Dubai - connection times
Discussion
Is one hour between flights through T3 enough?
In April I booked a return trip from Aus to the UK with Emirates. I was checking at the weekend and the return flight from Dubai to Aus now leaves an hour and a quarter earlier - my booking has been updated to show that.
Thing is that means there is now only one hour between flights instead of 2 and a bit.
We’re arriving from Glasgow and flying to Melbourne. Last couple of times we had to use the train thing despite both flights being T3. I can’t remember how long it took, but at an hour gap even a 10 minute delay could screw things up.
I’m torn between viewing it as Emirates’ problem if we miss the connection, and trying to rebook to the next flight - which is almost a 10 hour wait. The fact the same flights are now twice the price I’ve paid is also a concern - I’d expect an extra charge.
Any advice from people who’ve transited through Dubai recently?
Thanks!
In April I booked a return trip from Aus to the UK with Emirates. I was checking at the weekend and the return flight from Dubai to Aus now leaves an hour and a quarter earlier - my booking has been updated to show that.
Thing is that means there is now only one hour between flights instead of 2 and a bit.
We’re arriving from Glasgow and flying to Melbourne. Last couple of times we had to use the train thing despite both flights being T3. I can’t remember how long it took, but at an hour gap even a 10 minute delay could screw things up.
I’m torn between viewing it as Emirates’ problem if we miss the connection, and trying to rebook to the next flight - which is almost a 10 hour wait. The fact the same flights are now twice the price I’ve paid is also a concern - I’d expect an extra charge.
Any advice from people who’ve transited through Dubai recently?
Thanks!
When I've transited through dubai with short stop overs they have people waiting with boards for your next flight and then whisk you through the internal security and over to your gate very quickly. Any significant delay on your first flight though and you may end up missing your connection.
Bluequay said:
When I've transited through dubai with short stop overs they have people waiting with boards for your next flight and then whisk you through the internal security and over to your gate very quickly. Any significant delay on your first flight though and you may end up missing your connection.
As above.However, couple of years ago my flight to Dubai was delayed so I missed the connecting flight, when I landed in Dubai I was handed a new ticket for the next flight without any issues or requests (luckily it was only an hour or two later than the original connecting workshop).
Had this when we flew out to Sydney (about 10 years ago now).
Flight out had a 2 hour scheduled wait in Dubai, but we were delayed so it became obvious we weren't going to make it. Being relatively inexperienced travellers we were a bit worried/stressed about what would happen. We landed in Dubai fairly late so no chance of getting bumped to another flight that day, we were all marched through an almost empty airport on to buses to take us to a local hotel. About 6 hours later we were up and taken back to the airport and given our tickets for a flight early that morning. All sorted by Emirates with no fuss.
Return trip from Sydney was also slightly delayed, not quite so badly. We landed in Dubai and anyone on the connecting flight to Heathrow were marched off the plane and across the (50 degree heat) tarmac, through the airport and to the gate for our waiting flight.
Yes, it was a bit annoying and stressful, but to be fair to Emirates they obviously are used to dealing with this sort of thing so know how to handle it and make it easy for the passengers.
Flight out had a 2 hour scheduled wait in Dubai, but we were delayed so it became obvious we weren't going to make it. Being relatively inexperienced travellers we were a bit worried/stressed about what would happen. We landed in Dubai fairly late so no chance of getting bumped to another flight that day, we were all marched through an almost empty airport on to buses to take us to a local hotel. About 6 hours later we were up and taken back to the airport and given our tickets for a flight early that morning. All sorted by Emirates with no fuss.
Return trip from Sydney was also slightly delayed, not quite so badly. We landed in Dubai and anyone on the connecting flight to Heathrow were marched off the plane and across the (50 degree heat) tarmac, through the airport and to the gate for our waiting flight.
Yes, it was a bit annoying and stressful, but to be fair to Emirates they obviously are used to dealing with this sort of thing so know how to handle it and make it easy for the passengers.
If there are a lot of people connecting to the same onward on the originating flight its not uncommon for Emirates to delay the onward flight pending the connection arrival and transfer. Ive seen and experienced this a number of times when flying NCL-DXB-BKK (pre-covid).
Just look for the person with your name on their little board and enjoy the golf buggy jaunt through the airport.
Just look for the person with your name on their little board and enjoy the golf buggy jaunt through the airport.
If you are booked all the way through on a single ticket (it sounds like you are), then Emirates have a duty of care to get you to your destination if things go wrong and shouldn't charge you any extra for changing the flight for the second leg.
If they brought the second leg forward and the difference between arrival and departure became less than their 'minimum connection time' at the airport/terminal (to get you and, importantly, any checked luggage to the departing aircraft), then they would/should have automatically rebooked you onto a later flight.
If you are still worried during the flight, say something to the cabin crew - they might have some info, or could expedite you getting off the aircraft. As others have said, Emirates will be aware of your situation and would likely hold back departures for tight connections.
If they brought the second leg forward and the difference between arrival and departure became less than their 'minimum connection time' at the airport/terminal (to get you and, importantly, any checked luggage to the departing aircraft), then they would/should have automatically rebooked you onto a later flight.
If you are still worried during the flight, say something to the cabin crew - they might have some info, or could expedite you getting off the aircraft. As others have said, Emirates will be aware of your situation and would likely hold back departures for tight connections.
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