Hi Lufthansa wasnt allowing COPR holders earlier, did u call the airline or airport staff before flying? Did youll have any issues at the airport? They wud be a good option to fly with after people with expired COPRs get an ETA hopefully.
Traveling/Flights to Canada from India during COVID 19
- Thread starter pkhare23
- Start date
Hey congratulations on making it !!!
A quick query, did your spouse need a transit visa while transfering through Frankfurt ?
MY LANDING EXPERIENCE:
After 2 months of uncertainty regarding travel plans, flight booking, transiting through different countries and many ups and down I am happy to announce that I have successfully landed in Canada. I wouldn't have been able to come this far if not for support of this forum. Special thanks to all members who shared their travel experiences.
ROUTE: PUNE - DELHI - TORONTO
AIRLINES: PUNE - DELHI (VISTARA DOMESTIC); DELHI - TORONTO (AI VBM DIRECT)
1. Finally, after waiting for so long I was able to book a direct flight to Toronto under AI VBM for 27th August. I booked Vistara for domestic journey since frankly speaking AI domestic feeder flights weren't reliable in earlier part of AUGUST and I wanted to avoid 10+ hrs of layover at Delhi Airport in current scenario.
PUNE - DELHI
1. The D-day arrived and try as I might I could not get my check-in bags anywhere close to 23kgs (I was carrying 10 days worth of food) finally I mentally prepared myself to pay for extra luggage just in case AI asks for it since each of my check-in bags weighed 25kgs and my cabin baggage weighed 20 kg (8 kg cabin and LAPTOP bag). I carried 3 bottles of 100 ml hand sanitizer in cabin bag and another 2 in my pocket. I also carried food for my 6 hrs layover at DELHI and during my next flight in cabin baggage and it was allowed without any hitch.
2. I reached Pune Airport around 2 hrs before my scheduled domestic flight. I had downloaded and filled Arogya Setu App since they don't allow you to enter airport without it. On reaching the airport I took my boarding pass from the Vistara Counter located opposite GATE 1. Airport officials weren't allowing anyone to enter the airport without boarding pass and the app. After entering the airport I straight-way went to Visatara Counter to pay for extra baggage. Vistara charges 8054 INR for extra bag. On checking in my luggage I proceeded to security it went pretty smooth. I saw many people carrying food bags to be had either in flight or after landing. At boarding each person was given a face-shield, mask and hand sanitizer. The flight was flying at 40-50% capacity so proper social distancing was followed.
3. Flight took off around 1:40 PM and landed in DELHI around 3:30 PM, by 4:15 PM i got my luggage and was waiting for international flight check-in to start.
LAYOVER AT DELHI
1. Layover at Delhi was about 7 hrs (check-in for Toronto flight starts @ 8:30 PM). I brought all the forms to be filled with me so that i can fill them during this layover both for AI and Canadian Customs.
2. I ate the food I carried with me and also had coffee at Starbucks (open 24*7) thanks to Vistara boarding pass.
3. By 7:30 PM I was all set to check-in for my DELHI - TORONTO flight. I exited the arrivals section and again re-entered through departures. You have to exit and re-enter since internal connections aren't allowed currently. Keep all your forms ready because this(Departures) is where they will check which forms you are carrying with you and if missing they will give you the required forms. Thankfully I had filled all the forms but currently only INDEMNITY FORM is needed self declaration is not required anymore as per AI. Better to carry all the forms you don't know when AI will change their rules.
DELHI - TORONTO
1. I showed my Visa and COPR to the guy checking the documents along with my indemnity form. He signed on the back of the form and directed me to baggage check-in counter.
2. The guy at the baggage counter gave me little trouble. He was perfectly okay with 50 kgs of check-in baggage even though allowed limit was 46 kgs. He then asked me put my cabin bag and laptop bag on weight scale to check the total weigh and voila my cabin baggage was around 19.5 kg. He asked me to transfer some of my stuff from cabin bag to check-in so that cabin luggage doesn't exceed 12kgs and he told me to pay 130 USD because then my check-in bag will be around 32 kgs However, I told him that the extra weigh was due to DSLR camera (3 kgs) and food items which will be eaten in flight. At first he didn't get convinced but later on he allowed me to carry everything the way it was without paying single penny.
3. The security and immigration at DELHI airport went pretty smooth. I was hardly asked anything at immigration the guy just stamped my passport and gave it back. Once everything was done I proceeded to boarding area to wait for boarding to begin.
4. I utilized the waiting time by having my food and another visit to starbucks.
5. Before boarding everyone will be given a face-shield, mask and 5 sachets of hand sanitizer. Middle seat people are given PPE kit. Food is prepacked and kept on each seats and cabin crew is rarity in AI flights. They will be seen only during take-off and before landing.
6. Flight itself was okay. I didn't touch the food given by AI. I had my own food before boarding the plane and since I slept for majority of flight I was okay. Most interesting part someone literally stole my food packets given by AI
. No complaints there atleast someone was happy having that food.
LANDING AT TORONTO
AI crews gives you the customs forms and quarantine form to filled and presented at first counter after landing.
1. AI flight landed @ 7:50 AM.
2. Though immigration is very smooth process for COPR holders. Currently there is high influx of international students from India hence immigration takes anywhere between 1-3 hrs. IT took me about 1.5 hr to get COPR stamped.
3. Once your COPR is stamped you come outside gather your check-in baggage and if you have any good to follows proceed to customs counter which is on the right hand side for Terminal 1.
4. Once you come out from arrivals there is a CHATR shop if anyone wants to get Canadian Phone number right on arrival. There is also Tim Hortons, 7-Eleven and Subway shops open in case someone is hungry and wants to get some food before going to quarantine. There are Roger's charging stations in case someone needs them however you will need North American Adapter to use them. International Currency Exchange (ICE) counters are available if you need to exchange USD or INR to CAD.
5. Airports Taxi's are found right outside the arrivals right before limos. Uber and Lift pickups are at Ground level Q and you have to down from arrivals.
IF anyone needs any infromation for has any questions please feel free to ask them.
After 2 months of uncertainty regarding travel plans, flight booking, transiting through different countries and many ups and down I am happy to announce that I have successfully landed in Canada. I wouldn't have been able to come this far if not for support of this forum. Special thanks to all members who shared their travel experiences.
ROUTE: PUNE - DELHI - TORONTO
AIRLINES: PUNE - DELHI (VISTARA DOMESTIC); DELHI - TORONTO (AI VBM DIRECT)
1. Finally, after waiting for so long I was able to book a direct flight to Toronto under AI VBM for 27th August. I booked Vistara for domestic journey since frankly speaking AI domestic feeder flights weren't reliable in earlier part of AUGUST and I wanted to avoid 10+ hrs of layover at Delhi Airport in current scenario.
PUNE - DELHI
1. The D-day arrived and try as I might I could not get my check-in bags anywhere close to 23kgs (I was carrying 10 days worth of food) finally I mentally prepared myself to pay for extra luggage just in case AI asks for it since each of my check-in bags weighed 25kgs and my cabin baggage weighed 20 kg (8 kg cabin and LAPTOP bag). I carried 3 bottles of 100 ml hand sanitizer in cabin bag and another 2 in my pocket. I also carried food for my 6 hrs layover at DELHI and during my next flight in cabin baggage and it was allowed without any hitch.
2. I reached Pune Airport around 2 hrs before my scheduled domestic flight. I had downloaded and filled Arogya Setu App since they don't allow you to enter airport without it. On reaching the airport I took my boarding pass from the Vistara Counter located opposite GATE 1. Airport officials weren't allowing anyone to enter the airport without boarding pass and the app. After entering the airport I straight-way went to Visatara Counter to pay for extra baggage. Vistara charges 8054 INR for extra bag. On checking in my luggage I proceeded to security it went pretty smooth. I saw many people carrying food bags to be had either in flight or after landing. At boarding each person was given a face-shield, mask and hand sanitizer. The flight was flying at 40-50% capacity so proper social distancing was followed.
3. Flight took off around 1:40 PM and landed in DELHI around 3:30 PM, by 4:15 PM i got my luggage and was waiting for international flight check-in to start.
LAYOVER AT DELHI
1. Layover at Delhi was about 7 hrs (check-in for Toronto flight starts @ 8:30 PM). I brought all the forms to be filled with me so that i can fill them during this layover both for AI and Canadian Customs.
2. I ate the food I carried with me and also had coffee at Starbucks (open 24*7) thanks to Vistara boarding pass.
3. By 7:30 PM I was all set to check-in for my DELHI - TORONTO flight. I exited the arrivals section and again re-entered through departures. You have to exit and re-enter since internal connections aren't allowed currently. Keep all your forms ready because this(Departures) is where they will check which forms you are carrying with you and if missing they will give you the required forms. Thankfully I had filled all the forms but currently only INDEMNITY FORM is needed self declaration is not required anymore as per AI. Better to carry all the forms you don't know when AI will change their rules.
DELHI - TORONTO
1. I showed my Visa and COPR to the guy checking the documents along with my indemnity form. He signed on the back of the form and directed me to baggage check-in counter.
2. The guy at the baggage counter gave me little trouble. He was perfectly okay with 50 kgs of check-in baggage even though allowed limit was 46 kgs. He then asked me put my cabin bag and laptop bag on weight scale to check the total weigh and voila my cabin baggage was around 19.5 kg. He asked me to transfer some of my stuff from cabin bag to check-in so that cabin luggage doesn't exceed 12kgs and he told me to pay 130 USD because then my check-in bag will be around 32 kgs However, I told him that the extra weigh was due to DSLR camera (3 kgs) and food items which will be eaten in flight. At first he didn't get convinced but later on he allowed me to carry everything the way it was without paying single penny.
3. The security and immigration at DELHI airport went pretty smooth. I was hardly asked anything at immigration the guy just stamped my passport and gave it back. Once everything was done I proceeded to boarding area to wait for boarding to begin.
4. I utilized the waiting time by having my food and another visit to starbucks.
5. Before boarding everyone will be given a face-shield, mask and 5 sachets of hand sanitizer. Middle seat people are given PPE kit. Food is prepacked and kept on each seats and cabin crew is rarity in AI flights. They will be seen only during take-off and before landing.
6. Flight itself was okay. I didn't touch the food given by AI. I had my own food before boarding the plane and since I slept for majority of flight I was okay. Most interesting part someone literally stole my food packets given by AI
. No complaints there atleast someone was happy having that food.LANDING AT TORONTO
AI crews gives you the customs forms and quarantine form to filled and presented at first counter after landing.
1. AI flight landed @ 7:50 AM.
2. Though immigration is very smooth process for COPR holders. Currently there is high influx of international students from India hence immigration takes anywhere between 1-3 hrs. IT took me about 1.5 hr to get COPR stamped.
3. Once your COPR is stamped you come outside gather your check-in baggage and if you have any good to follows proceed to customs counter which is on the right hand side for Terminal 1.
4. Once you come out from arrivals there is a CHATR shop if anyone wants to get Canadian Phone number right on arrival. There is also Tim Hortons, 7-Eleven and Subway shops open in case someone is hungry and wants to get some food before going to quarantine. There are Roger's charging stations in case someone needs them however you will need North American Adapter to use them. International Currency Exchange (ICE) counters are available if you need to exchange USD or INR to CAD.
5. Airports Taxi's are found right outside the arrivals right before limos. Uber and Lift pickups are at Ground level Q and you have to down from arrivals.
IF anyone needs any infromation for has any questions please feel free to ask them.
Congrats!MY LANDING EXPERIENCE:
After 2 months of uncertainty regarding travel plans, flight booking, transiting through different countries and many ups and down I am happy to announce that I have successfully landed in Canada. I wouldn't have been able to come this far if not for support of this forum. Special thanks to all members who shared their travel experiences.
ROUTE: PUNE - DELHI - TORONTO
AIRLINES: PUNE - DELHI (VISTARA DOMESTIC); DELHI - TORONTO (AI VBM DIRECT)
1. Finally, after waiting for so long I was able to book a direct flight to Toronto under AI VBM for 27th August. I booked Vistara for domestic journey since frankly speaking AI domestic feeder flights weren't reliable in earlier part of AUGUST and I wanted to avoid 10+ hrs of layover at Delhi Airport in current scenario.
PUNE - DELHI
1. The D-day arrived and try as I might I could not get my check-in bags anywhere close to 23kgs (I was carrying 10 days worth of food) finally I mentally prepared myself to pay for extra luggage just in case AI asks for it since each of my check-in bags weighed 25kgs and my cabin baggage weighed 20 kg (8 kg cabin and LAPTOP bag). I carried 3 bottles of 100 ml hand sanitizer in cabin bag and another 2 in my pocket. I also carried food for my 6 hrs layover at DELHI and during my next flight in cabin baggage and it was allowed without any hitch.
2. I reached Pune Airport around 2 hrs before my scheduled domestic flight. I had downloaded and filled Arogya Setu App since they don't allow you to enter airport without it. On reaching the airport I took my boarding pass from the Vistara Counter located opposite GATE 1. Airport officials weren't allowing anyone to enter the airport without boarding pass and the app. After entering the airport I straight-way went to Visatara Counter to pay for extra baggage. Vistara charges 8054 INR for extra bag. On checking in my luggage I proceeded to security it went pretty smooth. I saw many people carrying food bags to be had either in flight or after landing. At boarding each person was given a face-shield, mask and hand sanitizer. The flight was flying at 40-50% capacity so proper social distancing was followed.
3. Flight took off around 1:40 PM and landed in DELHI around 3:30 PM, by 4:15 PM i got my luggage and was waiting for international flight check-in to start.
LAYOVER AT DELHI
1. Layover at Delhi was about 7 hrs (check-in for Toronto flight starts @ 8:30 PM). I brought all the forms to be filled with me so that i can fill them during this layover both for AI and Canadian Customs.
2. I ate the food I carried with me and also had coffee at Starbucks (open 24*7) thanks to Vistara boarding pass.
3. By 7:30 PM I was all set to check-in for my DELHI - TORONTO flight. I exited the arrivals section and again re-entered through departures. You have to exit and re-enter since internal connections aren't allowed currently. Keep all your forms ready because this(Departures) is where they will check which forms you are carrying with you and if missing they will give you the required forms. Thankfully I had filled all the forms but currently only INDEMNITY FORM is needed self declaration is not required anymore as per AI. Better to carry all the forms you don't know when AI will change their rules.
DELHI - TORONTO
1. I showed my Visa and COPR to the guy checking the documents along with my indemnity form. He signed on the back of the form and directed me to baggage check-in counter.
2. The guy at the baggage counter gave me little trouble. He was perfectly okay with 50 kgs of check-in baggage even though allowed limit was 46 kgs. He then asked me put my cabin bag and laptop bag on weight scale to check the total weigh and voila my cabin baggage was around 19.5 kg. He asked me to transfer some of my stuff from cabin bag to check-in so that cabin luggage doesn't exceed 12kgs and he told me to pay 130 USD because then my check-in bag will be around 32 kgs However, I told him that the extra weigh was due to DSLR camera (3 kgs) and food items which will be eaten in flight. At first he didn't get convinced but later on he allowed me to carry everything the way it was without paying single penny.
3. The security and immigration at DELHI airport went pretty smooth. I was hardly asked anything at immigration the guy just stamped my passport and gave it back. Once everything was done I proceeded to boarding area to wait for boarding to begin.
4. I utilized the waiting time by having my food and another visit to starbucks.
5. Before boarding everyone will be given a face-shield, mask and 5 sachets of hand sanitizer. Middle seat people are given PPE kit. Food is prepacked and kept on each seats and cabin crew is rarity in AI flights. They will be seen only during take-off and before landing.
6. Flight itself was okay. I didn't touch the food given by AI. I had my own food before boarding the plane and since I slept for majority of flight I was okay. Most interesting part someone literally stole my food packets given by AI
LANDING AT TORONTO
AI crews gives you the customs forms and quarantine form to filled and presented at first counter after landing.
1. AI flight landed @ 7:50 AM.
2. Though immigration is very smooth process for COPR holders. Currently there is high influx of international students from India hence immigration takes anywhere between 1-3 hrs. IT took me about 1.5 hr to get COPR stamped.
3. Once your COPR is stamped you come outside gather your check-in baggage and if you have any good to follows proceed to customs counter which is on the right hand side for Terminal 1.
4. Once you come out from arrivals there is a CHATR shop if anyone wants to get Canadian Phone number right on arrival. There is also Tim Hortons, 7-Eleven and Subway shops open in case someone is hungry and wants to get some food before going to quarantine. There are Roger's charging stations in case someone needs them however you will need North American Adapter to use them. International Currency Exchange (ICE) counters are available if you need to exchange USD or INR to CAD.
5. Airports Taxi's are found right outside the arrivals right before limos. Uber and Lift pickups are at Ground level Q and you have to down from arrivals.
IF anyone needs any infromation for has any questions please feel free to ask them.
What prepacked food AI gives? Its a 14+hrs flight, do they give adequate food at all?
After sharing so many other people's landing stories, Mr. Pkhare finally shares his own.
I might add that people who are taking a connecting flight to Delhi VB flight from another city in India via Air India may have their luggage checked in directly to end destination from their origin city. And book the feeder flight and VB flight on the same PNR/e-ticket.
I don't know if in Pandemic time the lounges are open in Delhi terminal, but if they are, and you have a credit card that gives you access, go and eat some proper food to stave off hunger before your flight.
I might add that people who are taking a connecting flight to Delhi VB flight from another city in India via Air India may have their luggage checked in directly to end destination from their origin city. And book the feeder flight and VB flight on the same PNR/e-ticket.
I don't know if in Pandemic time the lounges are open in Delhi terminal, but if they are, and you have a credit card that gives you access, go and eat some proper food to stave off hunger before your flight.
Hi Congratulations on your successful landing! I wanted to know before taking your international flight what all forms were you filling at delhi airport and where did u get these formsfrom?? were they provided to you at the airport??MY LANDING EXPERIENCE:
After 2 months of uncertainty regarding travel plans, flight booking, transiting through different countries and many ups and down I am happy to announce that I have successfully landed in Canada. I wouldn't have been able to come this far if not for support of this forum. Special thanks to all members who shared their travel experiences.
ROUTE: PUNE - DELHI - TORONTO
AIRLINES: PUNE - DELHI (VISTARA DOMESTIC); DELHI - TORONTO (AI VBM DIRECT)
1. Finally, after waiting for so long I was able to book a direct flight to Toronto under AI VBM for 27th August. I booked Vistara for domestic journey since frankly speaking AI domestic feeder flights weren't reliable in earlier part of AUGUST and I wanted to avoid 10+ hrs of layover at Delhi Airport in current scenario.
PUNE - DELHI
1. The D-day arrived and try as I might I could not get my check-in bags anywhere close to 23kgs (I was carrying 10 days worth of food) finally I mentally prepared myself to pay for extra luggage just in case AI asks for it since each of my check-in bags weighed 25kgs and my cabin baggage weighed 20 kg (8 kg cabin and LAPTOP bag). I carried 3 bottles of 100 ml hand sanitizer in cabin bag and another 2 in my pocket. I also carried food for my 6 hrs layover at DELHI and during my next flight in cabin baggage and it was allowed without any hitch.
2. I reached Pune Airport around 2 hrs before my scheduled domestic flight. I had downloaded and filled Arogya Setu App since they don't allow you to enter airport without it. On reaching the airport I took my boarding pass from the Vistara Counter located opposite GATE 1. Airport officials weren't allowing anyone to enter the airport without boarding pass and the app. After entering the airport I straight-way went to Visatara Counter to pay for extra baggage. Vistara charges 8054 INR for extra bag. On checking in my luggage I proceeded to security it went pretty smooth. I saw many people carrying food bags to be had either in flight or after landing. At boarding each person was given a face-shield, mask and hand sanitizer. The flight was flying at 40-50% capacity so proper social distancing was followed.
3. Flight took off around 1:40 PM and landed in DELHI around 3:30 PM, by 4:15 PM i got my luggage and was waiting for international flight check-in to start.
LAYOVER AT DELHI
1. Layover at Delhi was about 7 hrs (check-in for Toronto flight starts @ 8:30 PM). I brought all the forms to be filled with me so that i can fill them during this layover both for AI and Canadian Customs.
2. I ate the food I carried with me and also had coffee at Starbucks (open 24*7) thanks to Vistara boarding pass.
3. By 7:30 PM I was all set to check-in for my DELHI - TORONTO flight. I exited the arrivals section and again re-entered through departures. You have to exit and re-enter since internal connections aren't allowed currently. Keep all your forms ready because this(Departures) is where they will check which forms you are carrying with you and if missing they will give you the required forms. Thankfully I had filled all the forms but currently only INDEMNITY FORM is needed self declaration is not required anymore as per AI. Better to carry all the forms you don't know when AI will change their rules.
DELHI - TORONTO
1. I showed my Visa and COPR to the guy checking the documents along with my indemnity form. He signed on the back of the form and directed me to baggage check-in counter.
2. The guy at the baggage counter gave me little trouble. He was perfectly okay with 50 kgs of check-in baggage even though allowed limit was 46 kgs. He then asked me put my cabin bag and laptop bag on weight scale to check the total weigh and voila my cabin baggage was around 19.5 kg. He asked me to transfer some of my stuff from cabin bag to check-in so that cabin luggage doesn't exceed 12kgs and he told me to pay 130 USD because then my check-in bag will be around 32 kgs However, I told him that the extra weigh was due to DSLR camera (3 kgs) and food items which will be eaten in flight. At first he didn't get convinced but later on he allowed me to carry everything the way it was without paying single penny.
3. The security and immigration at DELHI airport went pretty smooth. I was hardly asked anything at immigration the guy just stamped my passport and gave it back. Once everything was done I proceeded to boarding area to wait for boarding to begin.
4. I utilized the waiting time by having my food and another visit to starbucks.
5. Before boarding everyone will be given a face-shield, mask and 5 sachets of hand sanitizer. Middle seat people are given PPE kit. Food is prepacked and kept on each seats and cabin crew is rarity in AI flights. They will be seen only during take-off and before landing.
6. Flight itself was okay. I didn't touch the food given by AI. I had my own food before boarding the plane and since I slept for majority of flight I was okay. Most interesting part someone literally stole my food packets given by AI
LANDING AT TORONTO
AI crews gives you the customs forms and quarantine form to filled and presented at first counter after landing.
1. AI flight landed @ 7:50 AM.
2. Though immigration is very smooth process for COPR holders. Currently there is high influx of international students from India hence immigration takes anywhere between 1-3 hrs. IT took me about 1.5 hr to get COPR stamped.
3. Once your COPR is stamped you come outside gather your check-in baggage and if you have any good to follows proceed to customs counter which is on the right hand side for Terminal 1.
4. Once you come out from arrivals there is a CHATR shop if anyone wants to get Canadian Phone number right on arrival. There is also Tim Hortons, 7-Eleven and Subway shops open in case someone is hungry and wants to get some food before going to quarantine. There are Roger's charging stations in case someone needs them however you will need North American Adapter to use them. International Currency Exchange (ICE) counters are available if you need to exchange USD or INR to CAD.
5. Airports Taxi's are found right outside the arrivals right before limos. Uber and Lift pickups are at Ground level Q and you have to down from arrivals.
IF anyone needs any infromation for has any questions please feel free to ask them.
You need the following forms:
1. Indemnity form Air India
2. Self declaration form Air India (not required currently)
3. List of goods to follow ( I had already created an excel sheet at home with INR to CAD values copied it to form BSF186 and bsf186a )
4. Self declaration form Canada ... If you have arrive CAN app then don't need any to fill the form. ( I did both sorry was extra careful )
All the forms are available online so it's a matter of downloading and printing them.
There was a roll, a cheese sandwich, one juice (mango flavour), Lays and its variant and a lemonade bottle.
From the looks of it it was adequate but I doubt the quality of the food. Hence I didn't even touch it.
so ur copr was valid true???MY LANDING EXPERIENCE:
After 2 months of uncertainty regarding travel plans, flight booking, transiting through different countries and many ups and down I am happy to announce that I have successfully landed in Canada. I wouldn't have been able to come this far if not for support of this forum. Special thanks to all members who shared their travel experiences.
ROUTE: PUNE - DELHI - TORONTO
AIRLINES: PUNE - DELHI (VISTARA DOMESTIC); DELHI - TORONTO (AI VBM DIRECT)
1. Finally, after waiting for so long I was able to book a direct flight to Toronto under AI VBM for 27th August. I booked Vistara for domestic journey since frankly speaking AI domestic feeder flights weren't reliable in earlier part of AUGUST and I wanted to avoid 10+ hrs of layover at Delhi Airport in current scenario.
PUNE - DELHI
1. The D-day arrived and try as I might I could not get my check-in bags anywhere close to 23kgs (I was carrying 10 days worth of food) finally I mentally prepared myself to pay for extra luggage just in case AI asks for it since each of my check-in bags weighed 25kgs and my cabin baggage weighed 20 kg (8 kg cabin and LAPTOP bag). I carried 3 bottles of 100 ml hand sanitizer in cabin bag and another 2 in my pocket. I also carried food for my 6 hrs layover at DELHI and during my next flight in cabin baggage and it was allowed without any hitch.
2. I reached Pune Airport around 2 hrs before my scheduled domestic flight. I had downloaded and filled Arogya Setu App since they don't allow you to enter airport without it. On reaching the airport I took my boarding pass from the Vistara Counter located opposite GATE 1. Airport officials weren't allowing anyone to enter the airport without boarding pass and the app. After entering the airport I straight-way went to Visatara Counter to pay for extra baggage. Vistara charges 8054 INR for extra bag. On checking in my luggage I proceeded to security it went pretty smooth. I saw many people carrying food bags to be had either in flight or after landing. At boarding each person was given a face-shield, mask and hand sanitizer. The flight was flying at 40-50% capacity so proper social distancing was followed.
3. Flight took off around 1:40 PM and landed in DELHI around 3:30 PM, by 4:15 PM i got my luggage and was waiting for international flight check-in to start.
LAYOVER AT DELHI
1. Layover at Delhi was about 7 hrs (check-in for Toronto flight starts @ 8:30 PM). I brought all the forms to be filled with me so that i can fill them during this layover both for AI and Canadian Customs.
2. I ate the food I carried with me and also had coffee at Starbucks (open 24*7) thanks to Vistara boarding pass.
3. By 7:30 PM I was all set to check-in for my DELHI - TORONTO flight. I exited the arrivals section and again re-entered through departures. You have to exit and re-enter since internal connections aren't allowed currently. Keep all your forms ready because this(Departures) is where they will check which forms you are carrying with you and if missing they will give you the required forms. Thankfully I had filled all the forms but currently only INDEMNITY FORM is needed self declaration is not required anymore as per AI. Better to carry all the forms you don't know when AI will change their rules.
DELHI - TORONTO
1. I showed my Visa and COPR to the guy checking the documents along with my indemnity form. He signed on the back of the form and directed me to baggage check-in counter.
2. The guy at the baggage counter gave me little trouble. He was perfectly okay with 50 kgs of check-in baggage even though allowed limit was 46 kgs. He then asked me put my cabin bag and laptop bag on weight scale to check the total weigh and voila my cabin baggage was around 19.5 kg. He asked me to transfer some of my stuff from cabin bag to check-in so that cabin luggage doesn't exceed 12kgs and he told me to pay 130 USD because then my check-in bag will be around 32 kgs However, I told him that the extra weigh was due to DSLR camera (3 kgs) and food items which will be eaten in flight. At first he didn't get convinced but later on he allowed me to carry everything the way it was without paying single penny.
3. The security and immigration at DELHI airport went pretty smooth. I was hardly asked anything at immigration the guy just stamped my passport and gave it back. Once everything was done I proceeded to boarding area to wait for boarding to begin.
4. I utilized the waiting time by having my food and another visit to starbucks.
5. Before boarding everyone will be given a face-shield, mask and 5 sachets of hand sanitizer. Middle seat people are given PPE kit. Food is prepacked and kept on each seats and cabin crew is rarity in AI flights. They will be seen only during take-off and before landing.
6. Flight itself was okay. I didn't touch the food given by AI. I had my own food before boarding the plane and since I slept for majority of flight I was okay. Most interesting part someone literally stole my food packets given by AI
LANDING AT TORONTO
AI crews gives you the customs forms and quarantine form to filled and presented at first counter after landing.
1. AI flight landed @ 7:50 AM.
2. Though immigration is very smooth process for COPR holders. Currently there is high influx of international students from India hence immigration takes anywhere between 1-3 hrs. IT took me about 1.5 hr to get COPR stamped.
3. Once your COPR is stamped you come outside gather your check-in baggage and if you have any good to follows proceed to customs counter which is on the right hand side for Terminal 1.
4. Once you come out from arrivals there is a CHATR shop if anyone wants to get Canadian Phone number right on arrival. There is also Tim Hortons, 7-Eleven and Subway shops open in case someone is hungry and wants to get some food before going to quarantine. There are Roger's charging stations in case someone needs them however you will need North American Adapter to use them. International Currency Exchange (ICE) counters are available if you need to exchange USD or INR to CAD.
5. Airports Taxi's are found right outside the arrivals right before limos. Uber and Lift pickups are at Ground level Q and you have to down from arrivals.
IF anyone needs any infromation for has any questions please feel free to ask them.
Hi all,
I have a work permit stamp/authorisation letter from feb 2020 & a job offer from a verified firm in Canada.
I have booked lufthansa because VBM flights are not available for my joining date. Are they allowing work permit with job offer holders?
I check with their staff at airport they said they will check at the boarding time & can only be confirmed at that time.
Anyone with WP or auth letter recently traveled through lufthansa?
regards
Harsh
I have a work permit stamp/authorisation letter from feb 2020 & a job offer from a verified firm in Canada.
I have booked lufthansa because VBM flights are not available for my joining date. Are they allowing work permit with job offer holders?
I check with their staff at airport they said they will check at the boarding time & can only be confirmed at that time.
Anyone with WP or auth letter recently traveled through lufthansa?
regards
Harsh
Yes, he had a valid, non-expired COPR issued before 18 March.
Have your authorisation letter from IRCC and work permit ready. And also any exemption on CIC website take a printout and highlight the part. Rest all will depend on Lufthansa ground staff .
Jotting down a few things from my landing experience, hopefully useful for some..
- Star Alliance : travelled Mumbai to Delhi (AI non VBM), Delhi to Toronto (AI VBM), Toronto to Alberta (Air Canada) 3 seperate PNRs. 1) all boarding cards issued at Mumbai 2) same luggage rules as VBM flight applied for both domestic flights not paying anything extra 3) stroller, as usual, was seperate and taken to gate 4) luggage checked to Alberta but required to be picked up at Toronto and put in connections belt after passing customs. Porter available in both Mumbai / Toronto helpful if you traveling with infant.
- Layovers: Delhi - had long layover as only one mum - del Air India flight and avoiding luggage fees on other airlines. Booked IHG hotel (cheaper on IHG website vs newdelhiairport.in) good experience. Toronto - Only Maple lounge open but doesn't work with diners / priority pass. But several restaurants open (us at Boccone).
- Misc. - the 2nd / 3rd flights were busy but first row seat in Air India VBM helped a lot.
Carried disinfectant wipes and spray (90 ml Marico spray allowed on all flights). Air India seemed to have allowed people with bigger water bottles / disinfectant sprays also.
- Prepaid sim - Chatr counter on Toronto airport can give nos for any region.
If anybody recently landed / about to arrive has / can share the contact no of either staff at this outlet, it would be of help to me.
- Star Alliance : travelled Mumbai to Delhi (AI non VBM), Delhi to Toronto (AI VBM), Toronto to Alberta (Air Canada) 3 seperate PNRs. 1) all boarding cards issued at Mumbai 2) same luggage rules as VBM flight applied for both domestic flights not paying anything extra 3) stroller, as usual, was seperate and taken to gate 4) luggage checked to Alberta but required to be picked up at Toronto and put in connections belt after passing customs. Porter available in both Mumbai / Toronto helpful if you traveling with infant.
- Layovers: Delhi - had long layover as only one mum - del Air India flight and avoiding luggage fees on other airlines. Booked IHG hotel (cheaper on IHG website vs newdelhiairport.in) good experience. Toronto - Only Maple lounge open but doesn't work with diners / priority pass. But several restaurants open (us at Boccone).
- Misc. - the 2nd / 3rd flights were busy but first row seat in Air India VBM helped a lot.
Carried disinfectant wipes and spray (90 ml Marico spray allowed on all flights). Air India seemed to have allowed people with bigger water bottles / disinfectant sprays also.
- Prepaid sim - Chatr counter on Toronto airport can give nos for any region.
If anybody recently landed / about to arrive has / can share the contact no of either staff at this outlet, it would be of help to me.