What happened?
Just realized that I never really described it, so here goes:
One thing that struck me odd when I got the tickets booked, was that on the outbound flights we arrive in CAI terminal 3 and switch to terminal 2 for the flight to DME, while on the return it is all terminal 3.
Once I was in CAI, the reason became evident. The terminal switch required passing through a security checkpoint, and there was a separate checkpoint for flights to Russia. We landed in CAI before 6am, and the flight to Russia wasn't scheduled until 10:30am. I don't know if there were any other flights between CAI and Russia, but apparently having a flight at 10:30am doesn't justify opening the checkpoint that early. So upon our arrival at the checkpoint, we were told that we need to wait another half an hour until the checkpoint opens. NOT FUN with young children and plenty of carry-on bags (we had lots of stuff that we didn't want to risk getting lost. Little did we know...)
After about an hour and half, the checkpoint finally "opened", a bunch of Egyptian, non-Eglish-speaking police officers manned the point. I was first on line, with my family right behind me. The police officer at the metal detector said we needed to put everything through the x-ray machine, including all Jewelry (metal) - not fun with young girls (actually a little traumatic). He then told me to remove my baseball cap and put it through, which I did, and then asked me to remove my Yarmulka and put it through. That was one step too much. I said no! DW told him it's a religious requirement, but he was insistent, and so was I. I was standing in front of him, looking him at his eyes, and wouldn't budge (blocking the entire line). I offered that I sand in place, he put the Yarmulka through while I wear the cap, and then bring it back to me so I can pass, but he said no. Eventually he relented and let me pass through the metal detector with the Yarmulka on my head.
Next came the officer who was looking at the x-ray machine. Any metallic or electric object was pulled out. Some were OK'd and then some became a topic for negotiation. 220/110 step down adapters were a point of argument. I explained that this is so I can plug in my American equipment, but they said, send it with the cargo. Eventually a higher ranking officer OK'd it. This repeated itself with the HotLogics, and several other items. I exclaimed at the higher ranking officer "Russia Majnoon" (thinking that all this hardship is at the instructions of the Russians), and he burst out laughing.
Then came the Silver Candlesticks we bought for my DIL. These are big metallic items. Must go to cargo. We argue, even the higher ranking officer wouldn't OK it. Eventually he called over a woman who seemed to be standing there nonchalantly, who OKd it. At that point I realized that the woman (and her "friend") were Russian agents looking over the security check.
After about 20 minutes or so, we cleared the checkpoint and headed to the gate (while I was desperate to head to the lounge for a shower). We arrived at an enclosed gate area, which was virtually unmanned at the time, and settled in. There was an upper level where the actual gate was, and then a lower level about 7 stairs down, where the waiting area and seats were. I grabbed my change of clothes and headed towards the Priority Pass lounge which had a shower ($10 per use).
Upon returning from the Shower, I saw a line outside the enclosed gate area, and the "friend" of the Russian agent from the prior security check roaming around the line. It seemed like my family had already gone through the ordeal. When I got there, the same crew (Egyptian police) that gave us the earlier security check was there again. This time without an x-ray machine or metal detector, just manually looking through bags. I didn't have a bag with me, as I had left mine behind with my family, and just had my change of clothes, and a few bottles of cold water I had brought from the lounge. The water was promptly confiscated, my dirty laundry was OKd, and I reunited with my family in the seating/waiting area, where I was told of their ordeal, and that my portable folding shtender was taken away (it was inspected at the earlier checkpoint).
Unfortunately, as a result of all of the above, an important piece of luggage, containing much of my married daughter's family clothes for the wedding was left behind (my guess is either right before or right after the security check between terminals). Needless to say, realizing this upon arrival in Ramenskoye wasn't fun! DW and SIL went into hyper action, and managed to get new shoes for the young kids, a kapote for my SIL, and several other items delivered to us before the wedding. Some items came from NY, some from EY, and some were ordered locally. My married daughter was so traumatized from the ordeal, that she told my SIL that she refuses to fly back through CAI. No matter how much I claimed that the return flight wouldn't have this kind of security check, as there's no terminal change, she would hear of nothing. Luckily cooler minds prevailed by the time we were ready to fly back (though she proclaimed she wouldn't fly EgyptAir again).
The strollers which were gate checked, and didn't show up at the gate upon landing in CAI, were supposed to show up with the luggage at DME. They didn't show up, a report was filed upon landing at DME (which forced DD to go through the RED customs line - she took DS along for translation). Strollers were eventually delivered a week later.
Unfortunately, we don't have a video of the ordeal.
My Daugher and SIL have an Allianz Annual Family travel insurance plan. I will bez"h report back when I find out how their claim gets resolved.
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