So I got myself a security pass for Dubai Airport. It gave me access to the arrivals and departures area. I just couldn’t go through passport control. Which isn’t a big deal anyway. I learnt quite a few things in my 24 hours there. Like DNATA is synonymous with incompetency.
Here are some facts you should know about Dubai airport:
- The air filters in the smoking rooms don’t work. Some of the smoking rooms don’t even have air filters.
- The ‘24/7 tourist information desk’ was unmanned for 9 hours.
- It is fairly easy for someone to move between the departures and arrivals areas without being stopped.
- The staff at the immigration desk are extremely unprofessional, rude, and have a less than passable knowledge of visa procedures. Their English language skill is also severely lacking.
- There are plasma screens in the departure are that are supposed to play movies. Instead, they flash a “NO SIGNAL” sign.
These and a few other problems really put DNATA to shame. Although most of the other issues aren’t as serious or annoying, they can pretty much get on your nerves if you’re on a long transit. Like unclean bathrooms. But an unmanned 24/7 tourist desk? One wonders how much tourism revenue is lost to these ‘minor’ management issues.
It’s about time DNATA wakes up. They’re sleeping on the fine line between slacking and professionalism.
