DXB Transit Visa
Nov 8, 2009, 8:10 am
#16
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: TPA & MCO
Programs: DL Diamond, AA EXP & UA Gold
Posts: 3,046
It appears the OP has received some good responses to the original question re: UAE visas. That said, I am moving this thread to the Middle East forum in the interest of housekeeping.
Nov 8, 2009, 11:18 am
#17
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Programs: UA-1k, 1mm, Marriott-LT Platinum, Hertz-Presidents Circle
Posts: 6,355
Air Arabia is actually a pretty decent carrier IME. I have flown them 3-4 times this past year and they haven't been any later than 50 minutes. Not bad, but keep in mind I have taken the sharjah-dmm flight which is just about an hour tops itself. Thus just something I am cognizant of when booking them, not having to make a tight connection in DXB.
Nov 8, 2009, 11:39 am
#18
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Northern Nevada
Programs: DL,EK
Posts: 1,652
I have used Air Arabia form SHJ to KWI, BAH, DOH, SAH, and will likely be using them next month for KRT and COK. Every flight has been great with them, as well as on time. In my experience they are one of the better airlines I use. And the prayer at the beginning of each flight is a nice touch. 
Nov 8, 2009, 1:04 pm
#19
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: People's Republic of HotTubistan
Posts: 1,408
I have used Air Arabia form SHJ to KWI, BAH, DOH, SAH, and will likely be using them next month for KRT and COK. Every flight has been great with them, as well as on time. In my experience they are one of the better airlines I use. And the prayer at the beginning of each flight is a nice touch.
A couple of questions --
a. Does Air Arabia have "open seating" or specific seat selection ( "open" as, for example, Southwest in the USA, or Air Asia -- unless you select their advance seat-specific purchase option).
b. What's your experience with check-in and boarding in SHJ? Long or short lines? Order or chaos? Midnight at SHJ -- a tolerable experience, or exhausting? What's the terminal like?
Thanks!
Nov 8, 2009, 4:08 pm
#20
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: OSL
Programs: BA Gold | SK Gold | A3 Gold
Posts: 4,553
Yeah -- I see your point about IC. Since my trip to Dubai and Goa is still a ways off, I started a log, writing down the arrival/departure times of the now
4x weekly IC flights that operate BLR-GOA-DXB vv.
Hasn't been on time at DXB yet, though most days it's 45 - 60 minutes late, not three hours. We'll see how it goes. Even an hour late or so on IC is better at the Goa end than QR arriving at 0335 or Air Arabia arriving at 0515..........unless, of course, IC cancels entirely.
4x weekly IC flights that operate BLR-GOA-DXB vv.
Hasn't been on time at DXB yet, though most days it's 45 - 60 minutes late, not three hours. We'll see how it goes. Even an hour late or so on IC is better at the Goa end than QR arriving at 0335 or Air Arabia arriving at 0515..........unless, of course, IC cancels entirely.
Nov 9, 2009, 1:54 am
#21
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: UK
Posts: 3,082
Several people on the tripadvisor boards have used south travels for Visa processing, still not cheap though.
http://www.southtravels.com/middleeast/uae/visa.html
http://www.southtravels.com/middleeast/uae/visa.html