REQ: Information regarding spotting in India

[redcan]

Hiya,

At this moment my companion and I are thinking about visiting India next April on our way back from Australia.

As we are pretty much only interested in bizjets and liners we do have the idea that only a couple of the bigger airports will suffice in decent numbers. For the moment we do have the idea to visit Chennai, Bengaluru, Mumbai and Delhi.

What we are looking for is basically all information regarding the spotting possibilities at these airports. What can we expect, is it possible to spot landside/airside, anyone who knows a decent hotel around with a view on the traffic, etc, etc.......

All information is welcome and really appreciated.

Many thanks in advance and best regards,

Jeroen Noordhout
Chris Veringa

[CJ]

Have no info on Chennai or Bengaluru.

Delhi: arrived there during day time last year on Go Air, which didn't get parked at a gate. Plenty of biz to be spotted from the aircraft as we taxied in and during disembarkation / bus ride. Not sure about hotels, though GE should be a good starting point.

Mumbai: the roof top of the Orchid hotel used to be very good for spotting of any movements; aircraft sitting idle on the southern side would be hard to read given the distance and heat waves. But I haven't been there for 8 years now.

Domestic flights typically cost about EUR 50 for 1 hour . So you may want to do a lot of flying. Ahmedabad last year on a Sunday yielded 8 biz while I was boarding a flight.

Good luck!

[Le Addeur noir]

Bengaluru ( or Bangalore in old money), most of the biz use the old HAL airport near the city centre, where there is a small museum at the HAL factory and the Air Force still visit here. From the north west corner of the field (in 2011), it was possible to see over the wall at several points and read aircraft both parked and flying.

At the new airport, a good view is afforded airside, but not the whole ramp is visible, at least not from the domestic area airside. Outside the terminal, discreet spotting is possible, but you should be careful in this area.

You needed to show proof of flying to enter the terminal, and once you have entered, they would not let you out again.

[pjotrtje]

Airports in India typically only let you in when you show your boarding pass. And once in, you can't go out again... "Reverse engineering" pictures at Airliners.net will result in spots around Delhi, Mumbai and so on, but beware that some of the areas locals in India are able to visit, you as a foreigner (showing expensive material) might encounter issues. Especially in the slums surrounding Mumbai airport.
In Delhi stayed in the Lemontree Premier hotel (with a view of the ARC R&AW platform) and this has a view of the airport, ask for a room on the top floor, room number ending with '40'. The whole Airport city at Delhi may offer opportunities.