How bad is a 9 hour stop over in Abu Dhabi

[mcginley]

Hi lads. Im looking at ethiad Dub-Bkk. Unfortunately the stop over on the way back is 9hours. As we all know the Journey back from Pattaya is depressing enough so this is off putting. Other alternative is AIR France which is 100euro cheaper but knowing my luck they would be on strike during my holiday lol.

 

Ethiad is 838e return

Air FRANCE 713e return

 

Would you lads stick with ethiad?

[fostraswift]

Id stick with etihad...thats unusuall to have 9 hours

 

are you stuck with dates etc?

Edited August 25, 2011 by fostraswift

[mcginley]

ya pretty stuck. Ya the middle of the night flight from abu dhabi to Dub must be booked out or not operating on my return date. The available one leaves at 9am. So I'll be pretty much stuck in the airport from midnight to 9am :-(

[LongPlay]

Yeah, you are going to be stuck all right. the airport you will be stuck in does have some decent shopping, but heck, not at that time of night. so I would bring a pillow and plan to get some sleep.

 

Your other option is a taxi but that is an expensive option for sure.

 

It is just sad on the way home, but at least they are not keeping you bound to the ground on the way TO the LOS.....

[El Cata]

I flew with Etihad a couple of years ago. The flights are on a par with other Middle Eastern airlines. Abu Dhabi airport has a few restaurants / shops & there's some seats you could sleep on. It's a tiny place though.

 

Take some dollars because that's all the exchange booth will accept. There is a poorly ventilated perspex box if you're a smoker.

[Luv2Phuket]

As much as I hate Air France (worst flight of my life was on them), I would be tempted to go for that option. 9 hours in an airport sucks, but 9 hours from midnight to 9 a.m. is a dealbreaker for me.

 

I hate to even suggest this, but what if you cut your trip short a day? Can you get a better flight the day before?

 

EDIT: cutting short a Pattaya trip is even WORSE than a 9 hour layover, so here's a better option: book a room at the Abu Dhabi Airport hotel. Form the reviews I saw, it's far from luxurious and is over-priced, but it's better than sitting on the floor or in a crappy airport chair for 9 hours. Seems to be connected to the airport.

 

Edited August 25, 2011 by footypjman

[jerry]

Just go for the Air France flight and take a lot of sleeping pills .

[Nicky1982]

Not that bad get out the airport and go to irish village there are some nice bars there also not fair from the airport ..

[Ludhamlad]

I had it in early 2010, got a Etihad flight for £375 with about a 12 hr wait on the way back in Abu Dhabi. I wouldn't want it again but actually it went ok. I enquired about a room but I would have had to pay an overnight rate and that would have been more than $100 but in the area where the rooms are they have airport lounges and that cost $25 for 4 hrs so I had 8 hrs in there and there was a buffet and drinks all included. I had the laptop on some of the time and got a bit of sleep and there was somewhere to shower before I got the flight.

 

Keep searching see what else is available, I'm not keen on going with Air France but I've never been with them, I like Emirates and Etihad.

[irlguy1]

I always fly Etihad from Dublin and never more than 2hr stopover you need to check the times again mate. I am going again in oct and only have short stop again

[jaochoo]

As i recall a few years ago Air france, planes not too comfortable seats, aisle tv screens food pretty grim, De Gaulle transit lounge small and bare plastic bucket seats, and over priced vending machines, a grim place to sit for the 2 hour transit, you get ferried to your planes, and I remember the surly staff hurrying you along and even shouting at people, even though it was their airlines delay. hve sat in better bus terminus.

May have all changed now, but I and a couple of others would only use again if it was hundreds cheaper.

[MTiber]

Did you look at SWISS?

 

07.09.2011 Dublin - Bangkok

21.09.2011 Bangkok - Dublin

EUR 790.92

 

There is an 8 hour wait on the way to Bangkok but almost no delay on the way back.

 

Before I found Swiss, I travelled with KLM via Schiphol.

I found flights for 770 EUR with very little wait time but the return trip is via CDG.

By varying the dates, you should be able to find flights via Schiphol only.

 

In any case (AF or KLM) the planes are a century or so overdue for a refresh of the cabin.

[Chief General]

Shit and expensive in airport, made this mistake first trip

[glenman]

check out coming back via london, thats what i'm doing in october. i live in belfast and thats the way i'm going.

 

flying out dublin-abu dhabi-bkk, but coming back bkk-abu dhabi-lon then jump on flight to belfast. got that for 609euro on etihad website.

[Arrian]

 

 

Take some dollars because that's all the exchange booth will accept.

 

The shops and cafe/bar take pounds/Euros. I bought a bottle of Jack Daniels at one of the shops with pounds and bought some food at the cafe with them as well.

 

As for the OP, Abu Dhabi airport is very small but very westernized,you will be able to eat and drink there not much else to do there for 9 hrs.Etihad are a very good airline.

Edited August 26, 2011 by Arrian

[Turbod]

check out coming back via london, thats what i'm doing in october. i live in belfast and thats the way i'm going.

 

flying out dublin-abu dhabi-bkk, but coming back bkk-abu dhabi-lon then jump on flight to belfast. got that for 609euro on etihad website.

 

How did you find that price on their site? The only way I could get Dublin out & Belfast return was to do a multiple destination booking & thats coming in at 920 Euros!

 

I am keeping an eye on prices in October & Air France is currently the cheapest, though for another £100 I can go with Etihad. Its a no brainer really as its only an extra £25 per flight.

 

mcginley -

Have you considered going with China Air via Amsterdam? This used to be my usual route before Etihad started flying from Dublin & the prices are sometimes keen.

Edited August 26, 2011 by Turbod

[glenman]

How did you find that price on their site? The only way I could get Dublin out & Belfast return was to do a multiple destination booking & thats coming in at 920 Euros!

 

I am keeping an eye on prices in October & Air France is currently the cheapest, though for another £100 I can go with Etihad. Its a no brainer really as its only an extra £25 per flight.

 

mcginley -

Have you considered going with China Air via Amsterdam? This used to be my usual route before Etihad started flying from Dublin & the prices are sometimes keen.

 

 

yeah multiple destination but london as my return airport. then i booked my own flight to belfast for £38. i booked it in june for october, probably different price now.

[glenman]

just checked my dates on etihad site. out of dublin back to london is 587euro for morning flight out of bkk, 643euro for evening flight out of bkk. it's the evening one i got for 609euro so price hasn't went up too much.

[Ludhamlad]

The shops and cafe/bar take pounds/Euros. I bought a bottle of Jack Daniels at one of the shops with pounds and bought some food at the cafe with them as well.

 

As for the OP, Abu Dhabi airport is very small but very westernized,you will be able to eat and drink there not much else to do there for 9 hrs.Etihad are a very good airline.

 

Abu Dhabi airport is now a huge place like Dubai. You must be talking about the old one but the new one opened sometime in 2009.

[gmoule]

I've had a twelve hour lay over there but can use the lounge so was good. Bit of food massage sleep champagne sleep all last flight then

[tenedave]

If you are flying Etihad you will land and change planes at T3 in Abu Dhabi. This is the new dedicated Etihad terminal. Once you pass through security you have the duty free shops, Then upstairs is where you find the food,drink and smoking area. 9 hours is along time to layover in a small and expensive airport. beer £5 soft drink £1.50 might be worth while looking at using a lounge.

Also try www.skyscanner.com to check for flight prices.

Be Well Dave

[mcginley]

check out coming back via london, thats what i'm doing in october. i live in belfast and thats the way i'm going.

 

flying out dublin-abu dhabi-bkk, but coming back bkk-abu dhabi-lon then jump on flight to belfast. got that for 609euro on etihad website.

 

Cheers bud I never thought of that. Just had a look and that will work as I can get a cheap flight from Lon to DUB.

[redfred]

Cheers bud I never thought of that. Just had a look and that will work as I can get a cheap flight from Lon to DUB.

That's the route i always go,then direct with thai.

[glenman]

Cheers bud I never thought of that. Just had a look and that will work as I can get a cheap flight from Lon to DUB.

 

 

no problem mate. it always seems to work out cheaper than a dublin return. i saved 250euro which pays the hotel for my trip.

 

don't forget to join "etihadguest" and collect your airmiles.

[DILLON]

When are y off to Patts,I bought mine to travel on the 19/9/11 from heathrow with Eva Airways £600 quid direct flight return.

 

9 hrs wait to empty your sacks fucking sucks

Edited August 26, 2011 by DILLON