Airline Policies

Bereavement and Emergency Flights in India: What Airlines Offer (2026)

Formal bereavement fares, the discounted last-minute tickets some overseas airlines advertise, are uncommon in India, so expect to pay the going fare. What airlines can sometimes do is waive change or cancellation charges on an existing booking when you provide documentation. Call the airline directly, explain the situation, and ask what is possible. Updated July

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Camera and Drone Gear Abroad: Re-Export and Customs Rules (2026)

Airline Policies / Team HappyFares

Before you fly out of India with expensive camera or drone gear, you can have it recorded by customs at the departure airport so it is not treated as an import when you return. Professional crews often use an ATA Carnet instead. Drones are the bigger risk: many countries restrict or ban them outright. Updated

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Why Customs Seizes Food Items at Indian Airports (2026)

Airline Policies / Team HappyFares

Indian customs seizes food mostly on quarantine grounds, not tax grounds. Meat and meat products, many dairy items, fresh fruit and vegetables, seeds, soil and live plant material are restricted or need permits under India’s plant and animal quarantine rules. Sealed, labelled packaged food in personal quantities usually passes. Declare anything doubtful through the red

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Carrying Seeds, Plants and Dry Fruits on International Flights (2026)

Airline Policies / Team HappyFares

Many countries restrict or ban seeds, live plants, soil and fresh produce, and some also control nuts, dried leaves and spices. Rules differ by destination, so the advice that always works is to declare anything of plant or animal origin. Declaring an item that is not allowed usually means it is taken away; not declaring

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Carrying Gangajal and Religious Liquids on Flights (2026)

Airline Policies / Team HappyFares

Gangajal follows the same cabin liquids rule as any other liquid at Indian airports: containers of up to 100 ml, carried together in a clear resealable bag. Larger quantities belong in checked baggage, sealed in a leak-proof container. Screening is governed by BCAS, and airports and airlines apply it in slightly different ways, so ask

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Carrying a Kirpan on Indian Flights: The Actual Rules (2026)

Airline Policies / Team HappyFares

Indian civil aviation security rules permit an amritdhari Sikh passenger to carry a kirpan on their person on domestic flights operated by Indian airlines within India, within the size limits specified by BCAS. The permission does not extend to international flights or generally to foreign carriers, where the kirpan must travel in checked baggage. Updated

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Child ID for Domestic Flights in India: What Counts as Proof of Age (2026)

Airline Policies / Team HappyFares

Indian airlines generally accept a birth certificate, a passport, Aadhaar, or a school identity card as proof of a child’s age on domestic flights. Accepted document lists vary by airline, so check yours before you travel. Age matters because infants under two travel on a parent’s lap and older children pay a child fare, and

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Initials on Your Passport: How to Enter Your Name When Booking (2026)

Airline Policies / Team HappyFares

Enter your name exactly as your passport prints it. If your passport shows an initial, book with the initial and no full stop, since airline systems and the machine-readable zone do not carry punctuation. Where your passport expands the initial, use the expanded form. Conventions differ by airline, so confirm before you pay and check

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Single Name on Passport: How to Book a Flight Ticket (2026)

Airline Policies / Team HappyFares

If your passport shows a single name with no surname, your ticket still has to match the passport. Booking forms usually demand both a first name and a surname, and the common workaround is to repeat the single name in both fields. Conventions differ by airline and by destination, so confirm with the airline before

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Overstaying a Visa: What It Means for Your Next Flight (2026)

Airline Policies / Team HappyFares

Overstaying a visa is treated as an immigration offence in most countries, and the consequences vary enormously from one place to the next. You may face a fine, a requirement to obtain clearance before you are allowed to leave, and a re-entry ban. Contact the local immigration authority or the Indian mission before your flight,

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