AndrewT84

Oh wait this is W on a LH-operated flight right? Or is your ORD-FRA on UA? I don't think W is SWU-able on LH flights anymore...

anc-ord772

Has to be V or higher on LH.

rodjune

Booked LAX-IAD-BAH-IAD-SFO-LAX for Nov 23 departure and the immediate turn at BAH. $707 ai.

travelingbug

I'm sure this has been replied to, but I'm a not only a single female who goes to Bahrain alone (as often as possible - I love it there) but I'm young (and blonde), as well. Trust me, no one bats an eye.

I used to dress much more conservatively there, but the last trip I wore jeans and 3/4 sleeve shirts nearly every day and was conservative compared to a lot of people. Though I'd still wear a longer cardigan and a higher neck shirt or something with a collar if I was going into more traditional areas - and probably especially so now, and a skirt for visiting the Grand Mosque, etc. I do ::always:: wear my hair at least in a ponytail if not back more than that (bun, hairzing, etc.) since it's long. But that makes sense anyway with the heat.

And I'm entirely comfortable driving there. As long as you're ok with roundabouts you'd be fine. And realizing that you need to probably drive more aggressively than you do unless you're in LA or NY or something here.

It could potentially be a bit harder driving wise if you don't know the area at all IF there were roadblocks, but they nearly always are with advance warning - at least on bigger roads - when it could otherwise be helpful to know the country and back ways (as well as areas to stay away from) etc. But really you'd be ok.

And if you're not going for long, staying near the airport, the souq and traditional house areas of Muharraq, Arad Fort, even over to the Manama souq, City Centre, Seef Mall, the hotels in that area, etc. you're unlikely to hit real problems on most roads (especially during the day time).

Going toward Bahrain Fort, out by Saar, Budaiya, the burial mounds, Saudi Causeway, A'Ali pottery areas there could be more possibility of maybe running into something on roads, but again, weekends/night/or with advance warning are the most likely times.

Getting to the Grand Mosque would be ok much of the time, but going that way can get tough right now at times. You'd need to be covered going there. If you don't have an abaya and shayla (or scarf of some sort) to bring with, they'll give you one to wear. While cruise passengers will still try to show up in shorts to wear underneath, wearing something more modest would definitely be better.

The only times I've felt uneasy there as a (young) single female have been at times deep in the Manama souq and sometimes by the corniche if it's crowded, especially on weekends. And at the corniche, it's largely because I can understand a fair bit of Arabic, but that tends to become a congregating point for other expats - drivers, househelpers, etc. and I don't understand much Tagalog, Amharic, or Hindi, etc. So being in an area that's often much more male dominated on weekends/evenings and not picking up as much language wise and standing out more there I have sometimes felt uneasy. But I'm usually just going to take a few photos at dusk/sunset and not lingering if I'm alone. I try to go with friends if it's a time I think could make me more vulnerable.

I love Bahrain (obviously) and part of me wishes more people saw and appreciated the charm and uniquenesses that I love about it. The other part of me is glad most people who go to visit the Gulf tend to go to Dubai or maybe Qatar b/c the crowds go there instead. Ha ha.

travelingbug

Plus, the degree of security on that flight, especially being via KWI and into DC, and nearly all DOD/military/contractors seems to have meant a lot more built in cushion at BAH (and KWI) b/c of the number of times you go through security and the degree of security.

Add in the typically Arab less time-focused society meaning the few locals (and typically they're all in the front of the plane spending the big money on their seats ) not always showing up early enough to get through the amount of security there is on the Bahrain end ends up holding the plane further than I've seen most other places.

Additionally, sand/dust storms are the most likely thing to cause a delay, tend to be after midnight, at least from most of my experiences in BAH, which would have you out of there and into KWI. Not sure if it's the same there with dust/sand. I've found that to be worse (in BAH) in spring and early summer and it was an issue on my BA flights much of the time (which all leave around 2 am). Also, if you're doing November-February-ish there's the chance of "rain" even in BAH which decreases the likelihood of that as a delay even further.

I spent my favorite Thanksgiving ever in BAH a few years ago and during the more than two weeks I was there we had "rain" several times. I've been there throughout the year and that was my first trip with "rain" and seeing how crazy (excited) people get over it! Ha.

Those of you going in November/December are getting prime weather! March-ish is my other favorite time.

If you DO leave the airport in Bahrain, know that you go through security like four times for the departing flight so definitely get there early. Much moreso than you'd do other places/flights.

Unless it's changed since I last took it, I couldn't believe the degree of security for that flight in particular - and while I'll not go into routes or timing, I'll just say flights you'd expect almost even more prone to more security.

I thought my friends who had flown it a few weeks earlier were joking at how much it had been stepped up on that route, and no, they really weren't kidding!

Security in KWI was also very heavy - for both the plane and the passengers, whether you were transiting and so not leaving the secured area or if you tried to stretch your legs more and went beyond the gate area.

My last trip we left late from both BAH and KWI and still got into IAD very early, so there must be a lot of cushion.

I'd guess your bigger concern perhaps should be the amount of time you have transiting IAD, especially if you're doing that run with the extra security that seems to be taken looking at it (arriving and departing) - especially doing it as as a MR and not staying in BAH.

My last time doing that IAD-KWI-BAH route, I was on the onward flight to SAN and not LAX. The SAN flight had a HUGE percentage of the originating passengers on the same SAN flight. And even as early as we got in to IAD, plus the early time of morning, and plus all of us on the noon-ish UA231 flight not the 229 (which I can't imagine really risking, personally!) there was NOT a lot of time to get to that flight, and we had almost four hours. Granted I'm sure they'd have held the plane given the huge percentage of their passengers were all of us from the same flight, but...

Oh, and if you're a female doing the IAD-BAH flight, especially alone, you'll very likely find yourself one of the few. Thus making it even more apparent if many of you are continuing from IAD to SAN (and I'd guess similarly to LAX for all the same reasons the IAD-SAN route seems to have a large carryover) since the guys all follow the lone (or nearly lone) female(s) since you're an oddity on the route. Ha ha. Or also dress in jeans or beige and wear a hat and you'll blend in more!

While I'd far prefer BA (or QR, EK, or EY, obviously) to BAH because of their service, the convenience of that UA flight is great - plus avoiding the taxes at LHR. And UA definitely beats LH service wise if you're flying *A...nevermind finding a price like this - whether for a MR or pleasure! So I guess the extra security and unique atmosphere on the route and being one of the rare females doing it are worth it!

drewp123

Well, I just booked my first quasi-MR. I tried for LAX-BAH, so I could be like you all. Though, being based in FLL, I couldn't get the fares quite right for the dates I wanted.

Soooo, I'm taking FLL-EWR-IAD-DXB-BAH-IAD-ORD-CLE-FLL. It's about 16k and 6cpm. Not the best MR, but I will get a 6 night vacation out of it

I chickened out on the same day turnaround :P

wyoon

I did bite the bullet and just purchased the ticket IAD-BAH-IAD for Nov 23-24, the same flights as yours. Say hello to me. I am on 22A on both legs. I plan to go to work directly Monday morning upon arrival, for 2.5 days before I leave to Budapest on Turkey day eve for the weekend.

bertrob

Also in for Nov 23-24...28C for both legs +1. Sounds like several of us. May help pass the pain sharing MR stories and other tricks of the trade.

wyoon

@Bertrob, if you don't have a lounge access privilege, I will be able to take you in to a UA Club at IAD. I am not sure whether we have time in BAH during the transit (we will play it by ear). send me a message before the travel date. :-)

milesONmiles

Isn't one leg of the trip operated by Lufthansa -- my understanding is that 'K' tickets receive no PQMs on Lufthansa.

Source: United AirlinePartnerDetails

Crazyboutflying

WOW! Thanks so very much for all you information. I had pretty much decided to give up on the Bahrain trip, but now I think it is back on. It sounds like an adventure as long as you take the usual precautions.

Thanks again!

D

rodjune

I'm currently in 22G to BAH and 21G back to IAD on the Nov 23 flight.

tangel

This is turning into quite the little mega-do

Daichovo

I'm on Nov 22-23, or rather 21-22-23. They've offered me the FRA connection on the 21st in T Lufthansa but I'm thinking about making the most of it and taking advantage of the 25 hr layover in DC I have now. They also offered me a direct flight LAX-IAD on the 22nd, or an earlier flight connecting through IAD but only a 45 minute layover on that one. choices, choices. Hope that puts a couple ideas out there, agent seemed willing to work with me.

PDXPremier

Would have loved to go on this MR but my UA MR brakes got slammed last June when UA showed us MRers the door....time to focus on AA/DL MRs as I move my MR $$ over to AS.....oh well