TLV 3am til 8:30am advice

Old Jun 29, 2017, 9:16 pm
  #16  
Suspended
 
Join Date: Nov 1999
Posts: 24,153
Originally Posted by abaheti
Thanks, all. I hadn't considered the possible extra security attention if I left and came back. I'll report back on how it goes (or if I'm able to get my award tickets changed to get me into AMM and out of TLV or vice versa instead of in/out TLV which is all I could find). I knew FT would have good advice.
I used to fly BA all the time and made it a point to arrive into LHR as close to 9am as possible, since 9:30am starts Off-Peak on the Underground and Id buy a 1-6 tkt. I also booked a 10pm connection , thusly I had the whole day to run around London. Sometimes when at CBP they saw no destination in the UK and I explained what and why I did what I did, they stamped my passport and off I went, as many others have done.

However TLV doesnt get many folks coming and immediately going be it 1 tkt or 2. On top of that its AMM youre heading to. i remember doing the Latin Pass run back in 2000, the 1st few waves made it easier for the rest of us. The 1st ones ran into a number of problems since the CBP of alot of the Countrys couldnt understand why we would be willing to do what we were , after all common sense was against us. Nor the Europeans or Asians come Dec when people flew over only to take the same plane right back to the US, it took awhile till they got used to us as well. Now Id hardly expect the Israelis to get it and can fully understand why they will think you are up to no good. Heck it took ages for my friends to get it why for the same $$ Id rather fly < or > or v etc rather then nonstop of cause today everything being rev based all I want is non-stops.

I assume you are on award tkts. the 1st being a *A and RJ OW. Hard to believe that TK doesnt have anything ZRH-IST-AMM or via CAI with EqyptAir or any European *A member. I could understand if you were forcing it in order to have some time in Israel but thats not your goal.

As is I think youd be doing you and your wife a tremendous favor if you another way to get to AMM
craz is offline  
Old Jun 30, 2017, 7:56 pm
  #17  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: BUR / LAX
Programs: UA MM/Gold; WN A-list; HH something depends
Posts: 1,519
> As is I think youd be doing you and your wife a tremendous favor if you another way to get to AMM

Well, thank you for all the advice. You nudged me to work harder to make the ten year anniversary trip even easier/better... I just found great award seats on TK business to AMM. Tour Jordan and Israel and then out of TLV to home. The downside is that I've wasted all this good advice on how to handle TLV at 3am.

Thank you!! (and my wife owes you a drink)

Last edited by abaheti; Jul 1, 2017 at 1:29 pm
abaheti is offline  
Old Jul 2, 2017, 1:54 pm
  #18  
Suspended
 
Join Date: Nov 1999
Posts: 24,153
Originally Posted by abaheti
> As is I think youd be doing you and your wife a tremendous favor if you another way to get to AMM

Well, thank you for all the advice. You nudged me to work harder to make the ten year anniversary trip even easier/better... I just found great award seats on TK business to AMM. Tour Jordan and Israel and then out of TLV to home. The downside is that I've wasted all this good advice on how to handle TLV at 3am.

Thank you!! (and my wife owes you a drink)
Good move, again it could be that what you were doing wouldnt have invoked very close checking, my gut says otherwise, especially with having 2 separate tkts. It wouldnt have worried me if say you were booked on ElAl ZRH-TLV-AMM (dont think it exists) even with 2 diferent tkts

Since it seems you were planing on spending some time in Israel on the way back 2 tkts shouldnt raise any flags

Enjoy
craz is offline  
Old Jul 5, 2017, 10:43 am
  #19  
Moderator: Travel Safety/Security, Travel Tools, California, Los Angeles; FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: LAX
Programs: oneword Emerald
Posts: 20,479
Originally Posted by abaheti
Thanks, all. I hadn't considered the possible extra security attention if I left and came back.
Originally Posted by craz
On top of that its AMM youre heading to.
Add to the mix that from his signature it would appear that the OP has a South Asian name; that makes him a likely candidate for profiling in TLV both coming and going.

ETA: Since I originally posted this message, the OP has deleted his signature/name.

Last edited by TWA884; Jul 5, 2017 at 2:09 pm
TWA884 is offline  
Old Jul 5, 2017, 8:57 pm
  #20  
 
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: ORD
Programs: AA EXP >3 Million miles,HH Lifetime Diamond
Posts: 2,865
I would have liked to have heard the resolution to this situation as well. This was our one experience with transit in TLV a couple of years ago. Flew El Al from Johannesburg to Israel with another couple. We were staying in Israel and they were flying on London on BA. They did have to call someone to escort them and direct them to their onward flight. As we are US citizens there were a few questions about why we were traveling to Africa via Israel, but we said that was the best award tickets we could find, and that seemed to satisfy security. We visit Israel a fair amount, so it may not seemed as odd when they started to question us. OP, Enjoy your trip.. and your anniversary.
worldiswide is offline  
Old Jul 6, 2017, 5:09 am
  #21  
Suspended
 
Join Date: Nov 1999
Posts: 24,153
Originally Posted by worldiswide
I would have liked to have heard the resolution to this situation as well. This was our one experience with transit in TLV a couple of years ago. Flew El Al from Johannesburg to Israel with another couple. We were staying in Israel and they were flying on London on BA. They did have to call someone to escort them and direct them to their onward flight. As we are US citizens there were a few questions about why we were traveling to Africa via Israel, but we said that was the best award tickets we could find, and that seemed to satisfy security. We visit Israel a fair amount, so it may not seemed as odd when they started to question us. OP, Enjoy your trip.. and your anniversary.

were you and your friends traveling on 2 separate tkts? 1 whose destination was TLV and the 2nd for onward travel? If a person/s are using more then 1 tkt then its not a connection, and most likely will have to enter Israel and then check-in and leave on tkt #2 . It could workout if a person/s have been to Israel numerous times before with TLV as their destination and no onward travel, but in abaheti case I believe its their 1st time, and I would never recommend a 1st timer to do as he had planned and use 2 different tkts unless they were staying at least a day or more in Israel before onward travel
craz is offline  
Old Jul 6, 2017, 10:38 am
  #22  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: BUR / LAX
Programs: UA MM/Gold; WN A-list; HH something depends
Posts: 1,519
Originally Posted by craz
Good move, again it could be that what you were doing wouldnt have invoked very close checking, my gut says otherwise, especially with having 2 separate tkts.
Based on everyone's advice, I think I made the right move especially as I was able to find good award seats. Into AMM on Turkish, out of TLV on Swiss; and if we're lucky we'll get "stuck" in either Istanbul or Zurich for a day. :-)

Originally Posted by TWA884
Add to the mix that from his signature it would appear that the OP has a South Asian name; that makes him a likely candidate for profiling in TLV both coming and going.

ETA: Since I originally posted this message, the OP has deleted his signature/name.
Correct, I changed my signature. I don't know why I hadn't noticed all these years that it was listed (not that it is hard to tell from my FT handle). But your point about South Asian name/descent seems reasonable even with a USA passport.

Originally Posted by worldiswide
I would have liked to have heard the resolution to this situation as well....We visit Israel a fair amount, so it may not seemed as odd when they started to question us. OP, Enjoy your trip.. and your anniversary.
Sorry to not be able to report back on this issue, and thanks -- the anniversary falls in the middle of the trip, so not sure if we'll be in Jordan or Israel on the day.
abaheti is offline  
Old Jul 9, 2017, 2:08 pm
  #23  
 
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: SJC/SFO
Programs: UA lifetime gold; Hilton Gold; Marriott/SPG Plat; Hyatt Discoverist
Posts: 2,954
Ben Gurion's website does not mention anything about passengers in transit.
I remember reading something in one of the blogs that Israel is like the US in the fact that there is no international to international connection transit.
keisari is offline  

Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Manage Preferences - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

This site is owned, operated, and maintained by MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Designated trademarks are the property of their respective owners.