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Home  >  Air Algérie  >  My Air Algérie Trip Is Off To A Roaring Start…
Air Algérie

My Air Algérie Trip Is Off To A Roaring Start…

Matthew Klint Posted onOctober 28, 2022October 27, 2022 16 Comments

While I am hardly surprised, I am still disappointed that my Air Algérie trip is off to a rough start.

First off, Algiers was beautiful. I only spent a couple days here, but Algeria’s capital city was really wonderful, particularly my second day, and I look forward to returning again.

At least I think so, though I guess I will reserve final judgement until I fly the flag carrier, Air Algérie.

It should come as no surprise that photogprahy is viewed as suspicious in many countries around the world. Even as mobile phones and social media has become ubiquitous, photpgrahy at airports and onboard airplanes is still a touchy subject for many airline employees and security personnel.

Earlier, I arrived a few hours before my flight to Doha to check-in. I wanted to leave plenty of time for the lounge.

Air Algérie is very old fashioned, in that it website is very clunky and often unable to issue tickets. I was also told by my driver that employees will also often zero out inventory on popular routes so that they can ask for a “commission” when booking seats at the airport or city ticketing office. 

While I cannot verify that, I did note that there was a large line at the Air Algérie ticketing desk at Houari Boumediene Airport (ALG).

I proceeded over to the business and first class check-in area and took a picture of the check-in desk.

“STOP! STOP! STOP!,” yelled an Air Algerie employee (in French, of course).

He ran over to me and began yelling at me in French.

I had no idea what specifically he was saying, but knew exactly what he was saying.

He kept pointing to my phone. I opened up my photo album and showed him the pictures I had just taken (I had snapped eight) of them, and he made the cross with hits hands, demanding that I delete them.

He stood over me as I did this.

Then he demanded I go into the trash and permanently delete them.

So I did.

Well, not quite. I managed to “accidentally” avoid deleting this one:

Do you see something so offensive to privacy or national security?

So I got up the check-in desk and was told by the same guy that I was too early to check-in. But his colleague, who appeared to be a more reasonable man, told him something an Arabic and turned to me and said, “passport.”

Moments later, I had my boarding pass. He also invited me to take pictures…

Onward to the lounge!

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About Author

Matthew Klint

Matthew is an avid traveler who calls Los Angeles home. Each year he travels more than 200,000 miles by air and has visited more than 135 countries. Working both in the aviation industry and as a travel consultant, Matthew has been featured in major media outlets around the world and uses his Live and Let's Fly blog to share the latest news in the airline industry, commentary on frequent flyer programs, and detailed reports of his worldwide travel.

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16 Comments

  1. Todd Reply
    October 28, 2022 at 1:08 pm

    Getting the popcorn…

    *photpgrahy at airports

    • YULtide Reply
      October 28, 2022 at 10:19 pm

      Eating the popcorn, but not drinking the Kool-aid.

      photpgrahy

  2. Jan Reply
    October 28, 2022 at 2:20 pm

    Maybe not as rude as your experience but my first time in AMS I was also stopped by a personnel and was told to delete a video I was taking with my phone (just walking through exiting the airport). Deleted it on my phone with her watching.

    I guess it’s just for show because I could have easily recovered the video from my trash folder…

  3. Daryl-Atlanta Reply
    October 28, 2022 at 2:25 pm

    All of your picture-taking issues in a country whose culture is not the same as ours is no surprize to me. Makes me also wonder how that “Non-Binary Virgin Atlantic Flight Attendant” that was referenced in an article appearing on this site back on October 3rd, 2022 would fair at the airport and city that you’re currently visiting. Enjoy your visit and safe travels.

    • Aaron Reply
      October 29, 2022 at 2:52 am

      Well, I don’t believe VA flies to that city anyway…

  4. James F. Trumm Reply
    October 28, 2022 at 2:58 pm

    I hope that in some future post you talk more about your trip to Algiers — and post some pix. It’s a place I’ve long wanted to visit, but there’s not a whole lot of into about it online.

  5. Joe Chivas Reply
    October 28, 2022 at 3:09 pm

    Here’s what I would have said: “I want you to understand why I was taking pictures. I hope you didn’t think I was a terrorist. Here is my business card. I’m writing about Air Algérie and the folks in Algiers are even aware of my blog.”

    • Jan Reply
      October 28, 2022 at 4:01 pm

      He should have started with “Don’t you know who I am?”

    • ptahcha Reply
      October 31, 2022 at 12:44 pm

      “I am not a terrorist” is what got Matthew kicked off the UA flight… for taking pictures.

  6. Stuart Reply
    October 28, 2022 at 4:44 pm

    It’s getting so twisted, this whole video/photo thing. Last week I was eating at a restaurant I love in Vienna, Shiki. I was with a friend at our table when a group of Ukrainian blogger women sitting at a table nearby (six of them) began to strut around the restaurant doing photo shoots in front of everyone. It was really somewhat hilarious. I mean, at one point I was eating Tempura while two women’s butts were literally pressed against our table with lights and phones to shoot another girl posing in front of the piano. So, I did what any person would do nowadays, I took a short video of the hilarity of it all. With that, an employee came over and yelled at me to stop taking video. I was completely flabbergasted. Huh? She said, “No video and if you are offended by them you can tell us and we will ask them to be more discreet.” LOL!

    Really, we have all gone completely mad….

    • Mick Reply
      October 28, 2022 at 8:35 pm

      Yes we have all gone mad. What are all these photos for?! People filming 3 min segments of the tour guide explaining a war time tunnel. Who’s watching that video?

      We did a lovely tour of the my son pagodas yesterday with a great guide and even he was insisting we take a million family photos. Erm, we’ll be fine with 2-3 thanks!

    • Fonzi Reply
      October 28, 2022 at 9:24 pm

      hmm. Maybe you shpuld remind them go to fight for their country or do some blogs from the frontline. Sorry im sick of these freeloaders.Those are not war refugees.Most of them just used the system.

      • Hadjer Reply
        October 29, 2022 at 5:20 am

        Hello,
        Mr Fonzi what do you mean by we go fight for our country please!!! Are we occupied for example which we have been by the French occupation but as I know we are independent since the year 1962, or are we under attack and are not aware and are disturbing other people instead!!! Mr or Mme Fonzi, yes, what did the policeman at the airport wasn’t cool at all, but let’s not say lies about people just because we don’t like them or because we don’t like the way that get to act sometimes, and to never generalize

        • Fonzi Reply
          October 30, 2022 at 3:08 am

          Well Mr. I give you example. If your kid cannot be admitted to kindergarten because is full of Ukrainian maybe you can be compassionate or maybe you can be upset. As well when for eg the other facilities suffer but the one with “escapees” do not. And you should see their attitude but maybe you know it. It is not my case btw. just one of people shared. I could give you some links where is clearly show the Ukraine was literally pushed to this by US. But this is a travel blog and as i saw at the beginning the Ukrainian as victim after looking at the facts this all could have been preventable. Have a nice day.

  7. Hyatt is Good Reply
    October 29, 2022 at 3:59 am

    Mathew, After reading your Blog, I have decided to go to Algeria from Madrid next summer for 5 Days.
    Thank you for reporting.

    • Matthew Klint Reply
      October 29, 2022 at 9:13 am

      Enjoy!

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