Business trips - am I being ridiculous about flight safety?

[ThomasRichard]

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.

I wouldn't want to LEAVE the airport in Dubai but it sounds like 6 hours (much less once you factor in getting off and on planes) in the airport itself would be fine.

I've not been to Dubai, but I had to spend a few hours in the middle of the night at Doha.
You are in Airport land not the real country.
There were girls in Daisy Dukes eating sushi at 4 am
it was surreal but felt utterly safe

Not a huge price difference KungFuEric, but more route options.

BarbarianMum booking these trips has definitely reminded me to be bloody grateful that I live in a country that makes a pretty good stab at upholding women's rights and the rule of law.

Loads of flights arrive and depart in the middle of the night from Dubai (and Abu Dhabi). The airport is fine - I'd spend the money on lounge access rather than flying with One Wing Airways instead

I have told myself to stop being such a baby and boooked a flight with Malaysian Airlines, if that helps with any of the eyes rolling all over the thread.

OP can you try and have the short hop in Europe eg to Lisbon, Amsterdam or Frankfurt and then fly on from there?

My DH has done Brazil a couple of times, once via Lisbon, once via Frankfurt to bring costs down.

Personally I would not want to change planes in Dubai.

YANBU Its a fair risk assessment to question. I think you'll be fine, safe and secure in Dubai airport. Just be respectful, keep your head down and don't get friendly with any males (no offence, just particle, you don't want the slightest insinuation of perceived immoral actions). I think there is more risk (and less comfort) travelling with dubious airlines. Personally I would go with the Dubai for safety and comfort.

Dubai airports has loads of great options for food and shopping!

We've flown in and out of DXB several times in the middle of the night and it's always packed. Loads of shopping, if that's of interest, general hustle and bustle, places to eat.

Malaysian Airlines are excellent as well.

Dubai and emirates are my preferred options for travelling east. The planes are great (especially business) and the lounge is something else.

Dubai airport (and Dubai) are perfectly safe for the casual business visitor. Much less likely to come to harm there than in parts of s.america.

I wouldn't choose to live there but I have never had any problems as a single female.

I fly loads across Asia so let me know if you want any advice on specific airlines to choose/avoid.

I wouldn't have a 6 he stopover on a business trip to save the company money.

I travel a lot for business and Dubai airport is the best layover airport you can ask for. It has everything - food, shopping, business and charging points. Miles better than heathrow, or any of the US ones.

Have caught planes several times in the middle of the night in Dubai and Abu Dhabi and never had any issues (had my kids with me). I always felt really safe in Dubai. People there are generally really helpful.

We flew from Heathrow this weekend to Berlin and back and there was more hassle at Heathrow (Brits getting pissed before flying).

Been through dxx numerous times, never had a problem. Majority of time being middle of night and it's never quiet!

What chesty said. It’s atrocious that you have to think like that for business travel.

The cost always factors into my choices. I do work for a non-profit though. Plus the travel budget is limited so if I blow it all on expensive flights I get fewer trips!

Thinks about mentioning Malaysian Airlines track record lately and thinks again Seriously OP, you can't predict these things. Even airlines with the best safety records can have issues.

Dubai Airport is fine. If you are worried about security searches, don't wear an underwire bra. It's the only place in the world that I've set a metal detector off, but also, there were female security employees who took me to a private room to run a metal detector over my torso. Very respectful environment, comfy chairs and space to stretch your legs.

Fab - thanks everyone! Timbuktu I may well come back to you on that one.

chesty I've already discounted the stopovers with ridiculously long waiting times. After scrolling past several sets of 10 hours or more, 6 hours started to look pretty reasonable!

I've flown Malaysian since the issues and it was fine had a whole row to myself can't think why! They were just hugely unlucky but none of the incidents (as far as we can tell) were caused by mechanical faults or poor maintenance etc. I'd fly with them again.

Dubai airport is always hugely busy, and always packed with Westerners on holiday and on stopovers. It's also one of the cleanest, brightest, most safe feeling airports in the world (I visit hundreds each year). Even if it were deserted, which it never is, it would still be an ideal place to stopover. There's a reason so many people actively seek out stopovers in Dubai as opposed to other places.

Malaysian Airlines is fine too. They had an awful string of bad luck, but their safety record independent of that weirdness is great.

Malaysia Airlines are fine (note there's no n). They've even recently started serving real milk with the tea in economy rather than the powdered stuff. They also have a couple of new planes on the LHR-KUL route.

Are you flying business or economy? If you're going SE Asia definitely avoid airlines with poor safety records. Be careful when booking Air Asia. The Malaysian Air Asia conforms to EU safety standards whereas the Indonesian one doesn't. They're a shit airline that should be avoided either way but at least with the Malaysian one you're less likely to crash...

Dubai airport is a major international hub FFS. What do you think is going ot happen to you?

I'd take dubai airport overnight over any UK airport. Immensely Safe, clean, lots of area to eat and rest.

And it's always busy.

Take off your blinkers and experience life.

Is this for real? How do you get through life OP. This is the sort of nonsense that sets women back in the work place.

I can assure you your safer in Dubai airport then most northern towns at night.