jaytmoore

I have an award ticket SJC(UA)-IAH(TK)-IST(TK)-ADD(ET)-SEZ booked in J (except for the ADD-SEZ in Y) for next March. It requires a 10 hour layover beginning at 1AM in ADD.

I assume I'm on my one for the hotel being that I'm coming and going into ADD on different carriers? Also, any idea if I'll get lounge access coming in on TK in J? I have no status with *A.

B747-437B

Go to the Ethiopian Airlines transfer desk and they will sometimes sell you a hotel, meals and visa package for $70. Not a fancy hotel by any means, but definitely a huge step up from spending 10 hours at the airport without lounge access.

In fact, you will probably need to go to the transfer desk anyway since TK is not able to issue Ethiopian boarding passes. Won't hurt to show your Business Class inbound boarding pass and (assuming your ticket is a single ticket issued for Business Class but booked in Economy due to no award availability on ADD-SEZ) see if they can rebook you into Cloud Nine. At 1am, the transfer desk is usually very quiet so you may get a bored agent keen to help you out.

jaytmoore

I'll ask about the packages. That's very helpful. It is a single award ticket so I'll see what the transfer desk can do for me.

allanfan

Are you saying if you stay < 24hr, you can get a free visa to leave airport?

B747-437B

If you are on an Ethiopian Airlines itinerary that REQUIRES (viz. no earlier connection available) a stay between 8-24 hours in Addis, they will provide you with complimentary hotel, visa and meals during your layover.

allanfan

I've 10 hour layover, 7pm ish to 4am ish. but coming in on ET, out on MS to CAI. So I guess no free visa/hotel for me?

bthotugigem05

So I arrive at ADD just after midnight and my flight doesn't leave until 10:30am. I think I'll qualify for the hotel, but are there any cool places to see in ADD? I don't imagine getting to go to Ethiopia again for a while, any cool areas to watch the sun rise?

elf618

be sure to leave yourself enough time to get back to the airport. Downtown is not that far, but traffic can be very congested in the morning. Locals run at Meskal Square each morning-could be interesting to see. I'm not sure that there's a lot of particular morning tourist sites to see but the city is full of movement from shortly after daybreak. There's a large cathedral on the newer airport road ("telebole") Macchiato for breakfast is a nice treat and could be safely taken at any small bakery/coffee shop, TAMOCA is my favorite for exporting beans (on the way up to piazza or apparently now in the Radisson hotel) or you could go for the Ethiopian version of chain coffee shop "Kaldi's Coffee" (note the green circle logo, similar to one you've seen before) There is one about 2 miles from the airport. I've never tried to go in the early morning, but Entoto mountain a bit out of town offers a view of the city--just watch your time as airport checkins can be hectic at ADD and negotiate price ahead. Sometimes only yellow taxis seem allowed to go to Entoto--have been asked to change taxis partway when took a local blue one in the past.

elf618

Those of you who have had transit visas, do they put the 1 sided page into your passport? Also, anyone have any experience flying in on the same award ticket but in on ET and out on LH? I'm thinking that it will be much easier and faster to just get a tourist Visa on arrival rather than hassling at the transit window but wondering if anyone has recent experience. If the $70 room/visa option is available for my situation, might be worth starting with the transit window rather than the VOA line.

elf618

To update-I think we got lucky but our award ticket ET NBO (y)-add with 18hr connection to LH add-fra (j) got us 2 hotel room vouchers at the Hilton with 3 meal buffets included and upon arrival at the Hilton the desk agent asked if I'd stayed there before. My hhonors gold data was pulled up and we were given a room on the executive floor, fruit tray and lounge access with our day room.

At the airport there was a crowd at the transfer desk and no one manning the star gold/cloud nine line. Initially I was told that I would need to pay $70/pp for the transit visa/hotel package but we were not charged.

It seemed the only other transit option would be to buy a single entry visa on arrival if one didn't already have a multientry visa. They cost $50 usd so the Hilton package is still a good deal despite the hassle and potentially long wait at the transfer desk.

When I have had paid y daylong transit a few years ago, I was taken to the gvt midrange hotel the "wabe shebele" I wouldn't pay to go there-though it's old and run down, it's simple and ok. I'd probably just taxi to the Hilton or one of the day spas and enjoy the gym/spa if I was looking for a low key layover outside of the airport.

kNearestNeighbor

I'm sure if you call one of their offices (maybe try IAD) they can confirm but they usually get you a room for long layovers, not sure what the cutoff is. No guarantee how long it'll take for you to pass customs and actually get onto the correct transport to the hotel though. Once I had a ~11 hr layover, they gave a satisfactory hotel room with a couple meal allowances. If you are travelling business or first you'll be in a more luxurious property. If you've got some time maybe get some kitfo (!) or a full fledged local meal (try injera!) if you've never had Ethiopian food.

SkyTeam777

This is a great benefit that some passengers may not know about. I have never been proactively informed of it so thanks to FT, I knew!

I am surprised at how many pax must have to overnight due to ET's schedule. My guess would be about 100 rooms per night at least. 20-30 at the Hilton at least...does anyone have any idea? It seems like quite the business expense on their end. Plus, I wonder if they have to put up any ET crew at ADD or do they all live there?

Michael

We're looking at an itinerary with a layover of 8hrs 5 min (arrival at 1:10 am, departure at 9:15 am), but the inbound flight is on TK (outbound on ET). The flights are on a single ticket.

So...for those who have experience in this situation:
A) does ET offer hotel rooms to transit pax that are inbound on a non-ET flight?
B) given the short transit time, will it even be worthwhile to ask for a hotel? We will have two small kids with us...
C) are there any transit hotel options at the airport itself, ideally airside?

Thanks in advance....

elf618

No airside hotel, all will be about a 10-15min car ride if you don't have to wait for a shuttle. Last summer I flew into ADD on ET and out on LH on the same award ticket and was given a room at the Hilton (which they upgraded with my hhonors gold card) Someone initially said something about $70 when we arrived at the transfer desk but there was no charge after they looked over our documents. Not sure what is supposed to happen (I was on ET economy, LH biz and *G)

With small kids, i'd think you'd want to get out of the airport. If there's a wait for transport, taxis are reasonable and supposed to be fixed price. Hilton, sheraton and some of the other bigger chains have a desk just outside of the luggage claim area.

skaya

Transitting ADD on ET C award shortly. Any recent experiences with time and cost (if any) for hotel/transit/visa.

I do believe we will be put at Hilton, and can enjoy even our status benefits as well.

Have a short connection in one direction and wouldnt mind a day extra to explore. Might be a problem with the 24h visa though. I have understood there are transit visas for under/over 24h?