Dubai arrests

[lardyboy999]

Just seen this on the BCC:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-ma ... r-31699722

Hope they get home OK.

[POL]

Why post if you don't want discussion?

It's well known that our hobby is - at the very least - frowned upon, yet they went and did it anyway, clearly out in the open? No sympathy here.

[nellis6]

It's actually illegal to spot/photograph aircraft in the UAE and some Dutch spotters were arrested there in Jan 2014. Seems a little research prior to their visit would have made them aware of the risks, or maybe they knew them and took the chance. Who knows?

Hopefully they get home soon!

[michaele]

If you use the 'More on this story' link from the BBC article onto the Manchester Evening News article, the charity that has agreed to assist them says that spotting in the UAE is legal, but not widely understood nor appreciated by
authorities. Spotting at Dubai and Sharjah seems to be more accepted; to go to such an obscure airport without official sanction is asking for trouble.

[Jazz]

Not going to be obviously critical of these two unfortunate guys, as persuing our hobby abroad can SO easily lead to problems, and that includes the US etc, where you could easily be told 'taking photographs of aircraft is illegal'. Thankfully, if that is said, its normally just a scare tactic which doesn't lead to the slammer!
In my experience the UAE is very 'black and white', depending on which Emirate, with airside photo passes possible at Sharjah and Ras Al Khaimah. So, you have that freedom there (which of course you couldn't 'just go and do' at a UK international airport), BUT then theres Fujairah! Most enthusiasts know its 'very dodgy' and most that go, get away with it... but not always. Lets just hope they dont spend as much time inside as those last two, Dutch guys.

[wokka]

I would find it difficult to believe that you could have the hobby of "plane spotting" (I use this hobby loosely as a description of what I believe the press mean by people taking down serials and registrations), know about Fujairah airfield, but yet not know the generally perceived view that Fujairah is a place you dont do it! If thats the case, they are pretty crap spotters! I would add, that I didnt know this view, but then I dont do the number crunching thing. In my opinion, they are the sort of people that give aviation enthusiasts a bad name.

[page_verify]

While you'd always want to give people the benefit of the doubt and assume there must be something you don't know in an awkward situation, it's hard to conjure up sympathy for these fellow Brits.

[farnboroughrob]

To be honest I am an experienced spotter but had no idea Fujairah is 'dodgy' mainly because I had never looked into going to the UAE. Im sure most of us have had our run ins with authourites in various countries but we have got away with it, sadly they didn't. Im sure they will eventually get out but that may take some time and cost a bit of cash.

[StevenR]

I think whatever level of 'spotter' you are the key words are '... research, research, research...' before you set foot outside the front door!

[21zebra]

This is a bit of a own goal by the UAE authorities, why didn't they just warn the spotters, and send them on their way, now everyone is wondering why the UAE is so sensitive about Fujairah , and what they have to hide.

[Rainbow 6]

Hi
The point is we all know that some places like switzerland welcome aviation enthusiasts with open arms and make spotting as easy and as enjoyable as possible. We all know that some places don't like spotting at all and will get upset if you do it. You have to apply a comsense filter to the situation, before you go somewhere you do research and find out what the law is, and at the end of the day if it there law then, then it is the law end of story, if what you plan to do is against the law then the simple answer is don't do it.

That being said we have all seen the attitude of some aviation enthusiast in this country regarding their hobby, they have walked across farms fields, damaged crops, and when something is said to them about it they seem to think it is ok, a number of people in this hobby seem to think that rules, laws and manners don't apply to them.

In 2007 when I was returning to the UK from a trip to egypt and was flying out of hurghada, a chap who had been on the trip with us despite the 3ft square notices saying no photo's at the airport pulled out is camera and started taking photo's of the ramp, an armed egyptian guard came over and took his camera and removed the memory card, and kept it, giving the camera back, the man tried to protest but after an AK-47 was pushed in his face, and he was the marched off not to be seen again, I assume he was questioned and told the errors of his ways, this again was his own fault he was told not to do it and did it, there is little or no difference between this and the other case.

Basically as has been said you do you research before hand. They have broken the law and the country they were in and I am sorry its tough.

[lardyboy999]

Interesting reading.

I not condoning what they've been daft enough to do, far from it. Ignorance is not always bliss, hmm?

Google Maps view shows what looks effectively like a boneyard - don't think I've so many of what look like IL-76's in one place, although I'm sure someone will prove me wrong....

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@25.10849 ... a=!3m1!1e3

[turmo]

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@25.10849 ... a=!3m1!1e3

Il-76, Il-18, 727, C-130, An-26, An-12, DC-8... no wonder they were tempted!

I was starting to feel smug but then I'm sure the UK authorities could easily use existing legislation to sweep-up unwanted spotters; perhaps an unlicensed public gathering, or collecting information liklely to be useful to terrorists.

[bobthehandyman]

Look at some of these posts and have to chuckle, they were/are unlucky, almost every spotter breaks the law, yes you! Weather it's from trespass to speeding, how many of you have scanners? Whilst there not illegal what you do with them and what you do with the info you hear on them is open to interpretation in the eyes of the law. So I don't think anyone can point the finger and make negative comments, for this hobby I have been arrested in RAF Alconbury, France (twice) and on the German Belgium boarder, all in the 80's, was only charged once by the Germans and yes it went to court and I was fined for having a scanner, in the box, in the boot of me car, never got the scanner back either.

So I guess I'm saying give them a break, they were unlucky and let's hope they find their way home soon.

[Unknown74]

Sorry to say this but it really does serve as a warning to us all that not all Countries in the World tolerate or believe in Plane Spotting so please guys and gals be very careful where you go. Is there any way that we can check which Countries actually tolerate / allow it?................

[ythanpythan]

Is there any way that we can check which Countries actually tolerate / allow it?

Pitch up with a pair of binos, notebook and camera then await possible visit from the fuzz? I accept this empirical method didn't turn out well for these chaps but at least we know about this site now.

[romeo bravo]

People should take care; break the law, pay the consequences......

Even in the UK it happened; remember back in the 80s getting questioned by CIVPOL at Thurliegh, Boscombe and Topcliffe.

[britaylor]

If the guy who lived out there should have know better I had a great time in a Dubai hotel last year civil spotting most welcome place and people why travel to Fujairah with the tenson out there high ???

[Thunder]

Why would anyone risk spotting in an Arab country in the first place, then add in the fact that the country is currently involved in offensive operations against a large terrorist group that will stop at nothing to try and justify their cause. The spotters involved have no one but themselves to blame for the mess the now find themselves in.

[the concerned]

To me this is all BS because why plaster your stuff all over aviation magazines and then complain when people take photo's.