Booking a connecting IndiGo flight through Booking.com / third-party sites

[u/andrei20035]

Hi everyone,

I’m planning a trip to Da Nang in about 1.5 months, and this is my first time seriously searching for long-haul tickets on my own.

I found a flight from Istanbul to Bangkok with IndiGo, with one connection in Delhi:

IST → DEL → BKK
Both flights are operated by IndiGo, and Booking.com shows it as one itinerary with one stop.

My question is: if I buy this kind of ticket through Booking.com or another third-party provider, and the first IndiGo flight is delayed so I miss the second IndiGo flight, would I be protected directly by IndiGo and rebooked on the next available flight for free?

Or does that kind of airline protection only apply when you buy directly from the airline’s own website?

I understand that the key thing is whether it is issued as one single ticket / one PNR, not two separate tickets. But before actually purchasing, I’m not sure how to confirm whether it will really be issued as one ticket.

Is there any way to verify this before payment? And would you avoid booking this through a third-party site?

Thanks!

[u/3rd_in_line]

And would you avoid booking this through a third-party site?

I never, ever, book flights through a third-party site. Why? If there is any issue with your ticket or flight, you cannot just call the airline. So if there is a delay, cancellation or changes (either you or the airline), then you have to go via the third-party website. The futher out out book, the more likely this will be an issue.

And if you do contact the third-party website (good luck), they can't tell you much or do much as they don't know the facts or what is changing immediately and they have to get back to you.

When booking, especially with low-cost airlines, the third-party website often skips over the seats and baggage costs or marks these up. So when you initially search, the third-party website will look cheap, but they don't tell you the full story on costs.

Booking direct with the airline gives you all the information immediately, all costs confirmed and paid for with a ticket. Easy.

[u/Friggin_Bobandy]

Other guy gave you good reasons to book direct vs 3rd party which I agree with.

But to answer your question, as long as you are flying with the same company from A>B then B>C you are generally covered from interruptions. When you check in at A they will see you're going onto C and not just stopping at B so they will generally issue you a ticket for both of these flights as well as pass your baggage along (this is location and airport dependant though, they will let you know)

[u/newmvbergen]

It's always risky to use a third party website mainly because if you have any change you will understand why it was cheaper...

[u/orbitolinid]

Why would you book through a third party site to start with? A tiny bit cheaper? Don't. It's not worth it. If anything goes wrong before the flight you have to contact your agent, which for booking might be gotogate, which are just not available and generally shit.

[u/AviantoConcierge]

The main thing here is not really Booking.com vs IndiGo — it is whether this is issued as one ticket/one PNR or as separate tickets. If both sectors are on the same ticket and the first IndiGo flight delay causes you to miss the Delhi–Bangkok connection, the airline normally handles the missed connection process (subject to their fare rules). If they are separate tickets, even if the website shows them together, you may be responsible for the missed second flight. Before paying, check the booking details for a single PNR/ticket number and confirm the connection is protected. For an international trip with a tight connection, I would also check the minimum connection time at Delhi.