Mumbai06 Jul 22 1 Traveller Economy
Showing International Flight from Bangalore
About Bangalore
India's very own IT hub, Bangalore, is the centre for the high-tech industry. The city is undoubtedly one of the best places to live in India thanks to the innumerable employment opportunities and development scope. Already known to be one of the biggest cities in India, Bangalore's charm also comes from the crazy nightlife and grand architectural structures. The flight connectivity from Bangalore to the other metro cities in India as well as international locations is top-notch. Although the traffic might be the biggest concerns for residents or even individuals travelling to Bangalore, the city's vibrant spirit continues to attract more and more crowd. Not to mention how pleasant weather further adds more charm to the city.
Best time to visit Bangalore
Bangalore enjoys the most pleasant weather in the whole country. Considering how the city is in the Southern regions of India, which is usually hot in summers, Bangalore doesn't face the pesky heat. Rather it continues to relish a moderate temperature, making it ideal for every season. The summers in the city are between February to May with April and May experiencing peak temperatures. The max the temperatures soar up to is 36 degree Celsius. Luckily though, since the city does not face humidity, it is mostly got and dry during summers.
Monsoons begin early in Bangalore from late May or early June. The city experiences heavy rains, especially between June to August. However, rains bring about a scenic charm to the city as the greenery is amplified.
Winters can get super cold with the temperatures dropping down to 12 degrees Celsius. The peak winter months in Bangalore are from November to January. December is easily the coldest month in the city. In fact, winter mornings can be pretty chilly but romantic at the same time. Interestingly, Bangalore does face erratic weather which could either be a spike or a drop in the temperature. Nevertheless, you can enjoy the city's vibrant atmosphere all-round the year.
Places to see in Bangalore
Vidhana Soudha and Vikasa Soudha - The two structures are government properties with impeccable modern construction and intriguing architecture. Although the Vidhana Soudha and Vikasa Soudha are separated to handle different legislative avenues of the city, the place brings about a rich charm, making it a must-visit place in the city.
Seshadari Iyer Memorial - The distinctive red sandstone used to construct this building in Cubbon Park easily stands tall as a tourist attraction. It's basically a public library as well as the Bangalore High Court. Aside from the lawful activities that take place, the complex is also given a recreational touch with toy trains and theatres to entertain kids.
Bangalore Palace - Constructed by the illustrious Maharajas of Mysore, the Bangalore Palace has yet again found prominence as a tourist attraction and is open to tourists. The place has had to undergo a string of renovations following which, they have been able to bring forth an eclectic palace with interesting historical artefacts. The location is definitely interesting, especially since it sheds light in the life of Tipu Sultan. Not to mention how the embellished walls and archways further give it a royal feel that would only add to your merriment.
The Bull Temple - Nestled in Basavanagudi is this typical Dravidian-styled temple that is famous for the colossal bull statue. What makes the statue so special is the fact that it has been carved out of a single boulder, making the temple just as legendary as the statue. Every year, local farmers flock over to the temple to offer their prayers and seek blessings for a fruitful harvest.
Maha Bodhi Society Temple - This temple is relatively new in the city and is basically a replica of the historic structure at Bodh Gaya. The Buddhist stupa is famous for its spiritual teachings, training and peaceful ambience. The same can be experienced at this temple too. The temple grounds reverberate a serene tone of comfort while the quaint setting makes for a tranquil experience.
Bannerghatta National Park - A little away from the city centre, the Bannerghatta National Park is the perfect escape you can ask for from the city's excessive traffic. The national park plays home to tigers, bears, elephants, lions and many more wild animals. You can actually sign up for a safari, and the tour guides would take you through the various segments of the national park. The park also comes with a zoo where some beautiful birds, leopards, jackals, etc. reside.
The city of Bangalore is surprisingly filled with a tremendous number of temples and spiritual setting. Aside from the ones mentioned above, there are many more artful temples, churches and structures that will blow your mind. Plus, the national park, zoos, gardens and other such expanses of green spaces would further leave you spellbound.
Things to do in Bangalore
Adventure sports - Bangalore's young crowd with a thirst for adrenaline rush makes is a prime hub for adventure sports. Right from cruising through the highway roads on a motorcycle to taking up camping and dirt bike riding, there is a massive market for such outdoor activities which you will definitely enjoy. Kayaking, rock climbing, go-karting, even hiking, are all things that you can do when in Bangalore.
Cave exploration - From the city, you can meet up a bunch of fellow cave explorers and head to Savandurga, Anthargange or Siddarabetta. These caves are not too far from the city and definitely worth the wanderlust.
Hiking and trekking - Bangalore is surrounded by some pristine hills with gorgeous waterfalls. You can probably take a day from your trip to spend on trekking up one of the peaks. Nandi Hills is the closest to the city and can easily be completed in a day. Perhaps you can also set camp and enjoy the cool mountain breeze.
Brewery hopping - One of the best things about the city is the plethora of breweries and clubs. Bangalore certainly has a nightlife that can well be on par with that of Mumbai or Delhi. Toit is one of the famous breweries that seems to be expanding its roots from the IT city to other metropolitan cities.
Food and Restaurants in Bangalore
Just head straight to Indira Nagar and go exploring! Delve into the hip vibe of Indira Nagar as the street with its impeccable dining and dynamic nightlife serenades you. All you've got to do is just walk up 100 Feet Road and let the fancy pubs anAd food hubs entice you with their popularity. Some important names to know though, Arbor, Toit, Windmills, Brewklyn Brewery, while you're in Bangalore.
How to reach Bangalore
By Air
One of the major challenges of Bangalore is the transportation. More like, the excessive traffic that makes travelling to the city and within the city a tad bit difficult. By air, you can reach Kempegowda International Airport, which is located in Devanahalli. The airport is 40 km away from the central city (MG Road); however, due to their terrible traffic, reaching the city from the airport gets challenging. The airport has close to 10 domestic airlines and about 21 international airlines with flights coming in and leaving the city. This has enabled Bangalore's flight connectivity ideal with the rest of the cities in India and the world. Bangalore covers close to 50 destinations, within India as well as internationally. Further, the airport also serves as a focus city for three major domestic airlines , namely, SpiceJet, GoAir and IndiGo.
From the airport, there are numerous ways of transport options that one can choose from. There are regular government-affiliated bus services as well as AC Volvo buses to the city. Plus, cab services De also prevalent, so travelling to the city is not an issue.
By Rail
There are two central railway terminals in Bangalore namely Bangalore City Railway Station and Yeshwantpur Junction. The two railway stations are well-connected with the rest of the country's major cities. Although the travel time by train is a little more as compared to flights, the railway is usually the last resort considered by people. A traveller from Mumbai will spend 24 hours on the train to reach Bangalore whereas if the individual will spend only 18-20 hours if travelling from a bus. You must find out which railway station would be ideal for your trip and accordingly book your tickets to Bangalore on the Indian Railways' website. You can also make your bookings on other platforms or visit the railway station to purchase it from the counter.
By Road
Travelling to Bangalore by road might actually be a fun trip. You can either get your own vehicle out to drive down to the city, or you can opt for public transport such as private or public buses. Cities like Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad, Mangalore, Madurai, Coimbatore, Madgaon have sleeper buses available that could take less of your travel time as opposed to trains. The last stop is the Kempegowda Bus Station, popularly known as KSRTC or Majestic Bus Stand. The vast bus stand has intercity buses as well as transport facilities for interstate travel.
About Air New Zealand
Air New Zealand Limited is the official flag carrier of New Zealand. The airline is based out of Auckland, the capital city and primarily operates scheduled passenger flights to about 20 domestic routes and 32 international routes. The airline is perfectly connected with destinations in and around the Pacific Rim. Basically, it has direct flight connections with islands in the Pacific Ocean that are far from the other big continents. Air New Zealand has been part of the Star Alliance since 1999. It was formed in 1940 and has been part of New Zealand's aviation industry for nearly eighty years now. It came into existence as Tasman Empire Airways Limited (TEAL), an enterprise that operated flights predominantly between New Zealand and Australia. It catered to the trans-Tasman route and carried scheduled flights in the continent. By 1965, the Tasman Empire Airways Limited witnessed a change in ownership as the government of New Zealand took overall operations. Following the change in ownership, the government renamed the airlines like Air New Zealand. With this move, the airline further became the national flag carrier.
Under the government's management, Air New Zealand only catered to international routes. However, in 1978, the government merged the airline's operations with the domestic airline New Zealand National Airways Corporation, to form just the one airline to conduct both, international route transit and domestic route operations. In 1989 though, Air New Zealand was privatised, but after more than a decade, the ownership was returned to the government, as it was close to declaring bankruptcy. A failed deal with the Australian carrier Ansett Australia led to Air New Zealand's financial crisis. In 2000, the airline had announced that it was choosing to acquire Ansett Australia wholly to be owned and operated under their wing. They even proposed a whopping AD 680 million from News Corporation Ltd. The decision in itself was criticised by various business commentators as they stated how Ansett's fleet, along with its staffing levels and infrastructure easily outweighed Air New Zealand's.
Further, proposals to purchase Air New Zealand Group were also shared by foreign companies. By 2001, Air New Zealand's inability to afford the costs incurred led to the collapse of Air New Zealand/Ansett Group. Further, the failure to purchase Virgin Blue resulted in Air New Zealand losing money and time and eventually Ansett Australia's operations were terminated. Air New Zealand incurred a loss of NZD 1.425 billion.
To get the airlines out of the towering losses, it was re-nationalised and brought under the New Zealand's government plan to rescue Air New Zealand. Under the government's ownership, Air New Zealand reconfigured some of its domestic operations and introduced a low-cost airline business plan. By 2003, the airline returned to its profitable stance as it raked in higher profits and relaunched its long-haul flights by 2005. The airline also incorporated newer aircraft to its fleet with a view to accommodating both, short-haul and long-haul destinations. By 2010, Air New Zealand also received government approval to form an alliance with Australian airline Virgin Blue which has now been renamed as Virgin Australia. Subsequently, the airline purchased about 26 per cent of shares in Virgin Australia Holdings and further cemented their relationship. Much recently, in 2018, the airline ended its partnership with Virgin Australia by selling off its stakes in the airline to a few investors as well as the Nasham Group. The airline's main hub is at Auckland Airport which is situated in Mangere, the southern region of the Auckland urban sphere. The airline's headquarters is located in a building, about 20 km from Auckland Airport, called The Hub. It is in Auckland's Wynyard Quarter. Currently, the airline operates a fleet comprising of aircraft from the Airbus and Boeing family. They also have a regional fleet that has ATR 72 and Bombardier Q300 turboprop aircraft utilised for operations.
Fleet size of Air New Zealand
As of 2019, Air New Zealand holds a strong fleet comprising of 116 aircraft. The airline also has 64 jet aircraft that include 25 Airbus A320s and ten Airbus A320/A321neo aircraft. They are mainly used for their short-haul flights. Aircraft such as eight Boeing 777-200ERs, eight Boeing 777-300Ers and thirteen Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner has been reserved for long-haul destinations. Along with these aircraft, Air New Zealand also has ten Airbus A320/321neo, one Boeing 787-9 and eight Boeing 787-10 aircraft that have been ordered and are speculated to be received in the next few years. In the past, Air New Zealand also accommodated Douglas DC-8-52, Douglas DC-8F-54, Fokker F27-100 Friendship, Fokker F-27-500 Friendship, Lockheed L-188 Electra, McDonnel Douglas DC-10-30 and British Aerospace aircraft as part of its fleet. However, they have converted their fleet now to host mainly Airbus and Boeing jet aircraft. The airline does have 27 ATR 72-600 and 23 Bombardier Q300 that are predominantly used for short-haul trips.
Baggage Allowance
Air New Zealand follows an eccentric baggage allowance policy wherein they charge a specific tariff for checked baggage. The airline's ticketing process involves the passenger to choose if they want just a seat only fare or if they need to add baggage as part of the travel too. Accordingly, the airline grants baggage allowance to the passengers. There is no concept of a free checked baggage allowance that the airline has to offer. However, over the selection of bag fare, the passengers will be allowed to carry checked baggage that can weigh no more than 23 kg. As for passengers travelling from business class or premium class tickets, the baggage allowance is extended to 32 kg max weight. Beyond this, the passenger will further have to purchase extra baggage from the airport's check-in kiosk or on their official website. The dimensions of the baggage are very important, and passengers cannot afford to carry bags that do not fall under the mentioned measurements. A total linear dimension for the baggage which includes the length, width and depth, should not exceed 158 cm. This applies to all the bags.
In-flight services
Air New Zealand has improved its in-flight services to accommodate better facilities for its passengers. The onboard facilities such as comfortable seats, exquisite in-flight meals, friendly staff and crew, have only enhanced its name and reputation among passengers. The airline offers a variety of other in-flight services too which include entertainment systems for long-haul flights and provisions of blankets, noise-cancelling earplugs and other such amenities.
Popular routes and top cities of Air New Zealand
Air New Zealand's main route focus is on the Australasia and the South Pacific spheres. They have introduced several long-haul flight services to connect to Eastern Asia, the United Kingdom and the North and South America. Air New Zealand is known to be the last airline to have circumnavigated the world with flight routes that connected London's Heathrow Airport from both, Los Angeles route and Hong Kong route. They eventually scrapped the Hong Kong route in 2013 as the favour to Cathay Pacific, with which it has a codeshare agreement. With this move, the airline halted its Hong Kong - London route altogether and only continued its Los Angeles - London route. Currently, the airline serves about 30 destinations in its international route including Adelaide, Gold Coast, Melbourne, Perth, Sydney, Shanghai, Nadi, Hong Kong, Tokyo, Singapore, Taipei, Honolulu, Houston, San Francisco, and Chicago. They have planned to introduce a new international route to connect Auckland and Newark by 2021. Meanwhile, the airline also caters to about 20 domestic route destinations which are Blenheim, Christchurch, Dunedin, Hamilton, Invercargill, Nelson, New Plymouth and Queenstown, to name a few.
Why travel by Air New Zealand?
Air New Zealand has seen some ups and downs since its inception. The airline has witnessed tremendous highs of success as well as lows of bankruptcy. However, it has continued to emerge stronger from all these experiences. In fact, with these incidents, Air New Zealand has been able to work on its facilities and to bring the best in-flight services and better connectivity with destinations for passengers. It has expanded its international route as well as domestic route following some changes in the management. There have been some massive changes with respect to their in-flight services too, along with route connectivity.
To ensure that Air New Zealand is also on par with its competitors, the airline has worked to incorporate some of the recent upgradations that others have taken up. These include allowing web check-ins for passengers. This has reduced the inconvenience caused by standing in the check-in line at the airport. Not to mention how further details regarding the flight status and Air New Zealand's flight schedules can also be found on their website. An Air New Zealand flight ticket can also be booked on their official website. Depending on the ticket type booking by the passenger, the airline helps out in understanding the baggage allowance and in-flight services that they can enjoy. With such rich facilities and upgrades, Air New Zealand has welcomed more passengers and loyal customers.
About Bangalore Airport
The Bangalore Airport, popularly known as the Kempegowda International Airport, is the international airport that serves the city of Bangalore, which is the capital of the state of Karnataka. It has completely replaced the HAL airport which previously served the city of Bangalore. The airport is spread across 4,000 acres and is about 40 km from the Bangalore city centre. In fact, it is close to the Devanahalli village. The airport has been christened after the person who founded the city of Bangalore, Kempe Gowda I. The Kempegowda International Airport is the country's first fully solar-powered airport, which is serviced by CleanMax Solar. The Bangalore Airport is known to be the third busiest airport in India, with respect to passenger traffic. It stands behind Delhi and Mumbai in the race. The Kempegowda International Airport is also the 29th busiest airport, as recorded by Asia. The airport has recorded to accommodate approximately 33 million passengers. There are two runways and a passenger terminal that the Bangalore Airport harbours. The domestic and international services and operations take place at T1 while T2 (second terminal) is in the works for expansion.
About Bangalore Airport Terminals
The airport has an integrated terminal which connects both domestic and international passenger operations. The single integrated terminal can accommodate 20 million passengers on a yearly basis. While the check-in counters and baggage claims are on the ground level, the departure gates are all located on the first level. The gates have been segregated in such a way that one side of the segment is dedicated to domestic departures while the other side is reserved for international departures. The gates 41 and 42 accommodate to serve the world's largest passenger aircraft, the Airbus A380. The ground level also has Plaza Premium Lounge and VIP rooms available. The airport also has facilities of a day hotel, in case there are flights or layovers that will take more than 10 hours. Currently, the airport is undergoing expansions for the second phase. They are working to build Terminal 2. The project has been undertaken by a renowned architectural firm, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill. The construction of the second phase is being undertaken by Larsen & Toubro. The plan is to extend the airport's capacity to accommodate an additional 20 million passengers in a year.
About airport authority
The Bangalore Airport is owned and operated by Bengaluru International Airport Limited (BIAL), which is a public limited company. BIAL has been granted permission to operate the airport for 30 years by the Government of India. The airport does have the option to work for 30 additional years depending on whether the venture wishes to take it forward. The consortium is co-owned by private and public ventures where the Karnataka State Industrial Investment and Development Corporation (government entity) owns 13 per cent. At the same time, the Airports Authority of India has 13 per cent. Meanwhile, the 74 per cent is taken over by private entities, Fairfax Financial holding 54 per cent and Siemens Projects Ventures with 20 per cent.
Facilities at the Bangalore Airport
WiFi services: The Bangalore airport has good WiFi connectivity, which you can avail from all terminals. The WiFi service is available for 45 minutes, and the procedure to acquire it is quite simple too. There are paid WiFis as well, which you can avail at the airport.
Sleeping lounge: The good thing about the Bangalore airport is how it has a special sleeping lounge. The airport has made sleep pods available which is located close to the arrival check-in hall. If you have flight delays or a lot of time to kill before boarding, you can head to the sleeping lounge and take a power nap. The information desk can guide you to the pods.
Multi-faith rooms: The airport also provisions multi-faith rooms for prayers. You can ask the information desk to direct you to the prayer rooms. They have been strategically located within the terminals to make connectivity easy for passengers.
Smoking zone: There are a few smoking zones in the airport. To keep the terminals smoke-free, the airport has reserved some rooms for smoking. You can also find shops selling cigarette boxes.
Buggy services: The airport has special buggy services to traverse within the terminals. The buggy services are usually for senior citizens, passengers with mobility issues, expectant mothers and more. You might even get to receive some complimentary buggy service which you can find at the departure gates and security check area.
Baby care rooms: For people travelling with children and infants, there are baby care rooms also available. For women who need to tend to their baby's needs and require some privacy for the same, you can visit the child care centre. The place has been maintained perfectly. Not to mention, the services also include a changing table and products to help with infants.
Wheelchair assistance: Aside from buggy services, you can also find wheelchair assistance. These can be found at the gates of all the terminals. A dedicated drop-off zone is also available at specific points in the departure and arrival gates.
Restaurants and cafes: Bangalore airport has many food establishments and joints. From the famous ones such as KFC, Burger King, Subway, Domino's, McDonald's to local restaurants with impeccable food, you can find them at the airport.
Local connectivity: If you are a passenger of foreign descent, you can get hold of local SIM cards and burner phones. The positive of getting hold of a temporary Indian SIM is that you can avail the WiFi services at the airport too. Plus, it would be easy to connect with the required contacts outside of the city as well.
Baggage Services: The airport offers baggage services too ranging from trolleys, luggage porter services and baggage wrapping services. Basically, you wouldn't have to worry about your luggage at Bangalore airport.
VIP lounge: Bangalore airport has reservations for VIP lounges and upscale lounge services. VIP lounges are usually reserved for passengers who have a specific premium membership with airlines. You can get access to some of the other upscale lounge and areas where one can wait and relax. The services in these places are quite top-notch, and the experience is mostly extravagant. VIP rooms and a Plaza Premium lounge is available at the airport. It is reserved for premium travellers with first-class and business class flight tickets.
Top airlines flying from the Bangalore Airport
After New Delhi and Mumbai, Bangalore's Kempegowda airport is the third busiest airport in India, in terms of passenger traffic. Over the year, the airport actually witnesses over 33 million passengers, which explains why the demand is so high. Not to mention how the aircraft movement is close to 658, with domestic and international airlines flying in and out of the city. The airport is divided into two terminals and has domestic and international airlines operating from the airport. The Bangalore airport serves as a pivotal space for domestic airlines such as AirAsia India, Alliance Air and IndiGo operating from the city. The airport also witnesses strong connectivity with airlines such as Air India and SpiceJet, flying in and out of the city. It is their focus city. Cities such as Agatti Island, Gulbarga, Bagdogra, Port Blair, to name a few, have direct flights flying from the Bangalore airport with dedicated airlines. The top domestic airlines operating from the city are Air India, Air Asia, GoAir, IndiGo, SpiceJet, Star Air, TruJet and Vistara.
The city also favours as a hub to various international airlines. There are many airlines that fly in and out of Bangalore airport. The international airlines such as Air Arabia, Air France, Air India Express, Air Mauritius, British Airways, Cathay Dragon, Emirates, Ethiopian Airways, Etihad Airways, Gulf Air, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, Kuwait Airways, Lufthansa, Malaysia Airlines, Malindo Air, Oman Air, Qatar Airways, Royal Nepal Airlines, Saudia, Silkair, Singapore Airlines, Srilankan Airlines, Air Asia Thai and Thai Airways, operate from the Kempegowda International Airport.
How to reach the Bangalore Airport
Kempegowda International Airport lacks a connection with the main city as it is approximately 40 km away from the city centre. In fact, due to immense traffic on the road, it is quite challenging to reach the airport from the city. Hence, it is essential to book a vehicle or use some of the domestic modes of transport to reach the city. Currently, the road is the only way to reach the Bangalore airport. The government had planned to bring forth a link between the city and the airport with metro stations. Called Namma Metro, the link was supposed to cut down the travel time tremendously and avoid the road traffic. However, the project never took off and was eventually scrapped.
By Road
To reach the Bangalore airport, the city's National Highway 44 is the route to pick. A few years ago, a six-lane flyover was built, which enhanced the connectivity and reduced the travel time too. The Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC), as well as the Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC), have reserved buses operating from the city to reach the Kempegowda International airport.
