Stopover in the Middle East still safe?

[Thian]

I need a new ticket and wonder for how long it is still safe to have stopovers in Dubai or Abu Dhabi.

Do you guys consider those places to be safe or what are your thoughts about them? This week there were scudrockets fired into the UAE from over the border and now also Jemen isn't safe anymore.

[beechguy]

Where are you trying to go? Generally I try to avoid the Middle East and Gulf areas, but not for safety reasons.

Abu Dhabi and Dubai, are probably safe enough, and one could consider Bahrain or Qatar as alternatives.

Edited July 1, 2015 by beechguy

[Farma]

I think you're a little confused on where that scud was fired. It was way over on the western side of Saudi aimed at a military town called Khamis Mushayt. Yemen and the border areas with Saudi definately aren't safe with the fighting aimed more at the Yemen Saudi border areas near Jizan and Najran.

Travelling through Dubai or Abu Dhabi shouldn't be a problem but it's summer at the moment and you can expect temperatures of mid to high 40's C

My main concern would be mistaken for showing symptoms of MERS on arrival in Thailand. Or even worse being sat on a plane near a passenger who has MERS. 14 days quarantine in Thailand is possible even if you don't have the symptoms and some overly cautious medical people (like in buriram recently) decide to quarantine you.

[ubonjoe]

Moved to the travel forum.

[Thian]

I agree MERS even comes on top of that risk.

But i 've never been there actually, only on the airports for a stopover on my way to BKK.

I even didn't know IS had scudrockets what's next? Those guys with anti-air weapons or a bomb in an airport.

Oman air also fly's to BKK but i sure won't stopover there. Do they all wear mouthmasks there now? Since i stay in transit only i don't care how hot it is outside but i always like to fly there for the A380, smoke/shop/walk stop and then fly another 6 hours to BKK.

My new ticket will be direct flight i think. Maybe even Thai air.

[Henryford]

Probably safer in Abu Dhabi or Dubai than Heathrow.

[GuestHouse]

Go to either Abu Dhabi or Dubai and have your eyes opened to what the Middle East could be.

I have many happy memories of both these places.

[FritsSikkink]

I agree MERS even comes on top of that risk.

But i 've never been there actually, only on the airports for a stopover on my way to BKK.

I even didn't know IS had scudrockets what's next? Those guys with anti-air weapons or a bomb in an airport.

Oman air also fly's to BKK but i sure won't stopover there. Do they all wear mouthmasks there now? Since i stay in transit only i don't care how hot it is outside but i always like to fly there for the A380, smoke/shop/walk stop and then fly another 6 hours to BKK.

My new ticket will be direct flight i think. Maybe even Thai air.

just go and don't be scared from everything you read. you got a bigger chance to get carjacked in the USA

[BuaBS]

If you're having a stopover in Middle East , you're bound to fly over "hostile territory". Only if they take the route over Iran to Turkey , it will be pretty safe. But years ago my flight from Abu Dhabi flew straight over Iraq. One time via Cairo with Egyptair , but then Egypt was still safe.

Despite the bull you hear about being safe at 10 km up , remember the plane shot down in the Ukraine last year. The plane should not have been there, no matter who shot it down.

I won't be flying with a M.E. stopover anymore. Last year I flew Jetairways , and they avoided the whole area.

And oh yeah , there is that MERS thing.

Edited July 1, 2015 by BuaBS

[Thian]

Yes i sure remember the MH17 which was shot down above Ukrain. I also sure remember flying above Iraq during all my previous flights.

But it's just a matter of time before IS has anti air rockets or long distance scuds. I'm just thinking if it's smart to buy me a return ticket dated next year. One bomber or shooter in Dubai airport will change the world.

Did you guys see the shooter from this week on the beach in Tunesia? It's so easy to do.

But i don't have plans to visit Dubai or Abu Dhabi myself, don't know what to do there. I only fly there because of the quality of their airlines and price. Also a stopover to go smoking is great. And best of all, family's with baby's don't take stopover flights like this as much as they take direct flights. I hate crying baby's when i have to sit next to them for 12 hours.

[Mook23]

I was in UAE last week. Safe and very efficient
Worry not!

[yermanee]

Are you sure you want to come to Thailand ?

According to some it's a very dangerous country for tourists, expats etc.

Yermanee

[KhunBENQ]

Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Doha airports are likely very safe well observed places.

Some avoid them for "political" reasons (don't want to support them).

I and others went through all three.

Be cautious what you have in the (hand)luggage.

All medications containing opioids might bring you to prison (even if you have a prescription etc.).

Even in transit!

[khwaibah]

Go to either Abu Dhabi or Dubai and have your eyes opened to what the Middle East could be.

I have many happy memories of both these places.

Fantastic times in Manama Bahrain. Great watering holes.

[Franky Bear]

I need a new ticket and wonder for how long it is still safe to have stopovers in Dubai or Abu Dhabi.

Do you guys consider those places to be safe or what are your thoughts about them? This week there were scudrockets fired into the UAE from over the border and now also Jemen isn't safe anymore.

safe. Do not worry

[IMA_FARANG]

Nothing is ever absolutely safe.

Sydney, Australia had it's gunman in that café as you may recall right in the middle of Sydney.

Do you remember those Iranians who were trying to assemble an explosive device in Bangkok in a rented house off Sukhumvit Road only a couple of years ago?

They made a mistake and blew up a portion of their rented house.

They were going to use hat explosive on a school in Bangkok with international students (some were Israeli students living with Israeli diplomatic families in Bangkok).

But the terrorists had an themselves an Oops experience when assembling the device and blew up part of the house.

The point is, don't worry so much, just be careful....it is just as dangerous here as everywhere else in the world these days.

Edited July 2, 2015 by IMA_FARANG

[chiang mai]

It's not a problem, there's better security and facilities at Dubai Airport than at many places in the West.

[Franky Bear]

Tbh I'd say Dubai is safe as anywhere because that's where the bad guys keep their money.

Rumour was BIN laden had medical treatment in Dubai on more than. A few occasions

[Farma]

Go to either Abu Dhabi or Dubai and have your eyes opened to what the Middle East could be.

I have many happy memories of both these places.

Fantastic times in Manama Bahrain. Great watering holes.

Not this weekend...security tight after unconfirmed IS threat.

[thaibry]

I don't like to transit Dubai as the transfer security checks have involved long queues and intensive searches. When going into the whole body scanner I was turned back because I had banknotes in my back pocket. This may be what you want for protection however I and other passengers found it over the top considering that we had just got off of an Emirates flight.

Posted from my phone using predictive text, please excuse any spelling or grammatical errors.

[coulson]

When has Yemen ever been 'safe' in the last 40 years?

UAE is perfectly fine for transit, as another post mentioned, the MERS quarantine on arrival is possibly your biggest threat.

[Franky Bear]

When has Yemen ever been 'safe' in the last 40 years?

UAE is perfectly fine for transit, as another post mentioned, the MERS quarantine on arrival is possibly your biggest threat.

Only place I have not worked in the ME and never would

[IMA_FARANG]

In 1982 when I was working in Saudi Arabia the Iranian Navy sunk a ARAMCO (Saudi Oil company) crew change boat on the way from an offshore oil rig back to the port of Dammam in Saudi Arabia.

The Aramco crew boat was in contact with the Saudi oil company and told the Saudis that an Iranian patrol boat had fired an anti-ship missile (French made anti-ship missile, originally sold by the French to the then Shah of Iran) into the Aramco crew boat and then machine gunned the survivors in the water.

That was just before the crew boat sank. The ship captain was an European. Don't remember his nationality.

Most of the Aramco crew change boat were Asians, many from the Philippines and India or Bangladesh along with various Arab laborers.

There were no survivors.

The middle East has always been dangerous.

To many Americans and Europeans have always lived in blissful ignorance about the Middle East reality for to long.

Edited July 2, 2015 by IMA_FARANG

[Razzler1973]

I'm in the UAE ... there weren't any rockets

I know it's Middle East *PANIC* in the States but perfectly safe stop offs here in Dubai or Abu Dhabi

[theoldgit]

Baiting post removed.

[striderman]

nothing is ever 100% safe inc getting out of bed in the morning if u catch your foot in the sheet.

i fly via abu dhabi on a regular basis and there has never ever been the slightest problem over about the last 9 years and dubai etc then same thing

[FritsSikkink]

In 1982 when I was working in Saudi Arabia the Iranian Navy sunk a ARAMCO (Saudi Oil company) crew change boat on the way from an offshore oil rig back to the port of Dammam in Saudi Arabia.

The Aramco crew boat was in contact with the Saudi oil company and told the Saudis that an Iranian patrol boat had fired an anti-ship missile (French made anti-ship missile, originally sold by the French to the then Shah of Iran) into the Aramco crew boat and then machine gunned the survivors in the water.

That was just before the crew boat sank. The ship captain was an European. Don't remember his nationality.

Most of the Aramco crew change boat were Asians, many from the Philippines and India or Bangladesh along with various Arab laborers.

There were no survivors.

The middle East has always been dangerous.

To many Americans and Europeans have always lived in blissful ignorance about the Middle East reality for to long.

in 1982 a boat was shot in an other country what has that to with this stopover

[Thian]

Well there's not much news about MERS spreading last weeks so i guess it's over now. Not that i 'm very scared of it but it adds up to the stress from flying over Dubai.

[coulson]

Well there's not much news about MERS spreading last weeks so i guess it's over now. Not that i 'm very scared of it but it adds up to the stress from flying over Dubai.

Not much, and don't expect any more news unless another case is reported in Thailand. I had asked what was all that folly about getting a medical cert of pre clearance for travelling from a ME country but that requirement never developed. Expect your temperature taken in BKK before you clear Immigration.

[Upnotover]

Well there's not much news about MERS spreading last weeks so i guess it's over now. Not that i 'm very scared of it but it adds up to the stress from flying over Dubai.

Not much, and don't expect any more news unless another case is reported in Thailand. I had asked what was all that folly about getting a medical cert of pre clearance for travelling from a ME country but that requirement never developed. Expect your temperature taken in BKK before you clear Immigration.

On Friday, arriving from DXB, the temperature checks were gone from where they had been a few weeks back.