Traveling to USA - Few Questions

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jituthejeet

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Friends - I did not get proper answers on google so tried to post it here and see if someone can help me out.

I will be traveling to Columbus, Ohio and the travel agent has booked this ticket.

Ahmedabad -> Mumbai (Jetairways)
Mumbai -> Newark (United)
Newark -> Columbus (United)

Now my question is:
1) My first flight will be domestic so will they allow 2 piece (23 Kg each) baggage as I have a connecting international flight?
2) Once I check-in my baggage at Ahmedabad airport - Do I need to again get it at Mumbai airport or I can do through check-in and get it at Newark airport (my first port of entry)?
3) Immigration check will be done at Mumbai or Ahmedabad?

Appreciate your inputs. Thanks!!
 
jituthejeet said:
1) My first flight will be domestic so will they allow 2 piece (23 Kg each) baggage as I have a connecting international flight?
2) Once I check-in my baggage at Ahmedabad airport - Do I need to again get it at Mumbai airport or I can do through check-in and get it at Newark airport (my first port of entry)?
3) Immigration check will be done at Mumbai or Ahmedabad?
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2) You will have to collect your luggage in Mumbai and check in again with United (Jet used to provide through check-in long ago for some airlines, not sure if they do now. I would say, don't bother.)

3) Mumbai. Your AMD-MUM is like any other domestic flight. Emigration procedure will be done when you start the international leg of your journey.

Enjoy your trip.
 
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Same as above. In all probability, you will have to check out and check in the baggages again at Mumbai.

What bothers me more is your connecting flight at US. To my knowledge, US domestic flights do not have so much baggage allowances as you get on an international flight. In fact, IIRC, domestic US airlines charge for every piece of checked in luggage. Only cabin baggages are free. You might need to pay for check in baggage for the 3rd leg of your journey. Please verify and be prepared beforehand to avoid unpleasant surprises.
 
1.
You can carry two piece of luggages, 23kg each, but you would have to pay extra, domestic carriage limits it to 20kgs only per person, you would have to pay the extra i.e. nearly 23-25kgs, considering they charge anywhere between Rs.500-Rs.800 per kg ; they are quiet stiff these days! Find a fellow passenger in the same queue who can help you, request someone, mostly there will be people travelling light; send one bag in his boarding card and another one in yours. But make sure you pull out the sticker from his boarding card just immediately after you leave the check in counter and before security check! Just call and confirm with JetAir, as to what is the domestic allowance, cos recently I heard it was reduced to 15Kgs per person.

2.
JetAir will land in the domestic terminal, from there you have to go to the international terminal. Probably take a Rick/Taxi/Bus.
Once you reach the international terminal, check which terminal is United in, its mostly Ter 2, I guess, not sure though. Accordingly off load, and enter the terminal.
Find the United check in counter and check your baggages, sometime they might ask you to screen the luggage.
United allows only a single piece of check in luggage, have you confirmed this?

3.
Immigration is done only for international flights, but security check are done for all flights, domestic as well as international!
 
logistopath said:
What bothers me more is your connecting flight at US. To my knowledge, US domestic flights do not have so much baggage allowances as you get on an international flight. In fact, IIRC, domestic US airlines charge for every piece of checked in luggage. Only cabin baggages are free. You might need to pay for check in baggage for the 3rd leg of your journey. Please verify and be prepared beforehand to avoid unpleasant surprises.
Click to expand...

I flied once with Cathay Pacific till Chicago and then Chicago to Cleveland in a domestic flight through US Airways. I had to collect my bags and deposit again. No extra charges
 
jituthejeet said:
Friends - I did not get proper answers on google so tried to post it here and see if someone can help me out.

I will be traveling to Columbus, Ohio and the travel agent has booked this ticket.

Ahmedabad -> Mumbai (Jetairways)
Mumbai -> Newark (United)
Newark -> Columbus (United)

Now my question is:
1) My first flight will be domestic so will they allow 2 piece (23 Kg each) baggage as I have a connecting international flight?
2) Once I check-in my baggage at Ahmedabad airport - Do I need to again get it at Mumbai airport or I can do through check-in and get it at Newark airport (my first port of entry)?
3) Immigration check will be done at Mumbai or Ahmedabad?

Appreciate your inputs. Thanks!!
Click to expand...

1. Its a normal domestic flight. 2 years back it was 1 bag with 15Kg free and the rest paid. No second bags allowed. That was Air India. So please check with the actual provider. Call em.
2. Yes. Mumbai is where your International Leg starts. You need to get your bags and take it to United Counter. And get the bags again at Newark. But since your domestic is also United. Please ask the desk at the Mumbai airport Itself. I have been in a Delta from Amsterdam to Atlanta to Denver and the bags were routed till Denver. So again, please ask and confirm at the desk. You can ask em any amount of questions till you are clear. No need to be ashamed.
3. Mumbai.
 
Thanks guys for respone.

I got response from my travel desk and they mentioned that I will be allowed 23KG + 23KG per passenger in Jet as I have a connecting international flight.

They told I will be given option of through check-in in which I need to collect baggage at Newark.

Yes, immigration will be done at Mumbai.
 
Usually at Newark you literally lift off one belt and place on another. I did that for Delhi T3---Newark---DC. Just ask thoroughly when checking in at Bombay, when your international circuit begins. They should honor international baggage quota for Newark onwards too.

And please do not check - in money. Carry it all yourself. :). Enjoy the land of freedom and dreams.....!
 
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@jituthejeet

Hey I am also traveling soon and will be like 75 Miles from you in Sidney, OH (small town compared to Columbus). But well connected and within 75 Miles to Columbus and Cincinnati and 40 Miles to Dayton.
Check with United if they will through check in till Columbus but don't count on it. You will need to pickup the bags at Newark and go to Domestic desk and get checked in again. You won't be charged anything extra as you have a through ticket (mostly).
I have earlier traveled BOM - LHR - IAD - DFW and the IAD-DFW was American Airlines (rest was British Airways) and my bags went fine without any weight issues.
I was carrying 23Kg+23Kg+Carry On +Laptop Bag (which was actually stuffed with lot more things than a laptop).
Also is United giving you 23 Kgs x 2 allowance ? Because when I checked their website, I saw only 1 piece 23 Kgs allowed.

In my case, I will need to have final destination as Dayton as that is nearest to my location in Sidney and getting Taxi from Columbus / Cincinnati to Sidney would probably be impossible.

Also if you are traveling for the first time to US, let me tell that you would have to shell out $5 for the cart at the airport mostly. I know it depends a lot on airport but I had to do that on DFW airport. And worst part, the machine gobbled up my $1 x 5 coins and did not even dispense the cart. So then I used my Indian credit card to get the cart. So if credit card option is there, use that preferably (IMO). Else carry coins/cash for the cart. You may find stray carts here and there but don't go with that assumption.


Others... Is 2.5 Hours stopover at Newark sufficient to complete immigration and catch a connecting domestic flight. I don't know my travel dates yet but when I checked for random travel dates in future, one option came as BOM-EWR-DAY with 2.5 Hour layover. Almost all other options for me involve 2 stop-overs.
 
his trip is arranged by the company he is working for. they get different packages at different rates. moreover, his company knows that he'll staying for long, so booked the ticket with 2 check-in bags.

usually it's 1 check-in bag, 1 carry-on and a hand item for economy class.
 
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Earlier I traveled via Qatar and my assignment was Denver.

In my present itinerary it shows 2 bags (23 KG each) per customer and $0 charge so I guess it should be fine.

At EWR my layover is around 3 hrs and the connecting domestic flight is operated by United only so I guess it should be fine.
 
jituthejeet said:
At EWR my layover is around 3 hrs and the connecting domestic flight is operated by United only so I guess it should be fine.
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it's not because of the same operator. when travelling international, the "connecting" domestic operators have to honor the international baggage allowance. same should happen in india.
 
Criminal said:
his trip is arranged by the company he is working for. they get different packages at different rates. moreover, his company knows that he'll staying for long, so booked the ticket with 2 check-in bags.

usually it's 1 check-in bag, 1 carry-on and a hand item for economy class.
Click to expand...

Oh that way. I was asking because I am also getting options of United from Mumbai to EWR and since I saw only 1 piece allowed on United, I was concerned. If I get 2 Pieces then it would be great. Not sure what the policy for Infant baggage allowance. British, Etihad and Delta allow 23 Kgs single bag for the infant as well.
United is the only option for me if I want to have only one stop (but a super long BOM-EWR flight). All others are at least 2 stops.
I am ok if United allows me 23x2+1 carry on and 1 hand item.
Still not sure whether 2.5 Hours layover at EWR is fine or not for connecting to domestic flight (including immigration).

All depends on the date when I travel, fare on that day as my company tends to offer me the cheapest flight only always.
 
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