Living in the Middle East you have to come to terms with many things as a Westerner - slightly less freedoms than we're used to in our own countries. Personally I've come to terms with this and expected this prior to coming to live in Qatar.
When travelling with Middle Eastern companies there are some rules to remember:
1. When checking in to fly always arrive early as travellers who arrive later (even within the check in time) can get bumped off a flight.
2. When travelling long-haul always double check with the agent they have booked your flight after you've paid. Sounds stupid but I recently experienced not having my stopover hotel details confirmed despite having paid for my holdiday several months before.
3. Keep proof of every single purchase connected to your flights and hotels while in the region. Airlines and Hotels in the Gulf have a habit of over subscribing seats and rooms to generate revenue.
4. Do some research read the comments online of people's experience with a particular airline/hotel. You'll have a good idea of which airline not to take. There's a certain Gulf airline I wouldn't travel on long haul after hearing certain people's comments.
5. If there is a fall down on the service you receive. Make your voice heard and try negotiating a settlement. If all else fails formally complain and make sure you have a reference for that complaint.
Good Will Travelling,
Travelling Miles.
Saturday, January 12, 2008
Travelling Miles 2 - A letter to British Airways
Dear British Airways,
What's happened to you? You used to be so flexible. How come so many of your routes no longer exist. I wanted to travel from London to Reykjavik this year for a few days only to discover you don't fly to Iceland anymore. Through further research and other people's comments I read you have cut many of their domestic routes in the UK as well, like Aberdeen to Gatwick.
Has the world's favourite airline become the world's least desired. Why did you axe the Gatwick route to Aberdeen and Gatwick to Nice. Quite a few people online appear to be annoyed to say the least. The key word here appears to be Gatwick. Is the old airport no longer in your best affections.
For some of us who live South of the river Gatwick is actually the more convenient airport to travel to and from than Heathrow which is expensive and a mission to get to. I was looking forward to a trip to Iceland as one of those destinations to cross off from my wish list.
Oddly enough some of us find Gatwick less of a hassle especially if you want to fly trans-continental.
What am I to do?
Alexei
Travelling Miles
The Travel Bug Addiction - an Introduction to Travelling Miles
The first step.......
As the title suggests I have developed an addiction far more costly than your average dose of drugs - The Travel bug. In the last year alone I have travelled to the USA twice (admittedly for business), Oman, Australia, New Zealand (albeit too briefly) and back home to London on several occasions. Just to point out I'm based in the Arab Gulf, Qatar to be exact which is dry in more ways than one. However this location as I've discovered is perhaps the most convenient for travelling. Europe is several hours in the North and Western direction. Subcontinental and South East Asia are several hours in The Eastern direction and Africa is literally around the corner.
My motivation for this blog...everyone else appears to be doing it and this first timer has developed a nack for travelling. My hope is to recount some of my travelling experiences and to comment on some travel issues.
My wish list of places to go to:
Lebanon
Iceland
Egypt
South America
Kenya
New Zealand (again)
Japan
India
China
Cambodia (again)
Thailand (again)
To be continued...
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