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Delhi to London

Delhi to London Air India flight experience 3rd Feb 2018

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So finally, I am going from Delhi to London by Air India Flight on 3rd Feb 2018. Going to London again after Aug 2017 last year. This blog post is my experience of travelling from Delhi to London via Air India Flight. These are my honest views and experiences that I would like to share with you all the viewers and readers of the blog.

Planning and Booking Delhi to London Air India Flight

Last year I took an Emirates flight, it was awesome. This time I looked at booking flights via the MakeMyTrip website. Was looking for a cheap flight from Delhi to London this time, as was running low on budget, but as usual high on spirits. The plan was to get a morning flight from Delhi and arrive around the evening in London so that he could get his work done and come to pick me up at the airport. As per my criteria, I started looking and looked at no other website but MakeMyTrip, because I like this website, have travelled a lot locally within India and booked hotels and flights in the past. So finally I got a good deal and booked an Air India Flight.

Inside Indira Gandhi International Airport Terminal 3
Inside Indira Gandhi International Airport Terminal 3

Check-in and Boarding Experience

Checked in time, and boarded the Air India aircraft number AI – 111 from Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport Terminal 3. The flight took off like 20 minutes late. Sat in an Air India Flight after a very long time I would say after 2 years or so. The plane which I boarded this time was a Dreamliner Boeing 787-8. The flight started about 20 Mins late. That was all right really. I got my seat which was 16J and had no issues in boarding. All fine sat down. The flight was full and had a noisy crowd I would say.

Entertainment and Food On-Board

Opened up the Entertainment screen in front of me. And to my surprise, all the Hollywood movies were dated like I wasn’t more than a year old. I was disappointed by the fact that they had no new movies to offer. I already started comparing my experience with my last flight with Emirates. And then the snack time came. I generally drink red wine, or sparkling water while on the journey. So I asked for the usual red wine. And they didn’t have any. So they gave me the white whine instead. I was feeling utterly disappointed already by two experiences and was hoping the food would be good, as the last time when I flew with Air India, I remembered I had a good meal. Which was the reason I booked the flight with Air India again.

Main Course Meal in Air India AI-111 Flight
Main Course Meal in Air India AI-111 Flight

The food was average, I mean for the price just below this I was getting an Emirates flight, the only reason I didn’t book Emirates this time, was that it was not a direct flight and I wanted to reach London without any journey breaks. If I had known that the service and the standards would be so down in Air India this time, I wouldn’t have booked the flight with Air India in the first place. But there you go, this is the experience I had with them. And probably the last time I am going with them, Anyway, the tea time came and the shadiness continued, with cheap plastics replacing good quality stainless steel cutlery. They gave chocolate and a cheese-stuffed croissant, with cheap plastics all around.

Tea time in Air India AI-111
Tea time in Air India AI-111

Air India Delhi to London flight duration

It was a 9-hour and 40-minute flight, it was super boring and had no good movies to watch. Overall I had been disappointed with Air India’s International flight service from Delhi to London. I don’t think I am planning to fly with Air India any time shortly. Well if you are looking for a direct cheap flight from Delhi to London, where you are least bothered with infotainment available on the flight and don’t care about the service, not sure why you fly with Air India. There are better options in the market like British Airways, Jet Airways, and Virgin Atlantic.

Delhi to London on flight information screen, Air India AI-111
Delhi to London on the flight information screen, Air India AI-111

You can check out and plan your Delhi to London tour here by clicking on the link below:

Book your Delhi to London Tour

You can also check my previous travelling experience with Air India Flight A111

Delhi to London Tour Packages

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Are you looking for Delhi to London tour packages? Look no further. We have got you covered here by sharing all the London tour package information you will need to plan your most memorable London tour. London attracts a large number of tourists from Delhi, India. In this post, we have compiled information on the best-selling tour packages from Delhi to London and also outlined travel planning tips from Delhi to London.

Why do Delhihites love Traveling to London? 

Delhi is the capital city of India. One of the most densely populated cities in South Asia. Delhi is the centre of politics, central government, and headquarters for many businesses. It is also the 3rd wealthiest city in India. Many immigrants from neighbouring states and cities come to Delhi to work and improve their lives. This makes Delhi rather a city of high disposable income. Many people like to travel to different and exotic destinations. Outbound tourism has been increasing fivefold in the past few years. Travellers from Delhi travel to London every year for various purposes of tourism, education business etc.

The distance between Delhi to London is a staggering 4,174 miles by air and 5,700 miles by road. We are pretty sure that people going to London from Delhi by road will be almost nil (only the most adventurous dare). If you plan to travel to London from Delhi, It will be obvious you will plan to travel by air. And there are many good options available. You can either choose to take a direct flight to London or take an indirect flight, which involves from 1 stop to up to 3 stops. You can take a flight to London from Delhi Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport. You can take a nonstop flight to 2 London airports which are London Heathrow Airport and the other is London Gatwick. The time taken for a nonstop flight from Delhi to London takes about 9 hours (this may differ from flight to flight). The nonstop flights with usually 2 stops take about 12-15 hours, again depending on the airline to the airline.

Delhi to London Flights

We suggest travellers book their air tickets well in advance. An average air ticket price for Delhi to London flights starts from a minimum of 55,000 INR and goes up to 80,000 INR for some airlines. If you are lucky, you might as well get a tad cheaper. But as inflation has risen, so is the fuel value. Air ticket prices have risen alarmingly. You can book your air tickets from the likes of Air India, Jet Airways, Virgin Atlantic, Air Vistara, British Airways, Air France, Lufthansa, Emirates, Gulf Air and Etihad Airways to name a few prominent ones. If you are looking for flight + Hotel deals, you can book your tickets from the Makemytrip, Cleartrip website.

book Delhi to London flights with Air India
Book Delhi to London flights with Air India

When you plan your London tour, make sure you have a visa, travel insurance, hotel booking, and all necessary arrangements. For London local site seeing, tour guides, family guides, kid family bur trips, walking tours and private tours you can have a look at our Tours Section. There you will be able to find all types of London tour packages. We can also help you with your Airport pickups, and private transfers.

We have partnered with Skyscanner to help you find the best deals on Delhi to London flights. Search below for the best flight offers:

 

Visa for Delhi to London

Tourists from Delhi who wish to travel to London will require a visa. You can hassle-free apply online for your visa application.

UK Visa Application Types:

The following are the type of visas offered by the British embassy:

Standard Visitor visa – for the UK, Isle of Man, Jersey and Guernsey:

Visa types

Visa application fee (INR)
Short-term (up to 6 months, single or multiple entry) 9,944
Longer-term (valid for up to 2 years) 37,389
Longer-term (valid for up to 5 years) 66,623
Longer-term (valid for up to 10 years) 83,229
Visiting academic – more than 6 months up to 12 months 19,888
Marriage visitor visa 9,944
Permitted paid engagement visa 9,944
Private medical treatment – more than six months up to 11 months 19,888
Visit the UK in a Chinese tour group (the UK only) 9,944

Short-term study visa:

Visa types

Visa application fee (INR)
Short-term student studying English language for more than 6 months but not more than 11 months 19,888

Transit Visa:

Visa types

Visa application fee (INR)
Direct Airside Transit (DATV) 3,480
Visitor in Transit visa 6,364
Visit purpose of joining a ship or aircraft as a member of the crew of that ship or aircraft (fee also applies to the Isle of Man) 6,364

Parents of children at school Visa:

Visa types

Visa application fee (INR)
Parent of a Student child visa (up to 12 months) (Tier 4 Isle of Man) 52,802

Child Visitors:

Visa types

Visa application fee (INR)
Short-term (up to 6 months, single or multiple entry) 9,944
Longer-term (valid for up to 2 years) 37,389
Longer-term (valid for up to 5 years) 66,623
Longer-term (valid for up to 10 years) 83,229

Following is the Visa application process:

  1. Research – Please visit the UK Visas and Immigration (GOV.UK) website to check what type of visa you should apply for, and the documents that you will need in order to complete this. Each visa type requires different documentation, so check your visa type carefully. If your documents are not in English, you may need to get translations prepared before applying.
  2. Apply – Once you are ready to apply, return to the UK Visas and Immigration (GOV.UK) website to apply for your visa.
  3. Pay your fees – To complete your application on GOV.UK, you’ll need to pay for your visa, and for the healthcare surcharge, if applicable. Once you’ve paid your fees, you’ll be given a reference number that starts with GWF. Please make a note of this, as it will be helpful should you need to make any amendments to your visa application or appointment.
  4. Book an appointment – Once you’ve completed and paid for your visa application on GOV.UK, you’ll be directed to the VFS Global website to book an appointment at a Visa Application Centre, so your biometric data (fingerprints and photograph) can be captured. You’ll also have the opportunity to select additional, optional services from VFS Global, designed to make your application process faster, easier or simply more relaxed.
  5. Upload your supporting documents – You can submit all the documents required to support your application online, from the comfort of your home, school or office; meaning you can keep valuable documents with you. Read our guidelines for supporting documents. If you don’t have a scanner available or would just like some help with this, we can scan your documents at the Visa Application Centre with our Document Scanning Assistance option. In most cases, a fee applies for this service.
  6. Visit the visa application centre – You must attend the appointment for your visa application. You cannot send someone to your place. Please read our guidelines for attending the Visa Application Centre. Following is the address that you will have to go to VFS Global Services Pvt. Ltd.Mezzanine Floor, Baba Kadak Singh Marg, Shivaji Stadium Metro Station, Connaught Place, New Delhi 110001, India

7. Track your application – You’ll receive an email update when your decision has been returned to the Visa Application Centre. If you can’t access email easily or would like more detailed tracking information, you can also choose to get updates by SMS directly to your phone. You’ll have to check whether this service is available at the Visa Application Centre you are visiting. You’ll need to pay a fee for this service. 8. Collect your passport – After a visa application decision has been made, you can pick up your documents from the visa application centre or your documents will be returned to you by courier. For some Visa Application Centres, your documents will only be returned via courier (included in the visa centre fee), for other centres the courier option is a paid-for service. Collecting your documents in person; bring the receipt issued by the Visa Application Centre and a form of Government identification. Please check with the Visa Application Centre at the time of appointment for the options available to collect your documents.

Best London tour packages for tourists travelling from Delhi, India:

We have listed some hand-picked London tours we enjoyed ourselves and we hope you will like them too. If not checkout our tours section here.

1. Royal High Tea at Kensington Palace Tour

Experience the original Royal High Tea at Kensington Palace tour. Enjoy traditional sandwiches, cakes & scones on the grounds of the Palace by the Diana Statue.

royal high tea at kensington palace tour
Royal High Tea at Kensington Palace Tour

BOOK AFTERNOON TEA

2. Warner Bros. Studio: The Making of Harry Potter with Luxury Round-Trip Transport from London

Step into the mystical world of Harry Potter™ with a behind-the-scenes visit to Warner Bros. Studio London. With luxury round-trip transport from London Victoria to the north London studios included, this 7-hour experience enables you to discover the magic of the Harry Potter films without any hassle.
 
warner bros studio the making of harry potter with luxury round trip in London
warner bros studio the Making of harry potter with a Luxury round trip to London

BOOK MAKING OF HARRY POTTER TOUR

3. Sherlock Holmes Official Live Escape Room Game

Sherlock Holmes Official Live Escape Room Game is a cinematic adventure that combines the unique world of Sherlock with the very best of escape games. This is the perfect pick for fans of the TV series ‘Sherlock’.

Sherlock Holmes Official Escape Room Game
Sherlock Holmes Official Escape Room Game

BOOK NOW

4. London Eye Ticket with Fast-Track Option

Fast track option for a perfect Lastminute London Eye experience! With fast-track entry for your standard flight in a shared pod, you get to skip the majority of the queue.

London Eye Pod from outside
London Eye Pod from outside

BOOK NOW

In case you are unable to find the right tour package for yourself you can browse our tours section to see more existing London tour packages.

SEE ALL LONDON TOURS

Delhi to London Jet Airways flight 0122 review

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Travelling to London is always a joy. I have been to London more than any other destination abroad in my entire life. There are many reasons for it, firstly I did my masters from there back in 2006 and then worked there for a couple of years and then went there for tourism and to see my dad. There is something that attracts me to go there often. This time I went there on a business visit. And was looking for a change, I have travelled quite many times from Emirates and Air India. I have travelled with Jet Airways in the past only once and this was my second time. The last time my experience with Jet Airways was back in 2008 was kind of mixed, they had a small entertainment screen and the cutlery was pretty good compared to Virgin Atlantic and Air India. So I booked my Delhi to London flight tickets with Jet Airways, mind you they are more expensive than any Air India flight and Virgin Atlantic flight. So they must give a class service and the meals should be not only satisfactory in portion but in quality too. I know quantity and quality are quite a task to go hand in hand. But then they do charge a premium even on economy class tickets.

jet airways flight 0122 on board meal
Jet Airways Flight 0122 onboard non-veg mean consisting of chicken curry, rice, and roti.

Inside the Jet Airways Flight 0122

I sat humbled and tired in my seat and I felt that the flight departure time will be delayed, and yes the flight moved almost half an hour late. I shall rather say clearly that the meal on the flight was much better than the meal served on Air India. The air hostess was friendly and the entertainment system on board was satisfactory as compared to my last experience. I asked for a low-salt meal when I was checking in and this was well kept in mind when I was served. These are small things, which make a huge difference when giving a nice customer experience. The best surprise was the midnight ice cream which they distributed to everyone. I simply loved having those yummy chocolate ice creams.

USB ports missing on the Economy class seats

Also another small thing worth mentioning, the only thing which I missed Jet Airways should take care of was the USB porta Charging point. To my surprise, there were no USB Charging points available neither near the screen or around the seat. When I asked the air hostess she said me that they don’t have USB points but they can give me universal plugs, which can be used to charge my iPhone under the seat. I must tell you it was not convenient at all but then at least they are courteous enough to lend me the plug so that I could charge my phone. Jet Airways if you are reading this blog post, please in the future make sure you have USB support available for the passengers. Emirates supports USB and is having it next to each screen.

view of London city from jet airways flight 0122
View of London City from Jet Airways flight 0122

Delhi to London flight duration

The flight from Delhi to London took 9 hours and 15 mins. I would recommend people fly with Jet Airways over Air India. Surely I have had enough of horrible service from them. Jet Airways is a better airline than Air India. But then you also have 5-star airlines in Emirates who just outclass Jet Airways in all departments. Perhaps I shall write about my experience travelling with Emirates in my next blog post.

Delhi to London Air India Flight A111

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I travelled to London almost after 1 year. I always would go to online travel agent’s websites and book the cheapest flights(Indian thing:)). This time I took Delhi to London Air India flight A111. Travelling from Air India flights for quite a while, the reason being the cheapest flight to London was Air India and Jet Airways had been expensive. As far as I remember I had decent experience travelling with this airline in the past. The food has been good, the service was decent too in the past. This time it was slightly different, or I should rather say, I was not satisfied with the service I was offered and experienced on Air India Flight A111.

Last year I visited London in May-June 2013 and used Emirates Air Line. This time Air India flight was supposed to take off by 2.05 pm, but it took more than expected time to even get pulled out from the airport to the runway. we started moving at 2.45 pm.

Delhi to London Air India In-flight Service

Now comes the service inside the plane. I opted for a vegetarian menu this time (even though I am not a strict vegetarian) The food was average, the reason being, we were not offered any bread and only rice with one dal and vegetable dish is not what you will expect for a price you pay for the travel.

After Lunch meal service

After lunch, I asked for some tea and water service, but absolutely no one came back to me and I waited for more than 30 mins. Then I saw old people gathering around the kitchen area at the back of the plane, and I went there to see to my surprise that they all were taking off the juices and peanuts from the boxes, without any restrictions. I don’t know how to say this but all in all, I didn’t like the way the travellers were offered the drinks and the service was not up to the standards. There were no air hostesses interfering with what the other passengers doing by themselves in the pantry area.

Emirates on the other hand, with which I have travelled a lot is much better than Air India recently. The Air hostesses are much nicer, and the service is top-class. There is a long way for Air India to reach the benchmark 5-star airlines have set.

I personally cannot suggest that Air India is bad. All I am sharing above is what I saw in the aircraft while I was aboard. In case you have had a bad experience, I am more than happy to hear your views. You can either comment or directly reach out to us from the contact us page.

Check out our Delhi to London tour package page for you to place your travel from Delhi to London.