Abu Dhabi Airport
Reason of travel : A transit to visit my sister and her family. Knowing this, it will not be an adventurous trip but more of a family time since it has been a while we did not meet.
Being a loyal fan of Air Asia - Thanks to it's low fares, I bought myself tickets :
December 2009 :
Kuala Lumpur - Abu Dhabi ( RM 1200.00 return )
Abu Dhabi - Qatar : via Etihad Airways ( RM 600 return ).
*Return = to and fro / 2 way ticket
Note : Air Asia since then terminated Kuala Lumpur - Abu Dhabi back in March 2010 (roughly )
Total flight cost for 2 way was RM 1600 / estimate - USD 500. Ticket was purchased roughly 2-3 weeks earlier. And was lucky to get the best deal.
You may opt for other airlines to make your connecting flight to Qatar such as :
1. Fly Dubai
2. Air Asia to India then Kingfisher Airline to Qatar
3. Qatar Airlines.
4. Singapore Airlines
5. KLM
and others that are not stated here.
Air Asia Kuala Lumpur - Abu Dhabi was for 5-6 hours flight. Visa is upon arrival, so you need not apply in advance. Since I was going to Abu Dhabi to transit to Qatar and will not exit the Airport, I was not required to have a visa at all. No transit visa, no visa on arrival was necessary.
Landed in Abu Dhabi Airport and it was cold. I knew that it was Winter time but didn't expect it to be chilly when I exit the airplane. Luckily I had my shawl to keep my warm as all my clothes were in my checked in luggage. Queued up at the immigration line to exit - I had to collect my luggage since I needed to board another flight ( Etihad ) in 4 hours time. I was in line and by the time I was done with the immigration officer, I was the only one left in the entire hall. That officer gave me a hard time trying to explain myself that I needed to get out to collect my luggage and check in for another Airline to Qatar.
He did not understand me at all. We were speaking in English the entire time and I have never come across anyone who could not understand my English. That chubby officer even corrected my words. I was in a foreign land, all I needed was to get out from there to collect my luggage and check myself into another airline, and there I was trying to speak ENGLISH with this chubby officer in an empty hall.
He looked at my passport and said " You are from Malaysia"? .
I said : YES ! I need to go out, collect my luggage, and check into Etihad to Qatar.
Officer : Oh.. you do not have to check in. You are from Malaysia, the airlines would do the check in for
you. You can collect your luggage in Qatar.
Me : At this point, English was not the only language I had to use. (with hand gestures and body language
trying to explain to him that I am on 2 different flights on my own. I need to collect my luggage and
check myself into a different airline )
Officer : Insisted that Etihad would check my luggage in for me.
I just spent ridiculously 45 minutes to 1 hour trying to educate this officer. To no Avail ! By this time, I no longer feel the cold winter weather as I started to heat up.
I walked away confused and pissed. Never met someone who was unbelievably ridiculous and doing himself a favor by working at the Airport immigration counter teaching people English? I head over to the Etihad counter back at the arrival hall and confirm my flight status. This Etihad guy understood me well and all done within 5 minutes. I was right about my luggage afterall.
I walked back to the immigration officer with 500% extra confidence and I would do anything to make sure He let me through the gate.
I explained myself again to the officer and he said : Oooh , why you never tell me earlier ?
I told him : That was what the whole time was for. To tell you to let me go.
He then let me go with a laughter. Followed by his colleague seated few seats away from him. He was still trying to make me pronounced few words in English like how they do it in Abu Dhabi. Oh man.... this guy will never give up on his ascent. I think he was confused as to stamp my passport or not throughout the whole time.
I walked pass the gate and saw my lonely red luggage all by itself unattended. By this time, officers were gathering around it and suspecting that it was something fishy. Oh not again... I do not have enough time to entertain another one. Not again. Thank god they were friendly enough to let me go after I assured them that it was my luggage.
Dragging my 32kg almost overweight heavy luggage with the contents of spices, foods, baby products etc in the luggage was not fun. A young trolley officer came to my rescue and insisted to help me put the luggage onto the trolley. I was giving him the wide jaw face when he lifted up the heavy luggage onto the trolley. He made my day tho he was trying to hide his face from cursing me for not giving him tips? I smiled, thanked him and out I went.
Found myself to the Etihad check in counters and had myself a snack since the counters were not open yet. Managed to walk around the airport to get some fresh morning air and slept a while before I happily board the flight.
"Am I pregnant ?" asked the lady officer when I was handing over my boarding pass. Seriously, not again. I could not stop but to laugh at it afterwards. I realized I have to start exercising or easy said, cover it up with loose clothes.
Now that it was all over, it could have been good if I told her yes- I am pregnant. Just to see what she would do. I might end up having a luxury flight instead of an economy one. Who knows?
Finally leaving Abu Dhabi airport.
Follow me : Travel Blog / Facebook / Instagram / Twitter
Being a loyal fan of Air Asia - Thanks to it's low fares, I bought myself tickets :
December 2009 :
Kuala Lumpur - Abu Dhabi ( RM 1200.00 return )
Abu Dhabi - Qatar : via Etihad Airways ( RM 600 return ).
*Return = to and fro / 2 way ticket
Note : Air Asia since then terminated Kuala Lumpur - Abu Dhabi back in March 2010 (roughly )
Total flight cost for 2 way was RM 1600 / estimate - USD 500. Ticket was purchased roughly 2-3 weeks earlier. And was lucky to get the best deal.
You may opt for other airlines to make your connecting flight to Qatar such as :
1. Fly Dubai
2. Air Asia to India then Kingfisher Airline to Qatar
3. Qatar Airlines.
4. Singapore Airlines
5. KLM
and others that are not stated here.
Air Asia Kuala Lumpur - Abu Dhabi was for 5-6 hours flight. Visa is upon arrival, so you need not apply in advance. Since I was going to Abu Dhabi to transit to Qatar and will not exit the Airport, I was not required to have a visa at all. No transit visa, no visa on arrival was necessary.
Landed in Abu Dhabi Airport and it was cold. I knew that it was Winter time but didn't expect it to be chilly when I exit the airplane. Luckily I had my shawl to keep my warm as all my clothes were in my checked in luggage. Queued up at the immigration line to exit - I had to collect my luggage since I needed to board another flight ( Etihad ) in 4 hours time. I was in line and by the time I was done with the immigration officer, I was the only one left in the entire hall. That officer gave me a hard time trying to explain myself that I needed to get out to collect my luggage and check in for another Airline to Qatar.
He did not understand me at all. We were speaking in English the entire time and I have never come across anyone who could not understand my English. That chubby officer even corrected my words. I was in a foreign land, all I needed was to get out from there to collect my luggage and check myself into another airline, and there I was trying to speak ENGLISH with this chubby officer in an empty hall.
He looked at my passport and said " You are from Malaysia"? .
I said : YES ! I need to go out, collect my luggage, and check into Etihad to Qatar.
Officer : Oh.. you do not have to check in. You are from Malaysia, the airlines would do the check in for
you. You can collect your luggage in Qatar.
Me : At this point, English was not the only language I had to use. (with hand gestures and body language
trying to explain to him that I am on 2 different flights on my own. I need to collect my luggage and
check myself into a different airline )
Officer : Insisted that Etihad would check my luggage in for me.
I just spent ridiculously 45 minutes to 1 hour trying to educate this officer. To no Avail ! By this time, I no longer feel the cold winter weather as I started to heat up.
I walked away confused and pissed. Never met someone who was unbelievably ridiculous and doing himself a favor by working at the Airport immigration counter teaching people English? I head over to the Etihad counter back at the arrival hall and confirm my flight status. This Etihad guy understood me well and all done within 5 minutes. I was right about my luggage afterall.
The arrival / departure hall waiting area where I verified myself at the Etihad service counter.
I explained myself again to the officer and he said : Oooh , why you never tell me earlier ?
I told him : That was what the whole time was for. To tell you to let me go.
He then let me go with a laughter. Followed by his colleague seated few seats away from him. He was still trying to make me pronounced few words in English like how they do it in Abu Dhabi. Oh man.... this guy will never give up on his ascent. I think he was confused as to stamp my passport or not throughout the whole time.
I walked pass the gate and saw my lonely red luggage all by itself unattended. By this time, officers were gathering around it and suspecting that it was something fishy. Oh not again... I do not have enough time to entertain another one. Not again. Thank god they were friendly enough to let me go after I assured them that it was my luggage.
Dragging my 32kg almost overweight heavy luggage with the contents of spices, foods, baby products etc in the luggage was not fun. A young trolley officer came to my rescue and insisted to help me put the luggage onto the trolley. I was giving him the wide jaw face when he lifted up the heavy luggage onto the trolley. He made my day tho he was trying to hide his face from cursing me for not giving him tips? I smiled, thanked him and out I went.
Found myself to the Etihad check in counters and had myself a snack since the counters were not open yet. Managed to walk around the airport to get some fresh morning air and slept a while before I happily board the flight.
To Etihad check in counters
USD $ 10 snacks to fill my tummy
Having fresh air at Abu Dhabi airport.
Now that it was all over, it could have been good if I told her yes- I am pregnant. Just to see what she would do. I might end up having a luxury flight instead of an economy one. Who knows?
Having my meal on board Etihad to Qatar.
Follow me : Travel Blog / Facebook / Instagram / Twitter
hahhaa that's funny. I havent had any bad experience but i dont how am gonna react if it happens to me. awesome blog, diggin it, keep writing!
ReplyDeleteHi Rayyan: Thanks mate, glad I made you laugh... cheers !!
ReplyDelete