Flights to Red Sea

[Illini_Fan]

... but about 15kg on my carryon (camera gears & that stone carving tablet). Turkish Air let me through without any overweight charge.

Good to know -- The TA website says 8kg maximum on cabin baggage, but airlines are notoriously inconsistent in the enforcement of cabin baggage from airline to ariline and even from airport to airport when flying the same airline. I need to weigh my full packed Pelican case. I doubt that it is only 8kg, but I'm sure it is less than 15kg.

 

[Illini_Fan]

Note: Prepare yourself to feel boxed in on those tiny seats on Turkish Air – I am only 5’10” and I just about had an anxiety attack and had to go stand in the back of the plane for a few hours.

Thanks - I'm a travel snob, so it will be business class on the long-haul for me. Amazingly enough, right now the best price is actually DAL (Love Field) - LAX-IST-HRG and the same on the reverse. DAL-LAX is Alaskan Air. The Alaskan Air would be a regional jet.

The LAX-IST is the 777 "old" layout (2-3-2), but the IST-LAX leg would be a 787 in the updated configuration (1-2-1)

I had also looked at Lufthansa via Frankfurt as I've done that flight before, but the timing of the Turkish flights is really good. I'm just not sure I want a business class cabin with 7 across, but I've read great things about Turkish Air's on-board chefs.

My boat is out of Hurghanda so no shuttle for me

 

[Dan]

Just a lesson learnt from flying to Hurghada with Turkish Air. It’ll arrive Hurghada around 3AM. That had created a problem for me with Marriott Beach Resort. Their checkin counter only open from noon to 5pm, I couldn’t late checkin at 3AM and lost me $100+ deposit & ended up staying in Lily Apartments, which is open for 24hr/day checkin.

Later on I found out that if you arrange Airport pickup through Marriott, instead of through Steven’s Taxi, as I did to save money, they will let you checkin at that wee hours. So, make sure the hotel that you’ll be checking in is open 24hrs/day.

After this experience I would NEVER stay in Marriott Hotel from now on. It left me a sour taste in my mouth.

Even though I lost $100+ from Marriott fiasco, I still save $400 from booking my ground transportation from Hurghada Airport - Lily Apartments - Port Ghalib - Tour of Luxor - Hurghada Airport through marsaalam.com than through Aggressor.com (twice the cost).

 

[mcohen1021]

My boat is out of Hurghanda so no shuttle for me

I will say this about Turkish Air. The flight crew more than made up for the shortcomings of their crappy tiny plane.

The boat layout for the RSA III I don’t like as much as the one from the dead RSA I. I had a room with a window that opened up to the outside room. When we woke up, Big Brother was right outside our door waiting for pics at sunrise.

I hope you see a thresher, they are timid!

 

[Dan]

Good to know -- The TA website says 8kg maximum on cabin baggage, but airlines are notoriously inconsistent in the enforcement of cabin baggage from airline to ariline and even from airport to airport when flying the same airline. I need to weigh my full packed Pelican case. I doubt that it is only 8kg, but I'm sure it is less than 15kg.

Pelican case = $$$$ = “looks” heavy = overweight charge magnet. I ditched mine. It’s collecting dust in my closet.

I put my camera gears in a backpack that looks light. I’ve been doing this for 10 years & flying to all over the world (Caribbean, Mexico, Costa Rica, Peru, Ecuador, Tanzania, Egypt, UAE, Indonesia, Thailand, Palau, Maldives, Australia).

 

[Dan]

Thanks - I'm a travel snob, so it will be business class on the long-haul for me. Amazingly enough, right now the best price is actually DAL (Love Field) - LAX-IST-HRG and the same on the reverse. DAL-LAX is Alaskan Air. The Alaskan Air would be a regional jet.

The LAX-IST is the 777 "old" layout (2-3-2), but the IST-LAX leg would be a 787 in the updated configuration (1-2-1)

I had also looked at Lufthansa via Frankfurt as I've done that flight before, but the timing of the Turkish flights is really good. I'm just not sure I want a business class cabin with 7 across, but I've read great things about Turkish Air's on-board chefs.

My boat is out of Hurghanda so no shuttle for me

Something else to consider, since you’ll be flying on business class, Turkish Air Lounge in Istanbul is fantastic. I could stay all day there.

 

[Dan]

Private shuttle from HRG to Port Ghalib Marsa Alam.- arrived 0600

That’s what I plan to do next time, just go straight from Hurghada Airport to Port Ghalib.

 

[Dan]

Here is the trip report: BDE Trip Report, 21-28 December, 2019

 

[bshort4]

It was a long day, but I figured I was there already and won’t be back for who knows when and would have another 5-hour nap in the car from Port Ghalib to Luxor. Just took 20mg of melatonin, put on earplugs & blindfold I was in la-la land until the driver woke me up when we arrived in Luxor.

From time of the year point of view, September may be too hot so, you may be better off to cool off & relax in a hotel pool. December is the perfect time for me to be there. May be the weather is still tolerable until March-April. If I ever want to go back there, April would be the latest.

Did a liveaboard this past September and went inland to Luxor for three days for touring. Hot? Yeppers buddy. 104 F everyday there, I know it's a dry heat but it will still beat you down. Tour guide said the first two weeks of December is the best time to visit--many less tourists and temperature in the 70's.

 

[scubadada]

Did a liveaboard this past September and went inland to Luxor for three days for touring. Hot? Yeppers buddy. 104 F everyday there, I know it's a dry heat but it will still beat you down. Tour guide said the first two weeks of December is the best time to visit--many less tourists and temperature in the 70's.

My wife and I spent 2 weeks in February 2016, nobody there, very pleasant temperature. I haven't heard much about tourism recovery in Egypt, has it?