Traveling to Israel, solo travel, check-in times etc

sitstill

I'm looking at traveling to Israel. I have always wanted to go there and as I work as a religion teacher, there's a lot of places there I'd like to visit.

I'll be traveling on my own so I'm wondering - is it true that Israeli Security Forces are more harsh with solo male travelers than others and that I'd be subject to more questioning? Is it really as intense as people say?

I'm going to book flights DUB- London Luton with Ryanair and Luton to TLV with Easyjet. The Ryanair flight arrives at 9:20 and the Easyjet leaves at 12:20 -- does this give me enough time to check in etc?

Thanks everyone!

DB Cooper

Hi sitstill

I've been to Israel so here goes...

I travelled from Berlin to Tel Aviv with EL AL. Before you check in you will be thoroughly questioned as to your reasons for visiting Israel and during the questioning the immigration officer will make cryptic notes. However, I have to say that they are very polite and absolutely not threatening in any way. After talking to you the officer will ask you to wait for a few minutes while they discuss your case with another colleague and a supervisor. The whole process will take about half an hour.

My advice to you would be to contact the Israeli Embassy in Ireland. It may be possible to arrange a kind of pre-clearance. There is a scheme in place for companies or organisations who regularly receive foreign visitors to do so (I only found this out after being there!). With this pre-clearance the questioning will be minimal, but I don't think you will be eligible for this if you are travelling privately.

In that case bring some proof that you are a religion teacher (no idea - teacher's union membership card, pay slips, etc.) and it will make things a lot easier for you. The embassy should be able to advise you on this.

Obviously you will be hitting Jerusalem when you are there, and also Nazareth, but (from what I was told by my Israeli counterparts) it is not advisable to travel to Bethlehem.

Make every effort to get to the Dead Sea! It is a totally amazing experience. 400m below sea level, it has its own unique ozone - you can as an Irish person walk around in beachwear without sun protection in the baking midday sun and not get a sunburn! - and you do really float on top of the water. The water is so salty that it feels like oil. Mad!

If you have any other questions let me know!

DB

arikv

sitstill wrote: »

I'm looking at traveling to Israel. I have always wanted to go there and as I work as a religion teacher, there's a lot of places there I'd like to visit.

I'll be traveling on my own so I'm wondering - is it true that Israeli Security Forces are more harsh with solo male travelers than others and that I'd be subject to more questioning? Is it really as intense as people say?

I'm going to book flights DUB- London Luton with Ryanair and Luton to TLV with Easyjet. The Ryanair flight arrives at 9:20 and the Easyjet leaves at 12:20 -- does this give me enough time to check in etc?

Thanks everyone!

I've also done the Dub - Luton - In December of last year (with two young children), no problem with connection times as it is a small airport (you'll need to check in of course as it is two separate airlines).
Israel is a beautiful country (I'm biased), Tel aviv is a must see as it is a country within a country.

Have fun and spread the word when you're back.
BTW, I'm Israeli and stumbled upon your post.

robinph

Went out there a year or so ago with BMI from LHR and I can't remember getting quizzed on the way out or anything extra on the security at this end from what you'd normally expect. I had just got off a long flight from New Zealand the day before so my memory of that end of the trip might not be the clearest.

There was a brief bit of quizzing at immigration in Ben Gurion on the way in, but nothing especially longer than anywhere else. On the way back out of Israel though you do definitely need to allow extra time. Before you even get as far as the checkin desk to get your boarding card all of your bags will be scanned, carry on and hold, most likely searched and then you'll also probably get quizzed by some security guy whilst your stood in the queue waiting for that scanner. Then once you've got your boarding card and the hold bags have been taken they will then do the normal carry on checks, except they are not normal and they will probably empty out everything from your bags again. That carry on bag check is very efficient though and although they emptied everything out I think I actually got through that area quicker than you would in most airports security screening sections.

Once you get the Israeli stamp in your passport though you cannot then travel to a bunch of other countries, so if its a new passport and your likely to do more travelling to unusual countries with it to I think you can get them to put the stamp on a separate sheet that can then be removed afterwards. I was too knackered to remember to ask for this when they stamped mine, but I've since got a new clean passport anyway.

BuffyBot

El Al have their own security folks do extra quizzing pre-departure. Most other airlines don't. You will be quizzed on the way in however about why you're visting, where you're going, how long you're staying etc.

They're normally quite pleasant about it though.

DB Cooper

BuffyBot wrote: »

El Al have their own security folks do extra quizzing pre-departure. Most other airlines don't. You will be quizzed on the way in however about why you're visting, where you're going, how long you're staying etc.

They're normally quite pleasant about it though.

Actually, thinking about it they could well have been airline employees. Never dawned on me until now. :rolleyes:

In that case, sitstill, I guess you can disregard what I said as you're not flying with EL AL.

sitstill

Thanks everyone for the advice. Especially DB Cooper, re bringing proof of being a religion teacher, thats a good idea - I can bring my Teaching Council registration letter. I'm going to base myself in Tel Aviv and do trips from there which I will prebook so I'll bring those itineraries with me too.