Landing In Dubai

Some companies will fly you to Dubai International Airport instead of Kuwait before you enter Iraq. This airport has a large duty free shopping center. It has won many awards for its excellent service and design.

A new airport terminal will be opening in 2007 and will provide service for the new Airbus A380. This country is actually part of the United Arab Emirates and is located on the Persian Gulf.

Tourism is one of its major money-making industries so the people should treat you well.

After you have had your passport stamped, collect your baggage and then proceed through customs.

Your company will send a representative to meet you at the airport. He/she will have a sign with your name on it. He/she may be collecting several employees at once.

When you leave the airport, you will be put on a bus and taken to the hotel that your company uses. You will be given a room and a meal. The rep will tell you to be ready to fly into Iraq at 4am the next day so go to bed early.

You may be bunking with a roommate you have never met before, depending on your employer. That is what happened to me in 2004 when I was flown there.

In the morning, you are picked up and taken to the airport to catch a commercial flight to Baghdad International Airport.

***************UPDATE***************

November 2007, on my way to Afghanistan, I flew into Dubai.

Upon my arrival at Dubai a company rep was waiting at the airport with my name on a sheet of paper. It made me feel important!

The rep helped me get through Customs even though I had been through Customs in Dubai six times before. This time, I did not have to stand in line. I was the only one in the line where the rep took me.

There were about fifty people in each of the other lines so if I had to wait it would have taken me a long time. However, on my previous visits I had never seen this many people at the Dubai Airport. We went through customs where they stamped my passport. Then down to get my baggage, which was all there.

I must say here, I have never had any lost baggage. Praise the Lord.

After Customs, who just waved me through, which they usually do for Americans, we went out to get the driver to take us to the hotel. The hotel was fantastic. The bellhops rush out to grab your bags as if you are too weak to handle them. Check-in is easy and up to the room.

I was amazed at the layout of the room. I wish I could have stayed for another day to relax, but instead I only got to stay for about seven hours. I did order some room service.

I must warn you. Generally, wherever you stay in the Middle East and order a hamburger through room service, you are going to get a pre-made something filled with a lot of filler. It will not be all beef--probably has very little beef in it. Now at Bahrain, I ordered a hamburger through room service and it was great. However, stay away from the Mexican food. It is nowhere near the real thing.

Dubai Airport has two terminals: one and two. But they are miles and miles apart. Terminal one has all the good stuff and is generally for common flights all over. Terminal two handles weird stuff. This is where we flew out to go Iraq when I was working with my first company. Here is where the flights leave to go to Afghanistan and other off the wall places.

There is a duty-free store there but they are mighty proud of their stuff. Meaning it is expensive, very.

They do have a little snack bar and a coffee bar. One of the interesting things is when it is time to board a plane, the airport officials just tell a couple of people at the entrance and when they get up then everyone knows to follow. So once you check in at the final check-in point, do not wander off because there will be no overhead announcement.

Return from Dubai to Civilian Travel to Iraq