Transit Question!
 

Hi All,

I am arriving from Cape Town at 730am and have a 15 hour layover (this is on purpose for a meeting in Dubai Town).

My meeting is at 1pm in town but my question is;

Is it possible after landing to use the Biz Class lounge first airside then leave the airport around 1130am?

I am flying business but I noticed when you arrive in Dubai you have a choice to transit or pass through immigration but can you go from transit to immigration? Is there a exit as I have never seen one?

Thanks!

I've never done it, but it's been described on here a few times. What you do is got through transit security and go to the lounge of your choice. Then retrace your steps back through transit security (making some excuse on the way presumably) and join the flow of arriving passengers to immigration.

Transiting through T1 at DXB
 

HI EK Experts,

this is not related to EK, however I'm travelling from LHR to DXB on VS400 and arriving on a Sunday morning 8:35 AM, I need to go to HYD either on Indigo 25 at 10:40 AM or a spice Jet 60 at 12:55 PM. Both leave from T1. Wanted to check if roughly 2 hours would be good enough to clear immigration ( US passport), collect baggage and recheck it at Indigo counter ( they require atleast a 75 min checkin window).

so technically I have about 45 mins to clear Immigration, collect baggage and then show up at Indigo counter at T1 ( same as VS arrival)..I'm guessing its too tight , wanted to confirm with the EK experts here as well.

Would appreciate if someone can describe how the process works at DXB for this transfer.

Thanks

Not sure about T1 immigration/customs and re-check but looking at the times you've got about 60 minutes from landing until check-in for Indigo closes. So as much as I'd recommend Indigo every day over Spicejet in this case I think Spicejet is your best bet.

Thanks for the quick response.

Any info on how long is the commute (walk, train etc) from collecting baggage to showing up at check in counters at T1 again..?

Thanks

It's not too far, you need to go upstairs to the check in area. However, it could take you 20 minutes to get from the plane to the immigration area. Plus 30+ minutes at immigration.

Keep in mind the new concourse D means there's a train ride, not sure of the transit time this involves.

Probably quicker than the long walk under the taxiways to Concourse C :)

Just explain going back through security that you have had a message to go and now have to leave the airport. Bit awkward but doable

You could reduce waiting times at immigration drastically by using arrival services from Marhaba or Ahlan.

Five hours is hardly long enough. It will be best part of an hour until you are out of the airport and then you need to be back at least 2 hours (probably more with immigration) so you'd have less than 2 hours - what would you do (it's fine to go and meet someone to deliver something but otherwise forget it). I wouldn't do it for less than about 8 hours.

Had the same issue 1 week ago , what I did was to kill the time was to walk all the way to concourse C and then all the way back to concourse A ( YES , I know fun times :-:) and then stop in concourse B for some food/drink ......

Thanks all for your advice; sounds like I'm better off just hanging around in the A-Gates Lounge.

m3red - Would be great to meet up. Both of my flights are A380's, so I presume I'll be in the A Gates Business Lounge. If you're in the First Lounge, are you able to guest me in for breakfast?

M

I'll be in the first lounge but can only guest you if you are on the same flight which you are not unfortunately. Bit of a stupid rule this.

That is uncomfortably tight. Even on a good day it can take 50-60 mins to get landside with your bags retrieved. A delayed inbound flight or long lines at immigration would scupper your plan completely. Either build in much more time or ...

The Marhaba service costs around 300 dhs ($80) to have your bags intercepted and redirected to the next carrier, removing the need to go landside.