Emirates????
Sep 25th 2003, 9:23 pm
#16
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Originally posted by Pollyana
Interesting to read about Emirates - people have either found them brilliant or appalling!
I think Dubai airport has changed a lot, so they may have a transit lounge now. When I was there (2000) they just left us to wander a very crowded terminal, with no news of what was happening. In the end some guys off my flight managed to find out which gate we would leave from and about 50 of us just moved into it! Guards all round us with guns, but by thenwe'd had enough and just didn't care! Don't know how we got away with it, but we couldn't speak Arabic and they had no English, so waving guns and gesturing that we should leave the gate area didn't have a lot of effect! Quite amusing looking back, but not at the time.
I tried the "smile and they smile back" game, usually works doesn't it, but the only person it worked on then was an unpleasant looking Arab who wanted to lead me away!!
Ah well, part of life's rich pageant I guess! Going Cathay Pacific this time, I'll let you know how they rate.
My order of preference at present would be 1) Lauda 2) Malaysian 3) Qantas 99) BA Unclassified(!) Emirates
Interesting to read about Emirates - people have either found them brilliant or appalling!
I think Dubai airport has changed a lot, so they may have a transit lounge now. When I was there (2000) they just left us to wander a very crowded terminal, with no news of what was happening. In the end some guys off my flight managed to find out which gate we would leave from and about 50 of us just moved into it! Guards all round us with guns, but by thenwe'd had enough and just didn't care! Don't know how we got away with it, but we couldn't speak Arabic and they had no English, so waving guns and gesturing that we should leave the gate area didn't have a lot of effect! Quite amusing looking back, but not at the time.
I tried the "smile and they smile back" game, usually works doesn't it, but the only person it worked on then was an unpleasant looking Arab who wanted to lead me away!!
Ah well, part of life's rich pageant I guess! Going Cathay Pacific this time, I'll let you know how they rate.
My order of preference at present would be 1) Lauda 2) Malaysian 3) Qantas 99) BA Unclassified(!) Emirates
Polly
Dubai airport has certainly changed! Every time we have flown Emirates just before we arrived at Dubai they put a list up on the TV monitors in the back of the seat as to which Gate number your connecting flight would leave from and they have lots of boards in the terminal with the same info so there has never been a problem that way for us. You just walk off your flight, follow connecting flights, have your hand luggage security checked and you are into the best duty free shopping area in the world which is just a short walk to your Gate.
They are building a new terminal 2 at the present time so this August when coming back we got bussed from the Gate to the plane.
I appreciate now why the smile wouldn't work this time!
TennisOz
Sep 25th 2003, 11:29 pm
#17
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Thanks everyone for all the views and info. It seems that the Emirates times are the most suitable for us. I have got a n option with them until end of Dec and I have done the same with Malaysia and Singapore (on the wait list as they were full). Tried Cathay Pacific but they wanted us to fly from Istanbul to Rome outbound and via London on the return journey which would make the journey extra long for us as we are only four hours from Dubai. I must say though that the Cathay Pacific Res. Staff were the most helpful and polite!
When we last flew with Singapore they were really excellent with the kids but on the outbound journey I was eating my meal and found that a large coarse black hair was in my food. It really made me feel ill as I had to pull it out of my mouth as it was embedded in the food. The cabin crew were not really bothered about it though and I did complain but I only got a feeble reply. It was definately not one of mine as I am blonde!
Debs
When we last flew with Singapore they were really excellent with the kids but on the outbound journey I was eating my meal and found that a large coarse black hair was in my food. It really made me feel ill as I had to pull it out of my mouth as it was embedded in the food. The cabin crew were not really bothered about it though and I did complain but I only got a feeble reply. It was definately not one of mine as I am blonde!
Debs
Last edited by debsy; Sep 25th 2003 at 11:51 pm.
Sep 25th 2003, 11:45 pm
#18
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Originally posted by debsy
Thanks everyone for all the views and info. It seems that the Emirates times are the most suitable for us. I have got a n option with them until end of Dec and I have done the same with Malaysia and Singapore (on the wait list as they were full). Tried Cathay Pacific but they wanted us to fly from Istanbul to Rome outbound and via London on the return journey which would make the journey extra long for us as we are only four hours from Dubai. I must say though that the Cathay Pacific Res. Staff were the most helpful and polite!
When we last flew with Singapore they were really excellent with the kids but on the outbound journey I was eating my meal and found that a large coarse black hair was in my food. It really made me feel ill as I had to pull it out of my mouth as it was embedded in the food. The cabin crew were not really bothered about it though and I did complain but I only got a feeble reply. It was defiantley not one of mine as I am blonde!
Debs
Thanks everyone for all the views and info. It seems that the Emirates times are the most suitable for us. I have got a n option with them until end of Dec and I have done the same with Malaysia and Singapore (on the wait list as they were full). Tried Cathay Pacific but they wanted us to fly from Istanbul to Rome outbound and via London on the return journey which would make the journey extra long for us as we are only four hours from Dubai. I must say though that the Cathay Pacific Res. Staff were the most helpful and polite!
When we last flew with Singapore they were really excellent with the kids but on the outbound journey I was eating my meal and found that a large coarse black hair was in my food. It really made me feel ill as I had to pull it out of my mouth as it was embedded in the food. The cabin crew were not really bothered about it though and I did complain but I only got a feeble reply. It was defiantley not one of mine as I am blonde!
Debs
Essex blonde eh?? Good luck with your travels and plans
TennisOz
Sep 25th 2003, 11:49 pm
#19
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yes Tennis - might go down the disco tonight with the girls and dance round my handbag! I will of course have my white shoes on!!!!
Debs
Debs
Sep 26th 2003, 8:21 pm
#20
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Debsy,
Make use of the kids play area it is well worth it. It is just off of the main shopping precinct. You pay a small fee and you can leave your children there to run riot for a couple of hours. We had to drag ours back on to the flight!
Make use of the kids play area it is well worth it. It is just off of the main shopping precinct. You pay a small fee and you can leave your children there to run riot for a couple of hours. We had to drag ours back on to the flight!
Sep 27th 2003, 12:24 am
#21
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thanks tina will do!
Sep 28th 2003, 12:18 am
#22
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Flew Emirates twice last year via Dudai ,excellent no worries!
plumber
plumber
