Tracey in Dubai

[Paraffin Budgie]

I haven't seen anything here about the Brit. lady who was allegedly pulled off a departing flight in DXB (after some disagreement about seating?), tested for drugs and jailed for 2 months. Recently released without further charges, she has vowed never to return to Dubai.

The story as reported in the local papers is, to say the least, confused-so were any PPruners on that particular flight?

Apologies if this should be in either the SLF or any other forum....

[Avman]

I vaguely recall a news item on radio last week that she was released. The drug was genuinely prescribed in UK for medication (but a banned drug in UAE).

[MrBernoulli]

I understand that codeine is the drug in question. Good grief! They'll be jailing folk for passing wind next!

[barit1]

Two items:

On my last visit to Dubai, I departed via RJ to Amman. The ticket agent sold me a nonexistent seat on their 1011. Is it possible that the present "some disagreement about seating" is related to my experience?

And where does one seek information about what drugs (prescribed or otherwise) are banned in a particular country? FWIW I'm sure Abu Dhabi and Dubai have different banned lists, even though they're both UAE.

[ExSimGuy]

Dubai is trying to be a "big tourist attraction", but I'm afraid that they "shot themselves in the foot" here.

We all (who travel in the Middle-East) know that their rules on "drugs" are somewhet different to ours, but tourists expect the same regs as they have "at home" and DXB have really fouled up here.

DXB Customs - "Get it right" - stop real users and traffickers - of course - but understand "Western" systems too

(My passport number is - *********) ;)

[kaikohe76]

Has anybody tried approaching the Embassy / Consulate of the UAE here in the UK and asked for clarification on this matter. Would it be acceptable to the UAE authorities that, any traveller taking medication, carried their prescriptiuon plus a letter from their GP.

[foxile]

Saw this c0çk up myself and must admit will choose Sri Lankan for a flight to Chennai over Emirates because of it.

Do not want to go any where near the place if that is how amateurish and naive the authorities are. I take paracetamol on occasion you know! Do not want to find that on the banned list the hard way...

Emirates, better start re thinking your A380 order if your national authorities are going to carry on like that!:rolleyes: :suspect:

[Pandy]

There is no way of verifying this & knowing the rumour mill down here it could be rubbish but as I've heard from about 5 unconnected people including one in Saudi thought it might be worth posting.

Supposedly she 'lost it' / air rage / panic attack whatever on the inbound & was 'attended' by airport security on arrival. The 'problem' didn't improve so the police were called & she was arrested. Apparently a urine test is standard on arrest & that's where the drug bit started.

If this is wrong apologies Tracey but thats what the rumour mill is saying.

Again, if (big IF) this is true what would have happened to a pax in a similar 'air rage' situation in Europe or the USA?

[DesertDiver]

Pandy's rumour mill is the one I heard, it is also alleged that a Policeman was hit with a chair. I can't imagine that anyone would
get away with this in Europe/US and it is a bit harsh to castigate
Emirates for the incident.

By the way Foxile, do you know who owns 44% of Sri Lankan?:\

[Bezi l]

manintheback - not according to the local papers here.... argument over seating - disruptive passenger, off loaded.....

[Paraffin Budgie]

The Foreign & Commonwealth Office (we still have a Commonwealth?) upgraded their website to include a warning about banned substances (in the UAE) that might be legal elsewhere.

As an aside, I wonder if holidaymakers know that, technically, they break the law in Dubai if they drink in any hotel other than the one that they are staying in?

[manintheback]

Seem I deleted my post when editing a typo so re doing it it plain and simple language.

TW was arrested at immigration due to a visa technicality and for no other reason. I'm no lawyer but posting allegations like the above - naughty.....

[TightSlot]

Just for the sake of clarity, if any of you have links to external sources that can shed further light on these rumours then please post them here. If it's just a man in a pub type stuff, then please proceed with caution and discretion.

Many thanks

[Paraffin Budgie]

If she holds a Brit. passport, then she didn't need a visa.

[Pandy]

As with many rumours there is some (but not the whole) truth in them, the story according to the Gulf News is -

Here's the link

http://www.gulfnews.com/Articles/NationNF.asp?ArticleID=162729

Missed this article - in Mumbai at the time.

[foxile]

DesertDiver

Buggah I better try DLH then! :}

No, seriously, I was not having a go at Emirates. Quite the reverse. I know this incident had nothing to do with them but my point is the implications of it and any repeats do not help them in continuing to establish themselves as a carrier of choice for travel between Europe, Asia and D&G.

My comments were regarding the authorities and they way they appeared to handle situation. Whatever news report you read does raise concerns and make a lot of people very nervous, taking medications or not, at the thought of transiting through DXB to visit Aunt Ethel in Oz or the UK. Remember what Midnight Express did for Turkey?

If that happens where does that leave Emirates plans...?

[Flip Flop Flyer]

If someone decides to take his or her holidays outside the proteced sanctuary called Europe, I'd venture the proposition that they are best served looking up the local rules and regulations. I mean, noone here is jumping to the defence when an African smuggles in khat, right? Sure, khat is legal in certain sub-Saharan nations, but it ain't so up here.

It's incredibly arrogant to suggest that a soverign nation should change their rules to accomodate forigners, whether they are tourists or not. As a visitor you should be somewhat familiar with the local R&R, and you should respect the culture. If you can't or won't do either, then I suppose everyone is better off with you staying away.

I won't buy the excuse that the substance is/was legal at the port of exit if it is not so at the port of entry. Again, presuming the rules are the same the world over is dimwitted to say the least; I thougth only Americans acted like that.

I for one do not take it lightly when Johnny Foreigner calls on my home country, and after finding himself in breach of the rules starts shooting his mouth off labelling us as racists.

[manintheback]

Fantastic idea Flip Flop

You forgot to mention the need for us all to check how long that GPs prescription drug stays in the bloodstream for before travelling. You know, allow 3 weeks for codeine, 4 for a muscle injury needing a steroid injection - that sort of thing. Of course if they start hair follicle testing, well you'll be going back years on that one.

Of course we would now be wise to look up the worlds regimes of whats allowed and where, might take a medical degree, an understanding of latin, knowledge of drug variants just in case.

Best also tell all the professional flyers out there to stay of the old Ephedrine (Vicks and similar to you and I). That'll get you busted in the odd country or three as well.

And as for standing near anyone smoking something of dubious origin - well a certain athlete seemed to have had a problem the other day with that one.

[Mysalami]

I was on an EK flight at around the same time as this was happening. On board that flight was the then current copy of the top gear mag. One article was of driving around Dubai. One quote of interest was from a local chap who worked for Emirates in Administration (his name was proudly printed in the article)..went like this
"A white car is like a white woman...No-one wants one!".

I showed it to the lady sitting next to me and she commented that they were big words from a fella wearing a dress!

Seems they have their work cut out for them with attitudes like this!

[BahrainLad]

Hmmmm......wouldn't explain the number of European EK hosties with....ahem....."wealthy" young Emirati boyfriends now would it...... ;) ;)

[Flip Flop Flyer]

Do what you like, or rather don't do it. Just don't come back moaning that you gut busted because you failed to acquaint yourself with the rules.

[ExSimGuy]

FFF,

I hear what you say, but the avaerage pax, possibly going outside the EU for the first time, can be forgiven (in my opinion) for not realising that drugs prescribed by his/her local quack could be the cause of getting "banged up"!

Maybe it's the responsibility of the quack to say "it's legal here, but some counties have a different opinion" (does YOUR local doc know the rules world-wide?:confused: )

Maybe it's the responsibility of the airline to warn in advance on ticket sale to countries with "strange" (non-EU) drug rules?

Maybe it's the responsibility of the pax to research the laws (on-line if they have the facility, or even know of the need:eek: )

Whoever's "fault" it was, UAE have, as I said earlier, "shot themselves in the foot" in regards to attracting tourists, and shot EK in regards to transit pax - sadly, as UAE is a great country and EK a great airline - hope they sort it out!

[foxile]

Flip Flop

Ermmm.... I have re-read my post in relation to your response and I do not believe I was suggesting for one minute that they or any other sovereign nation should change its laws. Like many of us here I am fortunate to have been able to travel widely and have always respected local customs and laws.

My point is the way that it was handled (confusion reigned) and the negative press it received worldwide could, in particular if this happens again, have a negative impact on Joe 'I am not a regular traveller' public's perception of TRANSITING through that airport.

Again, I suggest the impact on Emirates future plans, to use DXB as a hub, could be serious. In particular they may already have lost many PAX being prescribed that particular drug. Is Joe really going to be bothered to get a letter from his GP just so they can fly Emirates to OZ etc.?

Edit: ExSim.... you beat me to it and may I say summed it all up perfectly;)