Hi there,
When I run searches on Skyscanner, I see that only Lufthansa has flights to Seoul with just one stop. Air France doesn’t show up, even though I thought the French airline served Seoul?
I can’t even log into the Air France website—it keeps glitching.
Hi there,
I’m traveling soon on Air Austral in a 777-300 ER. I’m over 1.90 m tall and always have legroom issues on planes.
Do you know if there are seats with extra legroom for "long legs"? There’s probably an extra fee.
Thanks for your feedback!
Have a great day
Hi everyone,
Since it’s a hot topic, yet rarely shown, and since there’s quite a bit of criticism and prejudice around it—and since I’ve had three in ten days—I’m going to talk about layovers at Istanbul Airport, especially with Turkish Airlines. This is a common scenario for forum members planning trips to Central Asia, the Caucasus, but also Japan, China, Australia, Africa, and more.
It all starts on a plane beginning its descent, knowing that the approach to Istanbul Airport is always quite long—about thirty minutes. Through the windows, if you’re lucky, you get a view of the city. You need to know a little to get your bearings, but here we’re on the side of Sabiha Gökçen Airport, south of Istanbul on the Asian side. You can spot the Bosphorus, the Golden Horn, and Fenerbahçe’s football stadium.
Landing over highways with three times four lanes, and then the airport tarmac for the taxi phase. This can take a while—sometimes nearly half an hour—but this morning, luck was on my side: barely more than 10 minutes. It’s rare now for Turkish Airlines planes to unload via pax buses, so we got a jet bridge. Avgeeks will immediately notice they’re not in Europe anymore but in another world: Pobeda, Belavia, and plenty of more exotic airlines. As the captain seriously put it in his final announcement after thanking the kids, it’s the “crossroads of the world.”
We suddenly step into a massive corridor, an endless, bright hall, usually deserted, and turn left or right—I think it’s always left for the flights I take, heading toward “transfers.” The walk is supposed to take a good ten minutes at worst. Watch out for airport vehicles—they come fast and don’t honk.
Here’s where it gets interesting: Istanbul has always had a bypass for short layovers, something you never hear about on forums. In the past, you had to bolt out of the jet bridge like a rocket and vaguely show your boarding pass to an attendant before sprinting. But now it’s institutionalized, and there’s signage that spares you from running all the way to the main security check. Until recently—at least the last time I did this—it even let you skip all formalities, dropping you like a wild dog into the departures area, which is spacious enough to stretch your legs!
A heads-up for the young and the not-so-young: even without the bypass, if you’re under 5 (accompanied), over 65 (alone), you get fast track. That saves you a few hundred meters and possibly some waiting time, though I’m less sure about that. The entrance honestly looks like an amusement park, though.
So, not young enough, not old enough, I keep going. I pass by dozens of passport control booths (in blue) and reach the transfer security checkpoint (in red). There’s a fast track for Business and Gold passengers—in my case, I’m both—but since it’s at the wrong end for my direction, it wouldn’t even be worth it. It’d just be a frivolous sprint. None of this is crowded at all; the wait lasted about a minute. You have to take out your laptop at this checkpoint—not all of them—but you haven’t had to take out liquids for a while in Istanbul. A hallway, an escalator, and then—bam—you’re in the Dubai-esque hall. One look says it all. Everything sparkles, everything’s expensive. *Very* expensive. Just for show, I spot a sandwich for around 12 €, and some simits for about 4 € (it’s in TL, but that’s roughly the conversion).
So, I head to the lounge—or one of the lounges—at Turkish Airlines, upstairs. Here too, there’s a priority entrance for families and people with reduced mobility, and an extra hundred meters for everyone else. A few of us seem to have had the same idea, and the twin lounges are under renovation for three months. One is for Business Class passengers, the other for Miles & Smiles and Gold members. They’re nearly identical. Needless to say, it’s packed—just as crowded in one as the other. There are *tons* of Business Class passengers on Turkish Airlines. I assume some other airlines’ passengers are mixed in, but not enough to explain the crowd. It’s as busy as Gare Montparnasse on a holiday departure day, and the 5 or 6 food counters, along with the salad and dessert buffets, are struggling to keep up. I didn’t dare ask to access the shower area, but I’ll admit the Wi-Fi works without the torturous maneuvers it required just a few months ago. Later, I’ll have to watch for the gate for my destination—Warsaw. With my usual luck, it’ll be in the F double-digits, the farthest ones, listed as 15 to 19 minutes away. That said, once you reach the end of that dead end, there’s plenty of quiet space with power outlets. Because here, there’s high demand for kilowatts.
My reporter’s conscience doesn’t go so far as to guide me here—I’ve covered the free access up to the iGA lounge, which has a good reputation but costs nearly 100 € for three hours. Maybe another time, on a promo day—I’ll keep an eye on their site. The piano starts playing “Bésame Mucho,” so I’ll pause my story here.
Michel
Since it’s a hot topic, yet rarely shown, and since there’s quite a bit of criticism and prejudice around it—and since I’ve had three in ten days—I’m going to talk about layovers at Istanbul Airport, especially with Turkish Airlines. This is a common scenario for forum members planning trips to Central Asia, the Caucasus, but also Japan, China, Australia, Africa, and more.
It all starts on a plane beginning its descent, knowing that the approach to Istanbul Airport is always quite long—about thirty minutes. Through the windows, if you’re lucky, you get a view of the city. You need to know a little to get your bearings, but here we’re on the side of Sabiha Gökçen Airport, south of Istanbul on the Asian side. You can spot the Bosphorus, the Golden Horn, and Fenerbahçe’s football stadium.
Landing over highways with three times four lanes, and then the airport tarmac for the taxi phase. This can take a while—sometimes nearly half an hour—but this morning, luck was on my side: barely more than 10 minutes. It’s rare now for Turkish Airlines planes to unload via pax buses, so we got a jet bridge. Avgeeks will immediately notice they’re not in Europe anymore but in another world: Pobeda, Belavia, and plenty of more exotic airlines. As the captain seriously put it in his final announcement after thanking the kids, it’s the “crossroads of the world.”
We suddenly step into a massive corridor, an endless, bright hall, usually deserted, and turn left or right—I think it’s always left for the flights I take, heading toward “transfers.” The walk is supposed to take a good ten minutes at worst. Watch out for airport vehicles—they come fast and don’t honk.
Here’s where it gets interesting: Istanbul has always had a bypass for short layovers, something you never hear about on forums. In the past, you had to bolt out of the jet bridge like a rocket and vaguely show your boarding pass to an attendant before sprinting. But now it’s institutionalized, and there’s signage that spares you from running all the way to the main security check. Until recently—at least the last time I did this—it even let you skip all formalities, dropping you like a wild dog into the departures area, which is spacious enough to stretch your legs!
A heads-up for the young and the not-so-young: even without the bypass, if you’re under 5 (accompanied), over 65 (alone), you get fast track. That saves you a few hundred meters and possibly some waiting time, though I’m less sure about that. The entrance honestly looks like an amusement park, though.
So, not young enough, not old enough, I keep going. I pass by dozens of passport control booths (in blue) and reach the transfer security checkpoint (in red). There’s a fast track for Business and Gold passengers—in my case, I’m both—but since it’s at the wrong end for my direction, it wouldn’t even be worth it. It’d just be a frivolous sprint. None of this is crowded at all; the wait lasted about a minute. You have to take out your laptop at this checkpoint—not all of them—but you haven’t had to take out liquids for a while in Istanbul. A hallway, an escalator, and then—bam—you’re in the Dubai-esque hall. One look says it all. Everything sparkles, everything’s expensive. *Very* expensive. Just for show, I spot a sandwich for around 12 €, and some simits for about 4 € (it’s in TL, but that’s roughly the conversion).
So, I head to the lounge—or one of the lounges—at Turkish Airlines, upstairs. Here too, there’s a priority entrance for families and people with reduced mobility, and an extra hundred meters for everyone else. A few of us seem to have had the same idea, and the twin lounges are under renovation for three months. One is for Business Class passengers, the other for Miles & Smiles and Gold members. They’re nearly identical. Needless to say, it’s packed—just as crowded in one as the other. There are *tons* of Business Class passengers on Turkish Airlines. I assume some other airlines’ passengers are mixed in, but not enough to explain the crowd. It’s as busy as Gare Montparnasse on a holiday departure day, and the 5 or 6 food counters, along with the salad and dessert buffets, are struggling to keep up. I didn’t dare ask to access the shower area, but I’ll admit the Wi-Fi works without the torturous maneuvers it required just a few months ago. Later, I’ll have to watch for the gate for my destination—Warsaw. With my usual luck, it’ll be in the F double-digits, the farthest ones, listed as 15 to 19 minutes away. That said, once you reach the end of that dead end, there’s plenty of quiet space with power outlets. Because here, there’s high demand for kilowatts.
My reporter’s conscience doesn’t go so far as to guide me here—I’ve covered the free access up to the iGA lounge, which has a good reputation but costs nearly 100 € for three hours. Maybe another time, on a promo day—I’ll keep an eye on their site. The piano starts playing “Bésame Mucho,” so I’ll pause my story here.
Michel
Hi,
Right now, with the war raging in Iran and affecting all the neighboring countries of the Persian Gulf, many airports are completely closed to all traffic.
Several airlines like Qatar Airways, Emirates, and others have almost completely halted their operations.
Whether in the Middle East or Africa, many travelers are stranded—maybe for a long time... A heartfelt thought for them and the struggles this will cause.
Four months ago, I was in Kenya with a flight booked through Qatar Airways... I can’t even imagine how I’d react if I were stuck there now. ??
Wishing all these travelers courage, patience, and success in making it back home.
...
Doha Airport on October 21, 2025:
...
Right now, with the war raging in Iran and affecting all the neighboring countries of the Persian Gulf, many airports are completely closed to all traffic.
Several airlines like Qatar Airways, Emirates, and others have almost completely halted their operations.
Whether in the Middle East or Africa, many travelers are stranded—maybe for a long time... A heartfelt thought for them and the struggles this will cause.
Four months ago, I was in Kenya with a flight booked through Qatar Airways... I can’t even imagine how I’d react if I were stuck there now. ??
Wishing all these travelers courage, patience, and success in making it back home.
...
Doha Airport on October 21, 2025:
...
Hi there
I completely forgot the transit procedure at Doha Airport and I’m a bit worried because I only have 1h30 to change planes, since my first flight was rescheduled. My flights: Barcelona/Doha: arrival at 6:15 AM Doha/Bangkok: departure at 7:50 AM
We only have carry-on luggage. Will they be checked again? Do we have to go through security again? Are the connections smooth and well signposted? Finally, is it common in this situation to ask a flight attendant for help?
Thanks! 🙂
I completely forgot the transit procedure at Doha Airport and I’m a bit worried because I only have 1h30 to change planes, since my first flight was rescheduled. My flights: Barcelona/Doha: arrival at 6:15 AM Doha/Bangkok: departure at 7:50 AM
We only have carry-on luggage. Will they be checked again? Do we have to go through security again? Are the connections smooth and well signposted? Finally, is it common in this situation to ask a flight attendant for help?
Thanks! 🙂
Hi there,
My daughter, wife, and I are starting to plan a two-week trip to Japan for... April 2026. My wife wants us to really treat ourselves, so we’re considering business class (we usually fly premium economy or even economy). Since we’re departing from Paris and want a direct flight, we have three options: JAL, ANA, or Air France.
I’ve flown Air France in business quite a bit for work, and I do find it very comfortable. But I wonder if I’m just defaulting to a national bias—maybe the other two airlines have advantages I’m not considering.
If I’m looking at criteria like: - Comfort (especially for sleeping) - Meals - Entertainment
Any advice? Personal experiences? Have any of the three airlines updated their business class on this route recently?
Thanks! !
My daughter, wife, and I are starting to plan a two-week trip to Japan for... April 2026. My wife wants us to really treat ourselves, so we’re considering business class (we usually fly premium economy or even economy). Since we’re departing from Paris and want a direct flight, we have three options: JAL, ANA, or Air France.
I’ve flown Air France in business quite a bit for work, and I do find it very comfortable. But I wonder if I’m just defaulting to a national bias—maybe the other two airlines have advantages I’m not considering.
If I’m looking at criteria like: - Comfort (especially for sleeping) - Meals - Entertainment
Any advice? Personal experiences? Have any of the three airlines updated their business class on this route recently?
Thanks! !
Hi,
I’m planning a trip to Australia—Paris to Melbourne.
I’m flying with Etihad and have a 1-hour connection in Abu Dhabi.
Does that seem doable to you?
Thanks for your feedback and experiences!
The couple involved refused to pay the extra fee demanded by the flight coordination company. Things quickly escalated. It got so bad that the man ended up physically fighting with an airport agent, even rolling on the ground.
https://www.nicematin.com/faits-divers/il-refuse-de-payer-un-supplement-bagages-le-litige-se-termine-en-bagarre-a-l-aeroport-de-nice-999711
If you can’t afford to pay for your luggage, don’t travel 😡. What’s next? Are they gonna hit the tour guide in Mykonos because the price of the tour went up without warning 🤪?
A heads-up to all EasyJet travelers: baggage checks are more strict than ever!
https://www.nicematin.com/faits-divers/il-refuse-de-payer-un-supplement-bagages-le-litige-se-termine-en-bagarre-a-l-aeroport-de-nice-999711
If you can’t afford to pay for your luggage, don’t travel 😡. What’s next? Are they gonna hit the tour guide in Mykonos because the price of the tour went up without warning 🤪?
A heads-up to all EasyJet travelers: baggage checks are more strict than ever!
Hi,
A pretty serious issue has come up in the past few weeks for traveling to Tanzania.
What’s the deal with airlines in Tanzania? https://www.capital.fr/economie-politique/ce-pays-est-tres-touristique-mais-ses-compagnies-aeriennes-sont-placees-sur-liste-noire-par-l-europe-1515325 https://www.charentelibre.fr/tourisme/la-tanzanie-sur-liste-noire-de-l-europe-des-vols-interieurs-a-haut-risque-pour-100-000-touristes-francais-25002566.php
Basically, all airlines have been blacklisted because they don’t meet European safety standards. They’re banned from flying in Europe but continue operating in Tanzania. The main issue is that travel agencies’ civil liability no longer applies to blacklisted airlines. So we can’t allow clients to fly with these carriers. Of course, there’s huge pressure from European agencies, which are forced to disrupt their plans or even cancel trips because of this. Personally, I’ve got a trip planned for February 2026 to the southern parks in Tanzania, so I’ll be keeping an eye on how this develops. Do any of you have updates? Thanks!
Loïc
A pretty serious issue has come up in the past few weeks for traveling to Tanzania.
What’s the deal with airlines in Tanzania? https://www.capital.fr/economie-politique/ce-pays-est-tres-touristique-mais-ses-compagnies-aeriennes-sont-placees-sur-liste-noire-par-l-europe-1515325 https://www.charentelibre.fr/tourisme/la-tanzanie-sur-liste-noire-de-l-europe-des-vols-interieurs-a-haut-risque-pour-100-000-touristes-francais-25002566.php
Basically, all airlines have been blacklisted because they don’t meet European safety standards. They’re banned from flying in Europe but continue operating in Tanzania. The main issue is that travel agencies’ civil liability no longer applies to blacklisted airlines. So we can’t allow clients to fly with these carriers. Of course, there’s huge pressure from European agencies, which are forced to disrupt their plans or even cancel trips because of this. Personally, I’ve got a trip planned for February 2026 to the southern parks in Tanzania, so I’ll be keeping an eye on how this develops. Do any of you have updates? Thanks!
Loïc
Hi there,
We’re heading to Chile in September 2025, and we booked a Paris–Santiago flight (AF) that was supposed to arrive in Santiago at 7:45 AM, with a same-day connection to Calama on LATAM at 2 PM. Air France just changed the arrival time to 8:45 AM in Santiago. Do you think we’ll still have enough time for the connection to Calama, or should we change our 2 PM flight to one the next morning? The other same-day options are too late. How long should we budget for customs, health checks, and baggage claim—since we’ll need to recheck our bags for Calama?
Is moving between the international terminal and the domestic terminal time-consuming?
Thanks so much for your help! :)
We’re heading to Chile in September 2025, and we booked a Paris–Santiago flight (AF) that was supposed to arrive in Santiago at 7:45 AM, with a same-day connection to Calama on LATAM at 2 PM. Air France just changed the arrival time to 8:45 AM in Santiago. Do you think we’ll still have enough time for the connection to Calama, or should we change our 2 PM flight to one the next morning? The other same-day options are too late. How long should we budget for customs, health checks, and baggage claim—since we’ll need to recheck our bags for Calama?
Is moving between the international terminal and the domestic terminal time-consuming?
Thanks so much for your help! :)
Hi everyone. Sorry if my post might make some of you laugh, but here’s the thing—I’m emetophobic, which means I’m terrified of vomiting or seeing someone vomit. So, I’m *extremely* afraid of flying and the possibility of someone getting sick on the plane. I’m taking a flight in a few days from Lyon to Palma de Mallorca. I know it’s a short flight, but I’m still terrified that someone might get sick. I was wondering if there are any professionals or frequent travelers who could honestly share their thoughts or experiences with this. Thanks in advance for your kindness and support.
Hi everyone,
Does anyone have an idea about how flight ticket prices drop for a given destination? (Excluding Ryanair, of course.)
We need to leave for Seville on December 27th. Generally, airlines launch trips on a specific date with a high price to start filling the plane. As the departure date gets closer, the airline tries to fill the plane and lowers its prices, so the ticket price becomes reasonable again.
Example: Right now, for a trip in about 10 days, the average round-trip ticket price is usually around 200 €. Currently, the round-trip ticket price for December 27th is 450 €.
If any of you have more precise info on this topic (for example, if the price drops 15 days before departure), thanks in advance for your input. Jean Paul
Does anyone have an idea about how flight ticket prices drop for a given destination? (Excluding Ryanair, of course.)
We need to leave for Seville on December 27th. Generally, airlines launch trips on a specific date with a high price to start filling the plane. As the departure date gets closer, the airline tries to fill the plane and lowers its prices, so the ticket price becomes reasonable again.
Example: Right now, for a trip in about 10 days, the average round-trip ticket price is usually around 200 €. Currently, the round-trip ticket price for December 27th is 450 €.
If any of you have more precise info on this topic (for example, if the price drops 15 days before departure), thanks in advance for your input. Jean Paul
Hi everyone,
I’m sorry in advance if my post isn’t in the right section!
I’m planning to spend a week in Beijing using Air France’s GP tickets, trying my luck with the R2s—that is, a ticket without a reservation that only lets you board the plane if there’s space left. However, I’ve seen that to enter China, you need to show proof of a return ticket.
Have any of you experienced this situation, in China or any other country with the same requirements?
Thanks so much in advance! :)
I’m sorry in advance if my post isn’t in the right section!
I’m planning to spend a week in Beijing using Air France’s GP tickets, trying my luck with the R2s—that is, a ticket without a reservation that only lets you board the plane if there’s space left. However, I’ve seen that to enter China, you need to show proof of a return ticket.
Have any of you experienced this situation, in China or any other country with the same requirements?
Thanks so much in advance! :)
Hi everyone, we need your advice to avoid being denied boarding at Paris CDG.
We’re planning a one-month trip to China, which matches the 30-day visa on arrival, but with a return ticket from Vietnam. For example, we’d arrive in Chengdu, then travel via Lao Cai to Vietnam, and fly back to Paris CDG from Hanoi 45 days later. Do you think this could be an issue at boarding?
Second option: arrive in Chengdu (*30-day visa duration*), then fly from Kunming to Hanoi 45 days later (Vietnam visa duration), and return to Paris CDG from Hanoi. Thanks for your input!
We’re planning a one-month trip to China, which matches the 30-day visa on arrival, but with a return ticket from Vietnam. For example, we’d arrive in Chengdu, then travel via Lao Cai to Vietnam, and fly back to Paris CDG from Hanoi 45 days later. Do you think this could be an issue at boarding?
Second option: arrive in Chengdu (*30-day visa duration*), then fly from Kunming to Hanoi 45 days later (Vietnam visa duration), and return to Paris CDG from Hanoi. Thanks for your input!
hi everyone, what's the cheapest flight ticket to fly from Paris to Madagascar in July or August? thanks for your help
Hi everyone,
I have a Ryanair flight scheduled for 10/14 (outbound, returning on the 16th) from Charleroi in Belgium. A strike is confirmed, and the airport will be closed on the 14th. But Ryanair is still saying the flight is confirmed. I get that they’re trying to make us change and pay extra fees rather than wait for the free compensation.
If I make a new booking, can I still claim a refund for the first one?
Thanks in advance for your help—this is the first time I’ve faced this situation.
I have a Ryanair flight scheduled for 10/14 (outbound, returning on the 16th) from Charleroi in Belgium. A strike is confirmed, and the airport will be closed on the 14th. But Ryanair is still saying the flight is confirmed. I get that they’re trying to make us change and pay extra fees rather than wait for the free compensation.
If I make a new booking, can I still claim a refund for the first one?
Thanks in advance for your help—this is the first time I’ve faced this situation.
Hi there,
I’m flying to Bogotá with a one-way ticket in early January. A friend told me that I’ll likely have trouble boarding in France if I can’t show a return (or onward) flight out of Colombia. He was in the same situation but from the US and had to buy one at the airport before leaving.
So, I’m thinking of buying a ticket that I can get refunded once I’m there. Are there still airlines that offer full refunds without any reason? Is there a legal timeframe within which I can do this?
Thanks!
Levelo.
I’m flying to Bogotá with a one-way ticket in early January. A friend told me that I’ll likely have trouble boarding in France if I can’t show a return (or onward) flight out of Colombia. He was in the same situation but from the US and had to buy one at the airport before leaving.
So, I’m thinking of buying a ticket that I can get refunded once I’m there. Are there still airlines that offer full refunds without any reason? Is there a legal timeframe within which I can do this?
Thanks!
Levelo.
Hi,
I booked flight tickets with Turkish Airlines 15 days ago for a round-trip for 4 people to Thailand in August 2026. On my reservation, I only included my married name, but on my passport, my maiden name appears along with my married name. I only noted one first name—I didn’t include my second or third first name. For my husband and children, I only included their first first name. I called Turkish Airlines a few days ago as a precaution, and they were very helpful, guiding me through the process of adding a comment to request the modification with scanned passports. They confirmed it would be free of charge. Today, I received a response from TK saying I need to buy new tickets with the required changes and then provide them with the new reservation details to be reimbursed for the initially purchased tickets. I called Turkish Airlines again, and they advised me to file a complaint using the initial comment I made. I did that tonight, explaining that I made these requests as a precaution—I fly every year and have never included my maiden name or other first names on my reservations, and it’s never been an issue. Plus, I can’t afford to pay for new tickets since prices have skyrocketed (+1000 € for 4 people).
I’m really worried and anxious about this situation. We’ve been saving for a while to afford this trip, and I hope it gets resolved favorably.
Have any of you experienced similar issues or situations like this? If so, how did it go at the airport?
Thanks in advance for your help
Hi,
We’re planning to go to Bohol from El Nido (Airswift flight from El Nido to Cebu, then ferry to Bohol).
I can’t find any info about the checked baggage price for the flight. The airfare to Cebu includes a 7 kg carry-on. Does anyone know about checked luggage?
Thanks in advance
Hi!
Sri Lanka has announced it could run out of fuel in the coming weeks if the Strait of Hormuz remains blocked. The government has implemented a mandatory four-day workweek to save oil, and there are long lines at gas stations due to fears of an early shortage.
In Vietnam, the government has warned all airlines that flights will need to be reduced due to a lack of kerosene. The country imports two-thirds of its jet fuel from China and Thailand, but both countries have now banned exports out of fear of domestic shortages.
The state is asking airlines to plan ahead and park aircraft to drastically reduce operations, starting with domestic flights and then international ones. International carriers will also need to cut back on their rotations.
This will begin in the coming days. 🙁
Hi,
I’m heading to China at the end of March and I’ve got the question in the title.
Chinese airlines only sell the most expensive tickets on comparison sites or their websites outside China. For the best prices, tickets need to be bought in China. Has anyone ever bought a domestic flight there through a local agency or online? Same question for trains.
Thanks
Chinese airlines only sell the most expensive tickets on comparison sites or their websites outside China. For the best prices, tickets need to be bought in China. Has anyone ever bought a domestic flight there through a local agency or online? Same question for trains.
Thanks
Hi everyone, just a quick feedback on my Saudi flight with two consecutive stopovers in Jeddah and Riyadh. This was for my outbound trip in July 2025 (return trip still to come). I booked through Lastminute without paying attention to this little detail, which caused me a lot of stress afterward. In the end, the only "difficulty" is that you absolutely need a one-year, multiple-entry e-tourist visa from visitsaudi. And it costs around 100 € at the current exchange rate per person, including children. Apart from that, luggage is checked through to the final destination from CDG, so no customs issues in Saudi Arabia and no significant impact on transit time since you don’t need to collect or recheck your hold luggage during the two stopovers in Saudi Arabia.
We had about three hours of transit between each flight. It was late, and the airports weren’t busy, so we only took about an hour each time from leaving the plane to reaching the boarding gate for the next flight—plenty of time. As a solo woman with a child, I wasn’t asked for any proof of parentage (neither a family record book nor a notarized authorization from the father, which I had taken as a precaution), and no questions were asked. No searches, nothing. I had just taken the precaution of wearing an abaya during transit to avoid any issues, but I didn’t cover my head, and I saw several Saudi women with their heads uncovered as well. Black is widely worn, but it’s not mandatory.
So, I stressed a lot, but we arrived at our destination on time with all our luggage. The only difference on board compared to other airlines is the absence of alcohol, prayer at takeoff, and the indication of flying over the *mikat*. Safe travels to all! !
We had about three hours of transit between each flight. It was late, and the airports weren’t busy, so we only took about an hour each time from leaving the plane to reaching the boarding gate for the next flight—plenty of time. As a solo woman with a child, I wasn’t asked for any proof of parentage (neither a family record book nor a notarized authorization from the father, which I had taken as a precaution), and no questions were asked. No searches, nothing. I had just taken the precaution of wearing an abaya during transit to avoid any issues, but I didn’t cover my head, and I saw several Saudi women with their heads uncovered as well. Black is widely worn, but it’s not mandatory.
So, I stressed a lot, but we arrived at our destination on time with all our luggage. The only difference on board compared to other airlines is the absence of alcohol, prayer at takeoff, and the indication of flying over the *mikat*. Safe travels to all! !
Hi,
My friend is supposed to leave on June 26th for Philadelphia. American Airlines called him last night to ask him to cancel or postpone his flight because they’re canceling around a hundred flights from Europe, mainly due to fears of retaliatory attacks after the bombings in Iran. Their offer is either to postpone with compensation (the amount would be known once he accepts) or to cancel completely with a refund and the standard compensation for flights departing from Europe. The airline gave him until 24 hours before departure to decide. Otherwise, he can still go to the airport for now with no obligation to board since he’s traveling alone—they’re prioritizing families in case of overbooking due to some flight cancellations. The same goes for the return flight. In short, it’s total chaos. We’re waiting until tonight or tomorrow to decide whether to cancel outright.
My friend is supposed to leave on June 26th for Philadelphia. American Airlines called him last night to ask him to cancel or postpone his flight because they’re canceling around a hundred flights from Europe, mainly due to fears of retaliatory attacks after the bombings in Iran. Their offer is either to postpone with compensation (the amount would be known once he accepts) or to cancel completely with a refund and the standard compensation for flights departing from Europe. The airline gave him until 24 hours before departure to decide. Otherwise, he can still go to the airport for now with no obligation to board since he’s traveling alone—they’re prioritizing families in case of overbooking due to some flight cancellations. The same goes for the return flight. In short, it’s total chaos. We’re waiting until tonight or tomorrow to decide whether to cancel outright.
Hi there,
I’m flying from Marseille to Bali this year and have a 1h30 layover in Frankfurt, from Terminal 1 to Terminal 1. Do you think that’s enough time, considering I don’t know the airport or the language? Thanks. »
Hello,
As a senior woman, I’m planning a 3-week solo trip (late April or early May) to explore the country by public transport, visiting the main cities (Khiva, Bukhara, and Samarkand), the Ferghana Valley, and if possible, the Aral Sea.
I’m reaching out to the community to see if there are flights arriving in Urgench and returning from Tashkent—or the other way around?
Thanks in advance to anyone with insights! 😉
It’s been over 10 years since I last went to Madagascar. Back then, I flew Corsair from Paris.
I’m planning to go back in September 2025.
I’ve heard about Air Austral...
Air France: the issue is the flight arrives in the evening at Ivato.
What do you recommend?
Which airlines fly from Paris to Tana?
Thanks for the help!
Hi,
I received an email from the airline saying my return flight was canceled and rescheduled to another flight.
Nothing about the connection in France...
I checked my passenger file, everything is the same as when I first booked.
I asked for an explanation by email.
They replied that my original flight was canceled and that I should sort it out with Air France since I bought the ticket through their site.
I called Air France. Finally got through to someone. The agent checked my file and told me there were no changes and therefore couldn’t reschedule my flight.
I checked my file again: the flight is the same as on the day I bought it.
They suggested I change it by paying!!!
I forwarded Air Mauritius’s emails to Air France. Waiting to see what happens next...
Have you ever had this kind of problem? What’s going on with Air Mauritius? Have they become a third-rate airline that’s absolutely not recommendable?
Thanks for your thoughts and any attempts at explaining this...
(The Air Mauritius flight is no longer for sale on Google Flights. The replacement flight isn’t either... Yet it still appears on the Air Mauritius site as the replacement flight.)
I received an email from the airline saying my return flight was canceled and rescheduled to another flight.
Nothing about the connection in France...
I checked my passenger file, everything is the same as when I first booked.
I asked for an explanation by email.
They replied that my original flight was canceled and that I should sort it out with Air France since I bought the ticket through their site.
I called Air France. Finally got through to someone. The agent checked my file and told me there were no changes and therefore couldn’t reschedule my flight.
I checked my file again: the flight is the same as on the day I bought it.
They suggested I change it by paying!!!
I forwarded Air Mauritius’s emails to Air France. Waiting to see what happens next...
Have you ever had this kind of problem? What’s going on with Air Mauritius? Have they become a third-rate airline that’s absolutely not recommendable?
Thanks for your thoughts and any attempts at explaining this...
(The Air Mauritius flight is no longer for sale on Google Flights. The replacement flight isn’t either... Yet it still appears on the Air Mauritius site as the replacement flight.)
Hey everyone,
We bought a ticket a month ago on Trip. It was supposed to be a flight leaving at 2:30 AM to arrive in Kuwait at 4:30 AM to catch a connecting flight with the same airline (Kuwait Airways) at 8:30 AM the same day, arriving in Paris at 12:45 PM. But Trip just informed us that KA "modified" the first flight to depart at 1:20 PM, which means we’ll miss the second leg of the journey. No alternative offered for that portion. After checking, the only solution is to take the flight the next day—so more than 17 hours of layover. We have to go back to work the next day, even though we’d planned a rest day. Trip’s only options are to cancel or accept the change!!! We asked them to propose an alternative flight, but their response was to contact the airline. We did, and their answer? Wait a bit longer for the final schedule!!! From my research, this counts as a cancellation or at least a delay of over 3 hours, so the airline is obligated to find us an alternative flight and compensate us. Has anyone had this experience with this airline or another? Any advice? Thanks in advance
Hi there, we’re planning a trip to Nosy Be next summer and we’ve come across Neos Air, which offers direct flights from Rome and Milan. It looks really appealing, but how reliable are they, especially in terms of punctuality—particularly for evening departures?
Hi there,
I’m facing a rather unusual issue with SAUDI AIRLINES.
I booked a flight to Jakarta with a layover in Jeddah for July directly on their website on February 25th, paying for our three tickets via PAYPAL.
I quickly received confirmation that my flight was booked and our e-tickets were issued.
However, after several days, I noticed we were never charged for the tickets, and I saw on our PayPal account that the payment authorization was still pending.
At first, I chalked it up to cross-border or banking delays… but since I use PayPal often and the debit from my bank account is usually almost immediate, I called PayPal. They told me that neither they nor I had anything more to do: when a transaction is paid using their solution, the payment is systematically validated by the seller before the transaction (an automated process, I imagine). However, PayPal confirmed that SAUDI hadn’t done this and that they had a month to do so, otherwise the transaction would be canceled by PAYPAL and SAUDI wouldn’t receive the funds. There must have been a technical glitch because normally, I shouldn’t have received the tickets until they had received the payment.
Given the reviews I’ve read about their customer service, I’m worried they might cancel our tickets without notice once they realize their mistake—or that they’ll ask us to pay the amount at that point (since the closer we get to the date, the higher the price goes).
So, I’ve been trying to contact them nonstop via their app (I’ve submitted about 10 tickets), I’ve called them, messaged them on Messenger and Instagram, and so far, I haven’t gotten any response. Either they don’t read my message to the end and just reply that the flight is confirmed + resend the tickets, or more recently, they tell me the issue is being handled by another department. We tried calling them again on Saturday, but no luck—the French-speaking agents were always busy. On Messenger, they keep asking for the secret code sent by SMS at the start of the conversation, but of course, I never receive anything even though my number is correctly registered in my SAUDI account.
I don’t know what else to do, and I’m not sure if I’m right to worry they might cancel our tickets.
I’m afraid this could jeopardize our dream trip, for which I’ve already booked hotels and activities… and we were really looking forward to it.
I hope you can shed some light on this?
Thanks for taking the time to read this
At first, I chalked it up to cross-border or banking delays… but since I use PayPal often and the debit from my bank account is usually almost immediate, I called PayPal. They told me that neither they nor I had anything more to do: when a transaction is paid using their solution, the payment is systematically validated by the seller before the transaction (an automated process, I imagine). However, PayPal confirmed that SAUDI hadn’t done this and that they had a month to do so, otherwise the transaction would be canceled by PAYPAL and SAUDI wouldn’t receive the funds. There must have been a technical glitch because normally, I shouldn’t have received the tickets until they had received the payment.
Given the reviews I’ve read about their customer service, I’m worried they might cancel our tickets without notice once they realize their mistake—or that they’ll ask us to pay the amount at that point (since the closer we get to the date, the higher the price goes).
So, I’ve been trying to contact them nonstop via their app (I’ve submitted about 10 tickets), I’ve called them, messaged them on Messenger and Instagram, and so far, I haven’t gotten any response. Either they don’t read my message to the end and just reply that the flight is confirmed + resend the tickets, or more recently, they tell me the issue is being handled by another department. We tried calling them again on Saturday, but no luck—the French-speaking agents were always busy. On Messenger, they keep asking for the secret code sent by SMS at the start of the conversation, but of course, I never receive anything even though my number is correctly registered in my SAUDI account.
I don’t know what else to do, and I’m not sure if I’m right to worry they might cancel our tickets.
I’m afraid this could jeopardize our dream trip, for which I’ve already booked hotels and activities… and we were really looking forward to it.
I hope you can shed some light on this?
Thanks for taking the time to read this
