Mel - DXB - Rome: Forced 20 HR Layover in DXB. Possible Issue?

[chrisaitch]

Hi, am mostly a lurker but I am still hoping someone on here may be able to advise if the following will be a problem for us.

Husband and I are heading to Rome via Dubai in early Aug. We booked via Qantas but it’s a code share and flying on Emirates metal. Our connecting flight from Dubai to Rome has been cancelled until the next day leaving us with a 20 hr layover. We are flying in Y and while we used to be Platinum/Gold neither of us have any status these days.

We have spoken directly with Emirates but don’t qualify for Dubai Connect which I presumed was due to purchasing a ‘sale’ fare early in 2022.

We seemed to be $88 USD each short to qualify. With that in mind we thought we’re $176 USD in front (sort of) so we would just book a hotel landslide and see some of Dubai.

Before booking said accommodation, I thought we should just check our booking to make sure no other ‘surprises’ were awaiting us!

After reading the ‘sale fare’ terms on QF website I noticed this little gem.

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Stopover

1 free stopover permitted in each direction (additional charges and taxes may be payable). Additional stopovers permitted at a charge of A$150 per person per stopover (additional charges and taxes may be payable).

Note: A stopover in Dubai is not permitted when travel is on Qantas codeshare flights operated by Emirates between Dubai -- Italy / France / Netherlands / Greece / Belgium or Luxembourg.

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Are we going to be caught up in a fine print problem here if we leave the airport? Is this technically a ‘stopover’.

Any advice appreciated before we burn any more cash…(cancelled from 2020 and lost plenty of accommodation monies)

Cheers everyone.

 

[MrJetset]

You don't have a stopover, it's a transit. At 20 hours you are still within the 24 hour transit timeframe.

Have you been reticketed for the change? You must get a new ticket number from QF.

You are free to book accomodation and explore the city, however you need to decide whether to through check your luggage or short check it to DXB.

 

[ChrisMars]

What you are referring to is the booking conditions for the fare you picked. It's not dictating what you can, or can't do, during your transit time in Dubai. It's just prevents you from booking a trip with a stopover, which Qantas defines as "a deliberate interruption of a journey by the Passenger for more than 24 hours, at a point between the place of departure and the destination, which is shown on the Passenger’s Ticket" (https://www.qantas.com/au/en/book-a-trip/flights/conditions-of-carriage.html)

So your updated trip is not a stopover in Dubai.

What you decide to do in your transit time is up to you. Make sure you have the right paperwork to clear immigration if you want to go landside. I have no experience here.

 

[chrisaitch]

You don't have a stopover, it's a transit. At 20 hours you are still within the 24 hour transit timeframe.

Have you been reticketed for the change? You must get a new ticket number from QF.

You are free to book accomodation and explore the city, however you need to decide whether to through check your luggage or short check it to DXB.

Yes we have been reticketed. We were asked to accept the change to the flights which we did.. Thank you for clarification on this.

 

[MrJetset]

Yes we have been reticketed. We were asked to accept the change to the flights which we did.. Thank you for clarification on this.

As long as you have new eticket numbers.

Enjoy DXB!

 

[chrisaitch]

What you are referring to is the booking conditions for the fare you picked. It's not dictating what you can, or can't do, during your transit time in Dubai. It's just prevents you from booking a trip with a stopover, which Qantas defines as "a deliberate interruption of a journey by the Passenger for more than 24 hours, at a point between the place of departure and the destination, which is shown on the Passenger’s Ticket" (https://www.qantas.com/au/en/book-a-trip/flights/conditions-of-carriage.html)

So your updated trip is not a stopover in Dubai.

What you decide to do in your transit time is up to you. Make sure you have the right paperwork to clear immigration if you want to go landside. I have no experience here.

Thank you for your reply. That does clarifies it for me. I will take your advice about the paperwork for immigration. I would have much preferred we just had the original 3 hour transit through Dubai! We don’t always get what we want.