Woman travelling alone to Thailand with stopover in Abu dhabi.

simon500

Hi,
I'm just wondering if woman travelling alone should expect any problems at Abu dhabi airport while changing flights?
Thanks for info.
Simon

votecounts

No, just have your passport and ticket ready for immigration control.

Noo

Absolutely none

peckerhead

The airport is basically a huge, glittering, luxury shopping centre in the middle of the desert (a bit like Dubai itself); it's very heavily patrolled by security and probably safer than most equivalent-sized airports.

endofrainbow

because she's a woman?

Yamanoto

It's a modern functioning international airport in the UAE, not some hotbed of tribal radicalism on the Afghan border.

lau1247

if anything, I'd think Thailand would be more of a concern, not Abu Dhabi airport

ScottSF

if anything, I'd think Thailand would be more of a concern, not Abu Dhabi airport

I was thinking the exact same thing. Back in 2008 a major protest in Bangkok closed the airport, stranding many passengers.
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2008/nov/26/thailand-protests-airport

Since protests are again happening now against the current government, I would keep a eye on the news and warnings to be safe.
For example the U.S. embassy in Thailand posts helpful emergency messages which are worth checking.
http://bangkok.usembassy.gov/embassy/wwc/recent.html

killbillvol2

peckerhead wrote: »

The airport is basically a huge, glittering, luxury shopping centre in the middle of the desert (a bit like Dubai itself); it's very heavily patrolled by security and probably safer than most equivalent-sized airports.

That's Dubai airport. Luxury isn't a word you'd use to describe Abu Dhabi airport.

OP, it's an easy airport to transit through so no worries. As to Thailand itself the protests are confined to a very small area of Bangkok at the moment so hopefully won't spread too far.

eagerv

Abu Dhabi is not a great airport, I passed through yesterday morning. The gate lounges are very small, you are then usually bussed out to a remote stand. Fortunately our aircraft was the A330, so not a large crowd on board.
Toilets can be very busy during busy times, there is usually a queue for a cubicle..
As others have said, it is a major international airport, so generally runs smoothly enough, certainly no problems for a single lady!

peckerhead

killbillvol2 wrote: »

That's Dubai airport. Luxury isn't a word you'd use to describe Abu Dhabi airport.

Whoops, silly me!

On the plus side, I've heard that Dubai airport don't allow any Flintstones merchandise in their shops, whereas Abu Dhabi do.

/I'll show myself out...

Todd Gack

killbillvol2 wrote: »

That's Dubai airport. Luxury isn't a word you'd use to describe Abu Dhabi airport

eagerv wrote: »

Abu Dhabi is not a great airport, I passed through yesterday morning. The gate lounges are very small, you are then usually bussed out to a remote stand. Fortunately our aircraft was the A330, so not a large crowd on board.
Toilets can be very busy during busy times, there is usually a queue for a cubicle..

Abu Dhabi Terminal 3 is very nice, new and modern, it's only 4 or 5 years old. Terminal 1 on the other hand is an overcrowded, dingy and dated building, hardly any seats, not even space to sit on the ground and every restaurant and toilet is crowded.

eagerv

Todd Gack wrote: »

Abu Dhabi Terminal 3 is very nice, new and modern, it's only 4 or 5 years old. Terminal 1 on the other hand is an overcrowded, dingy and dated building, hardly any seats, not even space to sit on the ground and every restaurant and toilet is crowded.

It was Terminal 3 we departed from yesterday. Nowhere to sit apart from the gate if you were lucky. There was only one toilet in the area of our gate and there were queues.

killbillvol2

Todd Gack wrote: »

Abu Dhabi Terminal 3 is very nice, new and modern, it's only 4 or 5 years old. Terminal 1 on the other hand is an overcrowded, dingy and dated building, hardly any seats, not even space to sit on the ground and every restaurant and toilet is crowded.

eagerv wrote: »

It was Terminal 3 we departed from yesterday. Nowhere to sit apart from the gate if you were lucky. There was only one toilet in the area of our gate and there were queues.

Terminal 3 is not "very nice". It's a 4 or 5 year old shed. There's little or nothing to do there and, as eagerv said, nowhere to sit apart from the gate.

Todd Gack

killbillvol2 wrote: »

Terminal 3 is not "very nice". It's a 4 or 5 year old shed. There's little or nothing to do there and, as eagerv said, nowhere to sit apart from the gate.

I happen to think that it is, hence the reason I said it, I've been in far worse so it's a not a bad place to transit in my opinion.

killbillvol2

Todd Gack wrote: »

I happen to think that it is, hence the reason I said it, I've been in far worse so it's a not a bad place to transit in my opinion.

We'll agree to differ so.

narfsnonsense

Busy and 9 euro pints. Can always find a seat though and they have some nice ones with a slight recline if you fancy a snooze.

eagerv

Todd Gack wrote: »

I happen to think that it is, hence the reason I said it, I've been in far worse so it's a not a bad place to transit in my opinion.

I suppose we were spoilt after coming from Kuala Lumpur.
The only good thing about Abu Dhabi was we were only there for less than 2 hours and were processed through fairly efficiently. Wouldnt like to spend any longer there.

simon500

Thanks for your replies! What do You think about this:
http://www.bbc.com/travel/feature/20131119-should-women-avoid-travelling-alone

killbillvol2

simon500 wrote: »

Thanks for your replies! What do You think about this:
http://www.bbc.com/travel/feature/20131119-should-women-avoid-travelling-alone

What does it have to do with Abu Dhabi airport?

simon500

What if woman misses the plane and need to go to hotel outside the airport?

Grimebox

simon500 wrote: »

Thanks for your replies! What do You think about this:
http://www.bbc.com/travel/feature/20131119-should-women-avoid-travelling-alone

I would try find some statistics rather than anecdotal events.

killbillvol2

simon500 wrote: »

What if woman misses the plane and need to go to hotel outside the airport?

Listen, you clearly have some agenda here so leave the rest of us out of it. You've had your question answered. If you are actually serious about getting information on safety for solo women travellers Jodi Ettenberg's blog would be a good place to start.

Yamanoto

simon500 wrote: »

What if woman misses the plane and need to go to hotel outside the airport?

She'll be swapped for 2 camels & serve as a concubine to a barbarous savage with a predilection for western women.

Gotta warn you though, there's a small chance she'll exit the terminal, follow a sign to the hotel shuttles & spend a comfortable night in a soothing and air-conditioned stupor.

simon500

Thanks again for your replies:)

Danniboo

Mods, not sure if I can ask the following, feel free to remove.

When is she travelling?

Beruthiel

Danniboo wrote: »

Mods, not sure if I can ask the following, feel free to remove.

When is she travelling?

So you can avail of those two camels...?

It would not be safe or wise of her to announce that kind of information on the net Danni.

Danniboo

Beruthiel wrote: »

So you can avail of those two camels...?

It would not be safe or wise of her to announce that kind of information on the net Danni.

Thats what I thought.

simon500

Top Secret!

blowin3

I don't like A.D. airport but personal that is. She will have no problem as a women traveling alone in both as for the riots just
stay out of the areas where they are and you won't even know they are there. I was in Bangkok when they started and you would see anything out of the normal. But if you want advice fly China airways out of Amsterdam they are cheaper and direct into Bangkok so no stop in AD. If you are worried about Bangkok fly London to Malaysia and use that as your hub to fly where
you want to go with Airasia they are cheap like Ryan air. We have a home in South Thailand so we fly into KL and get an Airasia
flight to Surat. Good luck.