DesertNomad

I am booking flights for a holiday in Yemen for the first half of October. Since I am in Prague, a number of options are available, but most have bizarre routings... since I am considering traveling to a nearby airport by train... as Prague often has few options.

From travelocity:

BUD-TLV-AMM-SAH (rt) 25h 40m, including 9 hours in Israel and another 9 in Jordan. TLV?! Are they mad? Shouldn't the system know to not book TLV on flights to SAH (among many others).

AMS-KRT-SAH (rt) 18h 25m 10 hour stop in Sudan... lovely.

PRG-FRA-RUH-SAH / SAH-DOH-AMM-BEY-AMS-PRG Gee, can I stop anywhere else? How can it come up with this?

ZRH-TUN-CAI-TAI (Taiz, Yemen)-SAH / SAH-CAI-FCO-ZRH Who comes up with this stuff?

I did eventually find PRG-IST-SAH for a good price (on TK's website)... probably the best option, and absolutely better than what travelocity suggests.

travelmad478

I would start from Sanaa and work backward, if I were you, trying to find direct flights from there to places with better connections to PRG or someplace nearby. One possibility is MS's direct flight from CAI; there are also direct flights from DXB, which should be fairly easy to get to (although you might end up with a fairly long layover in either place). Also, it will help immeasurably if you can be flexible on dates. There are direct flights from CDG (IY) and FRA (IY and LH) to SAH, but these flights only operate a few days each week.

DesertNomad

My original plan was to book to DXB and use Air Arabia from Sharjah to SAH which is how I have done it in the past, but was trying for a way to be a bit more direct. The IST-SAH flight looks like a good option although the middle-of-the-night arrival time is not great.

I am 100% flexible on my dates and I realize there are not easy connections to SAH, but nearly all gulf airlines fly there, yet I did not find for example FRA-KWI-SAH. An no idea how the system allows TLV and SAH on the same ticket.

travelmad478

Why bother with FRA-KWI-SAH when you can fly direct FRA-SAH? In the same vein, why bother with hauling yourself from DXB to SHJ when you can fly direct DXB-SAH? If you are flexible on dates, this trip shouldn't require terribly complicated routings.

DesertNomad

You are right on the FRA connection. As far as DXB, the Air Arabia flight from SHJ usually works out much cheaper. I am fine with one stop, maybe two, but not 4. Nor should they be in Israel or Sudan.

obscure2k

Please continue to follow this thread in the FT Middle East Forum.
Thanks..
Obscure2k
TravelBuzz Moderator

mecabq

Funny. The fact that these are the "gateways" should tell you something about Yemen. Seriously, I actually plan to take a trip there myself next time I am close by. (Please post a report if you go.)

By the way, I wouldn't imagine that Yemen would mind if you have an Israel stamp, would they? Does anyone have any experience with that?

DesertNomad

I am pretty sure they would mind. I have never been to Israel, but the Yemeni officials did not seem to look too hard when I was there last year. I know the security situation is dicey right now, but am still planning to go.

Yup - when Khartoum is a gateway city, things are wonky.