Codeine and Dubai airport

[beth21]

Hoping someone might be able to help. Our son and family live in Texas due to work but later this year are being posted to Kuala Lumpur - they lived and worked there before Texas - we will stay for 6 week stints with them ( we retired last year ) maybe 4 times a year. We have been before and always flew via Dubai - I now take co codamol 30/500 for joint pain can I take at the most in my handbag 20 and the rest in the hold baggage with out applying to Dubai.
Really sorry it’s so long and I hope it makes sense
Thanks

[munmun]

Originally Posted by beth21

Hoping someone might be able to help. Our son and family live in Texas due to work but later this year are being posted to Kuala Lumpur - they lived and worked there before Texas - we will stay for 6 week stints with them ( we retired last year ) maybe 4 times a year. We have been before and always flew via Dubai - I now take co codamol 30/500 for joint pain can I take at the most in my handbag 20 and the rest in the hold baggage with out applying to Dubai.
Really sorry it’s so long and I hope it makes sense
Thanks

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Here is a recent reply about this by Simon Calder an eminent travel writer

A The United Arab Emirates, of which Dubai is part, has strict drugs laws. They do not differentiate between substances that are intended to be imported into the country or are simply being taken through by transit passengers. Nor is there any distinction over whether the medicines are in cabin baggage or hold luggage.

The UAE maintains a list of medicines defined as “controlled”, which includes some drugs that are available over the counter in other countries – including codeine. Passengers can apply in advance for permission, through the registration and drug control department of the UAE ministry of health: I have made a short link, ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈/DubaiDrugs, to take you there. It requires you to provide supporting documents.

The time taken and the decision made is in the lap of the authorities. I recommend that anyone taking prescription medicine who is planning a long-haul trip checks out the rules at the destination and any en-route stops before booking a long-haul trip; in your case it might have been wise to avoid the UAE and its strict rules.

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For prescription medicines that do not appear on the controlled list, you can bring in up to three months’ supply as a visitor if you have the original prescription or a letter from your doctor.

But I would be circumspect about bringing any over-the-counter medicine without a medical explanation of why you need it.

Every day our travel correspondent Simon Calder tackles a reader’s question. Just email yours to s@hols.tv or tweet @simoncalder

[neilhd]

Just fly direct to KL - save the bother!

[beth21]

That’s great thanks I’ve been searching internet but couldn’t find anything - might check klm flights they fly to Amsterdam then straight to KL again thank you

[Posiesmum]

The above is excellent advice. I take cocodamol and morphine and when I worked in Kuala Lumpur I usually went via Dubai. Boots at the airport wouldn’t sell cocodamol to me and advised that I couldn’t take it to even transit through Dubai. I didn't go down the route detailed in the above post, but would advise you to be careful.

[MinniMouse]

Co codamol in this strength is a controlled drug (in Dubai). As munmun says you will need to apply for a permit. I've looked at this too as I take co codamol and am flying via Dubai to Adelaide next December. It's not very straightforward (in my opinion), and you have to enter flight details amongst other things into their system. I read that you have to book your flight then apply for permission, what happens if they turn you down!

[Posiesmum]

Originally Posted by neilhd

Just fly direct to KL - save the bother!

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Both BA and Air Malaysia fly direct. It is a looong flight though!

[beth21]

Think I might give Dubai a miss does anyone know if these rules apply to Doha airport?

[beth21]

BA is very expensive but I haven’t checked air Malaysia so I’ll do that now thanks

[MinniMouse]

Check the country you're flying in to also. When I was researching flights I looked at one other country popped up with same thing. I'm sure it was Singapore Airlines and the stopover was Singapore. No problem if transitting but I'm sure you had to apply for permission if staying in Singapore. I haven't looked at KL though.