the event without spending a bomb on tickets for flights to India. Fervent cricket enthusiasts’ keen on catching the live action have already booked all-inclusive package deals and cheap flights to India. Thriving cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore and Chennai will all come alive with roaring crowds of cricket fans cheering for their favourite teams! Read on for a little information on the Indian Premiere League Twenty20, 2012 edition.

Top Teams and Players

With some of the top-notch cricketing legends representing different teams, Indian Premier League 2012 has become one of major attractions among holiday makers! 9 sizzling IPL teams are all geared up to prove their mettle in the cricketing field. The teams contending the event are Chennai Super Kings, Royal Challengers Bangalore, Deccan Chargers, Delhi Daredevils, Mumbai Indians, Kolkata Knight Riders, Kings XI Punjab, Pune Warriors India and Rajasthan Royals. Some of the world-class players to look out for in the event will be Sachin Tendulkar, M S Dhoni, Brendon McCullum, Herschelle Gibbs, Brad Hogg, Chris Gayle and Muttiah Muralitharan amongst a host of other cricketing stars!

IPL Venues

The smoking hot IPL matches will be held at some of the most exotic Indian cities like Bangalore, Mumbai, Jaipur, Visakhapatnam, Pune, Mohali, Cuttack, Chennai, Dharamsala, Chandigarh, Kolkata, Hyderabad and Delhi. With a world of mouth watering multi-ethnic cuisines, satiating shopping scene and legendary sightseeing delights, these Indian cities are sure to reward the visitors catching cheap flights to India with much more than just IPL 2012. The sheer abundance of travel agents and tour operators offering cheap all-inclusive package holiday deals has made it easy for cricket enthusiasts to witness the heart thudding on-field action in India!

Top Indian Holiday Destinations During IPL

Delightful Delhi

Delhi is all set to offer the modern glitters blended with its unique multi-ethnic touch. This city turns to a perfect party mosaic during the IPL. Home city of Delhi Daredevils, the vibrant Indian capital eclectically gets swept in the maddening frenzy of excitement.

Bombastic Bangalore

The IT city of India, Bangalore offers loads of fun during the electrifying IPL event! The endless celebrations during the event are the special best of the city. This amazing city is geared up to reward its visitors with all the sophistication, style and elegance! Bangalore promises an eternal fun and a never far away excitement to its visitors planning holidays during the IPL event.

Charismatic Chennai

For those infatuated to cricket, Chennai will surely be the perfect retreat. This breath-taking destination offers a fascinating gateway to those looking to enjoy the new season of IPL. Chennai is sure to lure parylovers with after match parties extending till the wee hours of the night.

Magnificent Mumbai

The entertainment capital of India, Mumbai is all about glamour and glitter. The Bollywood mad streets of Mumbai come alive during the IPL seasons. This cosmopolitan eclectically catches the IPL frenzy and dazzles with nightlong IPL parties to keep its visitor entertained and engaged.

Jubilant Jaipur

A major share of tourists catching cheap flights to India flock to Jaipur during the IPL seasons to take in the overwhelming beauty of the city after the game! The excitements of cricket blended with amazing desert parties’ spells perennial bliss. The arid desert here turns to a gaming zone during the days and a party mosaic at night during the event!

Hypnotic Hyderabad

Hyderabad makes for a perfect getaway for spots crazy visitors. This cultural city offers a life-time experience of taking in the thrilling event and the magnificence of the mighty attractions of the bygone era. Hyderabad is certainly one of the top Indian destinations to watch out for during the IPL 2012 season.

Best Time to Net Cheap Holiday Deals

The IPL series also makes for the best time to net cheap airline tickets. With airlines and travel agencies offering discounts by the dozen, one does not need to spend an arm and a leg to get awed by the magnanimity of Indian wonders like the majestic monuments of Hyderabad, splendid Mumbai beaches, pleasantly stunning Delhi or palaces of Jaipur. So if you are infatuated to cricket, then rush to book one of the lucrative last minute deals to travel to India to cheer your favourite IPL team.

Air India Plans to Cash in on Profitable Routes

The reports of Air India planning new route launches and increasing flight frequency on its existing routes have surprised many a travel experts! The airline that is going through a financial crunch for some time now is planning to spread it wings further by increasing its number of flights to over 400 from the current 380 in its summer schedule.

A report published in country’s top financial journal indicates that India’s flag carrier is all ready to increase its summer schedule to earn more revenues from profitable routes.

Air India, notwithstanding its financial wellbeing, is still considered the top alternative for booking flights to India by many. The airline plans to start daily flights between Vizag and Dubai via Hyderabad. The airline also plans to commence flights to India’s capital city, Delhi from Bahrain via Abu Dhabi.

In addition, the airline is going to jack up its services on Delhi-Tokyo route. From the current four weekly flights, the airline is hoping to make it a five weekly service. The airline will also be making Delhi-Dammam twice a week service to a daily operation in its summer schedule.

Besides the launch of international routes, the airline is also hoping to tap into the low-cost travel market. The airline is increasingly shifting towards adopting a budget carrier business model, catering primarily to those looking for cheap flights to India and also in domestic market. Millions of holiday makers look for cheap flights to India and Air India hopes to become the leading option among them.

Recently, Air India slashed down the number of business class seats from some of its fleet aircraft.

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Air India to Showcase The Dreamliners Next Week

Boeing recently announced the delivery of Air India’s first seven 'Dreamliners'. These dreamliners will land at Hyderabad’s Begumpet Airport on the eve of India Aviation 2012 and will remain on static display till March 16.

However, the airline will induct the dreamliners in May after the operational and technical certifications from the US Federal Aviation Administration, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation and other agencies.

Air India’s new 787s will feature its livery that includes 'red and white' colours depicting flying swan with the 'Konark Chakra'.

Air India, popular choice for tickets on flights to India, has sought a hefty compensation from Boeing for the delayed delivery.

In order to handle the anticipated financial burden after this deal, the airline has decided to sell and leaseback the first seven dreamliners. Air India has also started looking for bridge financing worth USD 230 million.

However, whether to curtail the order or leaseback all the planes or purchase some of them outright is to be decided by the Indian government. The government also seeks to sort out the compensation issues before Air India starts inducting dreamliners.

Air India plans to replace the Boeing-777 with Boeing-787s for long-haul, non-stop flights. So tourists can now expect Boeing-787 to be best choice for netting tickets on long-haul flights to India.

Dreamliners are 20 percent more fuel-efficient and could be the best bet for holiday makers looking for tickets on cheap flight tickets. With better fuel-efficiency, airlines can now delight travellers with more cheap flights to India and other destinations.

Details on the number of seats in both classes of travel are still unavailable due to commercial reasons.

Shoulder Season Holidays to India offer Good value

Being a land of diverse cultures and traditions, India puzzles the verdicts of holidaymakers at times. However, with few easy tips, the Britons booking flights to India may enrich their holiday experience by netting the best deals possible.

Mystifying, enthralling, wild, maddening, squalid, overwhelming, irresistible; India is all these things, and more. With endless number of attractions, picturesque valleys, spectacular beaches, thrilling and captivating outdoors, India seems like embracing a whole world in itself.

However, planning holiday tours to this mesmerizing country can a big big challenge for the travellers, especially those who are cost conscious budget travellers. There are a number factors affect the cost of airline tickets and accommodation at any destination. Seasonality is one of the most significant factors that governs many other factors and determines if travellers will be able to book cheap flights and hotels at the destination. Read on to know how seasonality for India holidays affects its high and low seasons and the related availability of cheap flights to India and accommodation.

How Seasonality Works

Tropical India experiences different weathers throughout the year. While favourable climatic conditions during part of the year boost the influx of travellers into the country, extreme conditions do exactly opposite. High season is the time when majority of travellers head to a destination and features a high demand and low supply flights and hotels. Conversely, low season is marked by low demand and high supply of these elements of holidays due to reduced influx of travellers. Unquestionably, these demand and supply pressures directly affect the availability of cheap flights to India as well as hotels in Indian destinations.

High Season – Favourable Weather, High Prices

September is when rains taper off in most parts of India and is the time when holidays to India are much in demand. The pleasant October weather make outdoors in most Indian destinations highly entertaining and enjoyable. The favourable weather until December causes many holiday makers to plan their holidays to India at the same time. This is also the time when India celebrates most of its popular festivals. This time in any tourist destination of India features exceeding tourist activity with long queues at airports, hotels and tourists attractions, and crowded beaches, malls and market places.

The high demand and less supply of flight tickets and hotel rooms during these times invariably makes cheap tickets on flights to India and cheap hotel rooms in Indian cities a rare commodity for travellers.

Low Season – Unfavourable Weather, Low Prices

Low season anywhere means less demand of flights and hotels. Flights operate with less number of holidaymakers and hotel occupancy is at its lowest. Undoubtedly, airlines, hotels, tour operators and travel agents roll out discount deals to lure travellers. Low season in India features scorching heat and humidity during peak summers (May to early July) or bitterly chilly cold wave and dense fog in peak winters (December end until January) at many tourist destinations. While holiday makers can save on flights to India and reduce the cost of their holidays, the extreme weather conditions impair the holiday fun.

The above facts may suggest that travellers looking for cheap flights to India compromise on enjoyment and those aiming to get the true holiday fun pay a bomb for flights and hotels. However, smart travellers who would like to get the best of both worlds pick shoulder season to tour to India.

Shoulder Season – Best of Both Worlds

Shoulder months or seasons are the times between the high and the low seasons of destinations. Travellers who want to save by booking cheap flights to India and also not compromise on sightseeing and other exciting outdoor activities can benefit by booking during these months which offer a combination of desirable prices and fairly favourable climatic conditions. This is the time when the pressures of demand and supply only start to build up slowly and eventually lead to either a high or low season with regard to prices and weather.

Shoulder Months for India Holidays

There are the times of the year when travellers, especially on shoestring travel, can get the best out of their holidays to India. Spring time (February to March) that transitions winters into summers; and Autumn (September to October) that transforms summers into winter season are the shoulder months for travel to India without compromising on holiday fun or burning a hole in the pocket.

These shoulder months are characterised by either a period of withdrawing tourists (start of low season) from tourist destinations or beginning of an influx (start of high season) from across the borders.

The term Shoulder Season may sound less familiar, but the concept works very well for those on budget holidays to India. Choosing one’s travel time to India during these times indicate that the holiday has been planned with due care for two important aspects of a holiday – Cost and Enjoyment.

Air India, Turkish Airlines Sign Free Sale Codeshare Agreement

India’s national carrier Air India has come up with a new code share agreement with Turkish Airlines.

The two airlines signed a Free Sale Codeshare Agreement after their earlier blocked space code share agreement. The new agreement allows both carriers to market each other’s flights by their own code and flight numbers on a free sale basis.

The new pact, which has been in operation from March 1, 2012, permits Turkish Airlines’ customers who are looking to book flights to India to enjoy the convenience of seamless connection on Air India operated routes to Hyderabad, Chennai, Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Kolkata and Amritsar.

With a new agreement in place, travellers can hope to get best of both carriers. However, for travellers with ‘not so deep pockets’ who are hoping to land a seat on cheap flights to India, it remains to be seen whether this code share works any wonder for them.

Mr. Adnan Aykac, General Manager, Northern and Eastern India, Turkish Airlines was delighted with the development and expressed his willingness to work with Air India in future to create more travel options for the customers. Mr. Adnan Aykac also made it clear that the airline “plans to further expand and strengthen our presence in this region.”

At present, Turkish Airlines operates 14 weekly flights to Istanbul from Delhi and Mumbai. And if reports are to be believed then Turkish Airlines, one of the fastest growing airlines in Europe, is planning to launch more flights to India’s major markets.

Reference

Grab Flights to India to Turn the Pages of History

The land of blissful smiles, culture and history, India is a star that dazzles the world with its glory and magnificence. The various museums sprinkled in the Indian metros are the mirrors of country’s history and lure travellers to book flights to India.

The museums in the Indian metro cities are the restorers of the relics that mirror the glorious past of the country from the time of its evolution! They feature exotic traces of the past world and thus justify India being called as ‘the ancient country’ !

Listed below are the metro cities of India featuring some incredible museums!

Bangalore

The Garden City of India, Bangalore is world renowned for its museums and art galleries and lures the heart of millions into booking flights to India.

The Karnataka Folk Museum is one of the most popular museums in Bangalore that flaunts beautiful facets of the diverse folk life in Karnataka with the help of various artefacts including attention-grabbing folk puppets, ancient utensils, old instruments and splendid weapons and masks.

Venkatappa Art Gallery is another famous attraction among art lovers booking flights to India and features 600 rare paintings painted by various renowned painters such as M. F. Hussain, N. S. Bendre, Vasudev, Hanumaiah, Hariram, Rekha Rao and Yusuf Arakkal.

Hyderabad

The high-tech city of India, Hyderabad features innumerable museums that allow the travellers booking cheap flights to India to immerse deep down in the historical whirlpool of the country. The various museums of the city are authentic troves of India’s glorious history and reflect on the region’s manifold cultures and the traditions, enamouring the hearts of the visitors.

The most popular and visited museums of Hyderabad such as Sudharma, Salar Jung Museum, Nizam Museum, Archeological Museum Library, Sudha Cars Museum, Glass Museum and Craft Museum Calcutta Emporium are great endeavours to preserve country’s past.

Chennai

The museums in Chennai represent the rich tradition and magnificent culture of the city. The Government Museum of Chennai is one of the biggest names that boast more than 2000 Indian bronzes and Amaravathi marbles, a Museum Theatre, Extension Hall and Connemara Public Library that elaborate the city’s history in an interesting manner. The various galleries of this museum, including Hindu Sculpture Gallery, the Amaravathi Gallery, the Bronze Gallery and the National Art Gallery, are fascinating and lure the travellers to plan air travel and book flight tickets to India.

City’s Fort Museum is the perfect way to explore Indian history. Old apparels, antique coins, padlocks, exotic prints and palanquins of the museum are marvellous and offer a great experience to the travellers booking cheap flights to India.

Kolkata

The city of Goddess Durga, Kolkata has countless havens of art and culture! The city plays a great role in encouraging the modern Indian art and flaunts them through its museums and art galleries. The Indian Museum of Kolkata is the largest museum in India and has six sections including Art, Archeology, Anthropology, Geology, Zoology and Industry (Economic Botany). Whereas, the Ashutosh Museum of Indian Art of Kolkata is devoted to the history of the Bengali speaking individuals and exhibits an exotic art forms. Moreover, for art lovers planning holiday tour to India, a trip to the Birla Academy of Art and Cultural Museum of Kolkata is worth a call.

Delhi

Delhi is home to an endless range of museums that symbolize the cultural heritage of India with a stroke of modernity. For the travellers who wish to look into the various advancements made in the city, museums like National Science Centre, Air Force Museum, Ghalib Academy & Library memorial, Nehru Memorial Museum, Nehru Planetarium, National Police Museum, National Gallery of Modern Art and Museum of the Archaeological Survey of India are the best picks. Whereas, for art and culture devotees, Tibet House Museum, National Museum of Natural History, Crafts Museum, and Sanskriti Museum of Indian Terracotta are worthwhile museums to visit in Delhi.