just came back from Egypt, willing to share info
 

My wife and I just came back from Egypt for 15 days trip, have to stay in Paris for a week before Air France can take us home in Los Angeles, Delta and all the other US carriers are having trouble to get flights out of Egypt. <BR> <BR>We love to share our wonderful experience, Egyption people are nicest people in the world and it is very safe in their county. <BR> <BR>Dave <BR> <BR>

Dear Dave, <BR>My husband and I are trying to decide if <BR>we should go ahead with our plans to vis <BR>it Egypt in February. Did you use Air <BR>France to go to Egypt? Someone has told <BR>me that even if I get to Egypt, it might <BR>be hard to get a flight out if a war escalates. Does the week in Paris create a problem for you, or are you able to enjoy a longer vacation? Were you traveling on your own or with a tour <BR>company in Egypt? Did you think security there is O.K.? Did the people respond well to Americans? Thanks for any help! <BR> <BR>Martha

WOULD LOVE TO KNOW HOW YOU FEEL ABOUT GOING ON AIRFRANCE/DELTA FROM ATL TO CAI THE WEEK OF THANKSGIVING. MY FAMILY IS UPSET WITH MY HUSBAND AND ME FOR EVEN CONSIDERING GOING AS PLANNED WITH A GLOBUS PACKAGE 10 NIGHT WITH THE 4 NITE CRUISE INCLUDED. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ADVISE. EVERYONE IS FRIGHTENED BUT I DON'T WON'T TO LIVE IN THIS FEAR.

Hi Bonnie, <BR> <BR>I took this same tour at the same time of year in 1995. It was an amazing experience, though quite exhausting. The sites were very crowded, but I don't think that will be a problem this year obviously. I was nervous about my first trip to the Middle East, but felt completely at ease and very safe after my first day in Cairo. I'm sure Globus wouldn't go ahead with the tour if they thought their group would be in danger. <BR>Sorry, can't help with the airline question.

To Bonnie: I am confused why your family is concerned about your going on Delta/Air France. Your risk is about the same as being eaten by a shark. Now the question about Egypt, if you go there during Ramadan it is another question but I think that the risk is very sligtht. Ramadan starts in the middle of November. It is possible that the USA will make a military strike soon that will affect the attitude throughout the area. However, for tourists, Egypt is a very friendly country. What citizens of the USA are beginning to find out is that the threat of a terrorist attack in most anyplace in the world, within reason, is now about the same as it is currently in the USA. This however is not very great. Your risk on the highways of the USA are greater every day. Use your own judgement and go if you want. If your family is upset let them buy some additional insurance so that they might derive some benifit if you don't return. Unless you have some major local responsibilities, by all means go as there will be few tourists there and November is a beautiful weather time of the year. The only problem in being there in Ramadan is that good Moslems do not eat or drink during the day for a month and this does not make life for them easy. Thus their humor is not the best. However, if the USA does something stupid to make the Moslems angry during this period, who is to say what will happen. As far as we are concerned we chose Air France and will fly them, with luck from LAX to Cairo and return by way of Jordan on January 1. We love Air France along with All Nipon Airways and Air Pacific. We always choose foreign carriers as we have found them better. <BR>

I'm scheduled to leave for Cairo, on Air France, this Sunday. I'm still going since after speaking to people there I've been reassured that it's fine. but Dave, do you think there's a possiblity there will be a problem with the flights in and out of Cairo? And do you think the Air France flights to the States are back to normal? We're flying from DC.

Speaking as a brtish person who has seen both sides of the story and lived in egypt for 20 years , i can safely assure people that being in egypt is probably safer than being somewhere like london or a big city in the usa! <BR>the people in egypt depend heavily on tourists comming in every year, and if anything happens to alter that, they are the first to suffer. <BR>The same thing happened when the luxor incident occured years ago, lots of people still remeber the devestating effects it had on thier lifes in egypt, and how long it took them to recover from it. I doubt anyone wants this to happen again, EVER! I can assume they will be extra gratfull for anyone visitng during the next few months, and making the effort to make a stand against the few who try to ruin it for the majority who just want to enjoy this wonderful country and meet with its lovely people.

Bonnie <BR>We were planning to fly Delta/AF from ATL to CAI via JFK around Thanksgiving. Delta told me yesterday that the JFK - CAI leg has been cancelled. Offered to rebook me via Paris. <BR>We are still planning to go. We have a package (not Globus) for 10 days Cairo -Aswan-Luxor (boat)-Cairo. My biggest concerns are if the US retaliates somewhere during that time, and whether flights from Cairo will leave as scheduled or otherwise. <BR>Everyone's perception and risk tolerance are different. Cancel if you think you will lose sleep over it either before or during your trip. Egypt will be there next year, and there are thousands of other places to visit. <BR>

I am at the Zurich airport about to board a Swissair (yes, they are flying again!) flight to Cairo. Thought I would just check the forum at the last minute to see if there was anything new. Am very relieved to see this post, and I am sure we will have a great time. Thanks for the positive vibes - just wish I had time to ask you more about your trip Dave!

Just wanted to add my 2-cents-worth. No one mentioned Egypt Air. We went via Egypt Air last November (perfect weather, by the way)and found them very friendly and reliable. Plane half empty so we could stretch out in 4 seats for the night. On time both ways--in fact we got back to JFK an hour or two earlier than expected, coming home. One of their own airlines is probably safer than our own!

Dear Dave, <BR>I am doing a report at school about Egypt and I need to know what kind of money you used and how much American money is exchanged for. I also need to know what kind of food they had and what sorts of items they were selling. <BR> Thanks, <BR> Edward