OK so beat this one.
Landed in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on Sunday night at 5:30 pm and went into the terminal.
Joined a line of about 40 people waiting for passport control. At this time there were probably 500 people in the hall.
None of the desks were open though, so everyone stood there for the next two hours wondering what was going on. No announcements, not information. Anyone in uniform simply waved questions away with a shrug and "you wait, you wait!".
Meanwhile more and more flights are landing and the hall is filling up with at least a couple of thousand in it. A few desks open and very gradually I can see things are moving but it's taking at least 5 minutes for each person to get through. After anouther two hours I manage to get near the front but notice that some are getting through while others are being refused entry and simply waiting by the desks. My turn comes and yep, I'm turned away because of a system problem.
It's 10pm, I've been in this hall, about the size of three tennis courts, with no chairs, no water and a toilet I daren't even go near for four and a half hours, with thousands of people, many with what can only be described as low level personal hygiene plus crying children and I've had enough. I'm on the phone to our company emergency travel desk and the only thing they can offer me to get out of there is a 5am flight back to Dubai. Desperate, I take it and I'm booked on to it.
I head to the transfer desk and calmly, politely explain that I have a reservation and I need to go through the metal detector into the transfer area which leads to the departures hall.
"No, cannot do, you wait here." is the reply.
Politely again, I explain that I no longer want to enter Saudi and am booked to fly back out to Dubai.
"You no go, you not special guy, you wait here. I know problem!!" he replies.
By this time, the other 20 or so passengers who have also suffered the same fate, are gathering around and looking for similar solutions. Some have also taken the initiative and booked themselves on to flights out but also get the same reply.
Powerless we stand for another hour, but this time as a group, figuring we have more chance together rather than individuals.
Finally, we are ushered to a desk, put into line and told to wait. Sure enough, one by one, we're processed and given entry into Saudi.
So after six and a half hours with no water, no bathroom and no chair (or floor space to sit on), I'm through. A 45 minute terror ride in a taxi later and I'm in the hotel.
It's 01:30 by this stage and relief doesn't even come close to the emotion. I neck over a liter of water, grab a quick shower and collapse into bed.
Two days later and I'm back home still in shock.....
This was about half the hall at around 10pm:
Sorry, needed to vent a little.
As you were...
Landed in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on Sunday night at 5:30 pm and went into the terminal.
Joined a line of about 40 people waiting for passport control. At this time there were probably 500 people in the hall.
None of the desks were open though, so everyone stood there for the next two hours wondering what was going on. No announcements, not information. Anyone in uniform simply waved questions away with a shrug and "you wait, you wait!".
Meanwhile more and more flights are landing and the hall is filling up with at least a couple of thousand in it. A few desks open and very gradually I can see things are moving but it's taking at least 5 minutes for each person to get through. After anouther two hours I manage to get near the front but notice that some are getting through while others are being refused entry and simply waiting by the desks. My turn comes and yep, I'm turned away because of a system problem.
It's 10pm, I've been in this hall, about the size of three tennis courts, with no chairs, no water and a toilet I daren't even go near for four and a half hours, with thousands of people, many with what can only be described as low level personal hygiene plus crying children and I've had enough. I'm on the phone to our company emergency travel desk and the only thing they can offer me to get out of there is a 5am flight back to Dubai. Desperate, I take it and I'm booked on to it.
I head to the transfer desk and calmly, politely explain that I have a reservation and I need to go through the metal detector into the transfer area which leads to the departures hall.
"No, cannot do, you wait here." is the reply.
Politely again, I explain that I no longer want to enter Saudi and am booked to fly back out to Dubai.
"You no go, you not special guy, you wait here. I know problem!!" he replies.
By this time, the other 20 or so passengers who have also suffered the same fate, are gathering around and looking for similar solutions. Some have also taken the initiative and booked themselves on to flights out but also get the same reply.
Powerless we stand for another hour, but this time as a group, figuring we have more chance together rather than individuals.
Finally, we are ushered to a desk, put into line and told to wait. Sure enough, one by one, we're processed and given entry into Saudi.
So after six and a half hours with no water, no bathroom and no chair (or floor space to sit on), I'm through. A 45 minute terror ride in a taxi later and I'm in the hotel.
It's 01:30 by this stage and relief doesn't even come close to the emotion. I neck over a liter of water, grab a quick shower and collapse into bed.
Two days later and I'm back home still in shock.....
This was about half the hall at around 10pm:
Sorry, needed to vent a little.
As you were...
but also a bit 
