| Username |
Post |
| aRt |
Posted
on 07-Apr-04 07:27 AM
Anyone travelled in Gulf Air? I haven't come across anyone who's used it. Just want to make sure it's not crappy like Indian Air or PIA.
It's usually the cheapest airline to go transatlantic.
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| bideshi |
Posted
on 07-Apr-04 08:47 AM
hi Where did u buy your ticket?
I've to buy my ticket too.It 'll cost around 1200+tax to go by pacific or thai airways.Is it cheaper than this?If so please let me know where u got your ticket from?I'll appreciate.Thankyou
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| aRt |
Posted
on 07-Apr-04 09:00 AM
Bideshi,
It might not be cheaper than Cathay, but usually it is less flight time. I don't know the quality of service though.
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| jaya_nepal |
Posted
on 07-Apr-04 09:51 AM
Guys.. Try flying Austrian Air. It goes directly to Ktm with a stop over in Vienna - Austria. Change a flight and then another couple of hourse stopover in Delhi. But you need not come out at Delhi Airport. This Airlines has good deals for Nepal. Havent used yet.. but next time, I am planning to fly Austrian Air.
Another cheap option is to take Kuwait Air to Delhi or Mumbai and then RA or IA to Ktm. You can stay in transit, so no hassles by Indian Immigration officers.
jaya_nepal..!!!
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| aRt |
Posted
on 07-Apr-04 10:25 AM
One of the agents told me Austrian air is discontinuing its service to KTM... Anybody know any different?
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| kathmanduite |
Posted
on 07-Apr-04 12:47 PM
any recommended documents to prepare for sitting in visa interview? don't know what would they ask, apart from valid I-20 for visa renewal.... any advice???
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| maaya |
Posted
on 07-Apr-04 12:50 PM
I have used Gulf air. I was not sure what to expect at first, but when I was in the plane, the service was great!!! The employees at the airport were also very nice and helpful. Food was great as well.
THe only difference I found was that more middle eastern people were present in the plane, and once I boarded the plane in Abudhabi, the whole plane was filled with Nepali from Dubai and Qatar, etc, returning home from their contract jobs. Whereas when I took Thai or Singapore, I found more oriental looking people.
You will not be compromising at all if you chose Gulf instead of Thai or Singapore or other international airlines.
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| chipledhunga |
Posted
on 07-Apr-04 02:42 PM
aRt, in terms of service, Gulf seems to be a pretty decent airline (not that I have flown it myself, just based on what I have heard/read). Overbooking seems to be their problem though. As far as I know, both Austrian and Martin Air are suspending their services to Kathmandu for the summer. Personally, I would avoid traveling via India (heard horror stories about transiting there) or taking any RNAC flight (embarassed to say so but testai cha hamro airline).
Bideshi, when are you planning to leave? I got my tickets from Peaceland (advertises on Sajha) for $1265 (including $103 in taxes) on Cathay Pacific for late May.
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| SITARA |
Posted
on 07-Apr-04 03:02 PM
I am taking the route via Pacific (going to Indonesia first) so the trip is going to be loooooooong. However, I bought the tickets from Himalayan Treasures and Travel; the owner is Mr. Govin Shahi ... very pleasant man (haven't met him though) to work with. Peaceland Travels has given me nightmares... 10 hrs transit in LA, 9 hrs in Hongkong and on my return, I found out I was not even in the system... had to ask a friend working in Thai airways to re-confirm me!
Katar and Gulf air have been referred to as having good flights and service but if Austrian Air is still operating, I believe it is the best deal!
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| dyamn |
Posted
on 07-Apr-04 03:20 PM
whoever asked info about I-20 and getting a new visa, make sure you take all your ttranscrips from all the schools you have attended, my friend got stuck over the christmas break until we send them from here
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| chipledhunga |
Posted
on 07-Apr-04 03:24 PM
Sitaraji,
When are you going to be in KTM? What about you other folks? Yeso bhetghat garu na hai Nepal banda napareko din paarera.
Sorry to hear about your experience with Peaceland. This is the third time I have bought my tickets from there, had no problem so far. A general tip with any travel agent though, make sure your ticket # is in the airlines' systems. Always call the airlines directly to check this once you have recieved your tickets.
I agree, the return schedule is horrible. I have 17 hours in Bangkok and another 9 in Los Angeles. I could have avoided the long layovers if I had chosen RNAC but I didn't want to take a risk due to its' (un)reliability. I could have arrived at my final desitnation at the same time leaving Kathmandu about 20 hours later if I were to take the RA flight to Hong Kong.
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| SITARA |
Posted
on 07-Apr-04 06:10 PM
Chipledhunga:
I will be in KTM in mid July. Yes, let's get together... would love to meet with some more Sajhaites. What say you... Ashu?
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| suva chintak |
Posted
on 07-Apr-04 06:42 PM
Travelling folks,
I just used the Qatar Airways ($1205 total). Good service, nice people (some of the crew members are Nepali!), and pretty quick hop to Kathmandu either from London, Frankfurt, or Paris. And the best thing is you get to see so many Nepali daju bhai, didi bahinis onwards from Doha! Almost the entire plane is full of Nepalis working in the Middle East.
Bon Voyage and may the wind be on your back!
SC
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| bideshi |
Posted
on 07-Apr-04 07:52 PM
Hey even I'm planning to go to ktm in late may though nothing is fixed yet.So let's see how everything turns up.I miss my homeland and my family a lot!
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| kathmanduite |
Posted
on 07-Apr-04 08:21 PM
Dyamn ji..
Dherai dherai dhanyabaad.. for the information.. i will surely take those..
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| chipledhunga |
Posted
on 07-Apr-04 11:15 PM
Sitaraji..khoi yespaali bhetne saeet namailne rahicha, as I am returning on early July. How long are you planning to stay there anyway?
Bideshi, if you are planning to go in late May, you may want to decide and make your bookings soon. A friend of mine was trying to book a flight for his mother and had to wait a few days before getting cleared from the waiting list (traveling on the same date and flight as mine). This was last week, about a week after I made my booking. Also, fares will be generally higher from the begininng of June.
A word of warning for those considering Qatar Airways or any other airline/route via the Atlantic: If I am not mistaken, Nepali nationals require a visa even for transit in London or anywhere else in the UK for that matter. Also the Charles de Gaulle (CDG) airport in Paris is notorious for lost baggages if you are transiting there. So unless you are planinng to visit the UK or France, you may want to consider flying via another country such as Germany.
bon voyage
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| mildseven |
Posted
on 08-Apr-04 07:33 AM
Gulf Air is also very safe. :-)
no one will hijack their own airlines
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| aRt |
Posted
on 08-Apr-04 10:08 AM
Maaya, Chiple dherai dherai Dhanyabad...
Whoever was asking about ticketing. Gulf Air tickets can be bought with Nepalese owned travel agencies like Peaceland etc. However, since mine was last minute trip that I had to go transatlantic, I worked with Tradewind which is Gulf Air's ticketing consolidators. Their number is 1-800-438-4853.
Anyone knows of a good temporary ISP service (needed only for a month) that I can use while in KTM?
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| Arnico |
Posted
on 08-Apr-04 02:11 PM
For people who still have a student ID or ISIC, one of the most comfortable (although not the shortest) way to fly is to with All Nippon Airways of Japan. Student ticket (valid for a year, easy to change, refundable) is sold by STA Travels. From Boston it is usually around $1200 round trip, including taxes, via JFK, around $100 more via Washington Dulles. Nonstop flight from JFK/Dulles to Narita, connecting to a flight Bangkok. On the way to Nepal there is an overnight in Bangkok (12 hours), but on the way back the flight from Bangkok to Narita leaves at about 11 pm, with an early morning connection in Narita, and a morning arrival in the US.
ANA has good legroom, comfortable seats, a video-on-demand entertainment system and good food. Basically Singapore Airlines with more legroom, different color scheme and deifferent crew uniform.
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| chipledhunga |
Posted
on 08-Apr-04 02:46 PM
Arnico, it seems like STA does a good job only if you are flying out of a major international airport. I was quoted a ridiculous amount of $1800+ on Northwest.
I wish there were more travel agents that could provide better deals in Japanese carriers to Kathmandu. Both JAL and ANA seem to be awesome airlines.
I have flown twice with Korean Air. They used to be pretty cheap and offer better legroom and good service although no PTV. It seems like they have recently raised their fares..could not get any agent to give a decent quote.
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