Mumbai05 Jan 23 1 Traveller Economy
Showing International Flight from Rajkot
About Rajkot
Rajkot, in Gujarat, does not have a lot of options for you to go sightseeing but you will certainly love shopping here. Be it traditional snacks or silverware, Rajkot is the perfect place for a one-day trip. The city is also popular since it is where late Mahatma Gandhi pursued his early education. It is also considered as one of the cleanest cities in India. While there aren't a lot of options to explore in the city, you can visit the Jubilee Garden, Watson Museum, Kaba Gandhi No Delo and Lang Library. Do also treat yourself to a delicious plate of Gujarati thali. The city also attracts a lot of tourists who are interested in history.
Best Time to Visit Rajkot
While Rajkot's weather is pleasant throughout the year, making it possible for you to plan a trip whenever you want to, it is advisable to visit the city during winter. Rajkot experiences winter from October to March, January and February being the coldest months. The temperature ranges between 22 to 10 degree Celsius. You will get great deals on flights to Rajkot during this time. Make sure you book a hotel in Rajkot in advance since this is also peak season for tourists in Rajkot.
Monsoon in Rajkot begins from June and lasts till September. While the rainfall is not too heavy in the city during these months, it does give tourists a much-needed break from the summer heat. The showers won't really affect your plans to go sightseeing a lot and since the climate will also be pleasant, planning a trip during monsoon will also not prove to be a bad idea. In fact, you might even get cheap flight tickets to Rajkot during the monsoon. It being monsoon and off season, hotel bookings in Rajkot will also get cheaper. The Tarnetar Fair happens in August and attracts a lot of tourists from all over the country. You will see people of different tribes come together to celebrate the fair.
March to June is when summer hits the city, and the scorching heat makes it an unfavourable time for you to plan a visit to Rajkot. The temperature can go up to 42 degree Celsius, and this might even affect your sightseeing plans or any other plan to venture out. The temperature decreases and heads towards pleasant weather towards June end, making way for the monsoon to hit the city.
Places to Visit in Rajkot
The Kaba Gandhi No Delo is one of the most important tourist spots in the city. This is where late Mahatma Gandhi spent his childhood since it was his paternal home. It has been converted into a museum for tourists. Rajkot has a lot of museums for history geeks. The Rotary Dolls Museum is another popular place for tourists to visit. The museum has about 1000 dolls on exhibition that give you a glimpse of cultures from across the world and history, too. The Watson Museum that is inside Jubilee Gardens is yet another place that is perfect for the history geeks. You will find artefacts here that date back to the Indus Valley civilisation. It will also help you understand the history of Gujarat.
After you are done with the museum tour, you can visit the Nyari Dam. This place is perfect for an intimate picnic with your family, and if you wait for some more time, you will be treated to the most enchanting sunset. The Khambhalida Caves must also be in your list of places to visit in Rajkot. The beautiful carvings and the caves date back to the 4th and 5th century. Lang Library is the right place for all you bookworms. You will have to pay an entry fee to enter the library, but you will surely have a great time. The Aji Dam and Lal Pari Lake are two other places in Rajkot you can go to with your family to enjoy the scenic view. Do not end your trip without visiting the Ranjit Vilas Palace and admire its architecture. The city also has quite a few temples that you can visit before ending your Rajkot trip. The temples here have a scenic view, and you'll also be stunned at the marvellous architecture.
Things to do in Rajkot
One thing you can't miss in Rajkot is a scrumptious Gujarati thali. The food in Rajkot is absolutely delectable, and you will enjoy each bite. If you are visiting in August or September, do visit the Tarnetar Fair. The fair takes place near Triniteshwar Mahadev, and you will love being a part of this three-day festival. The dances, songs, stalls and amusement rides will ensure that you have the best day. You will get to buy a lot of souvenirs for your friends and family back home. You will also take back home a lot of memories. Visit the Mayur Patola Art near Virani High School. The patola sarees with their unique weaving techniques and intricate designs will steal your heart right away. You can also buy a few patola sarees in a few other shops. If you feel a little adventurous, you can hike to Aji Dam in the evening right before sunset. Make sure you catch the sunset from the dam, and you can thank us later for it. You can also hike up to Osam Hill in the Patanvav village. It is believed that the Pandavas lived here during their exile and you will even find the spot where Bhima met his first wife, Hidimbi. The sunset only makes this place a million times better and spectacular.
To please the water baby in you, plan a picnic by the Lal Pari lake. It's not too far away from the city and the right spot for you to come across migratory birds like wigeons, purple moorhens and rosy pastors. If Rajkot is famous for anything, it is the handicrafts and the sarees. Make sure you visit the markets and find the best of everything the city has to offer to you. The Bangdi Bazaar and the Gujari Bazaar are two markets that are quite popular in the city. From jewellery to clothes to other artwork, you will find a lot of things at affordable prices.
Food and Restaurants in Rajkot
You can't go to Gujarat and not have the Dhokla or Handvo. They are the most popular Gujarati delicacies that are served with mint chutney and another chutney made of dates. It depends on whether you want to go for the spicy dip or the sweet one. Handvo is also another type of Dhokla that looks and tastes quite different. Thepla is yet another dish that is famous in Gujarat and the rest of the country. It is like paratha and is made of fenugreek leaves. It's best consumed with pickles or curd or any other dip that you prefer. It is also a very popular breakfast option in the city. Kadhi chawal is also something you must try here. And don't leave Rajkot without giving the Gujarati thali a try. The experience will stay with you for a very long time and will even make you want to take a trip back to Rajkot. Undhiyu, Rotlo, Sev Usal, Khandvi, Khakra, Khamman, Fafda are also some of the popular dishes that you must try when you are in Rajkot.
The Grand Thakar is famous for its thalis, and you must definitely try the Gujarati thali here. Waves is another restaurant that is known for its hospitality. Lords Banquet Restaurant is another place to go to if you want to give Gujarati food a try. You will also find other types of cuisines on the menu. Apple Bite Multicuisine Restaurant and Cafe is also a very popular place that has Punjabi, Chinese and Continental cuisines in their menu.
How to Reach Rajkot (Transportation)
By Air
The nearest airport is the Rajkot Airport that is well-connected with other major cities. However, international routes to Rajkot are connected from other cities. A lot of tourists either take a different flight to Rajkot from Mumbai or stop at Sardar Vallabhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad. You can even take a taxi or bus from the Ahmedabad airport. If you are travelling during the offseason, you will even get decent flight deals to Rajkot and if lucky, cheap flight tickets to Rajkot.
By Rail
The Rajkot Railway Junction connects with a lot of other cities. Mumbai, Delhi, Ahmedabad, Surat, Jodhpur are some of the popular routes to Rajkot by rail. The frequency of the trains is also excellent, and it will be advisable for you to book your tickets in advance.
By Road
The road connectivity from Rajkot to other cities in Gujarat is excellent. You will get a lot of buses and taxis from other cities to reach Rajkot. Though taking a flight to Rajkot will be a much more convenient option. Even though buses and trains are far cheaper than flights, reaching Rajkot by air is a much better option, and it also saves a lot of time.
About KLM Royal Dutch Airlines
KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, professionally known as Koninklijke Luchtvaart Maatschappij, is the national flag carrier of the Netherlands. The airline has its headquarters in Amstelveen with its main hub in Amsterdam Airport Schiphol. The airline is part of the Air France - KLM group and is also a member of the SkyTeam airline alliance. It was founded in 1919 and is easily the oldest airline in the world, which is over a century old. Despite being in the aviation industry for 100 years, KLM has not undergone a rebranding in terms of its name. As of 2015, the airline accommodated 35,488 employees and had a fleet size of 119. KLM operates as a scheduled passenger and cargo carrier with services to over 145 destinations worldwide. The airline's first flight, following its establishment in 1919, took place in 1920 from Croydon Airport in London to Amsterdam. For the same, a leased Aircraft Transport and Travel de Havilland DH - 16 was used. It carried two British journalists along with some newspapers. The same year, the airline also carried about 440 passengers along with 22 tonnes of freight.
KLM made its international debut by flying its first international flight to Jakarta and Java, which were part of the Dutch colony and called Dutch East Indies during that period. The airline expanded its wings and acquired more destinations in Europe such as Rotterdam, Brussels, Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Malmö, Bremen, Paris and London. With the onset of World War II, the flight operations were put on hold as all the aircraft was shifted to Britain following an invasion by Germany. Post World War II, the airline underwent some significant losses. The Dutch government expressed its desire to gain more stakes in the airline and nationalised it in the process. However, under Albert Plesman's leadership, KLM did not agree to the deal and continued to be a private entity. But as he passed away in 1953, the Ditch government intervened to save KLM from the economic crisis and eventually nationalised the airline. KLM entered the Jet age by acquiring the four-engine turboprop aircraft of Vickers Viscount 800 in 1959. They also acquired the first Douglas DC-8 jet to join their fleet. The following years witnessed quite a few leadership changes as many of the presidents who took office in KLM suffered from health issues or accidents and deaths.
By 1975, KLM started adding Boeing combi aircraft in its fleet which predominantly consisted of Douglas DC-8 aircraft. The idea was to introduce flights that would cater to passengers as well as carry freight. This was followed by some significant changes in the airline's fleet as they started acquiring more Boeing and Airbus aircraft to replace the Douglas planes. The airline also suffered from some economic crisis which led to the Dutch government intervening once again to take up more shares in the venture and bring it out of losses. In 1995, KLM managed to stabilise its finances and buy back the shares from the Dutch government yet again to become a private company. In 2003, the airline agreed to merge with Air France and become partners to the subsidiary Air France - KLM. While retaining their own brands, the Air France - KLM subsidiary's key hubs became Paris' Charles de Gaulle Airport and Amsterdam Airport Schiphol. Air France - KLM was also listed on the Euronext exchanges in Paris, Amsterdam as well as New York. The same year, KLM and Northwest joined the airline alliance SkyTeam.
KLM celebrated its centennial in 2019 as it was founded in 1919. As an airline that has managed to sustain for an entire century and to operate under its original name with no rebranding or renaming, KLM is the first airline in the world to have achieved such a feat. It has also been the recipient of several accolades included Best Airline Staff Service in Europe which was recognised at the World Airline Awards 2013.
Fleet size of KLM
KLM Royal Dutch Airlines has a fleet size of 116 which includes aircraft such as Airbus A330-200, Boeing 737-800, Boeing 777-300ERs and more. The airline's fleet mainly consists of a series of Boeing aircraft with variants of Airbus A330 model. The fleet size includes the cargo fleet too, which comprises four Boeing 747-400ERFs. The airline's first of the eight Boeing 787-10 aircraft were delivered in 2019, which also marked its centennial in the aviation industry. In 2013, the airline ordered seven Airbus A350-900s to join the fleet. However, in 2019, the Air France - KLM airline announced that they would not be taking any of KLM's ordered A350s for fleet rationalisation purposes. In the same year, KLM's CEO made an announcement at Air France's Investor Day that the airline will only be accommodating and utilising 777 and 787 aircraft from Boeing for their long-haul flight journeys. With this, they plan to retire thirteen of their A330s. The aim is to make KLM an all-Boeing airline which has room for no other aircraft.
Baggage Allowance
KLM Royal Airlines' baggage allowance follows the standard protocols set by global aviation. Passengers travelling from the economy class will be required to carry a weight of maximum 23 kg and a combined dimension of 158 cm. However, passengers who are part of SkyTeam Elite, Elite Plus or members of Flying Blue Silver, Gold and Platinum programmes are allowed to carry a piece of extra baggage along with them for checked luggage. However, the weight and dimensions of the baggage must be the same as mentioned. The business class passengers are allowed to carry two items of baggage that can weigh as much as 32 kg. The dimension of the baggage should also not exceed 158 cm, the same as the economy class. However, passengers who are members of the SkyTeam elite programmes or the KLM Flying Blue programmes will receive an additional baggage piece that they can carry.
The hand baggage that can be taken in the cabin also depends on the ticket type of passenger. The economy class passengers are allowed to carry about 1 item of hand baggage along with an accessory bag which could be a laptop bag, briefcase, handbag, etc. The collective weight of the hand baggage should not exceed 12 kg, and the dimension should not go beyond 55 x 35 x 25 cm for the luggage and 40 x 30 x 15 cm for an accessory bag. With the same criteria for the business class' hand baggage, the airline does offer two pieces of bags instead of one, and the total weight cannot exceed 18 kg.
In-flight services
KLM's in-flight services cater to the comfort and convenience of the passengers who are travelling with the airline. Right from exquisite seating arrangement equipped with best facilities like legroom, personal lamp, entertainment system to amazing in-flight meals, KLM has the best in-flight services to offer.
Popular routes and top cities for KLM
KLM Royal Dutch Airlines' illustrious history in the aviation industry goes back a hundred years. They have since extended their domestic routes and international routes phenomenally by acquiring services to a slew of destinations. What started as a 12-days long flight between Amsterdam to Batavia (present-day Jakarta) has since witnessed tremendous growth in terms of catering to many cities in the world. Currently, the airline services two domestic routes while connecting with 133 international route destinations that are spread across 66 countries.
Some of the top cities for KLM include Buenos Aires, Graz, Vienna, Manama, Rio de Janeiro, Brussels, Calgary, Montreal, Toronto, Beijing, Shanghai, San Jose, Zagreb, Prague, Copenhagen, Quito, Helsinki, Bordeaux, Nice, Paris, Marseille, Berlin, Frankfurt, Munich, Accra, Athens, Hong Kong, Bangalore, Mumbai, Delhi, Jakarta, Dublin, Florence, Rome, Milan, Osaka, Tokyo-Narita, Kuwait City, Luxembourg City, Amsterdam, Lagos, Muscat, Manila, Warsaw, Lisbon, Moscow, Singapore, Cape Town, Seoul, Ibiza, Madrid, Stockholm, Geneva, Bangkok, Istanbul, Dubai, Bristol, London, Manchester, New York City, San Francisco, Newark, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Chicago, Ho Chi Minh City and Lusaka, to name a few.
KLM also has codeshare agreements with a plethora of airlines including Aer Lingus, Aeroflot, Air France, Air Mauritius, Bangkok Airways, Alitalia, China Airlines, Copa Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Etihad Airways, Kenya Airways, Korean Air, Malaysia Airlines, Oman Air, Saudia, Qantas, Sichuan Airlines, Vietnam Airlines, WestJet and XianmenAir, to name a few.
Why travel by KLM?
KLM Royal Dutch Airlines is a legacy that is recognised worldwide for being the oldest airline. The company has grown with time and further worked on constantly engaging their loyal customers with the best of in-flight services and flight experience. Passengers can do web check-ins on the airline's website as well as a mobile app. They can further book a KLM Royal Dutch Airlines flight ticket too and get updates on the flight status. For passengers to need to know more about the KLM flight schedules, the same can be found on the airline's official website. The option to book KLM flights are also available on various other travel websites.
About Rajkot Airport
Gujarat's Rajkot Airport is the fourth busiest in the state, following Ahmedabad, Surat and Vadodara. Rajkot Airport is a civilian airport that only caters to domestic flights. The airport is also called Civil Aerodrome Rajkot. Currently, the airport sees regular flight activities by Air India and SpiceJet. The airport has a parking apron reserved for Boeing 787 as well as one ATR 72. The terminal of Rajkot Airport accommodates barely 125 people at once. It is located about 3 km to the east of the city of Rajkot. Other airports that are in proximity with Rajkot Airport are Jamnagar, which is about 81 km and Ahmedabad International Airport, at 221 km. Rajkot Airport's flights mostly connect to major cities such as Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore and Surat. The most popular routes of flights from Rajkot Airport are to Mumbai and Bangalore respectively.
About Rajkot Airport Terminals
At present, Rajkot Airport has only one functioning terminal with a capacity of 125 passengers in an hour at both, the departures and arrivals section of the airport. There is only one boarding gate that is located on the ground level, while other passenger-related procedures take place on the first level. In total, the airport has about six check-in counters along with two security checks and two X-ray baggage facilities also available. The terminal is under the management of the Airports Authority of India.
About airport authority
Rajkot Airport is wholly owned and operated by the government of India's statutory airport's body, Airports Authority of India. The governing body is responsible for all management and infrastructural expansion related duties of the airport. The airport has been taking care of Rajkot Airport's infrastructure. In terms of management too, the Airports Authority of India is responsible for handling the airport staff. Due to its small size, the airport did see some challenges with respect to their expansion plans. However, it is being taken care of by the officials responsible for the airport.
A plan to extend the Rajkot Airport is in the works. Rajkot Urban Development Authority and Rajkot Municipal Corporation have collectively designed and proposed a plan to extend the runway of Rajkot Airport from its current 5,400 ft to 6,000 ft. The plan is to accommodate larger aircraft and to enable string connectivity to major cities aside from Mumbai. As Rajkot is a city with extensive manufacturing companies, the airport needs to have good connectivity with more cities in the country. Currently, the airport suffers from lack of capacity to accommodate larger aircraft as well as passengers. Expanding the airport is quite challenging as it is located within the city in proximity to the residential area and commercial buildings. Due to lack of space, the Rajkot Airport is finding difficulty with its expansion projects. The current airstrip is also incapable of handling and serving larger aircraft. Hence, plans to construct a new airport altogether has been approved by the city. The new airport is located on the Ahmedabad - Rajkot national highway and is about 20 km away from the main city.
Facilities at Rajkot Airport
Special assistance - Rajkot Airport has limited facilities, but they have the basic ones to cater to the needs of the passengers. Travellers with mobility concerns can avail their special assistance services. The airport has trained staff to take care of travellers who need to be escorted within the airport premise. The same needs to be notified to the airlines as well. They will be able to speed up the process of reserving a staff to help the passenger.
Baggage - The airport is said to have the best baggage services in store for the passengers. They have free baggage services for passengers carrying heavy luggage too. Not just the trolleys but you can also opt for porter services where staff would help you take your baggage from one place to another at the airport. The security-check for the bags can also be done by the staff on your behalf. Wrapping services are another perk of Rajkot Airport.
Child care room - Designated child care rooms have been installed at the airport premise. Often passengers travel with infants who need special treatment. With feeding and changing diapers as some of the challenging acts that require privacy, Rajkot Airport has brought forth a clean and hygienic room specially designed to cater to their needs. The room has baby products along with a comfortable seating arrangement and even a changing table.
Medical services - Medical assistance and services are also available at the airport. The Airports Authority of India has made it mandatory to install medical services in case of emergencies at the airport. Hence, Rajkot Airport also has a dedicated medical service available at all times. You can also find pharmacies at the airport. Details of the same can be found at the airport's information desk.
Cafes and snack counters - Rajkot Airport doesn't have a proper restaurant or food court as such to cater to full-course meals for passengers. However, the airport has brought forth some food stalls and establishments. There are local entrepreneurs who have set up their stalls in the premise. You can find light snacks, tea, coffee and other beverages at the airport. Some of them are inspired by Gujarati cuisine, so the snacks are also much to the likes of their culture.
Lounges - There are a business lounge and a VIP lounge installed at the airport. Although these facilities are restricted to certain ticket holders or members of specific airlines, the services available are quite good. They have comfortable seating, TV and entertainment decks, mobile-charging points and even provisions of WiFi facilities to enable a comfortable experience.
Transportation services - Right outside the arrivals section, there are local taxi cabs and other such transport facilities available. You can book a ride within the city at the airport itself. Further, rentals can also be booked here. The airport also provides a travel guide for travellers who are visiting the city for the first time.
ATMs - ATM kiosks of State Bank of India have been installed at the airport premise. You can make cash withdrawals at the airport, in case you might have missed out on doing the same before your journey.
Smoking lounge - Dedicated smoking lounges are also available at Rajkot Airport's vicinity. The same can be found at the departure. Since smoking in public is an offence, the airport has ensured to dedicate a space specifically for smokers.
WiFi - WiFi services are also complimentary and available for free at the airport. It is only reserved for a few minutes post which the passenger will need to pay an extra fee if they need to get WiFi connectivity.
Top airlines flying from Rajkot Airport
Rajkot Airport caters to airlines such as East-West Airlines, Indian Airlines, Air Deccan and Gujarat Airways. The airlines are mostly all regional with more preference given to cargo flights. SpiceJet and Air India are the only two domestic airlines that operate from Rajkot Airport. The flight connectivity of Rajkot Airport is quite limited as it only caters to about a handful of cities. The major cities include Mumbai, Delhi and Bangalore. Meanwhile, Rajkot Airport also has flights to Surat and is available for passengers. Out of the flights that function from Rajkot Airport, the most popular routes are the ones connecting to Mumbai and Bangalore. Majorly, the airport doesn't see a lot of flight action and has limited scheduled flights. Much of the air traffic is witnessed by other neighbouring airports such as Jamnagar, Ahmedabad and Vadodara.
How to reach Rajkot Airport
By Rail
The airport is also only 3 km away from the railway station. For travellers who are visiting the city from rural sections of Gujarat can easily get taxi cabs to reach Rajkot Airport from the railway station. The number of trains is limited and scheduled, so there are only specific destinations that it caters. You can get a taxi cab or rickshaw service from the railway station to reach Rajkot Airport. From the airport, you can get fixed rated taxi cabs too that will reach you to the railway station. Travellers often choose this as it is affordable and convenient too.
By Bus and taxi cabs
There is a bus stand located just 4 km away from Rajkot Airport. Hence, a majority of travellers opt for this mode of transport to reach Rajkot Airport. The bus stand sees scheduled buses reach from various parts of the city. In fact, some of the buses are interstate and have a good connection to neighbouring cities in Gujarat. You can travel from anywhere in Gujarat and be able to reach Rajkot Airport with the utmost ease. Along with buses, the city also has great taxi services. There are general taxi stands along with private taxi services available within the city. You can hail a cab from the bus stand and reach Rajkot Airport. Or you can directly take a cab to reach Rajkot Airport.
