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  About Bagdogra

North-East India and the Himalayas are a trendy tourist destination in India, for all the right reasons. Bagdogra is a hill station near the foothills of Himalayas and in the Darjeeling district of West Bengal. Bagdogra is considered as the gateway to the North-East and the Himalayas. This small hill station is so beautiful; you'll love being here even if it is for a couple of hours. It's the perfect place for all you nature lovers out there. You can either laze around and admire the scenery or take a walk around the town to explore it.

The hill station is a perfect holiday spot. It's also like paradise for tea lovers since tea gardens surround it. River Teesta also flows through the town, which makes it the ideal place to indulge in river rafting. Or you can sit by the river and embrace solitude for a while. You pass through Bagdogra to get to Darjeeling, Sikkim, Siliguri and Bhutan. Bagdogra will make you fall in love with it. Apart from sightseeing and river rafting, there are quite a few activities that you can opt for in Bagdogra. It's not the most popular vacation destination, but you will surely not regret spending time in this town.

Bagdogra is connected to all major cities in the country. It is pretty easy to reach Bagdogra by flights, trains and road, too. The Bagdogra Airport connects to domestic routes from Kolkata, Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai and Guwahati. You can also quickly get a bus or taxi from the neighbouring cities to Bagdogra.

Make sure you do add Bagdogra to your itinerary when you plan a trip to the North-East. You will love this small town for its lush green surroundings and the beautiful weather. The people, too, are quite friendly and helpful. Even though there is very little that you can do in Bagdogra, it is worth stopping by. If you have a long layover at Bagdogra airport, you can make the most of it by going sightseeing somewhere near the airport. Since it is a small town, you won't have to worry about making it back on time for your flight. But if you are going to Darjeeling, Bhutan or Shillong and the town falls on your way, make sure that you do visit this town.

Best Time to Visit Bagdogra

July to February is the best time to visit Bagdogra. While the hill station witnesses monsoon from July to October, the winter sets in from November to February. This is the ideal time for you to witness the beautiful, scenic hill station. The temperature can fall to as low as 5 degree Celsius. You can see the snowy mountains that surround the town and be mesmerized by the beauty of it. The summer is also quite pleasant in the City, and the maximum temperature touches 38 degree Celsius.

Places to Visit in Bagdogra

Check out the Coronation Bridge that is 37 km from Bagdogra. It is on the way to Gangtok from Bagdogra, and the view is just beautiful. The Surya Sen Park in Siliguri, which is close to Bagdogra, is a bright picnic spot. The park sees quite a few families on vacation spending quality time with each other while enjoying the view. Madhuban Park, which is 24 km ahead of Bagdogra in Siliguri, was established by the Indian Army. This is yet another picnic spot that tourists love. You'll even spot deers, peacocks and rabbits in the park, along with butterflies.

The Umrao Singh Boat Club in Siliguri has a lot of activities in store for you, including boating. They have a huge variety and different shapes of boats for tourists. You can get in touch with your spiritual side at the ISKCON temple in Siliguri and at Kali Mandir in Binnaguri which is also quite close to River Teesta. You can visit the temple and combine it with river rafting at the river. You can also visit Salugara Monastery while you are here.

Bagdogra has no hotels since it's only a pitstop to get to the other neighbouring cities and Bhutan. You can, however, book a hotel room in Siliguri or Darjeeling or any of the nearby towns. The bus services to Bagdogra are widespread, so you won't have to worry about travelling to and from the City.

Things to do in Bagdogra

Bagdogra is the gateway to reaching Darjeeling, Sikkim, Bhutan and everything North-East. You can take a cab or a bus to visit Siliguri, which is the nearest City to this hill station. If you have a couple of hours left to catch another flight, you can get around the town in less time. Since Bagdogra is just a pitstop, you will find fewer tourist things to do, but the hill station is entirely worth it. Located in the foothills of the Himalayas, Bagdogra has the most beautiful view of the snow-capped mountains that surround it.

If you do have time on your hands, make sure you go river rafting at River Teesta. Or you can admire the river and meditate by the river for a while. You can also visit the Coronation Bridge that is quite close to the river stream. Whether you are with your friends or family, be assured that you will have a great time here. You can also visit the Salugara Monastery and the Kali Mandir to offer your prayers and to enjoy your solitude.

Even if you don't feel like indulging in any activities, grab your favourite book and get engrossed in the stories amid the best of what nature has to offer to you. You can also put on your headphones, play your favourite music and get lost in the tranquillity of the hill station. If you are on a solo trip, you will love spending time here in Bagdogra, even if it is for a little while. Bagdogra is quite accessible to most cities in the North-East, and travelling will not prove to be troublesome for you.

Food and Restaurants in Bagdogra

If you are travelling via plane, you have to try the restaurant that is inside the Bagdogra airport. It is run by the Bagdogra Airport Restaurant Workers Co-operative Society Ltd, and it serves a unique dish that grabbed headlines for all the right reasons. The airport serves you chicken cutlets that are made in Bagdogra style and are a one-of-its-kind dish. All foodies must try this out at least once. The restaurant can seat up to 150 people, and you'll be treated to a runway view as you finish your meal. It won't even burn a hole in your pocket.

Marina's Motel is one of the best restaurants near the airport if you are craving for Chinese or Continental cuisines. The staff is quite friendly, and the restaurant has a very cosy ambience. Bagdogra also has a solution to your biryani cravings. Naz Biryani House is known for serving and cooking the most delicious biryani, both vegetarian and non-vegetarian. For a quick bite, you can head over to Hunger Stop restaurant near the airport. You can even try the dessert here.

The Gourmet Central Family Restaurant and Bar is approximately 11 km away from the airport. It has a charming decor with cosy seating and friendly staff. It is also one of the best restaurants in the town. Do make sure that you try the food at the airport restaurant though. You can also opt for street food or the local chai, which will be available quite easily. Don't hesitate to try out the local street food, too.

How to reach Bagdogra (Transportation)

By Air

The Bagdogra Airport is well-connected to major domestic routes from Mumbai, Kolkata, Guwahati, Bangalore and Chennai. The flight connectivity is quite functional, and getting to Bagdogra is not very difficult. You can get pretty good flight deals online and cheap flight tickets, too.

By Rail

The nearest railway station is in Siliguri, which is 5 km away from Bagdogra. There are no direct trains or buses to Bagdogra, and you will have to change a taxi or bus from Siliguri to reach the hill station.

By Road

There are lots of transport options and services are available to reach the town. You can opt for whichever suits your convenience. The transport is quite affordable, too. The roads are also quite smooth and won't be uncomfortable for you. You will also find a lot of convenient options to go to other neighbouring cities of the North-East and the Himalayas. Travelling by road is also one of the best options. The journey will surely be a treat for the eyes and the soul.

  About Virgin Atlantic

Virgin Atlantic which follows a trading name of Virgin Atlantic Airways Limited and Virgin Atlantic International Limited, is a British-owned airline that has its headquarters in Crawley, England. The airline was founded in 1984 under the name British Atlantic Airways, by Randolph Fields and Alan Hellary with flight connectivity between London and the Falkland Islands. However, the name was changed to Virgin Atlantic Airways as Fields sold his shares in the company. A disagreement between Fields and Sir Richard Branson regarding the management of the company resulted in Fields walking out of the airline. In the same year since its establishment, the airline had its first flight from Gatwick Airport in London to Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey. Virgin Atlantic is owned and operated under the holding company Virgin Atlantic Limited. The same holding company also controls Virgin Holidays. The holding company has 51 percent ownership of the Virgin Group while the remaining 49 per cent is owned by Delta Air Lines, a major airline of the United States of America.

Virgin Atlantic Airways Limited and Virgin Atlantic International Limited have both received the Civil Aviation Authority Type A Operating Licenses. The said licence permits both the airlines to accommodate passengers, cargo and mail on aircraft that comprises 20 seats or more. Virgin Atlantic's fleet is mixed with wide-body aircraft of Airbus and Boeing. The airline majorly has its operations in North American, Africa, Asia, the Caribbean and the Middle East. Its main base is at London-Heathrow Airport while its secondary hub is at Manchester in the United Kingdom. Virgin Atlantic also has seasonal flight operations from Glasgow and Belfast. The airline consists of three types of cabin, namely Economy, Premium (premium economy) and Upper Class (business class). In 2017, Virgin Atlantic expressed its intention to form a joint venture with Europe's Air France - KLM. However, in 2019, it was announced that the venture would not involve a stake in the British airline. Virgin Atlantic has witnessed tremendous losses over the years and has had to cut down operations to various international destinations, owing to the growing debts and losses.

In 2019, as part of its expansion plans, Virgin Atlantic announced that it had plans to go all out and hopefully create a second flag carrier in the United Kingdom, provided slot reforms were being considered in the airline's favour at the Heathrow Airport. With this, the airline planned to serve about 103 destinations in total with many domestic routes and international routes. They wished to add about 84 new destinations to their list of services, of which 12 catered to the domestic route while 37 are European and the remaining 35 being international routes. The 35 international destinations in Virgin Atlantic's list include Austin, Buenos Aires, Addis Ababa, Karachi, Tokyo, Cape Town, Beijing, Singapore, Bogota, Mexico City and Sydney. While the airline has already functioned in international routes catering to Cape Town, Vancouver, Sydney, Karachi and Tokyo, the remaining long-haul destinations that the airline plans to add would be completely new for them. It was reported that Flybe, UK's largest low-cost carrier regional airline, was supposed to join hands with Virgin Atlantic. However, the plans fell through as Flybe ceased operations in 2020.

Fleet size of Virgin Atlantic

As of 2020, Virgin Atlantic's fleet size stands at 35 aircraft. 22 aircraft are expected to join the fleet. The fleet comprises 17 Boeing 787-9s, 10 Airbus A330-300s and four Airbus A330-200 and Airbus A350-1000s respectively. All the aircraft operated by Virgin Atlantic are wide-body type. The airline accommodates a mixed fleet that comprises Airbus and Boeing wide-body aircraft. The Airbus A330-200s of the airline operate from London's Gatwick International Airport as well as Manchester Airport and connect to international routes of the United States and the Caribbean. There are seasonal routes connecting to Orlando International Airport in Florida, which is offered from Glasgow and Belfast International Airport. Much recently, the airline retired its Boeing 747s which catered to the seasonal flight operations to Florida. Virgin Atlantic's aircraft Airbus A330-300s, A350-1000s and Boeing 787-9s are used interchangeably on routes that fly from London's Heathrow Airport. In 2002, the airline became the first in the world to operate the Airbus A340-600.

Virgin Atlantic was supposed to add six Airbus A380-800s to its fleet, which they had ordered for in 2001. However, the order had to be cancelled for good. Instead, in 2019, at the Paris Air Show, the airline signed a deal to accommodate 20 Airbus A330-900neos to its fleet. With this move, the airline became the first United Kingdom customer for the aircraft. The airline does plan to replace its older Airbus A330-200s and -300s from the fleet with deliveries of newer models that will be joining the fleet between 2021 to 2024. Much recently, the airline retired its long-running A340-600 with its last service taking place between Lagos to London Heathrow. Simultaneously, the airline has also retired seven of its Boeing 747-400 aircraft from the fleet.

Baggage Allowance

Baggage allowance on Virgin Atlantic depends on the destination the passenger is travelling to and from as well as the ticket type. Economy class tickets allow one checked bag which should not weigh more than 23 kg and should be within the dimension of 90 x 75 x 43cm. Premium cabin class tickets' baggage allowance on Virgin Atlantic enables two pieces of baggage which cannot exceed 23 kg and should be within the dimension as mentioned in the economy class. The Upper class or business class tickets have a baggage allowance of up to three pieces of bags that should not weigh more than 32 kg. The dimensions of all the baggage should be 90 x 75 x 43cm and not more than the stated measurement. Interestingly, the airline recently made some changes to its baggage allowance policy for passengers travelling to and from Indian cities such as Mumbai and Delhi. They have allowed a free bag allowance which means passengers can carry two bags weighing 32 kg each for Upper Class. However, two pieces of bags are allowed for passengers travelling from premium class with a weight allocation of 23 kg. As for the economy class tickets, the airline has enabled two pieces of bags allowed with a weight permit of not more than 23 kg. These new rules are as opposed to the earlier ones which allowed more baggage allocation by Virgin Atlantic.

In-flight services

In-flight services experienced on Virgin Atlantic are quite exceptional. The airline brings forth some of the best seating accommodation. They have enhanced the seats with better leather and equipment such as a personal lamp, entertainment system, better overhead bin space and seats that recline with better legroom too. Depending on the cabin class chosen by the passenger, the facilities do change. However, the comfort measure remains constant in all the cabins. Virgin Atlantic's in-flight services also include in-flight meals which are inspired by global cuisine.

Popular routes and top cities for Virgin Atlantic

Virgin Atlantic caters to a handful of domestic routes and international routes. In fact, in terms of domestic routes, the airline doesn't have a strong game as it only caters to London and Manchester. Barring these two hubs, the airline doesn't have any destination flying within the United Kingdom. As for international routes, it is well-connected with North America and parts of Asian destinations. The airline doesn't have a magnanimous presence in a lot of destinations internationally. They have also terminated services with a slew of cities owing to the loss-making management structure. As of 2020, the airline caters to cities such as Antigua, Shanghai, Havana, Hong Kong, Mumbai, Delhi, Tel Aviv, Lagos, Johannesburg, Tobago, London, Belfast, Manchester, Atlanta, Boston, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami, New York City, Orlando, San Francisco, Seattle and Washington DC. While the airline did have hopes to acquire more recognition and presence in the domestic market by tying up with Flybe, the deal didn't take off, and neither did Virgin Atlantic's plans to make a bigger UK reach.

Why travel by Virgin Atlantic?

Virgin Atlantic has been facing significant losses and important issues over the years. However, the airline is known and recognised for offering quality service and hospitality. Virgin Atlantic has grown into a favourable airline for passengers who wish to travel to destinations in the United States of America from London and the United Kingdom. The airline has also worked on improving much of its in-flight services and facilities that further enhance the experience of travellers. On the airline's official website, they have enabled booking a Virgin Atlantic flight without any conundrums. Following the same, the airline has also made web check-ins possible with up to date details concerning the flight status of the passengers. Virgin Atlantic's flight schedules are also added on the website along with constant updates. These facilities actually help passengers make the airline a viable option. Virgin Atlantic's flyer clubs also have some of the best amenities in the airport lounge as well as while booking the flight tickets.