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!
Getting the popcorn…
*photpgrahy at airports
Eating the popcorn, but not drinking the Kool-aid.
photpgrahy
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…
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.
Well, I don’t believe VA flies to that city anyway…
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.
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.”
He should have started with “Don’t you know who I am?”
“I am not a terrorist” is what got Matthew kicked off the UA flight… for taking pictures.
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….
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!
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.
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
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.
Mathew, After reading your Blog, I have decided to go to Algeria from Madrid next summer for 5 Days.
Thank you for reporting.
Enjoy!