aktchi

Question for CAI veterans: Arriving by BA at 10:55PM. Considering outbound Saudia flight around 2AM. Same terminal. Is it do-able? What if there is checked luggage?

Phil the Flyer

Cairo is a total ballache to connect through only if you allow it to be. Simple answer - for longer connection times, don't transit!

Instead do the following:

- Buy visit visa (USD25) immediately prior to passport control
- Go through passport control
- Collect bags (if any)
- Go through customs
- Exit terminal

If you are departing on BA (or any One World airline), CAI T2 departures is immediately opposite CAI T2 arrivals - it's literally a one minute walk between the two facing buildings. If you are arriving CAI T3 (Star Alliance airlines), CAI T2 is immediately adjacent to CAI T3. If you're arriving CAI T1 ('dodgy' airlines) you're too much of a cheapskate to follow this advice!

If the timings don't suit, this hotel:

http://deals.lemeridien.com/Le-Merid...language=en_US

is connected to CAI T3. As well as normal overnight rooms the hotel also offers day rooms. Alternatively, have a meal and/or a drink, or relax in the public areas.

Far better, in my opinion, than long hours in the "transit area", and well worth any minimal additional cost.

G-ARVE

Yesterday's frustrations now over, refreshed the AA and ITA searches this morning and up came Ł1,274 so grabbed it. And I make the TPs 980.

Phil the Flyer

BA inbound - CAI T2 arrivals terminal
SV outbound - CAI T2 departures terminal (99% of the time - double check though)

Definitely do-able, as long as your BA flight isn't seriously delayed.

For the least hassle follow my suggestions as posted above; i.e. collect bags, exit CAI T2 arrivals, look straight ahead of you and you will see CAI T2 departures - it's that simple.

Lukflyer

Could you please guide me which formula should I use on ITA to to divide CAI-JFK route into Business and First class flights. Been struggling to book this for a few hours but I keep failing.

NA-Flyer

Without checked luggage it is easily do-able. With checked luggage it should be fine as long as BA flight arrives +45mins on time then you should have some risk but very little one especially if you are not familiar with CAI T2 (stress factor will play here).

aktchi

Thanks. If I have a connection in the next couple hours, do I still need to purchase the visa sticker in order to go from arrivals to departures (with or without picking up checked bag)? Anybody know from personal experience?

With a tight connection, I don't want to stand in the immigration line, get to the front, and then be told that I need to go back to get the visa sticker.

NA-Flyer

From my personal experience doing the same connection BA to SV: if you have luggage you still need to buy a visa and wait in immigration lines and stamp your passport to collect your luggage.

If you just have carry on (like what I do most of the time when flying via CAI) then you just proceed to the transit desk and show them your SV connecting flight ticket and they will escort you to the departure level hassle free.

Scotland

I think what is being suggested is to save time. The immigration queues if you buy your visa at the airport and enter the country aren't too bad, at most I would say 30 mins. Then assuming you don't have baggage you can then go straight to the relevant terminal to check in for the new flight.

Transit is often an unknown as they don't really seem geared up to it so although you would save the $25 fee you would spend a good amount of time whilst people ask you why you are transiting and then run off to get the airline rep and your boarding pass etc.. which might end up taking you too much time if you aren't careful although 3 hours should be fine if my experience of 5 years ago is anything to go by.

Keter

And AA refiled it again, this time it just lasted for 4 days The new I level is higher than it was before update back to BA level.

Someone is constantly doing something against AA will

sl1ppy

I've mostly managed to get the route as I'd like but would prefer to put a stop on the final CAI flight. Sooo, seems the easiest way is to include DUB in the itinerary but that appears to increase the cost to $5000+ - am I missing something??
many thanks

jbalmuth

.....

obduro

Not clear on what you mean. Are you saying you don't want to take the last flight to Cairo? If so, are you trying to terminate your itinerary in DUB? Of course this would lead to a massive reprice as you need to start and finish the ticket in CAI to get this price.

There are ways and means to finish your itinerary in LON/prior to returning to CAI, booking long stopovers, flying HBO, flying into a different airport to LHR so you can collect bags...plenty of options.

G-ARVE

..And in the same vein, am arriving CAI on the BA 321 (00.35) T2 and am looking to leave next morning on the 09.10 MS service back to LHR from T3. I would rather avoid staying in a hotel for a few hours or even a day and a few hours, so is it feasible to remain in the airport during the layover? A question for PtF, the resident CAI guru.....

nh1980

Anyone done Alitalia to BA? I'm positioning with AZ at the end of Oct, arrive CAI 02.35, booked Novotel then on the 09.35 BA to LHR so fingers crossed no issues (seen that Novotel will come and meet at immigration)

For the return however no hotel, planning to be at mercy of transit- I arrive in CAI at 00.35 with BA, then leave with AZ at 04.30, which is the same terminal (T2). Plan is to do hand luggage only from HNL, but use the earlier 8hr layover I have at LHR to go home and dump roller so that I do CAI turn with just a small bag. Hellish 10hr transit in FCO though. Will assess my experience on this before booking hotels/pos. Flights for my May 18 trip!