Mumbai06 Dec 22 1 Traveller Economy
Showing International Flight from Patna
About Patna
Patna is yet another city that is located along the banks of the river Ganges. It is also the capital of Bihar. The city is not only a popular tourist destination but also has spiritual significance. There are pilgrimage sites for Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists and Jains, too. It was earlier called as Pataliputra and also had quite a few monuments to its credit. It is a blend of modernization and a glorious past. The Gandhi Ghat is a very popular tourist spot here since the ashes of late Mahatma Gandhi were also immersed here. The Ganga aarti performed here is also one of the highlights of the city.
Best Time to Visit Patna
Like a lot of other cities in India, the best time to visit Patna is also winter. The summer here is extremely hot and the monsoon unfavourable. The city witnesses winter from December to March. This temperature ranges from 12 to 32 degree Celsius during these months, and it is also the most ideal time to go sightseeing. The end of November and the seventh day after Diwali has people of Bihar performing the Chhath Puja. This is also a peak travel time to Patna. Since it is peak travel season, you can find great flight deals to Patna online. Make sure you book your hotel in Patna well in advance. You will also find quite a lot of tour packages during winter and at affordable prices.
July to September is when the city witnesses monsoon. The rainfall is quite irregular in the city, and the temperature reaches up to a maximum of 28 degree Celsius. The city looks beautiful during monsoon, and while it is a pleasant time to visit the city, it might affect your plans to go sightseeing. However, since it is off-season, you might get cheap flight tickets to Patna.
The temperature often soars up to a maximum of 41 degree Celsius during summer. Patna experiences summer from March to June. The heat is so bad that you will get tired and exhausted from sightseeing or even venturing outside soon. Since there are also not that many festivals celebrated during this time, it is not the best time to experience the rich culture and traditions of the city. If you do plan a trip to Patna during summer, make sure you are well-hydrated.
Places to Visit in Patna
Gandhi Ghat is a major tourist attraction in Patna. It is majorly popular because late Mahatma Gandhi's ashes were immersed in the ghat here, which is also how it got its name. Another major highlight of this ghat is the Ganga aarti that happens in the evening. You'll see approximately 51 lighted lamps held by priests while performing the aarti. It is the most beautiful sight. Patna also has the Bihar Museum for the history geek in you and Patna Planetarium for the ones interested in astronomy. You will have to pay a nominal fee to get into both the places, but it will be totally worth it. You can also visit the Patna Museum, also called Jadu Ghar, which has Indian artefacts that date back to the middle ages and the British Colonial Era. You can visit the Patna Sahib Gurudwara that was built by Maharaja Ranjit Singh since Patna is also Guru Gobind Singh Ji's birthplace.
The Srikrishna Science Centre is the perfect place for you to take your kids. The Japanese Peace Pagoda is another tourist spot you must visit. It is a 125 feet tall statue that was built by the Buddh Vihar Society. It is also surrounded by greenery, which makes it a pleasant place to go to in Patna. You can also visit the Sanjay Gandhi Jaivik Udyan. It is a botanical garden that was established in 1969, and it is also a zoo. If you are here with your kids, you can also treat them to a toy train ride. Golghar, which is in the heart of the city, was constructed in 1786 by Captain John Garstin and was initially used as a storehouse. If you want to enjoy your solitude and soak in the beautiful scenic view of the city, this is the best place to go to. The Patan Devi Mandir is also a popular place in Patna. Dedicated to Goddess Maa Patneshwari, it is one of the oldest and a sacred place in the city. Locals also believe that the name of the city was derived from the Goddess' name. Chhoti Dargah is another historical site that you must not miss. The 3-storeyed mausoleum is where Makhdum Shah was buried in 1616. It is a popular tourist spot and a place of worship for Muslims.
Things to do in Patna
Patna was earlier called Patalipura and came into existence in the 5th century. While this may not be the best place for adventure lovers, it is apt for a fun, family vacation. You can either hire a taxi to go sightseeing around the city or use the public transport. Golghar is an architectural marvel in Patna. The dome structure was built by Captain John Garstin in 1786. It was used as a granary for the British Army but has now become a historical site. You climb up the spiral stairs inside the Golghar, and you will be treated to a scenic view of the city. Since Patna has a lot of temples, you can also add visiting those in your itinerary. The Sree Patna Sahib Gurudwara is also an important place of worship. You can sit here and meditate for a while after offering your prayers. You can also go to the Pataneshwari temple, dedicated to Goddess Maa Patan Devi.
You must also visit the ruins of Nalanda University. The university was established and run by Buddhist monks and had at least 10,000 students. It was also hosted by Buddha Siddhartha himself. It is about 80 km away from the main city of Patna, and even though it is in ruins, you will enjoy the tranquillity here. Visit the Gandhi Ghat and go boating here. Catch the beautiful sunset while you are boating here. Take an artistic piece of Patna back home with you. Stop by at Ajanta on Fraser Road to buy some genuine Madhubani paintings. The city also has a lot of shopping malls for you to please the shopaholic in you.
Food and Restaurants in Patna
You will mostly only find restaurants and stalls that serve vegetarian food in Patna. Not that you won't find any restaurant that serves non-vegetarian food. You will also get to satisfy your chicken, mutton or seafood cravings here. Litti Chokha is one of the most popular delicacies that you get here. The city is also popular for its desserts and snacks like Gujjia, Kesar Peda, Malpua, Chana Ghugni, Jhaal Mudi, Choora, etc. The street food is just as good as the dine-in restaurants. You will also find restaurants that serve Bengali, North Indian, Chinese and Continental cuisines in Patna.
Takshila is one of the most popular restaurants in the city that is within hotel Chanakya. You will absolutely love the Mughlai, Afghan and Tandoori food in this restaurant. Biryani Mahal is another very popular restaurant in the city, so much that you will either have to wait in a long queue to get a decent table or book one in advance. It's not a very big joint, but the food will leave you satiated. Basant Vihar is popular for its paneer cutlets and veg curries. You might have to wait a tad bit to get a table on weekends, but otherwise, you will have a smooth experience here. The city also has popular franchises like Pind Balluchi and Mainland China that serve delicious food with a great ambience. The dine-in experience and the local street food both will make sure that you leave the city happy.
How to reach Patna
By Air
The Lok Nayak Jayaprakash Airport, also called the Patna Airport, is the nearest airport in Patna that has both domestic and international terminals. The flight connectivity from Patna to other major domestic cities is excellent and quite frequent, too. While there are a lot of direct flights to Patna from major cities, connecting flights from Delhi, Bangalore, Varanasi and Lucknow are popular routes to Patna by air. Direct flights will only take about 2.5-3 hours to land in Patna, depending on which city you board the flight from to get here.
By Rail
Patna is connected to major cities in the country like Mumbai, Delhi, Lucknow, Kolkata, Varanasi, Bangalore, Chennai and Amritsar. Not only express trains, but you will also get super fast trains to and from Patna. It is advisable that you make your ticket bookings to Patna in advance to avoid any last-minute inconveniences.
By Road
NH31 connects Patna to other cities. You will also find a lot of private and government-run buses or taxis from nearby cities that will help you reach Patna or leave from here. Though the bus services are frequent and it is also a far cheaper way to travel, taking a train or a flight would be more convenient than anything else.
About Air France
Air France, popularly stylised as AIRFRANCE, is the flag carrier of France and has its headquarters in Tremblay-en-France. The airline also has a subsidiary which is a merger between Air France-KLM Group. The airline is one of the founding members of SkyTeam, one of the top global airline alliances. Air France serves about 36 destinations in its domestic routes and also caters to about 175 cities in the international routes. This further includes the 93 French-administered overseas territories of France. In 2019, the airline recorded to carry 46,803,000 passengers. Charles de Gaulle Airport along with Orly Airport is the primary hubs of Air France. The corporate headquarters of the airline was previously located in Montparnasse. However, it has been relocated to be on the grounds of Charles de Gaulle Airport, situated in the north of the city Paris. Air France came into existence in 1933 following a merger of Air Union, Compagnie Internationale de Navigation Aérienne, Air Orient, Compagnie Générale Aéropostale and Société Générale de Transport Aérien took place.
The airline played a significant role during the Cold War between 1950 to 1990 as one of the main three Allied airlines. It operated from Germany's Tempelhof and Tegel airports. Air France acquired operations of France's domestic carrier Air Inter and Union de Transports Aériens, international rival UTA. In 2003, the airlines had a merger with KLM, after seven decades of being the primary carrier of France. Air France also has offices in various other international cities such as in Midtown Manhattan, New York City as well as in Plesman House in Hatton Cross. Air France primarily adopted a seahorse logo from its predecessor, Air Orient. The logo is known as hippocampe ailé, also called la crevette or popularly referred to as shrimp by the employees. In the past, before Air France and KLM merged, the hippocampe ailé was on the nose section of the aircraft, painted right next to the Air France title. However, the logo was substituted following the merger and put to the engine nacelles.
Currently, Air France's livery comprises of white fuselage with the blue Air France title as well as design. It follows a Eurowhite scheme with its tail being white with parallel red and blue lines. The same is painted on the tail at a certain angle, to represent a small European flag. The livery has been used since the 1970s and has Air France painted on the fuselage, written in blue.
Fleet size of Air France
Presently, Air France operates a whopping fleet of 216 aircraft. The airline's narrow-body fleet has all the four Airbus A320 variants while its long-haul operations are only served by Boeing 777, 787, Airbus A330 and A350 XWB wide-body aircraft. The airline has a 100 per cent Airbus-Boeing fleet, for better productivity.
Wide-body fleet - In 2011, Air France-KLM made an announcement that they have ordered for 50 Airbus A350s and Boeing 787s that would be operated by both the airlines. The two airlines have a commitment for Boeing 787s out of which, 25 are direct, and 12 are leased. The first Boeing 787-9 to enter operations for KLM took place in 2015 while in 2017, Air France received its first Boeing 787-9. The two airlines also have orders for 28 A350s to join their fleet. Much recently, the group announced a revision in the original order, making Air France as the sole operator of Airbus A350. At the same time, KLM became the only airline operating Boeing 787s, including the six aircraft that were initially earmarked for Air France.
Narrow-body fleet - Air France's fleet consists of all four variants of the Airbus A320 aircraft while the narrow-body fleet has a total of 114 jets. The contracts for Airbus A318 and A319 fleet are set to retire soon, and the airline has announced that 60 Airbus A220-300s would be replacing them in 2021. Further, on the same, Air France plans to add more Airbus A220 in its domestic routes to cut back on emissions.
Boeing 747 - Originally, Air France and KLM collectively started operating Boeing 747 which started from 1971. However, the flights were replaced by Airbus A380s and Boeing 777-300ERs starting 2016.
Airbus A380 - Airbus A380-800 "superjumbo" kicked off in 2001 by Air France. The airline became the first in all of Europe to accommodate and operate the A380. As per recent announcements by Air France-KLM though, the group has planned on replacing all their Airbus A380 fleet and instead plans to add more Airbus A350s and Boeing 787s. The plan might go on floors sooner than one can estimate as the airline has been working on eliminating all the aircraft from its fleet.
Baggage Allowance
Air France's baggage allowance protocols are quite universal as many top airlines also follow the same terms and conditions. For hand baggage that can be taken to the cabin, the passenger of the Premium Economy, Business or La Première cabins can take two hand baggage. This is exclusive of one accessory bag which could be a laptop bag or a handbag. Meanwhile, the Economy cabin passengers are allowed to take only one hand baggage along with one accessory bag. The size for the hang baggage should not exceed the dimensions of 55 x 35 x 25 cm, including the wheels, handles and pockets. You can check if your baggage fulfils this criterion at the airport as facilities to measure the size of the baggage is available. The weight for the baggage should be 12 kg and not more than that. For Premium Economy, Business or La Première ticket holders, the weight cannot exceed 18 kg. The weight is combined for all the baggage that you plan to take on board. Make sure to peruse through the official website of Air France to know the prohibited items that you cannot take with you on board.
As for checked baggage, you are not allowed to carry more than 23 kg for Economy cabin passengers and Premium Economy cabin too. Business-class and La Première cabin passengers can carry about 32 kg. Beyond the stated weight, passengers are allowed to purchase extra baggage weight at the airport. You can intimate the airlines about the same on their website too. The dimensions of checked baggage should not exceed 158 cm in total. If it does go beyond the stated dimension, then you will have to pay an extra sum at the airport.
In-flight services
Air France's in-flight services are world-class thanks to the fleet only operating Airbus and Boeing flights. The services are top-notch, especially for the premium cabins. Air France's La Première menu has been curated by Michelin-starred restaurant Le Grand Vefour's chef, Guy Martin. The exquisite menu includes hors d 'oeuvres, entrées, cheese and break basket topped with a dessert cart that comprises of pastries, tartlets and petit fours. Air France also serves complimentary champagne to passengers in all cabins. The airlines also offer a slew of in-flight entertainment with its Audio Video on Demand (AVOD) which is present in all cabins of long haul aircraft. The airline's magazine, Air France Magazine is also part of the in-flight entertainment, as is Air France Madame. Much recently, Air France also enabled WiFi connectivity for their fleets. La Première, Business, and Premium Economy passengers can avail the luxury lounges Le Salon, prevalent in various international airports.
There are four diverse cabins that Air France's fleets are divided into in terms of their cabin. These are majorly for the long haul international routes. They feature La Première, Business, Premium Economy and Economy. The perks of Air France is how every cabin has recliner seats that stretch up to a decent amount in long-haul flights. Along with this, there are other in-flight services on Air France flights that range from personalised entertainment decks to woollen blankets as well as plug points to charge phones, tablets, laptops and more.
Popular routes and top cities for Air France
Air France is known for its exceptional flight connectivity. The airline's domestic route network connects to over 36 destinations while the international routes have 175 destinations connecting to 93 countries. Some of their biggest domestic cities include Paris, Lyon, Nice, Toulouse and Marseilles, to name a few. Many international cities include Brussels, Sydney, Buenos Aires, Vienna, Toronto, Vancouver, Beijing, Wuhan, Havana, Prague, Copenhagen, Berlin, Munich, Mykonos, Hong Kong, Budapest, Bangalore, Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, Milan, Tokyo, New York, Kuwait City, Kuala Lumpur, Mexico City, Amsterdam, Muscat, Doha, Los Angeles, Seoul, Stockholm, London, Bangkok, Manchester, Chicago, San Francisco and more.
Why travel by Air France?
Air France is easily known to be one of the best airlines in the world thanks to its excellent facilities and connectivity to major cities worldwide. The airline has a slew of services and perks to offer that make it the most sought-after choice. Take booking an Air France flight, for instance. They are available on all portals plus, you can get access to Air France's flight schedule and flight status as well. Moreover, you can do web check-ins too that would be very convenient.
About Patna Airport
Jay Prakash Narayan International Airport is predominantly a customs airport with restricted international operations. The airport is located in Patna, the state capital of Bihar. The airport's name came from independence activist, Jayaprakash Narayan. The airport's runway is quite short and cannot accommodate heavy aircraft operations. Hence, it is known to be classified as a restricted international airport. Patna Airport is one of the busiest airports in the country with their passenger traffic increasing by 30.6 per cent, as of 2018-2019. Despite the infrastructural restrictions, the airport has managed to see a spike in the passenger traffic. Hence, the Airport Authority of India has proposed a measure to expand and modernise the external and internal facilities. Expansions projects have already begun and are reportedly set to complete by 2021. Additionally, the airport authority has also planned to develop a joint-use airport to be used by the Bihta Air Force Station too. The plan is to use civil enclave as the second airport for the city of Patna.
About Patna Airport Terminals
Currently, Patna Airport has only one terminal which is divided into domestic and international sections. You can find the arrivals and departures on opposite ends of the terminals. The airport is not massive and is rather stuck between two famous establishments, making expansion plans a challenge. The current runway length stands at 7,000 ft. The surface has been constructed with asphalt and measures about 1,954 x 148 ft. Much recently, the airport managed to complete the new terminal building's parking garage, which now accommodates more vehicles. The new terminal is set to complete construction by 2022. The new terminal is set to have more space and would be able to accommodate more facilities and even passenger traffic. The airport is also rooting to handle more flights, which can be done after the expansion plans are complete.
About airport authority
As part of its expansion plans, the airport currently stands at a runway length of 7,000 ft. The airport is right in the middle of Sanjay Gandhi Jaivik Udyan as well as Phulwari Sharif railway station. The terminal building's area is being increased from the current size, which is 7,200 square metres to a new size which will be 57,000 square metres. The new terminal building is slated to have two levels and will be equipped with six aerobridges along with an apron to park about 14 aircraft. Currently, the airport only has a small parking bay to accommodate six aircraft. To conduct expansion work, Patna airport has demolished several of its buildings, including the Airport Colony as well as IAS Bhavan. The airport also plans to accommodate several utility buildings which include the meteorological centre and Bihar Flying Club. Following this, Patna Airport also plans to construct a new Air Traffic Control tower which would be located adjacent to Birla Institute of Technology. A world-class terminal building will also be installed on the premise of the airport.
About 13.1 acres of land that is close to Jay Prakash Narayan International Airport is being utilised for the two-levelled terminal building. The Airports Authority of India has also proposed to extend the terminal further, view a view to sustaining air operations. The terminal extension will be completed by 2035 and is set to handle about 6 million passengers in a year. The new terminal building would be connecting to the existing building with the help of a sky bridge. The civil enclave at Bihta Air Force Station is also under construction and stands about 20 km away from the city. The second airport is being worked on to cater to large aircraft. For the same, the Bihar government acquired about 126 acres of land to construct Bihta Airport. The new airport terminal is being designed by Singapore firm Meinhardt, accommodating about 4.5 million passengers annually.
Meanwhile, Nagarjuna Construction Company Limited, a Hyderabad-based firm, has been selected to execute the layout. The new terminal is set to be completed by 2022. Patna Airport also has a multi-level parking garage.
Facilities at Patna Airport
ATMs - Jay Prakash Narayan International Airport has installed domestic ATM kiosk to ensure that passengers can withdraw money when they wish to at the airport. It is a convenient location and is required too. The same can be found at the departures and arrivals of the airport terminal.
Payphone booths - Pay phone booths have also been added to the list of facilities at the airport. The idea behind maintaining phone booths is to help passengers with no mobile phones or networks to make use of the facility. You can make local calls and connect with the required contact to reach within the city. You will need to pay a small nominal fee to avail the benefits of the phone booth.
Forex counters - As the primary international airport in the state, Jay Prakash Narayan International Airport also has currency exchange counters. Travellers who are venturing from outside India can get their currencies exchanged at the airport's arrivals terminal. The facility has been added recently after the airport underwent some refurbishing. At the forex counters, travellers can also transfer money and receive the same from outside the country.
Medical services - Following the mandatory clause to have medical services in the premise of the airport, Patna Airport has also reserved a special room for the same. In case of any medical emergencies at the airport vicinity, one can directly reach out to their medical room for assistance. A team of dedicated professionals are constantly present at the airport in case of emergencies. Also, there are pharmacies present in the departure section of the terminal.
Hotel booking counters - Right outside the arrivals section of the terminal is the travel agent's booth. At the counter, you will be able to make bookings with respect to your travel and accommodation within the city. The agent will provide all the required details to venture within the city. Starting from top attractions in the city to modes of transport that would be convenient, the travel agent would guide you through all the necessary information about the city to ensure that your stay is comfortable and your experience is good.
Child care room - Jay Prakash Narayan International Airport has also allotted rooms for child care. Many travellers who travel with infants often find it challenging to cater to their child's needs in public. Activities such as changing of the diaper and breastfeeding require privacy in a safe and hygienic environment. Hence, the airport has reserved a child care room to enable the same. They have also installed comfortable chairs and changing tables in the rooms. You can find baby products also at the airport's child care room.
Special assistance - You can request for special assistance with your airlines, and the airport staff would be present to help you out. The trained staff will take you through the procedures of security checks and boarding without much hassle. Wheelchairs are also available, and a dedicated professional would accompany you around the Patna Airport.
Baggage - The baggage facilities at Patna Airport are quite exemplary. They cater to all kinds of baggage needs ranging from the wrapping of the luggage to storage. Trolleys are also present at the airport to help travellers take their luggage through the airport facility. You can also opt to store your luggage at a safe spot if your flight witnesses delay or if there are any layovers.
Top airlines flying from Patna Airport
Patna Airport majorly caters to domestic flights and airlines that fly to top cities within India. Although there are a few dedicated international cities in the Middle East that the airport does accommodate, predominantly, it is Indian cities. Airlines such as Air India, GoAir, IndiGo, SpiceJet and Vistara operate from Jay Prakash Narayan International Airport. These airlines cater to connect to cities such as Amritsar, Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Bangalore, Ahmedabad, Chennai, Hyderabad, Indore, Surat, Varanasi, Ranchi, Guwahati, Ahmedabad, Chandigarh, Lucknow, Raipur, Bagdogra and Jaipur. The five airlines have active flights flying to and from Jay Prakash Narayan International Airport. The schedules of the flight are not limited as the airport can accommodate them. Since the airport has a single terminal, the capacity is considerably limited. However, it is spacious enough to cater to the five airlines that operate from Jay Prakash Narayan International Airport.
How to reach Patna Airport
Pre-paid taxis and autos
The most convenient and viable means to reach Jay Prakash Narayan International Airport is by auto-rickshaws and pre-paid taxis. Since the airport is perfectly connected by various national highways, it is easy to reach Patna Airport by means of road transport. There are no dedicated bus services that connect to the airport. Pre-paid auto-rickshaws usually have a set fare to reach the Jay Prakash Narayan International Airport. Hence, it would help if you discussed the rates with the driver before you start your journey. Meanwhile, the taxis are also available in every part of the city. You can hail a cab from anywhere to reach Patna Airport. The airport has also made car rentals available to the travellers. You can book a rental at the airport when you reach the city. The same car can be dropped off at Patna Airport. Although the city does use the iconic horse-drawn trams to travel within the vicinity, the same cannot be used for the airport journey.
