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Very expensive flight to Dammam - $4600 one way
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ghost



Joined: 30 Jan 2003
Posts: 1693
Location: Saudi Arabia

PostPosted: Thu Jul 24, 2008 4:37 pm    Post subject: Very expensive flight to Dammam - $4600 one way Reply with quote

I have a booking made with Saudia from London, with initial flight from Montreal. One way price is $4600 which really seems expensive, esp. as the flight is economy and one way only. This is economy. But it doesn`t sound economical.

Originally I had made a booking with a travel agent and the same flight cost just $1175 from Montreal, so it appears that booking with Saudia direct as opposed to using a travel agent, is more expensive. I lost the original flight booking, because until I have the visa stamped in my passport, the flight cannot be paid for. The cheaper flight had to be settled by July 11.

This present booking has to be paid for by August 16.

Any advice would be welcome. Do Universities have a ceiling for flights and how much they are willing to pay? I think it would be unfair for my employer to have to dish out that amount.

This price quoted by Saudia really seems excessive. The baggage allowance though, at two pieces of 23 kilos, is pretty good.

Ghost
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sliderama



Joined: 11 Nov 2007
Posts: 90
Location: al reef

PostPosted: Thu Jul 24, 2008 6:29 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

In my experience, booking direct with airlines results in full fares being applied, whereas you will get much cheaper fares through a travel agent. Online seems to produce fares slightly higher than travel agents, but could be quite a bit more or less, seems to depend on when you search.

Why don't you go back to an agent again?

I'm paying about $1400 one-way Korea to Oman, but I saw I can book a return flight from Muscat to Vancouver for about $1300! (Sometimes one-ways are more expensive than return - go figure!! Shocked)

The luggage allowance has been reduced by many airlines recently, it used to be two 32 kg pieces, but now is limited to 50 lbs. each piece, as you said. This is only for flights between North America and Asia (and Europe I think?), otherwise only 1 piece is allowed (as on my 10 hour flight to Oman, . Confused )
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007



Joined: 30 Oct 2006
Posts: 2684
Location: UK/Veteran of the Magic Kingdom

PostPosted: Thu Jul 24, 2008 8:48 pm    Post subject: Re: Very expensive flight to Dammam - $4600 one way Reply with quote

ghost wrote:
I have a booking made with Saudia from London, with initial flight from Montreal. One way price is $4600 which really seems expensive, esp. as the flight is economy and one way only. This is economy. But it doesn`t sound economical.

Originally I had made a booking with a travel agent and the same flight cost just $1175 from Montreal, so it appears that booking with Saudia direct as opposed to using a travel agent, is more expensive. I lost the original flight booking, because until I have the visa stamped in my passport, the flight cannot be paid for. The cheaper flight had to be settled by July 11.

This present booking has to be paid for by August 16.

Any advice would be welcome. Do Universities have a ceiling for flights and how much they are willing to pay? I think it would be unfair for my employer to have to dish out that amount.

This price quoted by Saudia really seems excessive. The baggage allowance though, at two pieces of 23 kilos, is pretty good.

Ghost

Well, the price of oil barrel is more than $130, which means the price of airline tickets are jumping top roof!
If your university is a state university, they should provide you with a one way ticket with saudi airlines through the Saudi embassy in canada.
But without a visa, no ticket and no travel to the magic kingdom!
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Geronimo



Joined: 11 Apr 2007
Posts: 498

PostPosted: Thu Jul 24, 2008 9:48 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Have you considered the option of flying to Bahrain and then crossing over the causeway, ghost? Are you heading for Dhahran?

Are you tied contractually to Saudia? If not, I suggest that you take a look at the fares offered by airlines, such as BA, ( www.ba.com ), that fly from London's Deathrow to Manama. BA currently offers a fare of GBP 273 for that route. There may be a saving that is bigger than the taxi fare from Manama to your destination.
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cmp45



Joined: 17 Aug 2004
Posts: 1475
Location: KSA

PostPosted: Fri Jul 25, 2008 1:29 am    Post subject: Re: Very expensive flight to Dammam - $4600 one way Reply with quote

ghost wrote:
I have a booking made with Saudia from London, with initial flight from Montreal. One way price is $4600 which really seems expensive, esp. as the flight is economy and one way only. This is economy. But it doesn`t sound economical.

Any advice would be welcome. Do Universities have a ceiling for flights and how much they are willing to pay? I think it would be unfair for my employer to have to dish out that amount.
This price quoted by Saudia really seems excessive. The baggage allowance though, at two pieces of 23 kilos, is pretty good.

Ghost


You should communicate to your employer and thell them what price you are paying so they are okay with this fact ...or ...if not, they should arrange the ticket themselves, possibly through the Saudi Embassy?

I wouldn't worry about the cost being unfair to the Saudi employer...if they can afford to hire you, they can afford the ticket! It is not your problem in as far as the cost, except the fact you are initially paying, but should get that money back later.

If they want you there by a specific time, you pay the going rate at the time of year...summer is high season for ticket prices so go with the flow! Just be sure to tell them the cost, so they can't say they didn't know. Ask them, if they will reimburse you the full amount.
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Mia Xanthi



Joined: 13 Mar 2008
Posts: 955
Location: why is my heart still in the Middle East while the rest of me isn't?

PostPosted: Fri Jul 25, 2008 1:35 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Ghost, if your employer must use only Saudia, then your employer is probably a government institution. At the very least, your employer is closely linked to the government in Saudi Arabia. If I were you, I wouldn't worry about the cost of the ticket, because the money is going back into the KSA government pockets one way or another.
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Imdramayu



Joined: 09 Feb 2007
Posts: 394
Location: South Korea

PostPosted: Fri Jul 25, 2008 2:12 am    Post subject: Paying Saudia directly Reply with quote

If I'm not mistaken, a large government university should pay Saudia directly for your flight. The person (yourself) gives your university the flight info and then the university pays Saudi directly.

I recall that Saudia fares are overpriced for this reason. Few people actually pay the fares directly.
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ghost



Joined: 30 Jan 2003
Posts: 1693
Location: Saudi Arabia

PostPosted: Fri Jul 25, 2008 4:22 pm    Post subject: re Reply with quote

Thank you for the feedback.

Even if the Universities pay, $4600 seems like a ridiculous price to pay for that flight (one way).

I am mystified as to why the Universities prefer teachers to go through Saudia direct, when the agency costs are a fraction of what Saudia charges.

Perhaps the Government Unis. in Saudi and Saudia are able to negotiate prices, but that is between the Universities and Saudia.

Today, finally, after 9 weeks of running around like a headless chicken, not to mention countless phone calls, e-mails and faxes, I have finally sent all my documents to the Saudi Cultural Bureau in Ottawa for processing. If things go right, the passport will then be sent to the Saudi Embassy, and then returned to me with a coveted Saudi stamp within.

If I am lucky, the whole process of obtaining a Saudi visa will have taken 3 months, as I started doing all the stuff mid May.

This feels like a weight off of my shoulders, and it has been a stressful summer, as the time constraints have been real, with, presently, just 5 weeks left until work starts on September 1. I am hoping that the Saudi Embassy will have the stamp in the passport by August 14. Deadline for payment for the expensive Saudia flight is August 16, Saudi Arabia time.

The last hurdle to clear, if the visa is obtained, is getting a flight to Dammam. That might turn into an adventure, if the Saudia flight is lost or unavailable.

Ghost
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Imdramayu



Joined: 09 Feb 2007
Posts: 394
Location: South Korea

PostPosted: Fri Jul 25, 2008 6:23 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Let me be the first person to congratulate you on jumping through all the hoops in obtaining your visa. This reminds me of 2003 when I spent 3 months (midJuly-midOct) to get a KSA visa. Hope the flights work out!
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scot47



Joined: 10 Jan 2003
Posts: 15343

PostPosted: Fri Jul 25, 2008 8:00 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

There are cheaper ways of getting there. Best to contact the employer and discuss.
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007



Joined: 30 Oct 2006
Posts: 2684
Location: UK/Veteran of the Magic Kingdom

PostPosted: Fri Jul 25, 2008 8:23 pm    Post subject: Re: re Reply with quote

ghost wrote:
This feels like a weight off of my shoulders, and it has been a stressful summer, as the time constraints have been real, with, presently, just 5 weeks left until work starts on September 1. I am hoping that the Saudi Embassy will have the stamp in the passport by August 14. Deadline for payment for the expensive Saudia flight is August 16, Saudi Arabia time.

Well, the state universities in the magic kingdom will be on holiday during the month of September because of Ramadhan. The semester will start on 10th of Otober. So, if you are in the magic kingdom by 1st of September, you will find yourself doing nothing, and just waiting for the semester to start. You can use this to ask your university to extend your date of travel to the magic kingdom.
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scot47



Joined: 10 Jan 2003
Posts: 15343

PostPosted: Sat Jul 26, 2008 5:50 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Reporting for returning and new faculty is in September. New faculty will receive salary from date of arrival. Returning faculty face a financial penalty if reporting late.

007 is talking nonsense as he often does.


Last edited by scot47 on Sat Jul 26, 2008 7:14 pm; edited 1 time in total
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ghost



Joined: 30 Jan 2003
Posts: 1693
Location: Saudi Arabia

PostPosted: Sat Jul 26, 2008 4:57 pm    Post subject: re Reply with quote

Quote:
Let me be the first person to congratulate you on jumping through all the hoops in obtaining your visa. This reminds me of 2003 when I spent 3 months (midJuly-midOct) to get a KSA visa. Hope the flights work out!


Thank you - but I don't yet have my visa! I have only managed to collect all the paperwork for obtaining the visa, and have sent the stuff to Ottawa. So the visa has not yet been issued, and I will have to wait and see.

I sent notarized copies of my degrees and not the originals, and hope the Saudi offices will accept those, as they stated that they wanted originals.

Ghost
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also in saudi



Joined: 26 Feb 2006
Posts: 137

PostPosted: Sat Jul 26, 2008 5:07 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Just a warning. I would never buy an air ticket, use it to fly to a foreign country, and expect an unknown employer to reimburse me. I would expect the employer to provide an e-ticket and have it available at the airport.
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cmp45



Joined: 17 Aug 2004
Posts: 1475
Location: KSA

PostPosted: Sat Jul 26, 2008 5:37 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

also in saudi wrote:
Just a warning. I would never buy an air ticket, use it to fly to a foreign country, and expect an unknown employer to reimburse me. I would expect the employer to provide an e-ticket and have it available at the airport.


My first job in KSA in 2000, I paid for my flight and was reimbursed for the total amount within a week to ten days upon my arrival. If you are working for a reputable organization, this should not be a problem. However, if they are able to organize the ticket for you; all the better. Sometimes, it is just easier to organize it yourself and then get reimbursed later.
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