what to expect in indian airports

India is huge. It has 27 states. So, if you plan to see more than one state, you may have to fly to get from point A to point B. (You could also take the train but that usually means traveling a minimum of eight hours.) If you have to fly, expect a little bit of craziness. The more you know, the better prepared you’ll be. So expect the following at Indian airports:

Travelers trying to get in to 
the Goa Airport.

1.  Get yourself to the airport with plenty of time to spare. When Mr. Sazy Rock and I flew from Goa to Cochin, there was a crowd outside the airport with no identifiable line. It looked like a mob scene. Imagine hundreds of people with all manners of luggage and luggage carts trying to get through one door. It wasn’t fun. The only reason we made it on time was because Mr. SR insisted on leaving Candolim for the Goa airport three hours before our flight. (I know!)

2.  Print your itinerary and, if available, your boarding pass too. Don't wait to print your itinerary or boarding pass (if available online) at the airport. In order for you to get in to the airport, you need to show an airport employee a copy of your itinerary and/or boarding pass. But, don’t put those things away yet.  You will be asked to show them over and over again. In almost all our in-country flights and when we left India, we had to show those documents:

• To an airport employee to enter the airport; 
• To an airport employee to get to the check-in counter;
• To an airline employee at the check-in counter;
• To an immigration officer (for international flights);
• To an employee (after the immigration counter), who checked that we received a stamp;
• To a security employee at the security gate who also stamped our carry-on luggage tags;
• To a security employee prior to going through the metal detectors;
• To a security employee, who performed an individual metal scan;
• To an airline employee to enter the gate area;
• To a security employee prior to boarding – they also checked if our carry-on luggage tags were stamped; 
• To an airline employee, who tore our boarding pass and handed us our boarding pass stub;
• To an airline employee prior to entering the plane.

3.  If you are transiting (e.g., a layover), be prepared to go through security again.

4.  For the most part, the airports are nice.  For example, if you fly into or out of Bangalore, you'll find that it is modern, clean and comfortable.  I thought it looked much better than some US airports (I’m looking at you LAX Terminals 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7).

Even with all that craziness, is it worth it to travel by air within India? Absolutely, especially if you don't have the luxury of allotting at least eight hours (and likely more) to get from one state to another through other modes of transportation. So now that you’re prepared to tackle Indian airports, go plan your itinerary and enjoy the country.

What has been your experience with Indian airports?