Please talk to me like I am 5. How do you fly to Egypt?

[AintNobodyHereButUsChickens]

Obviously on a plane

But I am researching having surgery either in Turkey or Egypt. I've never had to book a flight before and it's stressing me out just a little bit already. I prefer the sound of the doctor based in Egypt (is an associate professor in his field, goes all over the world giving lectures and training students) although both doctors are -from what I gather- excellent. I enquired about the cost of surgery at the Egyptian place and they sent me a huge email in response with all the info I could need and there was this paragraph which has confused me slightly, I don't think the fact that English is not their first language is helping.

"Arrival at the airport:
You don't need a visa for any transit outside of Egypt. However you will need a Visa to enter Egypt. Some nationalities don't need to apply for a visa before departure (including US and UK nationals) in this circumstances you can get your visa when you arrive at the airport. Airport has many facilities where you can exchange money and buy sim cards at a very reasonable price (which we recomend)"

So do I need a Visa? If so can I really just rock up at the airport and get one? It sounds almost too easy
How do I book a flight? Where is the best place to book flights? I'm based in Lincolnshire and my closest airport is Doncaster, could probably get as far as Manchester to fly out if needed though.

If anyone could help this total noob that would be awesome, thank you!

FCO travel advice pages give country by country advice on things like what Visas are required. www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/egypt

Are you sure it is wise to trust your health to someone you already have communication difficulties with? That aside, you need to check which, if any airlines, will fly direct. I think you may find you need to go via London or a European hub which would not be feasible at the moment. Most airlines are running a very limited schedule and charters will go to resort locations.

It sounds like you don't need to get a visa in advance. I've got them at the airport before for certain countries and it's been fine (including the time I should have got one and didn't, but they sorted it for me at the airport!). You will likely have to pay for it.

Re the flights , check where the nearest airport to the clinic is if they haven't told you (Cairo etc) and then I would Google flights Doncaster/Manchester to X (Cairo or wherever). Somewhere like Skyscanner will give you a long list of airlines who fly your route on the dates you want with prices. It should also tell you if there are any stopovers. If there are, check how long the stopover is, as sometimes it can be ages, or even overnight. You can select direct flights only if you want to avoid stopovers, or flying via another airport.

I imagine you would have more direct flights if you went from Manchester, as it's a bigger airport. If you're unsure about some of the smaller airlines, maybe just go straight to the BA website and start there.

You'll also need to check luggage allowances and what's included (some cheaper airlines don't include luggage, so you have to pay extra for every piece of luggage you want to be checked (as in go under the plane!). Usually at least 1 piece of cabin luggage is included, but there will be a maximum size and weight as it will have to fit in the compartment above your head.

Look at the website of the airport you need. There will be a section of airlines and routes that serve that airport.that will give idea of where in UK you'll fly from and which airlines to check. Keep in mind your cost of departure and quarantine at each airport option. Then go to those airline's individual websites and check their schedules and prices. The clinic might have given you an idea of: regular days for surgeon to run his theatre, clinical follow up, local recovery time, how long before you can leave.
Some people who are health tourists find a package holiday is cheaper than scheduled flights if the clinic is near the resort but scheduled flights are a safer bet because complications may require you to change your flight. And you'll need extra specific travel insurance.

Agree about travel insurance, but some will exclude healthcare for medical procedures abroad.

There is a risk in what you are doing.

If you are determined to go ahead.

1. Doctors who travel the world lecturing and training students may not have as much up to date experience as ‘ordinary’ surgeons. You need to ask how many of your type of surgery the doctor does per year and for how many years.

1. Get specialist travel insurance to cover you. You will probably need a broker. Google it.

You will need a visa. You can buy it on arrival at the airport... it’s around £20. It’ll go in your passport as a sticker.
There are usually mobile phone stands once you get through immigration where you can buy a loaded SIM card.
Though id have thought the clinic you were dealing with would assist you with all these things.

Assuming you want to fly to Cairo, the only direct flights from the U.K. are from Heathrow. You can get connecting flights from Manchester with Turkish airlines, via Istanbul. Use Skyscanner to compare timings & fares then click through to the airline’s website to book direct with them.

What that means is you don't need a visa for the transit cpuntry if you are flying an indirect route.
E. g. If you flew Manchester to Paris, Paris to Cairo, you don't need a visa for France if you don't exit the airside part of the airport between flights.
You require a visa for Egypt, but as a UK national you purchase it when you arrive in Egypt.
There will be an office selling the visa before you exit the airport via passport control. You just queue up, pay and the stick it in your passport.
Look on a website like Expedia or Skyscanner, that will give you all the flight options for your departure airport and dates.

Sorry, I should have added that I'd need to fly into Cairo and then either get a domestic flight to Alexandria, or the hospital send a car to collect you from Cairo, but the drive takes 3 hours (I'm more inclined to do the drive, at least I'd get to see some of Egypt on the way!)

Thanks all

I know there is a risk, but I can't afford £12k on the procedure in the UK I'm researching like mad so it's not as if I'm going into this with my eyes closed.

And @LIZS I could barely understand my GP at my old practice due to his native accent. But he was a brilliant doctor! (Well, he probably still is to be fair)

You need to know where in Egypt you are going.
The Google flights UK to destination.

I'd have thought Birmingham airport wouldnt be any further than Manchester, so that's worth looking at too.

You may need to change planes. Leave plenty of time to do this.

Are you sure going on your first flight, to have surgery, in the middle of a global pandemic is a good idea?

I'm more inclined to do the drive, at least I'd get to see some of Egypt on the way!)

I wouldn't count on that - you'll probably be cowering in the footwell with your eyes closed if Egyptian traffic is anything like I remember!

You'll get a sucky sweet on the plane, but you'll have to bring your own colouring book and pens. STOP kicking the seat in front.

(You did say talk to you like you're five... )

You buy it at the airport when you land; from memory - some years ago, so it's probably gone up - it was only a few pounds and payable in local currency.
To be honest, if you don't even know how to book a flight - are you sure you're up to travelling for surgery during a pandemic when rules are changing all the time?

We went to Egypt last Feb half term just before lock down started. You buy a visa on arrival, they give you a form to fill out on the plane and there are plenty in the airport if you make a mistake. Word of advice take your own black pen as this is what you need for the form. The immigration getting into Egypt was very quick, the immigration officer didn't look at the form or our passport and just stuck the visa in and stamped it. Leaving Egypt to come home is a complete ball ache, you have to apply to leave, fill out another form and pay a fee, then be searched and males and females are in seperate lines. Then body scanned, shoes removed and searched again, they fill in your bra etc then the drug and explosive swab your phone, keys hand luggage before you can be reunited with your travel party. Then at the gate you go through the bloody search and screening again, it has put us as a family off ever visiting again.

@JesusInTheCabbageVan

You'll get a sucky sweet on the plane, but you'll have to bring your own colouring book and pens. STOP kicking the seat in front.

(You did say talk to you like you're five... )

You buy the visa at the airport.

Take dollars, you will not be able to buy it in Sterling.

Not sure if all airports have this facility tho, so check in advance if you fly to a smaller or less touristy one.

Are you going to see Dr Abdelbaki? I'm so jealous - he's incredible. If so join his Facebook group. There's so much info there. I think you don't need a visa in advance but you fill in a form and pay the £25 at the airport. Good luck!

Are you sure going on your first flight, to have surgery, in the middle of a global pandemic is a good idea?

This. Craziest venture I've ever heard of.

Presumably this is elective surgery - not an emergency? The number of things that could go wrong - and the expense / medical risk / covid risk of putting things right could be staggering.

@DancesWithDaffodils It's not my first flight, I've flown several times before but on school trips, holidays with my parents, and a package holiday booked by someone else. It's my first time doing it all myself but not my first time flying! I'd be flying into Cairo, final destination is Alexandria (can either get a domestic flight or the hospital send a car to collect you)

And from what I recall of the drive from Cairo to Alexandria, it is extremely boring and seemed endless. (We drove on to El Alamein which is a strong contender for the least picturesque coast road in the world!) If you want palm trees and photogenic villages, you need a Nile cruise!

And @titchy is right

Dont drive from Alexandria to Cairo unless you really really need to, and for the love of god dont think about hiring a car and driving yourself unless you have a death wish.

Egyptian roads are terrifying.
Egyptian drivers are maniacs.

E

Is it cosmetic surgery? Can it wait until it's less dodgy to fly?

Google says this Dr specialises in cardiology (unless I have the wrong one?)

OP forgive me if I'm puzzled about why you would need to pay for this type of treatment in the U.K.

I've been to Egypt 3x. The last of which was 8yrs ago, but at that time, you arrive and within the airport is a counter saying something like 'foreign visas'. You line up, pay the fee and they stamp your passport.

Driving in Egpyt can be erratic, fast and scary my UK standards. Depending on the time of year, it can be incredibly hot too. I'm unsure about roadside services and the availability of toilets, so keep those points in mind before agreeing to a 3hr drive! Is it a bog standard taxi, is it an English speaking chaeffeur, will they stop if you need the loo, is it an air condtioned private car or a mini-bus full of others?

Have you never been abroad, or always used a travel agent to book, when you say you've never booked a flight abroad?

Have you checked the cost to have this op within Europe? If you post what op it is, people might be able to give you a recommendation.

As mentioned, I'd especially check your travel insurance and any clauses. Will you be covered on the NHS for any corrective procedures, revisions or infections? (I assume so, but I'd read otherwise in come cases).

Check if you need a 'fit to fly' certificate before you can return to the UK

Will the surgeon in Egypt refer you to a surgeon in the UK for follow up/referral?

I worked in A&E years ago. We had a women turn up to A&E having returned from surgey in Egypt. She had drains still attached and said she'd had gastic banding surgery. She had no documention of what she'd had done, now idea how long the drains had been in nor her the Egyptian Dr referred her or spoken to any Dr in the UK for follow up. We obvioulsy couldnt just 'pull out' the drains at her request!

Is anyone going with you? I'd seriously consider against having surgery abroad, even more so during a pandemic. It might end up costing you alot more than you expect.