Do i need a transit visa if i have to collect and recheck my baggage in Abu Dhabi (AUH)?

Am writing this because of my a surprisingly bad experience i had 3 months ago when i was traveling from Uganda to Malaysia. Having previously traveled to 4 different countries by air (Italy x 2, USA, Dubai, China), i thought i was now a pro only to be surprised by Etihad at their check-in counter when they denied me from boarding the aircraft in Nairobi (NBO).

This happened on 28th Feb 2017, i had bought a low budget e-ticket from KIWI.COM (Entebbe -to- Kuala Lumpur).
Those of you who have used low budget online travel agents before, know they cut costs by connecting you to different airlines some of which may have abnormal layover hours. This was new to me, all my past travel tickets were with a single airline, mixing airlines was a new thing for me. At first i didn't think it would be an issue, but then i saw warnings on my e-tickets like:

"Pick up and re-check your bags"
"Visas may be required in: United Arab Emirates, Malaysia"

Below is a summary of my itinerary, Entebbe-to-Kuala Lumpur which i was unfortunately forced to cancel mid trip by Etihad check-in personnel in Nairobi.

So, i boarded in Ebb but asked them to check my bag to Nairobi, where i would collect it and recheck-in at Nairobi, this was not necessary for this section of the journey but i made that decision when at Entebbe i realized that the flight is operated by Kenya Airways on behalf of Eithad for that small section of my trip, i i thought it wise to collect my bag in Nairobi and recheck it again but oh boy i was wrong, and it became the genesis of my problems during this trip as you will later realize. I reached Nairobi, went through immigration, collected my bag, exited through arrivals and headed to the departures terminal. When they opened the check-in counters, i approached the Etihad counter only to be halted by a Kenyan woman working at the Etihad counter and she told me they can't let me board the aircraft because i don't have a UAE transit visa which will be required when i reach Abu Dhabi, she referred me to her supervisor, they asked me to sit aside as they process other passengers, later, they made a few phone calls, called me and said i should cancel my ticket! just like that!

I didn't know what to do, the checkin counter was about to close, the aircraft was about to leave, so i called KIWI and asked then to cancel the ticket and get me another one, fortunately, they were able to get me on Fly Emirates from Nairobi to Kuala  Lumpur, but i had to pay for the new ticket and also wait 10hrs for the new flight. The good thing is they cancelled with a refund claim, but this is processed after 30 business days. However some money is deducted and you don't get a full refund.

It's 3 months later and am planning my return trip, this time from Jakarta (CGK) to Entebbe (EBB) and i used KIWI again to find a good yet low budget ticket, i found one again with Etihad through Abu Dhabi (UAE), layover of 3 hours which is perfect and they let me even carry 2 check-in baggage at no additional cost which is even more beautiful. 

This time round i took their VISA warning signs seriously and decided to do my own background checks if i really need a transit VISA in UAE?, because they also state that i have to collect and recheck-in my baggage in Abu Dhabi regardless of the fact that my itinerary is with one airline. The emphasized that even if my entire journey is with one airline, the Reservation number (PNR - Passenger Name Record) is different for the two sections of the journey, that is; Jakarta (CGK) -to- Abu Dhabi (AUH) and Abu Dhabi (AUH) -to- Entebbe (EBB).

So i made a few searches on the internet and here is what i discovered:

1. Used these links to find out if i need a VISA? or if am entitled to Visa-On-Arrival
     Before you fly to UAE
     Do i need a visa for UAE?

2. Types of VISAs and VISA fees

3. So i went ahead and wrote an email to TT Services (Etihad)

4. I got this response:

Email Response from TT services confirming that i don't need a VISA

Verdict: 

Passengers with onward tickets transiting through Abu Dhabi (UAE), regardless of their nationality don't require transit VISA as long as:
1. They are staying within the airport
2. The layover time is less than 8 hours.

With the facts gathered above, am disappointed that the Etihad personnel in Nairobi denied me my right of boarding the aircraft to UAE yet:
1. A possessed an onward ticket with another airline (Qatar Airlines) - Confirmed and fully paid
2. I was not planning on leaving the airport at Abu Dhabi
3. My layover time in Abu Dhabi was less than 8 hours.

Clearly the Etihad personnel in Nairobi showed that:
1. They don't have full knowledge of the guidelines and policies
2. They made a decision without making any effort to consult the dedicated UAE visa services.
3. They didn't care about the inconvenience i had to go through to cancel and look for another ticket.

I hope this helps another passenger who could be in the same doubt

Are You Planning a Trip to Jarkata, Indonesia? Here are a few tips from MyTechieGuy

Jakarta, Indonesia

It's Wednesday, 10th May 2017, Time check? 17:45 and am on my UBER ride from Central Jakarta back to my residence hotel in Tangerang. I had gone to central Jakarta for a brief business meeting and i felt i should use this time in the crazy Jakarta commuter traffic jam to post write some stuff down.

I have been here for just over two months and i have three more weeks to my calendar and i must say i enjoyed Jakarta regardless of the language barrier because very few people here can speak English fluently. Am in Indonesia on a business VISA so if you are planning a similar visit or just a tourist, here are some survival tips you can add to your checklist in case you already have been on other sites looking for travel tips. As you will realize travel blogging is not my thing so this post is completely off target from me, consider it a one-off. OK let's get on to it:

VISAS and Travel Documents

1. If you are planning to stay longer than 30 days, i suggest you visit the nearest Indonesian embassy or consular office in your country and apply for the VISA.

2. If your stay is shorter than 30 days, then you can opt for the VOA (VISA on Arrival). Yes, you can get VISA on arrival at the airport immigration but first make sure your country is on the list of countries entitled to VOA for Indonesia, Here is a reference list you can check!

Indonesia also offers VISA-FREE short visit (30 days) for tourists from 45 selected countries, Here is a reference list you can check!

3. "The Yellow Card" - Yes if you are travelling from a country that is considered at risk for yellow fever, you will need the ICVP (International Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis) card, so don't ignore this otherwise it can be a huge inconvenience at the airport immigration.

4. Carry some pocket cash, i will say about 200 USD if you ask me. It's ok to have your VISA and MasterCard but those won't help you if you get in a small emergency and for some reason the banking network is down!

Accommodation and Hotels

1. One night in a decent hotel will cost you about 20 USD

2. And if you want to rent a serviced apartment for a month or so, it will cost you about 400 USD per month.

Food and Restaurants

1. Fast foods like McDonald's, Burger King, KFC, Wendy's will cost you about 6 USD per meal

2. Decent restaurants for example the ones you will mainly find inside malls will cost you averagely 10 USD for a decent meal.

3. Street food will cost you about 3 USD, but make sure your stomach can contain it :-(

4. Coffee, coke, water, and other soft drinks will cost you less than a dollar.

5. And if you want to buy grocery and cook which is a cheaper option if you ask me for those intending to stay for over a month or two, you will be able to find all the vegetables you want and spices, budget for about 40 USD for grocery that can last you a week.

Transportation and moving around the City

Grab

1. Make sure to install some of these Apps, they will surely make your life easy and you will be able to conveniently move around the city, it's also a way cheaper option compared to the legacy taxi system.

• UBER App
• Grab App
• Go-Jek App

It's easier and quicker to move around on UBER-Motor, Grab bike or Go-Jek if you want to avoid traffic jam. Use the car when you are not in a hurry.

Go-Jek

2. They have a train system, but a friend of mine used it and didn't like the experience. Am told there is a city metro project going on but am not sure when it will be commissioned, may be you could be lucky by the time you visit.

3. Jam is crazy in central Jakarta, in fact i feel lucky to have stayed in Tangerang.

Assistant tools you should have on your smart phone

Translator - Translating english to indonesian if your UBER driver can hardly speak a word in english :-)

XE - Currency converter app, You need this because the exchange rate is not fixed and the US dollar is insanely strong compared to the Indonesian Rupiah so you have to be smart and always negotiate a fair rate when changing your USD at the money changers, because most money changers in Jakarta will try to reap you off!

Prayers and Worship

Indonesia is mixed when it comes to religion, majority are Muslims but all religions and briefs are well represented; Buddhists, Catholics, Anglicans, Protestants and born-agains. You will be able to easy find a place of worship.

Nightlife and unwinding

Tangerang, Nightlife

Tangerang BSD were i stay is not as crazy as central Jakarta but you will be able to find a few decent spots where you can sip your beer, listen to some music, dance a little, meet some people and unwind.

Bintang

1. Most night clubs charge entrance fee of about 9 USD on which they will give you one beer.

2. Foreign beers like Guinness, Heineken is expensive and you will spend about 6 USD per bottle in the club. it's probably cheaper in the stores.

3. Local beer (Bintang ) will cost you about 4 USD inside the club but it's way cheaper in the stores.

Here are a few spots i visited while in Tangerang:

• The Venesia executive hotel, cafe & lounge
• Enigma nightclub 

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