Seeking hard information...

[Rossian]

....Madame and I are going to Thailand in Feb and returning at the beginning of March.

Our return flights have 1hr 30 mins at Dubai to transfer from the Bangkok flight arriving until the departure to Glasgow.

All the flights are Emirates business. I'm making one assumption - that arrival and departure are within the new terminal building.

Does anyone have actual experience of making this sort of transfer at Dubai? Basically - is it doable (without cardiac arrest).

The Ancient Mariner

[Andy_S]

My information is a little out of date, so I'm happy to be corrected.

There's no guarantee that arrival and departure will be in the same building. Terminal 3, from which Emirates mostly operate, is actually divided into two separate concourses (A & B), connected by an underground railway. Furthermore, the last time I passed through Dubai, Emirates also used remote stands from which you were bussed to one of the concourses. So theoretically, you could park on a stand, get bussed to one concourse then need to make your way to the other concourse.

If, by the new terminal, you mean Concourse D, I don't think Emirates use this. They do, however, use Concourse C which is part of Terminal 1.

Confused.......?

If it's any reassurance, my last transfer through Dubai had a similar connection time, and both I and my bags made it comfortably.

But like I say, I probably don't have the most up to date info.

[Donkey497]

Like Andy, my information is a little out of date, but having used the Emirates route from Glasgow to go to & from Singapore quite a few times, I'd have some reservations about the transfer time. But, and it's a good but.


I've had connections that ranged from an hour and a quarter to just over two hours for connections and it's been nip & tuck to get to the connecting flight a couple of times by the time I've gotten from the incoming gate to next departure gate.


When this has happened, I've generally been contacted as I got off the first plane, or as I got to a security check point between terminals and I've been shepherded through things to make the tight connection. Even happened one time that I nominally had a long layover and they pulled my connecting flight forward by over an hour.


It helped to be business class, but Emirates seemed to be doing a fair job of herding the folks in cattle class as well.


It might be tight, but you should be OK, but be prepared for a bit of a forced march between gates, just in case.

[Rossian]

....when you say your info is "out of date" - how out of date?

The Ancient Mariner

[spiney]

I transit through Dubai several times a year from London to SE Asia and back. Most of my connections are 2 - 2.5 hrs. I can't remember the last time I did 1.5hrs, but I think I have, but it was a smaller airport then.

I would say that it's doable, but you're right - it's tight. There's no guarantee which terminal you'll arrive at and depart from. B & C are connected and are walkable (but it can be a hike) whereas A is a shuttle train to connect with the others.

You have to go through transit security which can be hit or miss even in business class. I usually allow 20 minutes from getting off the plane to being through transit security and another 10-20 mins to get near to my departure gate. Emirates say you need to be at your Departure Gate no later than 45? minutes before departure but I'm sure they'll be a bit flexible with Business Class.

When connections are tight or an arriving aircraft is late they'll often have somebody at the gate marshalling the passengers for the tight connection and will call ahead and ensure they don't close the gate etc.

If you bought the whole ticket from Emirates, it'll be a legal connection - it's just on the tight end... I'm sure there will be several people travelling GLA-DXB-BKK, and you'll be one of the first off. Let the cabin crew know you have a tight connection and they'll point you in the right direction.

I think Emirates have 4 or 5 flights a day to Bangkok, some terminating there, others going on to Australia, so in the event you miss your connection, they'll get you on the next one fairly quickly. I've also sat on the ground in Dubai for half an hour waiting for connecting passengers. (But I have missed connections also despite being at the gate before the flight departed).

You obviously don't want to miss your connection but not as much as Emirates don't want you to miss your connection - they want you on that flight if at all possible. You should be fine - but go to the loo before arriving in Dubai 'cos you certainly won't have any time when you're there.

[Andy_S]

....when you say your info is "out of date" - how out of date?

2 years in my case, although Spiney has pretty much confirmed my experience. The only thing I’m not sure about is whether Emirates still park some aircraft on remote stands, although regardless of this they now operate out of Concourse C as well as A & B.

The bottom line is there is no guarantee that you will arrive and depart from the same building.

I agree with both Donkey and Spiney that 1-1/2 hours is achievable. Furthermore, I don’t think there is any need to bust a gut rushing to make the connection, but don’t hang around looking at the duty free shops either. My 90 minute connection involved transferring between Concourse A & B using the underground train, and the whole process from disembarkation to reaching my connecting gate took about 40 minutes. And I was travelling economy. With business class seats you’ll be first off your arriving flight which gives you a head start.

Good luck.

[spiney]

In Dubai I haven't bussed to and from remote stands in a few years and then only on 777's - it was irritatingly common for a couple of years... A 20 minute ride jammed in a mobile refrigerator... If they were transporting livestock they'd have been shut down ages ago. (I think traffic was expanding faster than they could build gates to park 'em at)...

A-380's always park at the terminal.

On a 1.5 hr connection - if you're bussing you're probably bust.

[Rossian]

.....it used to be standard that the 1300 out of GLA arr 0030 in DBZ was ALWAYS parked in the boondocks. Yes I too have done that bloody awful bus trip.

I've ascertained that the return trip BKK to Dubai is a 380 and that more than likely the DBZ to GLA will be a 777. Has anyone ever been bussed OUT to a remote stand?

I spoke to a guy at Emirates yesterday evening explaining that my wife has some mobility problems(not major, but her once racing snake "shopping mode" is now a plod). He suggested that I ask for help from the arrival gate to the next one and that we can be met if necessary with a mobility scooter-y thing given advance warning. So that looks like a plan and has reassured her a tad. She is ALWAYS going to worry, because if there is nothing to worry about she worries that there ISN'T anything to worry about. That's the way she is and it has been that way for the past 50 years ...You get my drift?

Thanks for your feedback which has also reassured her another tad.

The Ancient Mariner

[PAXboy]

Best to book the mobility buggy. When my mother was travelling in her 70s, she always showed her walking stick to back up her request for an aisle seat and assistance. If, as folks say, it might take a while, you'll be doing some 'speedy boarding;.

[spiney]

#8 - Haven't been bussed OUT to a remote stand in DXB in many years - you should be fine on that count.

I think the buggy thing is the way to go - zip through transit security like a good 'un...

They definately have buggys in DXB but oddly you don't see them around much in the main concourses compared to some airports... common enough in Arrivals but less so in Departures... There's a lot of "up 'n down" in DXB terminals (huge escalators and lifts etc.), so maybe the buggys take back roads...

[Mr Mac]

Rossian
I go through DXB at least once a month on connections of 1.5 to 2hrs in Business class, and have had remote stands with 777 and the bus trip people have mentioned, but this has not been on a European bound flight. 380 are always at the terminal,s and as other have posted, get a buggy if you believe you are not up to the "DXB two step". Also if inbound flight is running late they will meet you at the gate to help get you through, though you may not see much of lounge, and or shops if that is your thing. Was last there on Monday if that helps, so info is quite current, do not worry, they will look after you especially as you are in Business Class, so you should be off the inbound A/C quickly anyway.


Regards
Mr Mac

[parabellum]

Rossian - The term the airlines use is "Meet and Assist" . Ideally the request is made at the time of booking but you still have plenty of time. Make sure that it is entered into the computer and request the buggy at the same time, possibly worth checking in Dubai on your way to BKK?.

[Rossian]

....what the hell am I doing out of bed this early on a frosty morning??

Thank you all for your really useful tips and advice - most helpful.

Madame is becoming more and more reassured which is the object of this exercise.

The thing is she is a fantastic organiser and does ALL of our holiday research and booking, literally, trains,busses,ferries, planes and accommodation. We leave home with a bulging folder which gets shredded as we go along and, fingers crossed, it has always worked in the past. When we went round the world a few years back, we had our boarding cards for an internal Air NZ flight from Christchurch to Nelson four months in advance and the seats she wanted!!
So why does she worry?? Beats me.

The Ancient Mariner

[Donkey497]

'Evenin Rossian,


A bit late, I know, but like Andy, my experience is a bit over 2 years old. The oil price dropping off the cliff hasn't done very much for my accumulation of air miles recently.......


I can confirm that the Meet & Assist does open doors for you, a fellow traveller on one flight from the Weej was met at the gate & picked up in a golf cart and was ensconced in the seat across the aisle from me well before I'd yomped through the terminal from gate to gate.
I've no idea what route she took, but it certainly seemed to be much, much quicker than that for foot sloggers.


Enjoy your trip.