DXB Transit
 

Hi guys,

I have a 3 hour layover in Dubai in a few days at midnight Terminal 3 (Emirates flights) Is this a busy time of the year and is that a busy time at midnight?

Thanks,
Jason

Midnight is always the busiest time because many airplanes from Europe arrive at that time in Dubai.. Also Dubai as a transfer airport is always busy. Just not so many Dubai-only-Tourists at that time because it's too hot at Summer in Dubai.

Look for free ice-cream at near the connections area. It will make the wait easier, if there is one. :)

As mentioned already this is the busiest time in Dubai. You may find your 3 hour layover being eaten into if the plane you come in on uses an outer stand and you have to be bussed to the terminal. That will take at least 30-40 mins. A380s are prone to this as much as the 777s. Dubai is the only place I have had to take a bus from an A380. Its a lot of passengers and takes time. Even if you are in a premium cabin it will take some time to get off although they have C and F class transportation. if you are in economy and sitting at the back you can imagine the time taken to offload.

if you use a stand at the terminal though things will go quick as economy deplanes at the same time as C and F.

I have to say that having made two transfers between Emirates flights at that sort of time (in March and May) I was amazed at how easy and uncrowded it all was compare to the hassles previously experienced at Abu Dhabi - yes I may have been lucky

Northern hemisphere summer is generally busy, and midnight and morning (8am) are the busiest periods.

Was there last week and it wasn't terrible. It was crowded but your standard Dubai busy.

I have a 15 hour layover next week flying in on J class arriving DXB around 11:00AM and my connecting flight is around 3:00AM following day. You mentioned that midnight is the busiest time, how about a little after around 1:30-2AM? I spoke to EK yesterday, and they confirmed that I'll be receiving both of my boarding passes from my starting destination so no need to go through the entire process, just go straight through security > lounge.

It starts getting busy from midnight and the rush ends around 4am but only for about 2 hours, more of an ebb, then it rushes again until 9-10am when it becomes very quiet until 1-2pm for a tiny increase (barely noticeable) then super quiet again until midnight with a slight increase in activity from 9pm onwards

Oh boy, so I guess it's fair to say that the Business Lounge will be pretty packed around 12:00-2:00AM...I'm taking advantage of Dubai Connect so going to stay at the hotel till about 11:00PM and head over, have nothing else to do so but I didn't know it would be that busy during the time my flight is departing.

Yep, though in my experience busiest is definitely 1:30am - 3:00am

Transfer Time at DXB
 

I am thinking of flying on EK
YYZ / DXB
DXB / BOM
The tranfer time would be 1 hour and 10 mins. Is this enough time ??
I know I wont be able to visit a Lounge. ( Amex Personal Plat Card ).
Also dioes anyone know , which site to access to see EK's On Board Duty Free selection and Prices, mainly for Alcohol.

The minimum connection time at DXB is 60 minutes, so you should be OK - assuming this is all one ticket? If not, then I don't think that's long enough to be safe.

Thanks for the reply, yes it will be on One Ticket.

Can it be done? Yes.
Would I do it? No

Not unless I had a good Plan B.

Thanks, for the reply. I have not bought my ticket yet. I will buy the ticket with a later Departure which will give me more time at DXB. This way enjoy the lounge.
DXB / BOM , EK has 5 flights / day.

A far better idea :) Why rush and get stressed when you can sit and enjoy a nice lounge for a couple of hours? Even better if you drink :D

If you live/work/transit through DXB or BOM long enough you will start drinking :D

I drink Very Little, Very Often.

I also have a 3 hour layover arrive at 820am depart 1120 am. I want to use the lounge called lounge@B near some tapas bar but I heard their showers are a bit of a walk. Is it enough time?

It did a week ago, I believe they are trialling removing it or may have now removed it outright of your flights have been after 4th Aug when I was last there.

DOH has a randomised no-security program where some flights get to skip it

That's great news! I assume US (and probably UK) flights will have an extra gate security check? So, not so good for point-to-point travellers.

Calling would be quick and easy, else send a DM on twitter to EmiratesSupport

Thanks. I’ll give them a call. I’d just assumed it could be done online, as I was able to do so on a previous trip on BA.

I clearly need to learn more about Twitter, too. I didn’t know you could message people in twitter. :-)

2 Hour Stopover in Dubai
 

Hi all
I have a 2 hour stopover in Dubai while flying to LGW from Bangkok.Do you know if I would be able to visit Dubai duty free at the airport in this time,or are you not able to go to duty free if your just in transit.?? I would not be purchasing alcohol,just tobacco.Thanks to all.

In my experience, 2 hours is cutting it fine during transit (yes, you go through duty free in transit).

Depending on what time you land in Dubai, if its early morning the plane could be circling above Dubai to get clearance to land due to the sheer volume of flights arriving and departing. This coupled with by the time you land, taxi to a stand - and if your getting bused to a terminal, this all adds up and then going through security - you *may* just be able to browse before it's time for your onward flight.

:Thanks all...flight is scheduled to land at 00:50 and the flight from Dubai for LGW takes off at 02:50,so hopefully I'll have time.I know what I need exactly( Golden Virginia rolling tobacco!!),so will be in and out pretty quick. Am just thinking if it may be cheaper in Thailands shops,and if so could put it in checked luggage..maybe?!..

Slightly off topic..Does anyone know if there is a reason Emirates doesnt fly direct to BKK from LGW...?..I know LHR has BA doing direct flights but used them once and never again.(Old planes,dismal food and not a patch on Emirates)
Thanks again....

Emirates is based in Dubai, not the UK. They cannot just fly from any country to any country, generally most routes can only be operated by airlines based on the origin or destination country, exceptions are known as fifth freedom routes. The traffic from LGW to BKK alone may also not suffice to justify a dedicated flight, EK operate over 10 daily flights from the London area to Dubai and you can then connect onwards to dozens of destinations around the world, a much broader range of markets than simply LGW-BKK.

Check the price on the outbound to BKK at the Dubai Duty Free, then check in BKK if it's cheaper (probably is), if so then buy there, if not buy in DXB on the return. Plenty of Duty Free available in transit.

PS: none of my business but smoking kills ;)

Skywardhunter put his finger on common and valid reasons (traffic rights and demand), but there is more to it:
EK, like most other large international airlines operates all flights from it's 'base' or 'hub' in Dubai. OK, I know that you can book sectors like MXP-JFK or DPS-AKL, but those are merely extensions of flights starting at DXB. Their aircraft are based in Dubai and so is the crew operating them. So to start a route which is not 'connected' to DXB would be a logistical (and economic) nightmare. Think maintenance, catering etc (apart from crew considerations).
BA has two 'fleets', one based at LGW and one at LHR. And even there, the aircraft and crew 'belong' to those bases, which are just 20 or so miles apart.
Of course in the US the operating model is a bit different, there are many 'point to point' routes (and I have little knowledge or interest in how that is logistically managed. Does the AC that operates CLT-LHR actually 'belong' to CLT?). And in Europe we have Ryanair, and even there they have separate 'bases' for routes (whilst still maintaining that flight deck and cabin crew fall under Irish employment law which is getting them in increasingly hotter water).
So the long and the short of it is that if you want to fly EK, DXB is part of the equation (well, almost always as mentioned above).

But if you can prove me wrong and get them to fly LGW-BKK for you, please put in a good word for me and organise CPT-LGW which is my most common route.;) Yes, that can also be done on BA (seasonally CPT/LGW and daily CPT/LHR), but like you I am ok to spend the extra hours via DXB to avoid BA. :rolleyes:

So does alcohol... :p

TBD

Emirates Fare Rule - MINSTAY
 

I have a booking on Emirates from BKK to DXB on 13 Nov returning 21 Nov. I have a separate booking on Flydubai from DXB to Dushanbe on 13 Nov returning 21 Nov.

My Emirates booking has the following fare rule:
MINSTAY
Travel from last international stopover must commence no earlier than 3 days after departure of the first international sector.

1) Does the Flydubai booking invalidate the Emirates booking since it departs on the same day as arrival in DXB?

2) If not, can i link the 2 separate bookings so that I can check my luggage all the way through from BKK to Dushanbe?

3) If I can't link the 2 bookings and I need to pick up my luggage at DXB, is there a luggage storage service at DXB Terminal 2 so that I can go into Dubai city centre during transit without hassle.

Thank you for your help.