Delhi Airport Makes no Sense

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Note: I completely forgot about this post I had ready to go. I could’t get internet access in the Delhi airport, and forgot to post it. I’ve been home for a week, but here’s the post.

I had originally hoped to get another day shooting in Old Delhi at the end of our trip. I had arranged for an early flight from Kathmandu to Delhi, and 12h later, my flight home. I didn’t plan on being sick. I don’t currently have the stomach for walking around, and need to be close to a bathroom.

As luck would have it, a couple of others were on the same flight to Delhi as I was, and we talked about getting a hotel where I would just crash, and they could walk around. But I wasn’t too excited about an hour drive each way, and one of the others was getting over being sick, so we thought we would just hang out in the airport.

That wasn’t a good plan.

The Delhi airport security which look like army officers with big ancient guns said we couldn’t just go to departures from arrivals, we had to go outside first. Fine. We go outside and try to get back inside.

Nope. Can’t come in before 6 hours before your flight. Umm, why? That’s the rule. We have to go to the visitor lounge. Lounge is putting it nicely. It is a glassed in area with uncushioned chairs. Not exactly lounging.

So how about changing my ticket? I headed to an entrance again and said I wanted to buy a ticket. Only via Air India and partners. So I showed him my ticket and said I wanted to change it. Not at this terminal. No ticketing for Delta or the European partners. I would have to go to terminal 2. What? But the flight leaves from this terminal? “Yes.” This is a new airport. You can’t by a ticket, or change a ticket, or get here early.

“There is no problem!” the man at the gate said. “You have a good ticket, you wait in the lounge, then 6 hours before flight you check in, and then wait for your flight. There is no problem. You have good flight. You no need to change.”

Sigh. India and I don’t always see eye to eye.