Taba airport is small, very small. One building in the middle of the dessert with nothing but a runway for miles and miles around. It can handle one plane at a time has there isn't room for more people.
We had a long check in time and the flight was late leaving has there is a party of disabled diving travelers and it takes quite a while to get these passengers settled. But we left an hour late, the plane taxied to the runway, then accelerated for take off. Then it stopped. Some time later the pilot informed us that as he started the take off a warning light came on and he was talking to the airline as to what would happen next.
Eventually the pilot told us we would be going nowhere last night. He was negotiating with the immigration to let us back into Egypt (when you are on the plane or even just airside you are in no man's land). And there would be buses waiting to take us back to Taba Heights. We had to get our passports re-stamped whilst on the plane and eventually we got back to the terminal. Then there was another wait. Luckily our travel company (Longwood)had secured buses (not so for the customers of other companies). I think this was no mean feat at this time of night and was very impressed. We have also been told there was a 757 engineer a 3 hour taxi ride down the coast and he has been working on the plane over night.
Gatwick arrivals is showing our flight arriving at 3.35pm but if that were the case we would be at the airport already. Instead we are at the Intercontinental again with a beachside room overlooking Aqaba......
We might be home tonight...........
Well you said you had lost a day, and a day of holiday at that. Looks like you just got it back.
ReplyDeleteHi Sally, goodness me, had you been in Taba Heights 5 weeks earlier my son and his new wife may well have neighbours at the pool. Small world! Linda x
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