Twickers

Dear all,

Long time lurker... Thank you for all the hugely invaluable advice.

I am planning to do a B2B at AUH. Unusual I apprecIate (it's a long story).

LHR-AUH-LHR
BA73 lands into AUH 08:35
BA72 departs AUH 10:10

Can you envisage any issues with it please?

My main questions are:
- The same plane is returning, hence a true B2B, so presumably extremely low risk?
- I believe I'd stay airside (perhaps even mixed?) at the new Terminal A? No immigration via the transfer route?
- No visa required as a UK citizen, if the return was cancelled, and I had to go landside?

Any other help, advice, etc regarding the new Terminal A would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you.

Pierre_m

I don't have any recent experience of flying BA in Abu Dhabi, but given my experience with other airlines, you have no reason to worry about it.

You don't need to enter the country on the usual B2B route, you just need to follow the transit signs after arrival, go through security and re-enter.

but you'll have to be in a bit of a hurry because the airport is big and you'll be walking a lot.

Egbg100

I flew through AUH 3 times last week. Each time it was a 15 min walk so get your skates on

ceej123

Yep possible to do a b2b here without crossing the border but as said above the distances between some of the gates and the central terminal area can be quite long. Having your onward boarding pass will help as when I transited here they checked before allowing you through security and anyone without was sent to the transfer desks where there looked to be quite a queue.

E14 26C

Am on mobile so will update with more later

Perfectly easy - did a b2b off the UL flight yesterday

There are free ‘taxi’ shuttles running around from arrival gates to either connections or the escalator down to arrivals.

TOP TIP connections is to the right off the escalator down to arrivals coming from the A and B gates - it is very very clearly signed but if you are going down an escalator and haven’t been through security you’ve gone wrong.
I wasn’t asked for an onward boarding pass but YMMV

GoNorth

Just back from AUH. The flight seems to use gates B10 or B11 which are near to main areas in the terminal, that said it's a big terminal and the Pearl Lounge to B11 was 10-15 min walk. On the day I arrived we were on B21 which was a good walk. Connections is on the arrivals level RHS and fairly easy to see.

If you do accidentally go down the escalators to immigration and can't get back, it took me less than a minute to be registered as a first time visitor and was out really quickly. Departing you can use e-Gates and security was painless with no queues so I'm guessing it probably wouldn't be much longer to go landside and back if you had to.

You'd probably still have time to get to the Pearl Lounge if you have access where BA have a private room in the lounge.

There is a secondary security check at the gate, where if you're selected it's on a par with SSSS but by the time you're there they would probably have to hold the flight.

When I departed boarding was a bit of a shambles as the crew arrived after they announced the aircraft was ready for boarding but boarding was quick once it did start.

MaxFlyer

FYI Air France also use the private room in the Pearl Lounge for their business class passengers.

gbj42

Thank you.

Can you reach the lounge via the transfer route?

GoNorth

I believe so as once through the connections area you are in the departure area and the lounge is airside.