Originally Posted by
Calchas
Perhaps my post was too sharp. My understanding is that the tour companies can help you "find a group" and then set up the visa for you. If you still want to visit.
No, no. My post was misleading and you were right to correct it.
Originally Posted by
Calchas
There is definitely a 72 hour transit visa available, which permits you to leave the airport. An Australian shouldn't have any problem getting such a visa, at least no more than anyone else (except for the Israeli stamp—don't they do those on detachable paper now?).
I'm now regretting cancelling my BRG Hyatt reservation in JED. However, I think my issue with JED has now become a matter of the EY schedule change on my AA award. I can no longer make the connection at AUH for the onward flight to PEK, meaning I would need to overnight in AUH, thereby losing another night of travel. As a result, I think JED may have to be struck from the list of options.
I have heard that Israel does do some kind of off-passport stamp these days but I went to TLV in December 2010 and there's a great big red stamp noting such in my passport.
Originally Posted by
Calchas
Look it might be a problem, or it might not. However, Oman is also a great place to visit and it won't be a problem there.
I've had another quick look at Oman. There was no mention of an Israeli stamp being an issue. The downside is the flight from LHR arrives at close to 10pm and the only flight I could get with EY would leave at 11am on the second day, meaning only one full day in MCT which may well be a waste. But still, it's something to look at.
Originally Posted by
Calchas
I'm not sure what you mean. You can change the ticket at any time, you don't have to wait in between flown sectors. Unless you paid UK Air Passenger Duty or airport service fees before they went up last year and you want to avoid paying the difference?
However, others here think that only the changed coupons—not the entire fare component—will be recalculated, so I might be wrong on that score anyway.
I read your post to suggest that if I was to make the change now, with about six sectors to go, the taxes would be reassessed not only on LHR-wherever but also on all the unflown sectors. I was speculating that taxes would have risen ticketing. However, I'll still ask the RTW desk what I'll be up for if I was to make the change now. Of course, I need to determine a destination first! I paid the UK APD in April this year.
Originally Posted by
anabolism
How long ago did you visit TLV? I went last year and they no longer stamp passports, instead they scan the passport and give you a credit-card-sized piece of paper that has the passport scan and the date of entry and the validation period. (I also went the year before that, and they did stamp passports.)
Perhaps you want to end in TLV? It's one of the longer ex-LHR flights on BA that's still within the continent.
I was in TLV in 2010 and have a stamp to show the world. I have no real desire to go back to TLV and even if I did I would come unstuck with my award connection to AUH - EY does not fly to TLV.
At this stage I think my options are MCT and KWI. I could also avoid much of the drama and simply spend the two nights in London instead of JED, then just fly to DOH or DXB and go from there.
Many thanks for all the tips and advice.