Airport transfer is very tight. Any advice?

No, after returning from holiday with my paraplegic husband I am sick of seeing able bodied people abuse this service.

Thank you all. I have swallowed my guilt and fraudulent feelings and asked the agent to book me a wheelchair, since it was them who said it was possible. I was expecting DH to say 'no, we'll manage' as is his wont but he didn't - so my limp and slowness must be bad! We went to India a few years ago and the Dubai transfer window was 1 hour 30 minutes and they held the flight for us - and I could jog a bit then!

Although we are on the move a lot and there will be quite a bit of walking, it's a birding and wildlife holiday so being slow won't be a problem at the other end, there's always a distracting bird to slow down the others!

Thanks again all of you for the reassurance that I'm not taking advantage.

I travelled to Australia through Dubai with Emirates. The flight from London was delayed and I thought I would miss my ongoing flight but was told they knew about the delay and the flight would be held to enable me to get there. I am fairly fit and was able to walk between the gates without help but if you are offered a wheelchair option I would go for it as Dubai is a big airport.

My mum (when she used to travel) often had a wheelchair at airports. It wasn't walking on the flat that bothered her, she was slow and had a walking stick, but the aircraft steps were too much. There are frequently people using wheelchairs in airports who are to be seen walking about the resort they are staying in. Just go for it Nik

As Jollyg said, if it is a transfer and a through flight they will wait - after all, your luggage will have been transferred to the next flight and if you are a no-show they will have to start identifying your hold luggage and taking it off the plane.

My sister had a wheelchair at Heathrow, she was travelling by herself for the first time and was very nervous and it is quite a long way to the gates. She is able-bodied so was rather embarrassed at the thought of having a wheelchair - but said it was great. She is well into her 80s.

Emirates will know you are on the incoming flight. They wait for transfer passengers.
Came through Dubai this spring with assistance, a wheelchair, but we did not have to queue anywhere the wheel chair fellow knew all the back routes, and we were through in no time.

Its a very big airport.

Absolutely go with the wheelchair suggestion. Now is not the time to be "brave". My late mum went to her grandson's wedding in Ontario using a wheelchair although she would not have been seen dead in one at home and my dad said how easy it made it, so much less stressful for him too.
This trip is too important to have additional anxiety (let's face it flying /airports can be stressful at the best of times) so sit back and enjoy the holiday of a lifetime ???

Don't turn down that help !!

I've transferred through Dubai many times and its not the distance so much as all the bureaucracy. With wheelchair assistance you're classified as 'disabled and you get to use separate queues etc. It will speed up your transfer from one gate to another and ensure you don't miss your flight.

Emirates are lovely and will do everything they can to assist you. So get it booked and enjoy your wonderful holiday x

Yes you can walk but with difficulty. You need the chair in this instance to avoid spoiling your holiday.
Have a fantastic time.

Yes NFK you don't want to jeopardise your holiday before you get there ...or miss the flight...enjoy your holiday