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  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 Sri Lankan Airlines

Sri Lankan Airlines is the official flag carrier of Sri Lanka and is also part of the Oneworld airline alliance. The airline is currently the largest carrier in Sri Lanka with respect to the fleet size and the number of destinations covered. It was initially launched as Air Lanka in 1979, following the termination of Air Ceylon, the former Sri Lankan flag carrier. Operations of Air Ceylon were terminated as Air Lanka took over all the flight activities. Air Lanka was partially acquiesced by Emirates in 1998, which resulted in a total rebranding of the airlines. The acquisition also introduced the current livery that Srilankan Airlines possesses. In 2008 though, the Sri Lankan government acquired all the shares of Air Lanka from Emirates and brought forth a rebranded airline. While the partnership with Emirates was terminated, the airlines changed its name to SriLankan Airlines and changed the logo of the company as well.

Right after its rebranding, Sri Lankan Airlines acquired six Airbus A330-200s to add to its fleet of Airbus A340-300 and A320-200 aircraft. Soon, in 2000, the airline further added its fourth aircraft, A340-300, which arrived at Colombo with the airline's refurbished corporate livery. Sri Lankan Airlines also upgraded its A340 fleet by adding a two-class configuration to enhance the brand name and reflect its new corporate image. The airlines also worked to increase its destinations for domestic routes and international routes, primarily in India and the Middle East. As expansions continued on one side, the airlines commenced flights to Jeddah, the third Saudi destination, after Riyadh and Dammam. In 2017, the airlines also introduced its direct daily non-stop flight connection to Melbourne in Australia. This has been Sri Lankan Airlines' most ambitious expansions to date as its long haul route between Australia, and Sri Lanka was brought back after a hiatus of 16 years.

Currently, Sri Lankan Airlines is known to operate about 560 flights in a week. It has excellent connectivity as it operates in over 113 destinations across 51 countries. These numbers also include the codeshare operations that have been signed by the airlines. The airline's main hub is situated at the Bandaranaike International Airport, located in the capital city of Colombo. Sri Lankan Airlines joined the Oneworld airline alliance much recently, in 2014, to be precise. In the same year, Airbus A330 and Airbus A320, both found Oneworld's livery on their aircraft, commemorating the airline's establishment as one of the airlines in the alliance carrier. The airlines' livery is an all-white fuselage with SriLankan titles covered in blue while the tail sees the new corporate logo acquired by the airlines.

Fleet size of Sri Lankan Airlines

Sri Lankan Airlines' current fleet size is 26, which majorly has only Airbus aircraft. The maximum aircraft in their fleet includes the Airbus A330-300s. The airline introduced its first Airbus aircraft in 1992 as it began chartering the Airbus A320-200 to domestic routes to the Maldives, southern India and Pakistan. During the presidential rule of Premadasa, the airline further added Airbus A340-300 aircraft in its fleet with the first Airbus A340 being delivered in 1994. Sri Lankan Airlines became the first in Asia to charter Airbus A340 aircraft. In 2012, during President Rajapakse's rule, the airline planned for ambitious growth in expanding its fleet size to 35 aircraft with deals being signed with both aircraft companies, Airbus and Boeing. Former CEO of Srilankan Airline, Kapila Chandrasena also stated that the airline planned to add either Airbus A330-300 or Boeing 777-300ER, Boeing 787-8 in its fleet. With this, they aimed to replace the Airbus A340-300. In 2013, the airlines bagged government approval to charter four Airbus A350-900 and seven A330-300 aircraft while deliveries of A330-300 commenced from 2014. Following the large order, the airline also leased three Airbus A350-900s, deliveries of the same starting in 2017.

Sri Lankan Airlines eventually phased out its Airbus A340-300 in 2016 and replaced the aircraft with A330-300 and A350-900. In 2015, the airlines also signed a deal with Air Lease Corporation and AerCap intending to acquire two Airbus A321neo aircraft, lease them from each of the firms. In 2016 though, after incurring some financial losses and concerns, the airline announced that they would be cancelling their order of eight A350 aircraft. As of 2019, the airline still has four Airbus A350-900 aircraft in the monthly order book of the aircraft manufacturing company with no cancellations or conversions of the order to A330-900 from Srilankan Airlines.

Sri Lankan Airlines Baggage Allowance

The baggage allowance at Sri Lankan Airlines differs from the ticket-type chosen by the passenger. For the business class travellers, the airline offers a maximum weight of 40 kg for checked baggage. The dimension of the bags also needs to be within 158 cm, inclusive of pockets, handles and wheels. The economy class sees a significant drop of maximum weight being 30 kg with the same baggage dimension to be followed. Interestingly, a plethora of international airlines usually has a baggage allowance of 23 kg for checked baggage for the economy class. This gives Sri Lankan Airlines a benefit, especially among travellers who are carrying a lot of luggage. There might be restrictions on the baggage allowance depending on the airline partners. More details concerning this can be figured out at the airline's website or even at their customer care service.

In terms of hand luggage that can be carried on board, the airline allows weight no more than 7 kg. While the maximum weight remains the same for travellers of business and economy class, the difference comes with the number of bags that they are allowed to carry. While business class allows two pieces of hand luggage, economy class passengers are only allowed to carry one bag. Besides this, the passengers are allowed an additional small bag which could include a laptop, handbag, camera bag, etc. For travellers travelling with infants, an additional 5 kg weighing baggage is allowed on-board. As the infants require feeding and changing on a regular basis, the inclusion of a dedicated infant baggage allowance has been introduced by Sri Lankan Airlines. Along with this, the traveller can also carry strollers or baskets or pushchairs for the comfort of the infant as well as the parent.

Sri Lankan Airlines In-flight services

Sri Lankan Airlines only offers two class-cabins, business class and economy class. However, both the classes have been blessed with exemplary in-flight services and facilities that make for a comfortable transit. In business class, the airline offers a reclining seat that can be converted into full flat-beds and is present in all long-haul fleet. Along with the flat-bed, the airline has also installed AVOD (Audio Video on Demand) facilities to cater to the entertainment quotient for the passenger. The seats are as wide as 19.5 inches which can recline up to 180 degrees with a bed that sprawls over 79 inches. The suites also come with a 15-inch personal In-flight Entertainment (IFE) system. Much recently, they also revealed their news feature in business class, Thales Avant IFE, which brings forth modern entertainment features and better business class seats. The A330-300 fleet has all-aisle access with a configuration of 1-2-1 seating, reserved for business class. The A320 and A321 aircraft offer a 2-2 layout with extra reclining seats and a pitch that ranges from 39 to 49 inches.

For the economy class, the airline does provide some in-flight services such as in-seat entertainment, which is present on all their wide-body and narrow-body aircraft. On their A330-300 and A320/A321neo aircraft, the airline has provided all cabin classes with paid-for internet access as part of their in-flight services. This also includes mobile services and access to WiFi. The airline is also the first in South Asia to have on-board WiFi services available. Sri Lankan Airlines' receives its catering services from Srilankan Catering Limited. Its hub is present at Bandaranaike International Airport. The kitchen as the capacity to prepare over 25,000 meals in a day in their state-of-the-art kitchen facility. The catering service was incorporated in 1979 and initially commenced as a joint venture with Thai Airways International. However, as the venture agreement lapsed in 1998 with Air Lanka ltd buying all the shares of Thai Airways International, the entity became a Sri Lankan Airlines Limited's subsidiary.

Popular routes and top cities for Srilankan Airlines

As of 2020, Srilankan Airlines operates in 40 cities in about 20 countries. Some of the popular international routes that Srilankan Airlines caters to include India, China, Bangladesh, Hong Kong, Indonesia, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Australia, to name a few. Top cities include Sydney, Paris, Beijing, Berlin, Hong Kong, Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Bangalore, Kochi, Tokyo, Muscat, Bangkok, Abu Dhabi, London and Seoul.

Why travel by Sri Lankan Airlines?

Sri Lankan Airlines is best connected to Indian cities as well as several the Middle East and Southeast Asian countries. Hence, booking a Sri Lankan Airlines flight to reach cities in these countries would be the ideal way to go. Not to mention how the airline's website is also very helpful and efficient as it helps conduct web check-in, know about the flight status and get an update on Sri Lankan Airlines' flight schedule. You can further enjoy some of Sri Lankan Airlines' exquisite in-flight services.

  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.