Mumbai30 Nov 23 1 Traveller Economy
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About Kochi
Kochi is one of the most dynamic cities and the commercial capital of Kerala. The city is constantly bustling while its surrounding remains true to its agricultural roots. Kochi, as a city, plays an essential port to the South-west coast of India. The ports are connected to the Maldives, Lakshadweep Island and many important coastal cities.
Despite having a blend of various seasons, the heat and humidity in the air continue to remain constant. However, that only makes travellers fly to Kochi instead. Not to mention how the gorgeous setting of the city and its impeccable connectivity that allows a traveller to traverse through various terrains.
Best time to visit Kochi
Kochi sees multitudes of seasons and climate all-year-long. Throughout the year, even know specific seasons are set and have been followed, every year, sudden twists in the western forecasts leave the locals in peril. The tropical setting of Kochi and even Kerala it ideal for summers and even winters. In fact, the months from October to February are actually enchanting and the best. The temperatures dawdle between 17 degree Celsius and 33 degree Celsius. Not only is the winter season perfect for backpackers and solo travellers but also couples and newlyweds who wish to go to honeymoon in Mumbai itself.
The months from March to June marks the start of summer in Kochi. The temperatures in Kochi during summer continues to escalate up to 37 degree Celsius. Although it is considered to be a good season to visit the city, it is only because there is less crowd. On off-seasons, tourists avoid visiting places as they fear unpleasant experiences. However, flying to Kochi on off-season might be helpful as people wouldn't have to deal with the excess tourist crowd. Plus, flight tickets to Kochi see some massive price drop. Many airlines also have flight deals to bring down the cost of a ticket to Kochi.
Monsoons in Kochi are exceptional. Even though it is not a peak season for the city as a rain-washed city would not be favourable for tourist activities, many travellers opt for monsoons. The main reason behind choosing monsoon as the best time to catch a flight to Kochi is that the city's lush greenery turns emerald as the backwaters dance under the torrent rains. Booking a hotel in Kochi during this season is also affordable as it is an off-season for hoteliers. The whole sight of the place is enchanting and definitely an unmemorable experience. Kochi experienced monsoon between July to September.
Places to see in Kochi
The gorgeous Arabian sea might border Kochi on one side, and the towering Western Ghats on the other but the melange of the two varied geographies only makes the city alluring. When in Kochi, you should definitely check out some of its famous beaches namely, Veeranpuzha Beach, Cherai Beach, Munambam Beach, Fort Kochi Beach and more. The city also has many pristine churches that should be visited. These are St Francis Church, Santa Cruz Basilican and the Paradesi Synagogue.
Besides these attractions, Kochi also has museums like Indo-Portuguese Museum, Ginger House Museum Hotel, Folklore Museum, and more than would enlighten you about their cultural heritage, their history and more. Not just the beaches but you should also check out what the lush green valleys close to Kochi have to offer. You can witness the Athirapally Falls and the Areekkal Falls. More than anything, you can visit the famous Lulu Shopping Mall too, which is right there in the city centre. You can further continue the pilgrimage by visiting temples such as Shiva Temple, Gowreeswara Temple Cherai, Ernakulam Mahadeva Temple, Thrikkakara Temple and more.
Things to do in Kochi
Elephant Training Centre
A little away from the city of Kochi is an adorable retreat for elephants. An Elephant Training centre has been established by the Ernakulam district where the animals are brought together to live in harmony. At the centre, these elephants are bathed and fed properly. The centre takes good care of the elephants and even allows visitors to come over and play with the giant animals. Visit this beautiful place and feel happy in the company of playful elephants who would keep you entertained with their goofiness.
Fort Ayurveda Spa
Kerala's Ayurvedic spas are world-renowned and for all the right reasons. The therapeutic massages and spa treatments actually help rejuvenate the body, mind and soul. Kochi has the Fort Ayurveda Spa, which lives up to the reputation of providing the customers with excellent services. Book an appointment here and let your troubles be washed away by the gentle touch of a masseuse. The experience will be beautiful and certainly have a lasting effect on you.
Kathakali Centre
The classical dance form of Kathakali is enchanting and compelling. The performances usually have a backstory and a theme based on which the whole show is presented. The art would keep you engaged as the eyes of the dancers would hypnotise you. Often these performances express a certain Hindu mythological story.
Snorkelling at Thiruvankullam
Compared to other parts of coastal India, Kochi has extremely beautiful and clean beaches. The shores are just as bright and spotless as is the Arabian sea that touches the coasts. The clean and clear waters of Kochi have enabled snorkelling in the area. You can head to Thiruvankullam and take up the water activity. You will be surprised to see some exquisite marine life that's prevalent just miles away from the city of Kochi.
Backwater tour
Kochi connects to Alleppey, which is the hub of backwaters in Kerala. Although it is a few kilometres far from the main city, Alleppey has a harbour from where you can either choose a houseboat or a shikhara ride to explore the gorgeous backwaters lined by rice paddies.
Food and restaurants
Kochi's lifestyle is heavily inspired or rather influenced by the Portuguese, Dutch and English. This is easily reflected in their way of living, lifestyle and more importantly, their cuisine as well. While they still have their special curry and parotha as the highlight of the state, the landscape of Kerala cuisine has seen quite a lot of transformations. As a coastal city, the cuisine mainly centres around exquisite seafood and Malabari food. As a developed city of India, Kochi manages to sustain the traditional cuisine as it also embraces other cuisines such as Asian, North Indian, Continental and more.
Sky Grill Lounge and Bar, Fort House, Asian Kitchen, The Rice Boat, Dhe Puttu, Fusion Bay are some of the finest restaurants that you will find in Kochi. You might not know this, but Kochi actually has a lot of quaint cafes to cater to the backpacking audience. In the city and close to the coastal area, you will find small joints and ventures that have a hipster vibe and attract the young crowd. It is a known fact that the seafood in Kerala is a delight to the taste buds. The city centre will acquaint you with not just exciting dishes but also taste and flavour that will be unforgettable.
How to reach Kochi (Transportation)
By Air
The Cochin International Airport, located 29 km away from the city centre sees excellent flight connectivity from Kochi to other major cities in India. In fact, the airport also has flights taking international routes from Kochi to Middle Eastern countries. Kochi airport is known to be one of the busiest and crowded airports thanks to the excellent connectivity it has with the other cities in the country as well as internationally. A plethora of flights fly from Kochi to cities such as Mumbai, Bangalore, Delhi, Chennai, Kolkata, Jaipur and more. The city is always on demand and hence, getting good flight deals for Kochi becomes quite challenging. However, with good planning and timing, you might be able to get cheap flight tickets to Kochi and even decent flight deals.
By Rail
Just like the flight connectivity of Kochi with the rest of the major cities in India, even the railway network is strong. There are two railway stations, namely Kochi Railway Station and Ernakulam Junction Station that connect the city with the rest of the country. There are express trains too that travel to Kochi from Mumbai, Delhi and other big cities. Train tickets to Kochi can be booked online as well as physically at the railway station. The city is well-connected within the state too and has bus and railway services to ensure that the city's stature as one of the economically strong and developed places sustains.
By Road
Kochi has impeccable roadway network as well owing to the city being a commercial hub. The city doesn't just contribute to the state's economy but also to the country's and hence, is blessed with strong roadways network. Several buses enter and leave the city from various parts of the country. The neighbouring states of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, even Goa, have bus facilities that provide services to the city. The Kerala State Run Transport Corporation (KSRTC) travels through several cities, including Kochi. There are options for AC and Non-AC buses that you can choose from for your travel needs.
About Qantas Airways
Qantas Airways Limited is the national flag carrier of Australia and is recognised as the largest airline in the country with respect to international route connectivity and fleet size. The airline is the third oldest in the world following KLM Royal Dutch Airlines and Avianca. It was founded in 1920 and completes 100 years in the aviation industry in 2020. The airline commenced its international operations for passengers in 1935. The name Qantas is an acronym which stands for "Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial Services". It has also been nicknamed as "The Flying Kangaroo" in the aviation industry. Qantas is one of the main founding members of the Oneworld airline alliance. Based out of Sydney's suburb of Mascot, the airline is adjacent to its main hub at Sydney Airport. In 2014, the airline owned 65 percent of the shares in the Australian domestic market while carrying about 14.9 percent of passengers travelling to and from Australia. Qantas as a slew of subsidiary airlines that operate predominantly in the regional market and on some trunk routes (or domestic routes) prevalent in Australia. These airlines fall under the QantasLink banner.
The airline owns and operates one of the biggest low-cost airlines, Jetstar Airways, which caters to the domestic routes as well as international routes from Australia and New Zealand. Qantas has also invested in all the Jetstar-branded airlines and holds a higher stake in all of them. In 1998, along with British Airways, Cathay Pacific, American Airlines and Canadian Airlines, Qantas also co-founded the Oneworld alliance. Eventually, several more airlines joined the airline alliance. Qantas' market share saw a brief dip with budget airline Virgin Blue (now Virgin Australia) entrance to cater to the domestic routes. Intending to compete with the budget airline, Qantas introduced their own version of budget carrier, Jetstar Airways, in 2001. The same year, with Jetstar Airways' creation, its competitor Ansett Australia collapsed. This led to a 90 per cent spike in Qantas' shares in the market. However, simultaneously, cut-throat competition with Virgin Australia also increased as the latter announced expansion plans.
Using the Jetstar subsidiary, Qantas has expanded tremendously in the aviation market catering to domestic routes in Australia and international routes majorly connecting Asian cities and New Zealand. Along with Jetstar Airways, the airline further announced similar modelled budget airlines such as Jetstar Pacific and Jetstar Asia Airways. Qantas is known to have contributed tremendously to the aviation market with the constant creation of various subsidiary airlines. While many failed to take off the way the airline intended them to, that hasn't stopped the parent airline from establishing newer subsidiaries. Some of the famous airline subsidiaries introduced by Qantas include QantasLink, Australia Asia Airlines, Jetstar Airways, Impulse Airlines, Jetconnect, Australian Airlines and Qantas freight as well. During its years as one of the oldest airline, Qantas has seen all sides of the financial scenarios from losses to profits. There was a brief period in the illustrious history of Qantas when the airline reported losses. This resulted in downgrading sources, facilities, fleet and even staff. After suffering from some losses, the airline returned to its profit-making structure in 2015. Further, the airline also sold off its lease of Sydney Airport's Terminal 3.
Fleet size of Qantas
Qantas Airways' fleet size as of 2020 stands at 126. The airline only has variant aircraft from the Airbus and Boeing family. The current fleet comprises aircraft such as 18 Airbus A330-200s, 10 Airbus A330-300s, 12 Airbus A380-800s, 75 Boeing 737-800s and 11 Boeing 787-9s. They have also ordered for additional three Boeing 787-9s. In 2012, the airline announced that they were cancelling their order of 35 Boeing 787-9s due to heavy losses incurred. However, they did hold on to the 15 aircraft Boeing 787-8s order to add to the Jetstar Airways' fleet. In 2015, the airline stated that they would be ordering eight Boeing 787-9s, delivery of the same was expected in 2017.
In 2019, the airline made quite a few orders and cancellations. At the Paris Air Show, Qantas Group stated that they would be converting their 26 Airbus A321neos to A321XLR variants. Similarly, they planned to make a few more conversions with their aircraft, including A321neos to A321LRs and A321XLRs. This led to Qantas Group to accommodate a total of 109 aircraft from the Airbus A320neo family. The same year, they also announced that a select few of their Airbus A350-1000 would be used as non-stop flights from Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne to connect to international destinations such as Paris, New York, Cape Town, Paris, Frankfurt and Rio de Janeiro.
Baggage Allowance
Qantas Group has a consolidated list of baggage allowance criteria that they have uploaded on their official website, along with a calculator. Passengers who are opting for Qantas Airways can learn more about their baggage allowance deals and whether it works in their favour. As per their policy, the airline accommodates about 50 kg and 40 kg weighing baggage from first class and business class passengers respectively. The weight could vary depending on whether the member is part of the airline's frequent flyer programme. Similarly, the airline allows 40 kg and 30 kg weight for passengers travelling from premium economy and economy class respectively.
The baggage allowance policy as mentioned here applies to all international routes of Qantas Airways except for North and South America. The dimension of the bags should all individually be not more than 158 cm. The same can be calculated using the airline's baggage calculator. Purchase of additional baggage is also allowed with weights that depend on the cabin class of the passenger or the ticket type. As for hand baggage, the airline allows business class passengers to carry one piece of baggage that should not weigh more than 10 kg and can be accommodated with an accessory bag. The dimension for the same should not be more than 115 cm.
In-flight services
Qantas' in-flight services have won several accolades and praise by commuters and critics for being one of the best in the world. They offer a series of facilities onboard starting from comfortable seating with personalised entertainment systems to delicious in-flight meals. The airline's in-flight staff are quite friendly and cater to the requirements of the passengers with a big smile on their faces. The aircraft also comes with premium class cabins to economy class cabins that enable travellers from all walks of life to journey together.
Popular routes and top cities for Qantas
Qantas is one of the few international airlines to operate charters to Antarctica and does the same on behalf of Croydon Travel. The first flightseeing trip to Antarctica took place in 1977. However, the services were suspended for many years due to a crash of the New Zealand Flight 901. Eventually, in 1994, Qnatast restarted flightseeing charters to the continent. Qantas has a slew of operations to various international routes and domestic routes that make it one of the largest in the continent and also in the world. Over the years, the airline has introduced various popular routes from Sydney to North America, the Middle East, the United Kingdom and more. The airline brought forth a non-stop service from Sydney to Dallas/Fort Worth in 2014, which is operated by Airbus A380. Some of its top international destinations include Hong Kong, Denpasar, Jakarta, Tokyo, Osaka, Auckland, Queenstown, Christchurch, Singapore, Bangkok, London, Dallas, Los Angeles, New York City - JFK and San Francisco. They have terminated a huge list of international destinations, following the coronavirus pandemic.
The airline has also signed some agreements and tie-ups with international airlines to accommodate more international routes. Some of its codeshare agreements are with airlines such as Air France, Alaska Airlines, China Eastern Airlines, Jetstar Airways, SriLankan Airlines, Air New Zealand, American Airlines, China Southern Airlines, Jetstar Asia Airways, Vietnam Airlines, Air Niugini, Asiana Airlines, Bangkok Airways, British Airways, Emirates, Fiji Airways, Japan Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Jetstar Japan, Vietnam Airlines and more.
Why travel by Qantas?
Qantas Airways is a known brand that has been offering the best of airline facilities as well as in-flight services for nearly 100 years now. It has expanded tremendously in recent years by accommodating some convenient facilities such as web check-ins, receiving flight status, booking a Qantas flight online or by their mobile app and to know more about their baggage allowance. In fact, you can even purchase extra baggage through their app and keep all flight-related details on the phone. The mobile app also has details of Qantas flight schedules that would help the passenger plan out the journey with more convenience. Further, the airline has also tied up with international airlines to bring forth better frequent flyer programmes that would benefit their regular customers. Qantas has also included newer routes and destinations both, domestic and international, to ensure better connectivity. The fleet size of Qantas has also enhanced to accommodate better aircraft that would cater to world-class facilities and amenities in-flight and give passengers the experience of a lifetime.
About Cochin Airport
Cochin International Airport is located 25 km away from the city of Kochi, at Nedumbassery, in the state of Kerala. The Cochin Airport is the first airport in the country that has been developed under a public-private partnership (PPP) model. The project is funded by about 10,000 non-resident Indians (NRI) sprawled across 30 countries. The airport is known for its busy status as it is the most active in the state of Kerala. The airport is also the largest in the state. Cochin International Airport provides to ap[proximately 61 per cent of passenger movement. The Cochin Airport is also recognized nationally as the fourth busiest airport, with respect to international traffic and eighth most active overall.
About Cochin Airport Terminals
There are three main terminals at the Cochin International Airport. While two of them cater to the domestic terminal, the third one works as an international airport. Terminal 1 was previously used for international flight activities. However, with the new and improved Terminal 3, the international operations were shifted there. The terminal caters to the domestic airlines and operations and can accommodate 4,000 passengers per hour. There are 56 check-in counters, six private lounges and seven aerobridges with a conveyor belt that transfers baggage of about 12 flights at once. Terminal 2 offers an executive experience with CUTE enabled check-in counters, four self-check-in kiosks and six security gates with a space to handle about 400 passengers at once. The terminal was converted as an executive terminal much recently. The international Terminal 3 came into existence in recent times. Built with the Kerala architecture and influence from the Thrissur Pooram, the terminal boasts exquisite fibre elephants adorned with traditional costumes. There are five entry gates, 84 check-in and 80 immigration counters.
About airport authority
The Cochin International Airport is owned by the public limited company, formally known as Cochin International Airport Limited (CIAL), which is a public-private consortium. The Government of Kerala also holds ownership in the venture with 33.36 per cent stakes. The government is the largest investor in CIAL while various Indian and foreign organizations also have stakes on it. Companies such as BPCL, AAI and Air India have a collective stake of 8.74 per cent. Meanwhile, foreign organizations such as Emke Group from Abu Dhabi, Galfar Group of Oman and Majeed Bukatara Trading of UAE hold 5.42 per cent stake. There are many more players in the venture too such as Federal Bank, Canara Bank and SBT. 38.03 per cent of stake is collectively owned by approximately 10,000 personal investors panned across 29 countries. These are non-resident Indians with stakes in CIAL.
Facilities at the Cochin Airport
Luggage facility: The airport has a slew of services available pertaining to the luggage. There are free luggage trolleys available at the entrance of the airport as well as at regular counters till the check-in. The terminal also allows porterage services where you can avail help from a professional to escort your luggage from one point to another. The porterage services do come for free for senior citizens, expectant mothers, physically disabled individuals, minors and more. It is imperative that you coordinate with the respective airlines to avail the services. Along with porterage and trolleys, the airport also offers baggage wrapping services. You can get your luggage wrapped in plastic to protect them from theft, mishandle and other concerns.
Child care room: The Cochin airport has designated child care centres in the domestic as well as international terminals. This comes in handy for mothers with infants. Women with kids can make use of the room to feed and change diapers. The room also has other provisions of baby products, including toys, to help soothe the child, if needed. The centre is well-sanitized and is maintained perfectly to ensure the hygiene of the space. Mothers must find it safe and healthy.
Information desk: The information desk is available at regular intervals. The space offers all details about the airport, including a map of the airport. The desk provides all the necessary information regarding flights, airlines, boarding gates and other such concerns even if you need to find specific places such as the lost and found and VIP rooms.
Conference halls: One of the major highlights of the Cochin Airport is the conference halls that it has. You can host meetings and other such conventions at the airport. It is excellent and quite convenient as it helps save time for all the parties involved. Business professionals can simply meet at the airport, wrap up the conference or convention and take their flights to return to their cities. It is a convenient setting and hence, is most favoured.
Postal facilities:
Cochin airport has postal facilities as well that work perfectly for the passengers. In case there are some important documents and letters that need to be posted, you can make it happen at the airport. Postal services are available at both the terminals.
Restaurants and cafes: Kochi airport's domestic wing has only a few food establishments in the food court. The international terminal of the airport does have a decent slew of restaurants and food establishments that you will find.
Pre-paid taxi services: From the airport, there are many pre-paid taxi services outside the airport. Outside the airport, the officials have segregated the parking spaces in such a way that specific pillars and lanes are dedicated to taxi cabs. Depending on your bookings, you will be directed to the specific pillar or lane for taxis.
ATMs and Forex: Foreign exchange counters and ATM kiosks are present at regular intervals in the airport.
You can make your currency exchanges and even get a good rate at the airport. You can also withdraw cash at the ATMs to ensure that you have enough money in hand.
Medical facilities: Much like every airport, even Cochin airport has medical services. It is a necessary protocol that needs to be followed by all the airports to have medical facilities. The possibility of a medical emergency is always prevalent at airports.
VIP lounge: The airport has exemplary VIP lounges and guestrooms for special people. Travellers who have first-class tickets or premium memberships at specific airlines will get access to the private lounges or VIP rooms. These lounges and rooms have upscaled luxury services with great hospitality.
Top airlines flying from the Cochin Airport
Cochin International Airport is recognized as one of the largest and busiest airports in the state of Kerala. With an air passenger movement of approximately 61 per cent, the airport easily becomes a busy one in the state. The Cochin International Airport also witnesses tremendous international traffic. As many flights directly fly to Middle Eastern countries from Cochin and witnesses a high demand too, the international traffic is just as busy as the domestic terminal. Cochin International Airport also serves as a base to the operations of the airlines Air India Express. Aside from Air India Express, the airport also sees many other important domestic airlines such as Air Asia India, Air India Express, GoAir, IndiGo, Indian Airlines, SpiceJet and Vistara. There are three passenger terminals with Terminal 3 (international terminal) being the largest terminals in the whole country.
Earlier Terminal 1 served as the international terminal. However, after a massive upgrade that took place and with the genesis of Terminal 3, the international flight activities shifted to the other one. The capacity is also quite good, with over 4,000 passengers per hour. Some of the international airlines that fly from Cochin Airport are Air Arabia, Air Asia, Air India, Air Jazeera, Emirates, Etihad Airways, flydubai, Gulf Air, Kuwait Airways, Malaysia Airlines, Malindo Air, Oman Airways, Qatar Airways, Saudia, Silkair, Singapore Airlines, Srilankan Airlines, Thai AirAsia and Tiger Airways. These airlines majorly cater to the passengers flying in and out of Middle Eastern countries. As the demand for the Middle Eastern countries is very high in the state of Kerala, quite a few airlines have direct flights to those international destinations. Cochin airport houses airlines that directly connect with cities such as Muscat, Kuwait, Doha, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Riyadh and Jeddah.
How to reach Cochin Airport
There are various ways to reach Cochin International Airport. Buses, taxis and private vehicles can reach you to the Cochin airport without any hassle. There are dedicated buses that travel to the Cochin International Airport. Often many travel to Cochin Airport to reach places such as Alleppey, Munnar and other prominent tourist destinations in Kerala. While the main city does have the main bus stand, there are many bus routes that connect to the airport. These buses have destinations such as Ernakulam, Padma, Thrissur, Fort Kochi, Angamaly, Kaloor and Ernakulam-Vyttil-Thoppumpady, to name a few.
Another famous and favoured way to reach Cochin International Airport is by pre-paid taxis. There are taxi counters available close to the domestic and international terminals. There are booths available within the premise of the airport too from where you can make your taxi bookings. Even outside the airport, there are taxi counters from where you can get your taxis. Ride-sharing services are also available with apps such as Uber and Ola at work. Often many travellers even opt to reach other cities in the Ernakulam district by booking a taxi. To further enhance your trip, the airport also has rental services available. You can make a booking at the taxi counter as well.
