Posted on 08/10/2018 3:36:52 PM PDT by Simon Green
A mother from the U.K. claimed she was arrested and jailed in Dubai for drinking one glass of wine onboard an Emirates flight last month.
On July 13, Dubai International Airport immigration officers arrested and jailed Ellie Holman, 44, and her 4-year-old daughter in a detention center as her flight landed in the Persian Gulf country following an eight-hour flight. According to Holman, she was arrested because she drank a glass of red wine with her meal onboard the flight from London.
Holman told MailOnline that an immigration officer questioned her upon arrival and then instructed her to purchase a ticket back to London immediately because her visa had expired. The officer then asked Holman if she had been drinking and sternly informed her that it was a crime to possess or consume alcohol in the UAE.
“I told him I had a glass of wine on the flight. It was given to me free by Emirates Airlines staff,” she said.
Holman pulled out her phone to record the incident but was quickly shut down by armed police who led the pair to an airport cell where their phones and passports were confiscated.
Shortly after, authorities transported Holman and her daughter to a police station for an alcohol test. There, Holman said they were denied access to the lavatory, forced to beg for food and water, and made to sleep on the floor of the prison’s canteen.
“My little girl had to go to the toilet on the cell floor. I have never heard her cry in the same way as she did in that cell,” she said.
According to Yahoo7 News, Holman’s partner—who was only identified by his first name, Gary—flew to Dubai when he found out about the incident.
(Excerpt) Read more at newsweek.com ...
Just checked with the airlines website. This is what is posted as regards to alcohol...
Alcohol
Check In YESYes
Carry-on YESYes
Alcoholic beverages, when in retail packaging, containing more than 24% but not more than 70% alcohol by volume, in receptacles not exceeding 5 L, with a total net quantity per person of 5 L.
Haven’t found any info on if the airline serves it.
When I was there in the mid-80's, it was illegal to possess or consume alcohol, with certain exceptions. If you stayed in the Dubai International Hotel, they had a bar (disco at the time) and guests could drink freely. Expats (mostly from the UK) that were housed there while on their working visa, somehow got to purchase the equivalent of $80 of alcohol per month. Weird system.
Oh, yeah. They serve booze. Even in the cheap seats..
https://www.emirates.com/english/experience/dining/economy-class/
If I were to place a bet, I'd wager that Emirates Airlines staff did not sell her wine. They know better and the penalties for violating these laws are severe. I'd wager she consumed alcohol she snuck aboard in her carry-on.
“I told him I had a glass of wine on the flight. It was given to me free by Emirates Airlines staff,” she said.
I know I have said it before but Islam is a stupid religion.
Some are better than others, but I agree that this one leaves a lot to be desired.
“What the UAE (Dubai anyway) does not tolerate is drunken, disrespectful loudmouth behavior.”
Far be it to me to proffer any defense or support for any Muslim nation in most cases, but I truly believe the British and American travelers feel they enjoy that in-your-face belligerence right world wide.
Snowflakes generally learn VERY quickly, that the tolerance for their idiocy and mouth is not nearly so universal, once they leave the safety of their own shores.
“I know I have said it before but Islam is a stupid religion.”
She was an illegal alien that refused to return to her country of origin ...
“Exactly. Something isn’t adding up here. There must be more to the story. “
She was told to book a return flight and she told the authorities what they could do with their ‘recommendation’.
“
What the UAE (Dubai anyway) does not tolerate is drunken, disrespectful loudmouth behavior.
You nailed it.”
You nailed her.
Maybe she saved it from a flight OUT of Dubai, and then consumed it going INTO Dubai. Which would be a very Dubai-ous thing to do. (Bad pun, bad pun)
All that can be done is for the US State Department to issue stern warnings to outgoing international passengers. There are all manner of crazy things that would be considered utterly innocent in the States that can land a body in deep, deep dutch in foreign lands.
Sorry lady, and maybe in due time such things might even become a matter of international diplomacy, but that’s the chances you take by traveling internationally.
I’d have thought it odd that her visa validity wasn’t correctly verified as she went on the flight, but yes. A wad of money to leave a place that didn’t want her was the wisest thing she could have spent.
I knew a guy once who told me the same thing about Saudi. He was kind’a strange.
very punny she was from the UK BTW
Officials must have considered her “under the influence” which is up to the discretion of whoever questions you. Drinking by tourists/visitors is allowed but must be done with care because being “under the influence” or drinking in public is not legal there.
A friend of ours spent some time there for work and said there are so many ways to get in serious trouble it is a place that is better to avoid...like most places in the Middle East.
The truth is if they say you have violated a law, then you have violated a law. That is it in a nutshell.
.
Do not fly to Dubai!
Do not fly Emerates to anywhere!
Do not patronize Islam at any time.
.
>> “Who beside a whacked out muslim, would go to Dubai for anything?” <<
A very profound question!
.
I have a nephew who took a very lucrative engineering contract into Kuwait, and managed to stay out of trouble. But really, it’s taking a dreadful chance.
Dubai is a very deluxe vacationland in many people’s eyes. And Dubai knows it, and won’t usually go out of its way to give trouble to customers who behave themselves. It looks likely that this woman didn’t.
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