Route question-travelling to Hyderabad

Hi to all the gurus!

I may have to make a business trip to Hyderabad in November. There are no direct flights from the UK, and since I'd like to go with VS if possible (i.e. get the VS350 to BOM), I was wondering about transfers and internal flights from Mumbai to Hyderabad. Which Indian carrier is best, and what's transfer/facilities like for domestic? Otherwise I may have to go Emirates via DXB or Lufthansa from Frankfurt.

Anyone have experience of Hyderabad travel?

Originally posted by SteveE
Hi to all the gurus!

I may have to make a business trip to Hyderabad in November. There are no direct flights from the UK, and since I'd like to go with VS if possible (i.e. get the VS350 to BOM), I was wondering about transfers and internal flights from Mumbai to Hyderabad. Which Indian carrier is best, and what's transfer/facilities like for domestic? Otherwise I may have to go Emirates via DXB or Lufthansa from Frankfurt.

Anyone have experience of Hyderabad travel?

I've only done Hyderabad->London via Delhi. Flying out, I'm usually going to Bangalore. I always fly via Delhi as the airport there is better than Mumbai (so they tell me). Coming back via Delhi is recommended if you have lounge access as I don't believe there is a lounge for VS use in Mumbai airport.

For internal flights, I recommend Jet Airways, as do many other people. They have a large network and do fly between Delhi and Hyderabad. I've never had any problem with then, other than the usual delays which seem to affect almost all internal flights in India.

Changing terminals in Delhi can take time and I would not accept an itinerary which does not allow at least 3h, preferably 4 to do this. Can't speak for Mumbai. That said, last time I transferred in Delhi it only took 20 mins (after taking over 2h the previous time!)

Hope this helps
Chris

Steve

I do this often and always on Emirates unfortunately. I find that the Virgin journey is too long via Mumbai with a potentially long connection wait say if you fly Jet to Hyderabad (my recommendation) since the next connecting jet flight leaves 5 hours after VS is scheduled to land.

Emirate from Gatwick departs noon, arrives Dubai midnight and connects at 4 a.m. to land in HYD at 9 a.m. local. So the downside is the midnight connection, but you're only 8 p.m. UK time so it's not so bad.

The other upside is that Emirates business return across four legs is often the same price as PE on Virgin without the added internal flight - they do chauffered cars, the Gatwick lounge is lovely, if you get a new 777 with their AVOD its good, but not as good as VS - I did a TR about one of these flights recently ...

S

Fly via BOM - you get a few more airmiles that way!

I always route through BOM to and from BLR. Your best bet for an internal airline is Jet or Kingfisher (in that order).

Like Slinky I've done this route before, always on Emirates. However colleagues have also used Qatar & Etihad (choice of LHR or LGW) and say they were excellent. I've done Qatar business class to DXB via DOH, must say they're the best airline I've ever flown with - sorry VS!