I’m flying to Thailand via Abu Dhabi for Christmas and didn’t really think much about it when I booked the flights. Since then I’ve read nothing but horror stories about people imprisoned for drug possession because their luggage swabbed positive for trace substances. All of my cases are well worldly travelled and will have rubbed up against all kinds, and have certainly been in places where drugs have been used. I can give cases a good clean but even so. How worried do I need to be of being swabbed? Should I play it safe and buy all new luggage?
Likewise, I’m a poor flyer and generally need a couple of drinks to take off without panic. Have also heard of people being arrested for having alcohol in their systems, but have no idea how likely this is (I know drunkenness and public drinking are prohibited in the UAE, but thought that moderate private alcohol consumption was permitted.)
Would it be a total overreaction to rebook my flights to transit through somewhere else?? The added worry isn’t helping an already nervous flyer!