The Journal.

Flights & Airports · 3 min read

The boarding gate has closed: speak to the airline before making another booking

Go to the airline’s staff or assistance desk and confirm the flight’s status. The scheduled departure time is not the time you can arrive at the gate. A

26 Oct 2026

Flights & Airports · 3 min read

Forgot online check-in for an IndiGo domestic flight? Check the clock and call the airline

First check whether online check-in is still open for your actual flight. Forgetting to do it yesterday and discovering the problem after today’s cutoff

26 Oct 2026

Flights & Airports · 3 min read

App, kiosk or counter: which check-in step are you completing?

Checking in, handing over a suitcase and boarding are separate tasks. Choose the method that completes the task you still need, not just the shortest

26 Oct 2026

Baggage & Packing · 3 min read

Flying with a musical instrument in India: decide how it will travel before booking

A small instrument, a checked hard case and an instrument strapped to a purchased cabin seat are three different arrangements. Do not arrive with a large case assuming that a normal passenger ticket reserves space

26 Oct 2026

Flights & Airports · 3 min read

Wrong date on your boarding pass? Check the booking before you join the queue

Stop before security or boarding and compare the pass with the airline’s current booking record. A saved pass from an earlier trip, another flight segment or the day before is not proof that today’s booking is wrong.

26 Oct 2026

Getting Around · 3 min read

Mopa or Dabolim for North Goa? Compare the actual hotel, not the label

Mopa can be much nearer to northern beaches, but not every North Goa destination. Compare both airport codes, actual road routes and the flight schedule.

26 Oct 2026

Getting Around · 3 min read

Kochi Airport to Fort Kochi: check the bus endpoint, not just Kochi

Compare a quoted airport taxi with the actual Fort Kochi bus. CIAL’s timetable separates Airport, CIAL Academy, Fort Kochi and Ernakulam services.

26 Oct 2026

Getting Around · 3 min read

Hyderabad Airport to Secunderabad station: confirm the railway station, not just the city

Use an authorised road transfer or verify the actual Pushpak stop and last station leg. Airport bus branding does not prove a direct railway-station drop.

26 Oct 2026

Getting Around · 4 min read

Bengaluru Airport after midnight: verify the pickup, vehicle and hotel handoff

Use the actual terminal and provider instructions for a late BLR arrival. Round-the-clock ride requests are not a guaranteed immediate driver or a fixed fare.

26 Oct 2026