Looking for a reliable round-trip flight Paris-Delhi
FR

Translated into English.

Original post
BR
Hi there, I’m planning a winter trip across India. Departing in early December and returning to France in mid-April. My main concern is finding an airline that offers this round-trip with the fewest hassles regarding cancellations or flight schedule changes. The unstable geopolitical situation in the Middle East isn’t making this search any easier—recent reviews online about airlines from Gulf states describe quite a few struggles over the past few months. The direct Paris-Delhi round-trip flights offered by Air France or Air India are probably the safest options, but not the cheapest! Given this uncertainty, I’m still holding off on finalizing my ticket purchase... Maybe some of you India lovers on VoyageForum have tips or experiences to share? Thanks, and happy travels to all.
Des cotes bretonnes aux cotes indiennes........
SO Songsam Veteran ·
Hi, Removing Gulf airlines + Air France and Air India really limits your options—you're pretty much left with Saudia Airlines or other European carriers.

The direct Paris-Delhi round-trip flights offered by Air France or Air India are probably the safest but not the cheapest!

If you often take long trips like this, you probably already know that no matter the airline, tickets valid for more than 3 months are often pricier than the base fare. Air India isn’t known for its punctuality.
BR Bretagneinde Regular ·
Thanks Thierry for your reply. Not likely I’ll book a flight with Saudia Airlines... These past winters, I’ve traveled with Air India, with no notable schedule issues. Great fares for round-trip flights of 3 months or more (548 € last year!). One important condition in my search is checked baggage included. I also have good memories of Etihad and Qatar Airways. My search continues!
Des cotes bretonnes aux cotes indiennes........
TA Tatra Globetrotter ·
Hi there,

Turkish Airlines should meet your requirements, but it’s often a pricey option. Saudia, on the other hand, is really gaining traction these days.

Michel
PA Parenski ·
Hi there! I’m also planning a trip to India this winter, flying with an airline from one of the Gulf states and stopping over in Saudi Arabia. I think the uncertainty around this layover isn’t due to the airline itself, but rather the state of airport infrastructure, which remains unpredictable given the current events. Maybe I’m wrong, but has anyone experienced issues like cancellations, delays, or missed connections in the past few months related to the situation in the region? Thanks for any details—it’ll help other travelers too!
"Il suffit de partir pour revenir à l'essentiel"
PR Premaria Regular ·
Hi there, Avoid the Gulf carriers right now! My favorite airline for this route is Turkish Airlines. But this year, from Toulouse, the best I’ve found is Lufthansa since Turkish isn’t operating from that city at the moment. However, if you leave from early December to mid-April, you’ll exceed the 3-month limit for each visit to India, so you’ll need to leave and re-enter India during your trip. Have a great trip!
SO Solene40 Globetrotter ·
Hi Michel, I was in India last March. Flights to Delhi weren’t cheap, so we went for a Bordeaux-Mumbai flight with Air France for 587 €. We booked it two and a half months in advance. At that time, loads of flights by Gulf airlines were canceled. The situation still seems pretty uncertain unless you're feeling lucky 😄. After that, we took domestic flights with Indigo. 50 € one-way including checked baggage. But it really depends on the route you’re planning, of course. Happy searching! 😊 Christelle
Le monde est comme un miroir, si tu lui souris, il te sourit aussi!
ER Erjome Globetrotter ·
Hi there,

I took an Etihad flight on Saturday and I’m currently in Abu Dhabi. No issues at all, everything’s normal. I’ll be taking another flight in a few days and will pass through Abu Dhabi again at the end of the month 😊

I’m no psychic, but right now, no one seems to be feeling anything out of the ordinary.

"Si partir vivre ses rêves remplit l'âme, les partager après les avoir réalisés la grandit" "Qui veut apprendre à se connaître commence par explorer le monde"
PA Pagaljavab Globetrotter ·
I might be wrong, but has anyone had any issues with cancellations, delays, or connections in the past few months due to the events in the region?

I went to India last April-May, and my Kuwait Airways flight was canceled. The airline hadn’t communicated about the cancellations, and I had to go to the Kuwait Airways office myself to get confirmation that their airport had been bombed and to find out that all flights were canceled until further notice. The employee assured me that even though I hadn’t received an official message from the airline because they were completely overwhelmed, I could buy a ticket with another airline and would be fully reimbursed. He strongly advised me not to choose any Gulf-based airline until further notice.
PA Parenski ·
Thanks Pagal for these details. Even if you’re sure your ticket will be refunded, it’s best to avoid booking a flight with one of the Gulf airlines, really!
"Il suffit de partir pour revenir à l'essentiel"
TA Tatra Globetrotter ·
Hi,

I understand the reasoning, but I don’t think you can compare a very secondary airline like Kuwait Airlines with the Gulf giants—there’s just no comparison in terms of fleets, resources, or scale.

Michel
PA Pagaljavab Globetrotter ·
It's not really an airline issue but a regional security one. If Iran fires a missile at an airport in the United Arab Emirates, the fact that Emirates or Etihad are better airlines won’t change a thing. The same goes for other Gulf countries and their airlines.
TA Tatra Globetrotter ·
It's not about being better or worse. We're comparing airlines that have nothing in common—it's all about networks, resources, fleet size, and backup hubs. Kuwait Airways is a very secondary, even marginal, airline with maybe 30 planes and a tiny network. That’s why they struggled at that time.

Michel
ER Erjome Globetrotter ·
Hey Michel,

Kuwait Airways and Gulf Air were the two airlines that communicated the least.

I had a Qatar Airways ticket to Australia that was refunded within a few days, and I bought another one via Shanghai for less.

Still frustrating to read such nonsense 😞 If Iran tries anything, there’ll be interception and an immediate response. Didn’t see a single military personnel or equipment from any army.

As I mentioned earlier, I’m currently in Abu Dhabi, and I’ve been exploring Al Ain and the Liwa Oasis near the Saudi border. Absolutely no sense of insecurity—everything is normal and running as usual.

A live photo:

"Si partir vivre ses rêves remplit l'âme, les partager après les avoir réalisés la grandit" "Qui veut apprendre à se connaître commence par explorer le monde"
ER Erjome Globetrotter ·
And last Saturday, the Brussels / Abu Dhabi flight was fully booked in business class, and there were about ten seats left in economy with passengers connecting to all sorts of places. What a bunch of reckless travelers! 😅
"Si partir vivre ses rêves remplit l'âme, les partager après les avoir réalisés la grandit" "Qui veut apprendre à se connaître commence par explorer le monde"
TA Tatra Globetrotter ·
Good evening,

Kuwait and Gulf combined have what, about a quarter of Emirates' or Qatar's fleet? They’re actually the most fragile airlines in the region.

Michel
MA Mathews Globetrotter ·
hi,

but I don’t think we can compare a very secondary airline like Kuwait Airlines with the Gulf giants;

do you have any accounting data to back that up? An airline can have a smaller fleet but be more profitable. There’s no proof that Emirates is profitable. They certainly have high "production" costs.

Kuwait and Gulf combined have what, a quarter of Emirates’ or Qatar’s fleet? Indeed, they’re the most fragile airlines in the region.

not necessarily. We’d need to see who makes up Kuwait and Gulf Airways’ clientele. They’re likely technicians and businesspeople working in the oil production sector who fly with these two airlines. So these airlines are pretty much guaranteed to generate revenue and profit margins. What could be a problem is a drop in ticket sales.
MA Mathews Globetrotter ·
And last Saturday, Brussels / Abu Dhabi was fully booked in business class, with about ten seats left in economy—passengers connecting all over the place. What a bunch of reckless travelers! 😅

Flying customers in business class brings in more revenue than economy tickets, right? The takeaway? With fuel prices skyrocketing and airlines forced to pass on the cost, expect to pay more for your tickets.
PA Pagaljavab Globetrotter ·
Still frustrating to read such nonsense 😞 If Iran tries anything, there’ll be interception and the response will be immediate. Didn’t see a single soldier or military vehicle anywhere.

You’re pretending not to understand. Maybe nothing will happen, but the situation can change at any moment. - Just because the UAE or another country *could* respond to an Iranian attack doesn’t mean it couldn’t disrupt air traffic in the region at some point. A few months ago, I think it was all the Gulf airlines that were more or less affected. - Just because everything’s fine and you don’t see any military presence today doesn’t mean it’ll always be the case. - Just because you don’t *feel* unsafe doesn’t mean nothing can happen. For a totally different example, I’m sure every tourist who disappeared in Nepal would’ve said five minutes before being swept away by a mudslide that everything was fine and they felt safe. - Just because you took a photo of a mosque in the UAE doesn’t prove anything. It’s just a photo of a mosque...

I’m not saying the UAE or other Gulf countries *will* necessarily be affected and their air traffic disrupted. But saying it’s nonsense just because everything’s fine right now is incredibly naive and shows a short memory.
PA Patrick91230 Globetrotter ·
Hi, Absolutely, I just flew with them to China. Great airline, flights on time, impeccable service, and really affordable. Saudia has improved a lot—even the staff uniforms have changed, and for the better, I must say. And the icing on the cake: even at low prices, the airline gives you 75% of the miles for the journey, perfect for SkyTeam. I’d book with them again without hesitation.
Cordialement, Patrick.
PA Pagaljavab Globetrotter ·
Before bowing out of this dialogue of the deaf, I just want to remind everyone of something essential. The thread starter is asking for a reliable airline because they want to avoid Gulf carriers, whose flights can be impacted at any time by the conflict in the region. It’s not an unreasonable request, given that this happened two or three months ago and could easily happen again. And yet, the replies are all about how this or that Gulf carrier has great service and a great menu. Not sure that’s super helpful...
PA Patrick91230 Globetrotter ·
This is a forum, I was replying to Michel—are you the site admin? Have a good evening! 😉
Cordialement, Patrick.
PA Pagaljavab Globetrotter ·
We're on a forum, and personally, I was also chiming in. VF admin? Not likely 😄
ER Erjome Globetrotter ·
Gulf airlines have always had attractive fares and a well-deserved reputation for service. I’m speaking broadly here, but the three Gulf sisters (Qatar, Etihad, and Emirates) are clearly ahead. Interestingly, they’re also the ones that handled this crisis the best.

When it comes to finances, it gets into political, managerial, and corporate governance debates that I won’t dive into.

One thing’s for sure: fuel is very affordable, and for comparison, a liter of 95 octane is at 3.69 Emirati dirhams, which is 0.88 €. Renting a car and filling up the tank is pure joy 😋 And there’s a single price across the UAE.

Plus, there’s an attendant who cleans your windshield and smiles at you. What else? 😄

"Si partir vivre ses rêves remplit l'âme, les partager après les avoir réalisés la grandit" "Qui veut apprendre à se connaître commence par explorer le monde"
ER Erjome Globetrotter ·
Yes, like anywhere in the world, problems can happen. I was affected in March when I was supposed to go to Australia with Qatar Airways. There were several discussions about it, and I had to adapt, which is the least of the issues. Of course, thousands of passengers were impacted during their layovers and all around the world. I’m not denying that.

But what I want to say is that here, there’s NO tension or sign of anything wrong. Is it ignorance about the exact situation? Maybe I’m not in on the world’s decision-makers' secrets. Relatives tried to convince me not to come, citing articles in *Le Monde* and news reports. Everyone lives their life as they see fit. Meanwhile, I’m enjoying myself and having a great time. It’s the low season here due to the extreme heat, but there are still tourists and business travelers. Yesterday morning at breakfast, I chatted with a Spaniard who comes here several times a year and said his business hadn’t changed—just adapted to the peak of the crisis.

So maybe I’ll get hit by a drone or a missile in an hour, or my flight tomorrow morning from Abu Dhabi will be canceled for some random reason. I’m pretty fatalistic about it. Others might just be in the wrong place at the wrong time during some madman’s or terrorist’s act.

I’m planning to return to Abu Dhabi in two weeks, and if I can’t for whatever reason, I’ll adapt, and Etihad will sort me out.

Stay zen, have your tea or coffee, and take a deep breath 😊. If this is my last post on VF, you can say, "He lived happily and made the most of it until the very end."
"Si partir vivre ses rêves remplit l'âme, les partager après les avoir réalisés la grandit" "Qui veut apprendre à se connaître commence par explorer le monde"
MA Mathews Globetrotter ·
When it comes to the financial side, it requires diving into a political, managerial, and corporate management debate that I won’t get into.

I don’t understand why you’re bringing politics into this. A company’s business model fundamentally has nothing to do with politics. Well, maybe a little, since in this case, it’s about the geopolitical situation 🙂 And if you’re running a business, how do you manage to pay salaries and suppliers? A company does have operating costs, right?
ER Erjome Globetrotter ·
Who decides on professional taxes and fees, for example? Some countries have fewer than others. The same goes for the nationalities of flight crew (PNT) and cabin crew (PNC). How many Emiratis are on board Etihad and Emirates flights? Same with Qatar. And yet these airlines promote excellence as some of the best in the industry.

Others are excellent too, like Turkish Airlines (Michel / Tatra can talk about it at length). It’s a great alternative for India, for example.
"Si partir vivre ses rêves remplit l'âme, les partager après les avoir réalisés la grandit" "Qui veut apprendre à se connaître commence par explorer le monde"

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