My parents are going to KTM. ORD-DEL-KTM on Jan 7th, 2008 from Chicago O'hare International Airport via Delhi. Need some help in transit. Theri flight to KTM is on Jan 9th, 2008. Please respond. Thank you.

Dude, My parents just went back to nepal from the same route. Unfortunately they didnt get any company, or nepali to help them.  I just wanted to let you know how i arrange all this. First thing, when you go to check-in in Ohare terminal, tell them one of your parents need wheelchair in the customer service desk, no matter what, they will provide a wheel chair immediately. The person driving the wheel chair will have full responsibility to take them to the right gate/ place, more over in delhi also, there will be another person waiting in the door of plane with wheel chair to take your parents out (wheel chair service is totally free and seat/seat service, meaning they will take from the seat of one plane to the seat of another and finally to the parking lot of the destination). when they reach delhi, your parents can at least speak and understand hindi, instruct your parents to tell the wheel chair driver to take them to overnight stay place. There is a place in delhi airport where they can comfortably spend night , but they have to pay their stay in hourly basis (not a hotel, it is in the terminal transit area, with single bed size couch where one can easily sleep, it was almost 300 IRC for their 12 hours stay).  The wheel chair driver will himself show where to go in the morning to catch the plane to nepal if asked. Finally believe me, you dont need any help if you arrange wheel chair for one of your parents. when my parents were flying to US, i just called both of the airlines and told them that they are going to need wheel chair, they took my parents in wheel chair from the door of the arriving plane in delhi and took them to AA airlines counter, again another wheel chair driver took them from AA counter to the plane seat, and here in chicago, a wheel chair driver took my parents out to the parking lot from the seat of the arriving plane and helped to sit in my car. when i finally sign a paper saying that the wheel chair driver safely and properly served his purpose then only that guy left. now, remember you can request wheel chair in the airport. same day while checking in. it doesnt matter if your parents are physically fit, just ask a wheel chair. more over, the wheel chair driver takes your parents from a seperate security line, so no need for a long wait there. and also parents dont have to walk a single step during the entire travel. My parents had very comfortabel journey both way, My mom didnt even walk a single step,,she had two airhostess to help her even to go to the bathroom everytime in the plane......There is no other better choice than this.

I hope this will help, I also knew this from one of my  friend and did for my parents, surprised by their service. My parents can walk very well though!!

There is no hassels, just one word during the check in "my mother/ father (one of them) need wheelchair" thats it. they will show you a couch and tell you to sit comfotably till the wheel chair person come pick you up. your parents dont have to act that they cant walk. My mom was standing up front the customer service desk holding a big bag when i asked the wheel chair for her. it really helps, if you need more info, you can even write or call or whatever....It was a very very big relief for me at that time, so just wanted to comfort your stress too. if you want to contact me to talk about it, immensed@hotmail.com

This is a very good route, I am glad you picked this one for ur parents. it's just flying out of windy city is a hassel once they are in plane and especially when they land in delhi they feel homely, no doubt about it. I have travelled this route earlier and no problem at all. GoodLuck, just as much as we want to bring our parents out to US, it's even getting harder these days to find travel partner with so many options wide open.

Always 2004,I believe this route is a good route especially for the elders. I travelled through Indianot very long ago and I enjjoyed it. The air crew (no matter what airline) would speakHindi and belong to same culture. So, there won't be any hassle at all. My experience was with Air India and the air crew were very helpful and courteous. In Delhi, after immigration clearance, they can either go to the overnight stay place as immensed hassaid (I was not aware of this facility or else I would have used it) or they can just stay inside the terminal. Flight to Nepal would be from the same International terminal.You might know as well that Delhi International Airports (both the Palam Int'l airportand Indira Gandhi Int'l airport) like many other South Asian Int'l airports have onlyone Int'l terminal and they are not big. Only ticketed passengers are allowed to enterthe airport premises, so they should be fine. There are many food and drinks stalls inside the Delhi airport and Special Airport Security (for internatinal travellers) as well airline people presence is all the time. If they have to ask any questions toanyone regarding anything, tell them to only ask uniformed people or preferably airlines people so that they would not be asked for any bribes. What airline are they flying through??? I found Air India and Indian Airlines to be quite helpful.  Don't worry they will be just fine. Happy Journey to them!

Mero nam mandale bhayeta pani sallaha ramro dinchu kyara. Tulsi Giri le king lai fasaye jasto hoina. Believe me or not, try to avoid route via DELHI or any part of INDIA. Dhotis suffer you. They are parasites.

Thanks Immensed. We have wheelchair to our parents. but your information is very helpful. we are just worried because they land late night at Delhi airport and the next flight is next day. But I really appreciate your help in the matter.

Thanks  Happyface.

Hi Immensed,

Did your parents check in luggage? I am leaning not to check any baggage. The officials at the airport may give them hassles to claim and check the luggage again. What do you sugguest? Thanks in advance.

I agree with immensed about the assistance that your parents can receive if they use wheelchair. That's really helpful. I don't know if someone already mentioned this here, but you have to tell your parents to be very very careful with the luggage in India. My parents also returned to Nepal via the same route, everything was perfect except that they didn't receive their luggage in KTM airport. Reason was the luggage did not come from Delhi.They did not load in the flight that my parents were flying.  It was stuck there for more than 2 weeks. After lots of form filling, claiming, arguments, fortunately luggage did arrive  but that was really pain in the neck and bags were torn out and some stuffs were missing.So please tell your parents to check  the luggage in Delhi after they land there and to make sure they are boarded for ktm flight.

my parents had 4 big suitcases,,all checked in on both way flights, they carried only hand bags. There was no problem at all, moreover, they directly transferred all luggage to another flight by themselves in india after reaching delhi airport even after those flights are two different airlines. I told the personl while checking in the luggage that my parents are takein Jet airlines from delhi after 13 hours transit in delhi so please let your assistance there know that the luggage have to transfer to the right place. my parents didnt even touch the luggage for the entire travel. they recieved them in nepal airport.

you make sure while checking in the luggage in chicago airport that you tell them the whole story, not just a part. tell them what are they going to do while they reach delhi. It is going to be their full responsibility to take them to the right place with their luggage. when you tell them they put note on the ticket as well as on their system about all your story. but still if your parents can check once their luggage in delhi,,its helpful. in my parents case they didnt even see their luggage until they reached to ktm airport. I carefully instructed the person in chicago AA counter what is need to be done, where their luggage is going to be, where is their final destination, what airlines are they going to take next, what is the next flight schedule and everything. If you dont give them a complete information, they are not going to assume your travel itiniary....and they are not going to look after your belongings.....you make sure you tell them the full story with little polite so that they do thier job. read the airline policy carefully,,its their responsibility to help a handicapped for the whole entire travel.

Namaste,
My mom will be visiting us in August with some checked in Luggage and is taking a wheel chair service. She cannot fill up the immigration form. In worst case scenario even if I don't find anyone do you know how a person in a wheelchair goes through immigration clearance? She would not know where to receive her baggage either. I would appreciate if you could advice.

Hi All, we have started www.hoolaki.com where you can connect with flight passengers going to Nepal or coming to USA. The service is strictly for sending packages. However, you can message people free of cost. I think this issue related to help/support during flight can also be solved by Hoolaki in some extent. Let's build a community in Hoolaki to help each other.
https://hoolaki.com

Hi babuyogi,
My mom arrived last month with wheelchair assistance even though she can walk.. She does not understand english and but she knows to write. What i had done is i printed out an example copy of immigration form at port of entry. You can just google and print that out. I wrote it out for her with all the informations and sent her a scanned copy, so that if there is no one to fill up the form for her, she can copy out of that. And thats what she did.
Even though you have singed up for wheelchair assistance, if your mom stands and walks away from her seat, there is no way that they will know and chase for your mom. So just ask your mom, even though other people walk out, don't panic and just stay on her seat. At the end, they will come with wheelchair to get your mom. And they take directly to the port of entry counter, i think they have a separate counter for people with wheelchair assistance. The same person will take her to baggage claim and your mom will have to show them, her luggage. They wait for you till you meet your mom, they wont leave her alone so don't be worried. It took my mom around 20-30 minutes to come out after plane landed Just tip him $10-$15 . P.S. my mom did not bring any food, i dint want her to get in trouble.. just in case...I hope it helps...

Hi efg,
Thanks for sharing your mom experience. I will mention it to my mom. Regarding filling up the form, my mom can't write and read. I have some more questions for you. Would they bring her towards the ground transportation area after she claims her luggage? Would they even show her in which station she would receive her luggage? I do remember that once you receive your luggage you have to pass through customs for screening? Do they help her bring towards the exit? Did she then carry her own luggage in the cart or they helped her? Sorry, for asking too many details.

Thats fine.. i was worried too for my mom. But it went all smoothly..Yes, they would bring her to ground transportation...they will help her to get her luggage, she needs to point out her luggages. its very easy, they wont leave your mom until they handover to you.. well that was what her experience... BTW which airlines, is she using? You can check online which terminal, she will be arriving.....write all your contact information and have her bring with just in case.