Ask the Cathay Pacific drivers who had to get their B747 into Bahrain from London. Dhahran would not allow them through their air space below something like 30,000 ft. And the controllers in Bahrain wanted them at around 3,000 ft! Just before crossing Dhahran, the Captains used to make an announcement, informing the passengers what was about to happen and reassuring them there was "nothing to worry about". Then it was wings full of flaps, air brakes or whatever and down we went, in a virtual nose dive! It was incredible to see how much an aircraft could rattle and shake without falling apart!