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AIBU?

Business trips - am I being ridiculous about flight safety?

76 replies

ThomasRichard · 04/12/2017 20:50

I'm genuinely unsure whether I'm being daft here, so bear with me.

I have several long-haul business trips scheduled next year and I've started booking flights where I know the dates. We use a business travel provider so we are limited to the options they give us (company travel policy says we have to use them). The cheapest options either:

include waiting around a Dubai airport for up to 6 hours in the middle of the night between connecting flights; or
have short legs on obscure airlines with dubious safety records.

I wouldn't feel safe hanging around in a deserted airport in a country that imprisons women for reporting sexual violence. Dubai/the UAE in general is not somewhere I would ever go on holiday and I would never go myself or ask my female staff to go there for business either. One of my male members of staff is going on a business trip to Dubai, but as he's been there previously on holiday it's not a concern for him.

The flights that avoid tinpot arlines and dodgy connections are more expensive. It's my travel budget and I'm happy to justify that to my line manager, but I wondered what other people's thoughts would be in that situation.

OP posts:

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specialsubject · 04/12/2017 20:52

My only encounter with Dubai was the airport. Airside is secure and safe anywhere.

Dodgy airlines are not!

EnidAlexandraRollins · 04/12/2017 20:53

Dubai airport is NEVER deserted. And in fact the middle of the night is their busiest time. I would have no worries at all being there on my own as a woman.

Pombliboo123 · 04/12/2017 20:53

I'm not going to say YABU but I personally wouldn't be worried about hanging around a large airport myself in the night to be honest

CaptainsCat · 04/12/2017 20:53

Dubai airport is never deserted, I think you’d be safe. I was there in the middle of the night, and it was full of people eating and shopping. It’s such an East-West transit hub that flights seem to arrive at all hours! Really, I don’t think you need to worry about that. I felt safe and I’m pretty cautious! No to using dodgy airlines though!

Tour · 04/12/2017 20:53

Do you have to go for the cheapest option. Dubai airport won’t be dead and there is a hotel in the airport you could book into for a kip. I had a 6 hour layover there with two small children. We slept on the lie back chairs in departures and never felt unsafe. I would just put forward the best options and see what they say.

Skyllo30 · 04/12/2017 20:54

Yes th busiest time in Dubai airport is the middle of the night! Can you get access to a lounge?

6 hours will fly by in Dubai airport.

HundredMilesAnHour · 04/12/2017 20:55

YABU. You seem to have made an awful lot of (incorrect) assumptions. Dubai airport "in the middle of the night" is heaving with people. It's one of the busiest times, all the shops and restaurants are open, it's about as far from a deserted airport as you can get. And perfectly safe.

ShotsFired · 04/12/2017 20:55

DXB is fine for hanging round in, safety wise. It's boring as all hell unless you are a (luxury) shopping fanatic, but I'd layover there over many other places. I don't think I've ever seen it "deserted" either, given they seem to operate planes 24/7.

For 6hrs though, I'd be after a lounge pass - and would probably pay for my own if the company was too tight. Or a pod hotel to sleep/rest a bit.

BarbarianMum · 04/12/2017 20:57

Dubai airport is not deserted in the middle of the night. Whilst it is not a country in which I'd choose to linger, I've always felt completely safe in its airport.

MyBrilliantDisguise · 04/12/2017 20:57

Can you pay to go into a lounge area at the airport?

MyBrilliantDisguise · 04/12/2017 20:58

It says this on the Dubai airport site:

"The arrivals section within Dubai International features common meeting spaces and a separate area for ladies and children."

You'll be fine.

BanjoStarz · 04/12/2017 20:59

I would have zero problem with DXB in the middle of the night, it will be heaving with people, everywhere is open and the emirates lounge staff are lovely - get yourself a pass if possible and chill out in a lounge after having a wonder.

bluesu · 04/12/2017 21:03

Trying my hardest not to roll my eyes too loudly.

Choose option 1. DBX is fantastic, never deserted, clean and safe. If you can get into a lounge you will have somewhere comfortable to relax and an AMAZING choice of delicious foods and drinks to pass the time away. Please don’t worry.

mimiholls · 04/12/2017 21:03

I wouldn't be at all concerned about safety in the terminal of Dubai airport for a layover, it's always felt very safe to me. It's one of the biggest airports in the world. Would never have occurred to me to be concerned about that.
Do these dubious airlines have a realistic safety concern? What is it based on? If they fly in or out of anywhere in the EU then they will meet safety standards.

ThomasRichard · 04/12/2017 21:05

Ok, so Dubai airport is ok-ish (although definitely not my first choice). It's only an extra £100 to avoid it on the first trip so I'm ok with that, but if it's significantly more on the next few then from these replies I'd grit my teeth.

I'm glad you're with me on tinpot airlines though!

OP posts:

ThomasRichard · 04/12/2017 21:09

bluesu I did say I wasn't sure if I was being daft, so thankyou for your restraint ;)

mimiholls the dubious airlines are for short hops within Asia and Latin America. I recognise most of the low-cost ones but a couple have come up super-cheap that I haven't seen before so I ran them through airlineratings.com to check their safety records. A seriously ageing fleet and maintenance concerns are no-gos.

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deepestdarkestperu · 04/12/2017 21:09

Dubai airport is perfectly clean and safe, and it's never deserted. I've stopped over there plenty of times on the way to Australia and I've never had an issue. Everyone is polite and they all speak fluent English - I really don't understand why you're worried?

Wowzel · 04/12/2017 21:10

I had a lovely sleep on a bench in DXB airport, I woke up and there was a small group of Indian ladies fast asleep next to me.

It's a safe place.

Noofly · 04/12/2017 21:10

DS had a six hour layover in Dubai in the middle of the night when he was 14 and on a school exchange. He dittos everyone else in saying it was very busy and all the shops/restaurants were busy.

ThomasRichard · 04/12/2017 21:12

deepestdarkestperu I don't have particular concerns about Dubai airport, just the country in general. I've taken plenty of late flights and night-time airports generally are pretty deserted so spending hours in one of those in a country with few protections for women doesn't appeal much to me. However, now I know that flights run all night and it's heaving, I'm not so worried.

OP posts:

pitterpatterrain · 04/12/2017 21:15

Dubai airport is fine. Not worth trying to avoid. 6 hours is a bit long, would prefer a 3-4 hour layover.

Would prefer to fly Emirates and hang around Dubai as if your flights run late on either side the next flight is never that long away vs. miss a less frequent short hop that might mean you arrive a day late.

Zoomaa · 04/12/2017 21:15

I'd avoid the tinpot airlines too. I've flown some very obscure routes on some very old planes and it's not pleasant.

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EvilRingahBitch · 04/12/2017 21:19

I’m very anti Dubai generally but wouldn’t have any qualms about a change of planes there at any time of day or night. Tinpot airlines in South American though - not if I could possibly help it.

BarbarianMum · 04/12/2017 21:19

The reality is that 95% of countries in the world have virtually no protections for women. Best stick to western Europe, Canada, New Zealand and Australia if that's a no-no for you.

KungFuEric · 04/12/2017 21:21

Have you searched for flights independently of this business travel company? Is there a difference in price?

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