Why I chose to, or choose not to, transit Dubai on the way to/from Europe

[tuapekastar]

As I posted in the previous thread: As far as I could see, the women's toilets in the QF departure lounge are squat toilets, which are very difficult to use if you have wonky hips and knees. If mine become worse, then that would stop me from transiting there. A Melbourne friend (who has very serious issues with her hips and knees) has ruled out going to Europe on Qantas via DBX for this reason.

I do intend to stop over for a few days on my next trip, but will make sure that I don't have to use the departure lounge toilets. BTW, there may be Western style toilets elsewhere in the terminal, but as I was doing the quick change over on QF1, I didn't look for them.

FYI, this is NOT a racist rant. I've used the Asian squat toilets with no problems in the past, but that was many years ago.

Usually can find a disabled toilet in a place like an airport, and they are always Western style AFAIK. I used them a few times in Japan.

Anyway back on topic, DXB is not that high on my 'want' list but it is on there, to stopover and have a look at. I suspect I may prefer other places in the region, like Muscat and other parts of Oman for example, but will approach with an open mind, as per most places I go. Anyway, that'll happen when it happens and I'll research my options.

 

[shaddy]

I spent 4 days in Dubai, enroute from Venice to Sydney, last August & whilst was during Ramadan, didn't have any problems at all. Airport is huge so allow plenty of time for check in. Was extremely hot tho so would suggest pick cooler months if possible. Was sorry to leave as thought would have been last time but now looking forward to going back & staying again.

 

[SeatBackForward]

Well my earlier post got deleted despite offering many reasons the obvious factual incorrectness was too much..

So I will say, YES I will transit and visit DXB, because I like learning new things and experiencing different cultures and am open minded enough to understand that sometimes, people do things differently to how I might prefer.

 

[MH_fan]

Stopping over - no. I don't like the heat and the place seems over-the-top and blingy. I also don't feel like being stoned for being who I am. Transitting - maybe. I prefer going through a South-East Asian airport - either KUL or SIN.

 

[JohnPhelan]

Have never been to the Middle East, so have booked to go to LHR via DXB later this year. Will stopover for five days on the way up; overnight transit on the way back. Quite looking forward to it. As a general rule, I like stopping over in either HKG or BKK, so may revert to that in the future. But certainly wouldn't miss the opportunity to visit some place new and exciting!

 

[Shinkz]

I find I like both KUL & SIN transfers the most with a night's stopover

 

[zachary.august]

I've done that transit 6 times since the deal went live and I have to say I really enjoy the facilities on offer in Dubai. I'm not particularly crazy on the perspectives of some inhabitants of that 'neck of the woods' but as many have pointed out, SIN isn't that much better (although in my defence I did frequent HKG more than SIN for transfers). The lounges are much better than the former QF/BA lounges in SIN,BKK. Would I stopover i.e leave the airport? Probably not. But that is mainly because I prefer to just 'keep trucking' on long hauls.

 

[kremin]

I'm transiting through in august for the first time deliberately and looking forward to it. Nothing against SIN or BKK but it will be great to have a change from them. They get a bit blah after a while. My only concern as others have posted is doing the long leg first then short on QF1...

 

[Princess Fiona]

My only concern as others have posted is doing the long leg first then short on QF1...

I too share that concern. After careful reflection I think it may actually work out better for me, especially returning from Europe. I rarely suffer from bad jet lag flying West but always find the jet lag East is much worse and this was previously exacerbated by a short night flight from SIN arriving at OMG o'clock into SYD. I hope that the long QF2 DXB-SYD will allow me to get a proper rest and stay awake for the remainder of the day I arrive home.
Not tested any of this out yet but fingers crossed

 

[vitagen]

I too share that concern. After careful reflection I think it may actually work out better for me, especially returning from Europe. I rarely suffer from bad jet lag flying West but always find the jet lag East is much worse and this was previously exacerbated by a short night flight from SIN arriving at OMG o'clock into SYD. I hope that the long QF2 DXB-SYD will allow me to get a proper rest and stay awake for the remainder of the day I arrive home.
Not tested any of this out yet but fingers crossed

My thoughts exactly That's why I chose F to LHR and J back: )

 

[timster]

Most transits / stop-overs on the way to Europe are a compromise in one way or another. And the equation for me is different for transits vs stop-overs. SIN is good for transits, less interesting for stop-overs. BKK is pretty horrible for transits, good for stop-overs. HKG is OK for both. I rarely just transit - I almost always stop-over.

So those traditional ports have some negative elements, in some cases not dissimilar to the negative elements of Dubai. But those places have significant positive elements too. For Dubai, I find many aspects of the culture / human rights morally offensive. Certainly, those aspects are unlikely to affect me directly, although they could affect people I know. And they do affect many people who live or work there. So does anything positive about Dubai come close to balancing that, or indeed should it ?

BBC World did a supposedly favourable piece on the "attractions" of Dubai a few months ago. But they still managed to describe it as "the world capital of bling" and "a cultural desert". For some people, those might be positives, but not for me.

So the Dubai equation is simply and overwhelmingly in the negative for me. I am moving my flying elsewhere, partly due to Dubai itself, but also because of the decline in value of the whole QF "package" for me (particularly the end of the BA JSA).

 

[JohnK]

I don't go to Europe that often but for the time being I would not want to miss an opportunity to stopover/transit in BKK, SIN, HKG to/from Europe.

Reasons against Dubai

- Have no interest in visiting the Middle East even if just a transit
- Flight time to/from DXB at ~14 hours is too long where as via Asia the 2 legs to Europe are roughly similar length
- I do not buy the hype regarding Middle Eastern carriers especially in economy

But one of the lessons of life is never say never....

 

[Stanley Lambchop]

Taking the family to the UK in December and transiting Dubai there and back. Have been through on my own a couple of times and found it fairly unremarkable (J lounge is a nice experience - big and comfortable, shopping in the terminal is a bit ho hum) but no more or less so than SIN, BK or HKG. A bit concerned about the 14 hrs SYD-DBX leg with a 3 y/o and 18 m/o though.
It's not a place I'm that interested in stopping over, but happy to transit. Perfectly understandable though if there are some who prefer not to support the airport/country for moral, religious or political grounds - each to their own.

 

[swilk]

I have transited via Dubai 4 times.

The first two times were in 2009 traveling Emirates in J which included chauffeur and o/nite hotel including breakfast. The Emirates J lounge was nice but crowded. Mrs W was scolded when accidentally wandering too close to a prayer room looking for the loo. There was time for a visit to the Dubai Mall. A great experience but I always felt a little uneasy thinking that if something went wrong it would go very wrong.

The last time was a couple of months a go on a Qantas ticket. The PER to DBX leg was with Emirates metal (no QF metal on that route from Perth ) so I was disappointed I had no way of upgrading. This time I was a WP and was able to experience the Dubai 1st Lounge. That was a wonderful experience.

The flight from DBX to LHR was on a QF A380. The difference between the Emirates flight and the Qantas flight was marked. As a QF WP, Emirates gave me the first row in economy and blocked out the other two seats. I was personally greeted on board by the CSM and offered wine at least 20 min before the normal service started.

The QF flight - well Qantas just ignored me!

So, yes I would do it again just so I could fly Emirates and still get Qantas points. Still disappointed there was no opportunity to upgrade though.

 

[amaroo]

Never been and not in any hurry to go.....same with any part of Indo.

We're big on stopovers - I'll take a stopover in NRT/JFK/HKG/BKK/SIN any day of the week.

Given award (F/J) seats are near impossible to find with QF I doubt I'll ever see DXB

 

[JessicaTam]

TBH I don't know if I want to transit DXB. But I will be passing through next year, and then I will be able to form an opinion.

To be continued...

 

[blackcat20]

TBH I don't know if I want to transit DXB. But I will be passing through next year, and then I will be able to form an opinion.

To be continued...

It's no different to transiting anywhere else; you hop off, go through screening, then get back on 90 minutes later.

 

[Melburnian1]

I recently transited in DXB for the blackcat20 experience of 90 minutes or so each way.

I was underwhelmed by DXB airport's new terminal, as I was on a previous visit by its older section.

As for stopping over, no thank you. I share timster's reservations about many aspects of life in DXB.

Stopping over in HKG, MNL, NRT, ICN and even boring SIN is enjoyable by comparison, as is BKK.

 

[trytofly]

Hi all
i have been flying to Europe through Dubai for some years now and love it!
the original lounge was not that flash- bit like a cafeteria, but the new 380 lounge is perfect.
i love the fact that Europe is only 5-6 hours on from Dubai, and the connections are long enough to relax, shower, check emails, FaceTime with home etc....
i have also stopped over in Dubai many times, as my parents also lived there for a year. All the perceived misconceptions that people have about the place are quite misguided....
there are plenty of "normal" toilets everywhere including the airport, plenty of things to keep you busy on a stopover, including great things for kids/ families.....
Asia gets a bit same same, so try something new and exciting with Dubai.... Go on.... I dare you!!!!!
.... And the alcohol duty free in the airport is the cheapest I have found anywhere!!!!
enjoy!

 

[moa999]

Chose to transit SIN recently with BA as there was oneworld award availability with BA but not with QF or CX.
Would have no issues transiting DXB, and indeed would like to see it before they run out of oil (and money)