UAE flights
Dec 12, 2020, 3:05 pm
#31
Join Date: May 2000
Location: Zichron Yakov, Israel
Programs: SPG Gold
Posts: 813
Dubai flights
An interesting experience with the Dubai flights. I flew to Dubai the week of Nov29-Dec 3. Going there we went on flyDubai and return on Israir. I was a bit worried that the Israir flight might not happen in the end, but as we saw the issues were resolved and the flights happened.
But until the day before the return flight with Israir i did not know which Terminal in DXB it would be in.
DXB has 3 terminals, though terminal 1 is closed currently. Terminal 3 is Emirates and Flydubai exclusively, and Terminal 2 is all other airlines and some flyDubai flights.
My israir tickets and confirmation did not list the DXB terminal. DXB airport website didnt even show the flights, let alone the terminal. I contacted Israir through their website and by email. They wrote back that i should check at DXB airport when i get there to find out which terminal they are in. I wrote them back a scathing response - travel between the terminals takes 20+ minutes, and they expected me to wander around until i found which terminal they were in?
Meanwhile i used the chat feature of Dubai airports website and they were able to confirm that the Israir flight was in fact in Terminal 3.
Later i also finally got a response from Israir that their flight was in terminal 3.
This is unusual because Terminal 3 is otherwise exclusively for Emirates and flyDubai.
In retrospect, from a security perspective this makes sense. The Israeli security were clearly nervous at this airport. At the gate when they unlocked it they even wanded some ground crew.
Terminal 2 has flights from Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, and maybe Syria as well using those countries own airlines. Incoming flights are always a security risk in terms of what some airline crewmember or terrorist could sneak onboard the plane from an airport with lax security. By keeping the Israel airlines flights in terminal 3, they minimize that risk as all the other flights are under the control of the UAE govt.
Our Israir flight for return to TLV had only 8 passengers. This is because it was only two days after Israir started flying there.
But until the day before the return flight with Israir i did not know which Terminal in DXB it would be in.
DXB has 3 terminals, though terminal 1 is closed currently. Terminal 3 is Emirates and Flydubai exclusively, and Terminal 2 is all other airlines and some flyDubai flights.
My israir tickets and confirmation did not list the DXB terminal. DXB airport website didnt even show the flights, let alone the terminal. I contacted Israir through their website and by email. They wrote back that i should check at DXB airport when i get there to find out which terminal they are in. I wrote them back a scathing response - travel between the terminals takes 20+ minutes, and they expected me to wander around until i found which terminal they were in?
Meanwhile i used the chat feature of Dubai airports website and they were able to confirm that the Israir flight was in fact in Terminal 3.
Later i also finally got a response from Israir that their flight was in terminal 3.
This is unusual because Terminal 3 is otherwise exclusively for Emirates and flyDubai.
In retrospect, from a security perspective this makes sense. The Israeli security were clearly nervous at this airport. At the gate when they unlocked it they even wanded some ground crew.
Terminal 2 has flights from Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, and maybe Syria as well using those countries own airlines. Incoming flights are always a security risk in terms of what some airline crewmember or terrorist could sneak onboard the plane from an airport with lax security. By keeping the Israel airlines flights in terminal 3, they minimize that risk as all the other flights are under the control of the UAE govt.
Our Israir flight for return to TLV had only 8 passengers. This is because it was only two days after Israir started flying there.
Dec 12, 2020, 6:38 pm
#32
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: NYC
Programs: AA GLD, AC
Posts: 4,316
An interesting experience with the Dubai flights. I flew to Dubai the week of Nov29-Dec 3. Going there we went on flyDubai and return on Israir. I was a bit worried that the Israir flight might not happen in the end, but as we saw the issues were resolved and the flights happened.
But until the day before the return flight with Israir i did not know which Terminal in DXB it would be in.
DXB has 3 terminals, though terminal 1 is closed currently. Terminal 3 is Emirates and Flydubai exclusively, and Terminal 2 is all other airlines and some flyDubai flights.
My israir tickets and confirmation did not list the DXB terminal. DXB airport website didnt even show the flights, let alone the terminal. I contacted Israir through their website and by email. They wrote back that i should check at DXB airport when i get there to find out which terminal they are in. I wrote them back a scathing response - travel between the terminals takes 20+ minutes, and they expected me to wander around until i found which terminal they were in?
Meanwhile i used the chat feature of Dubai airports website and they were able to confirm that the Israir flight was in fact in Terminal 3.
Later i also finally got a response from Israir that their flight was in terminal 3.
This is unusual because Terminal 3 is otherwise exclusively for Emirates and flyDubai.
In retrospect, from a security perspective this makes sense. The Israeli security were clearly nervous at this airport. At the gate when they unlocked it they even wanded some ground crew.
Terminal 2 has flights from Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, and maybe Syria as well using those countries own airlines. Incoming flights are always a security risk in terms of what some airline crewmember or terrorist could sneak onboard the plane from an airport with lax security. By keeping the Israel airlines flights in terminal 3, they minimize that risk as all the other flights are under the control of the UAE govt.
Our Israir flight for return to TLV had only 8 passengers. This is because it was only two days after Israir started flying there.
But until the day before the return flight with Israir i did not know which Terminal in DXB it would be in.
DXB has 3 terminals, though terminal 1 is closed currently. Terminal 3 is Emirates and Flydubai exclusively, and Terminal 2 is all other airlines and some flyDubai flights.
My israir tickets and confirmation did not list the DXB terminal. DXB airport website didnt even show the flights, let alone the terminal. I contacted Israir through their website and by email. They wrote back that i should check at DXB airport when i get there to find out which terminal they are in. I wrote them back a scathing response - travel between the terminals takes 20+ minutes, and they expected me to wander around until i found which terminal they were in?
Meanwhile i used the chat feature of Dubai airports website and they were able to confirm that the Israir flight was in fact in Terminal 3.
Later i also finally got a response from Israir that their flight was in terminal 3.
This is unusual because Terminal 3 is otherwise exclusively for Emirates and flyDubai.
In retrospect, from a security perspective this makes sense. The Israeli security were clearly nervous at this airport. At the gate when they unlocked it they even wanded some ground crew.
Terminal 2 has flights from Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, and maybe Syria as well using those countries own airlines. Incoming flights are always a security risk in terms of what some airline crewmember or terrorist could sneak onboard the plane from an airport with lax security. By keeping the Israel airlines flights in terminal 3, they minimize that risk as all the other flights are under the control of the UAE govt.
Our Israir flight for return to TLV had only 8 passengers. This is because it was only two days after Israir started flying there.
Dec 13, 2020, 3:25 am
#34
Join Date: Dec 2008
Programs: UA 1K; LY Gold; DL Gold; BA Bronze
Posts: 2,286
EK planned to fly (Israeli press had new articles about them planning to fly 777s to Israel starting early December), but the signing of the bilateral visa-waiver agreement was delayed, and a new mechanism was enacted in which airlines have to arrange visas for their customers. Implementation of the visa-waiver agreement is now planned for mid-January, so I would assume EK would start flying to TLV shortly thereafter.
Dec 13, 2020, 4:02 am
#36
Join Date: Dec 2008
Programs: UA 1K; LY Gold; DL Gold; BA Bronze
Posts: 2,286
Assuming US citizens don't need a visa to go to Dubai, then no. However, this procedure is still facilitated by the airlines - they have to let the authorities know in advance that they have a passenger who does not need a visa (but in such a case you won't have to pay the visa fee, which Israeli citizens are required to pay until the visa-waiver agreement comes into affect).
Details regarding this procedure can be found here: https://www.elal.com/he/PassengersIn.../UAE-Visa.aspx (english info is below the Hebrew). Essentially, you have to apply for a visa using a travel company LY partnered with and fill up your details in a special web form on LY's website (foreign passport holders only need to do the latter).
Details regarding this procedure can be found here: https://www.elal.com/he/PassengersIn.../UAE-Visa.aspx (english info is below the Hebrew). Essentially, you have to apply for a visa using a travel company LY partnered with and fill up your details in a special web form on LY's website (foreign passport holders only need to do the latter).
Dec 13, 2020, 5:11 am
#37
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Paris, France
Programs: El Al Matmid, Air France Flying Blue Silver
Posts: 2,306
EK planned to fly (Israeli press had new articles about them planning to fly 777s to Israel starting early December), but the signing of the bilateral visa-waiver agreement was delayed, and a new mechanism was enacted in which airlines have to arrange visas for their customers. Implementation of the visa-waiver agreement is now planned for mid-January, so I would assume EK would start flying to TLV shortly thereafter.
Dec 13, 2020, 7:30 am
#38
Join Date: Jan 2007
Programs: LH SENATOR
Posts: 1,059
EK planned to fly (Israeli press had new articles about them planning to fly 777s to Israel starting early December), but the signing of the bilateral visa-waiver agreement was delayed, and a new mechanism was enacted in which airlines have to arrange visas for their customers. Implementation of the visa-waiver agreement is now planned for mid-January, so I would assume EK would start flying to TLV shortly thereafter.
Dec 13, 2020, 11:12 am
#39
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: NYC
Programs: AA GLD, AC
Posts: 4,316
Apparently not:
https://www.uae-embassy.org/services...isas-passports
Still, I would use the Israeli passport just to be one of the first Israeli passport holders to get a UAE stamp, because that's kind of cool.
https://www.uae-embassy.org/services...isas-passports
Still, I would use the Israeli passport just to be one of the first Israeli passport holders to get a UAE stamp, because that's kind of cool.
Dec 13, 2020, 11:35 am
#40
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: CPT,AMS
Posts: 4,437
Apparently not:
https://www.uae-embassy.org/services...isas-passports
Still, I would use the Israeli passport just to be one of the first Israeli passport holders to get a UAE stamp, because that's kind of cool.
https://www.uae-embassy.org/services...isas-passports
Still, I would use the Israeli passport just to be one of the first Israeli passport holders to get a UAE stamp, because that's kind of cool.
Dec 13, 2020, 1:51 pm
#41
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: NYC
Programs: AA GLD, AC
Posts: 4,316
Dec 13, 2020, 3:19 pm
#42
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: CPT,AMS
Posts: 4,437
It does, but the agreement haven't been "finalized" yet, therefore the current workaround of applying for a visa in advance (no clue if one actually gets a sticker in their passport on arrival or just a stamp)
Dec 14, 2020, 4:08 pm
#44
Join Date: Dec 2008
Programs: UA 1K; LY Gold; DL Gold; BA Bronze
Posts: 2,286
Dec 15, 2020, 4:02 pm
#45
Join Date: Aug 2017
Posts: 1,621
Terminal 2 has flights from Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, and maybe Syria as well using those countries own airlines. Incoming flights are always a security risk in terms of what some airline crewmember or terrorist could sneak onboard the plane from an airport with lax security. By keeping the Israel airlines flights in terminal 3, they minimize that risk as all the other flights are under the control of the UAE govt.