Questions and Answers

Hi, I’m looking at flying from Cairo to Christchurch in Business with Emirates. I’ll choose the fourth option they offer, which is the same number of total hours (33) as the first three options. All four options are the same price.

This will include a ten-hour overnight stopover Dubai. I remember someone saying that Emirates would book me into a hotel with a ten-hour stopover. Is this correct? Do I ask them, or is it automatic?

Can they insist I take one of the options that don’t include a ten-hour stopover? There’s a route through Bangkok, but I want to go the Dubai-to-Sydney direct route. As I say, the total travel time’s the same.

Thanks very much.

[USER=71]@Malc[/USER]
Program is called Dubai Connect
[URL]http://www.emirates.com/english/plan_book/essential_information/dubai-connect/dubai-connect.aspx[/URL]

A paid option would include Dubai Stopover on arrival.
[URL]http://www.emirates.com/english/plan_book/dubai_stopovers_on_arrival/dubai_stopovers_on_arrival.aspx[/URL]

And finally there is the hotel inside the terminal, might be a good option since you would not need to clear immigration’s and security. Since 10 hours might be a bit short when arriving and leaving in the middle of rush hour at the airport so to speak.
[URL]http://www.dubaiintlhotels.com/[/URL]

Thanks for that – yes, I meant the terminal hotel. I’ve stayed there before.

That link you sent says it’s available to “First Class and Business Class passengers for whom the best connection time is not available.”

And also, “Please note that better flight connections may be shown, meaning that long stopover expenses may not be covered if flights with the best available connection time are not selected.”

So I’m assuming that even though the overall travel time is the same, and I’d have seven hours in the daytime to fill in Bangkok, they won’t cover my hotel if I choose the overnight Dubai option.

Is that correct?

I’m afraid that might be correct yes.

To be totally honest I have never even considered doing a EK flight or any flight that long and with that many segments without booking it as a multi city, the cost to my body is simply not worth the money and time saved.

Your best bet might be just to book it and see if the free overnight option comes up in the booking process. You might get lucky and EK also uses total flight time as a parameter in deciding who gets a free stopover.

If not my advise would be to book a paid room at the DXB hotel, cost is not that high and it sure beats 2 short flights on the way to SYD.

Just remember to check that there are rooms available for your dates before booking the ticket.

Okay, will do. Thanks very much for that.