16-hour layover in Sharjah - what to do?

Who are you flying with? Did you book this flight online without using a human being aka a travel agent?
Go back to the website that you booked the flight through and communicate with the airline the following: is this '16-hour layover' because of the airline's timetable OR because you are changing airlines by choice?
IF you are flying with the same airline for the full trip and the 16-hour layover is due to the airline's timetable THEY are liable under IATA to supply with you meals accommodation.
Discuss this with the Airline and ask IF they are a member of IATA. IF they are, mention that IF they don’t supply you with a hotel room and meals, you will be reporting them to IATA. Also, IF the airline says they can’t do anything, double check the IATA website for your rights. Go back to the airline and say you will be lodging an official complaint with IATA and will share this with a number of online travel forums. MOST airlines do not like to be ‘named and shamed’ and will come to an arrangement with you. This also fits within the YDKIYDA - ‘you don’t know if you don’t ask’.
IF you booked this through a travel agent please name them and shame them. This is Travel Diploma 101 basics. I would also report them to your Government's 'Fair Trade' or Consumer Affairs or whatever this Government agency is called in your country.
Since this is your first post on TT I will guess that you are a total travel ‘virgin’ and have never experienced this before. I would also like to think that you have never searched this Travel website and read the answers to this question of what to do with excessive flight transfers.

IF you have travelled before and had to spend more than 7 hours in an international airport’s transit lounge and never questioned it, I would like to say you should just wear it because of your own naivety in not asking the travel agent OR the airline this question.
Apologies for the comments, however this is a real ‘doh’ situation that travel experience would have dealt with, and I will accept that you are a total travel ‘virgin’.
And before I receive flack from anybody else on TT, I once was a total travel ‘virgin’, however I had the sense to use a travel agent on my first trip overseas in 1984 who explained the airline’s obligation THEN of providing meals and accommodation for passengers who experience ‘enforced stopovers’.
I have since raised this question with every travel agent I have used or every airline I have travelled with IF I have an airline transfer time which involves sitting in a transit lounge for more than 4 hours!

Thanks Bibbie for that detailed post.

I am flying Air Arabia - do budget airlines also have such obligations?

To answer your question, yes, this is the first time I have such a long layover.

Will research about airline obligations for long layovers.

Thanks,
Navin

Did you book this online youself and not with a travel agent?
Is the '16-hour layover' because of the Air Arabia's timetable OR because you are changing airlines by choice?
The website for IATA is http://www.iata.org/membership/Pages/airline_members_list.aspx I can't find a listing for Air Arabia.
I believe it is a member of the Arab Air Carriers Organization (AACO) website http://www.aaco.org/. This industry group aims to promote cooperation, quality and safety standards among the Arab airlines.
I have flown overseas every year since 1984 on holidays and I know from that experience that if you pay peanuts for an airfare you can expect the same level of service.
I did say in my first email YDKIYDA - ‘you don’t know if you don’t ask’.
Contact BOTH organisations and complain about Air Arabia and their lack of customer service IF the '16-hour layover' is because of the airline's timetable.
Alternatively, go and see a human being - called a travel agent in English.

Hi 2bibbie,

I wanted to book a flight with Qatar Airways (I ended up not doing so because of the long layover) for an upcoming trip. The layover was 8+ hours and I called to ask them if I would be given hotel, meals, and accommodations since it was a long layover caused by their flight schedules.

Their website says you "could" be eligible for that for free, or it could cost $125, but it didn't spell out the exact conditions in which it was free or not. When I called them they asked me where I was flying from and to and then said that in this "certain market," the accommodation, meals, and transport for the layover were not free and the charge of $125 would apply.

Given that they are the "World's 5-star airline", it did come as a surprise that they wouldn't provide this service for free and I decided to take a different airline. Would you care to comment? Especially about the part about how "certain markets" dictated whether or not the customer was provided with accommodations

#4 dow 204 I still operate on the YDKIYDA - ‘you don’t know if you don’t ask’.
I appreciate that with the current world economic crisis, the travel industry still need to satisfy their shareholders and their customers.
However since Qatar Airways is a member both IATA and AACO, I would have mentioned that I would be lodging a complaint with both organisations, I would be issuing a warning not to use them on several travel websites, I would be telling all my friends, family and business contacts NOT to book flights with them and I would be flying with XYZ Airlines in future.
The website for IATA is http://www.iata.org/membership/Pages/airline_members_list.aspx
The Arab Air Carriers Organization (AACO) website http://www.aaco.org/.
Again, did you attempt to book this online yourself rather than through a travel agent?
In the future use a human being - from my experience, you will get results. OR go to the airline's office and speak to their representative.
I flew Qatar Airways last year and had an excellent experience. I had a 5 hour turnaround on a flight from Sydney to Jordan via Doha so I joined their Privilege Club, got to use the Oryx Club facilities and had a really relaxing time. Membership fee was well worth it. I also had a 3 night stopover package at the Doha Seef Hotel on the return flight and it was a wonderful treat. I investigated this option and discussed it with my travel agent and had the whole package: airfare, airport transfers and hotel accommodation rolled into the total price of my airline ticket. Again, it only happened because I asked.
BTW - I am not a travel agent nor do I work in the travel industry. However with 26 years international travel experience and always using a travel agent, I have researched every trip and the options and discussed these with my travel agent.

@2bibbie - not sure if I'm right about this but I read somewhere once that LCCs offer 'point to point' service as per their contract of carriage and are therefore not liable to provide any service if there happens to be a long layover between your multiple flight schedules.

@Navin - Air Arabia offers transit visas if applied for at the time of booking the ticket through one of their Sales Centres (see website http://www.airarabia.com/terms-conditions)

Don't know about a rest room inside SHJ APT but the food court is not bad. Indian food, in case you're wondering, is most definitely available as are the generic burgers and American fast food. You can even buy and drink beer there.

Have been to the sharjah airport many times.They have a Small/medium size food court and a store next to that plus other kinds of shops all over.

What you can do is buy a pass to use the business class lounge for 100 AED per person and it very nice with showers,a TV and you get a few snacks.We usually get our pass at check in so look for an air Arabia help desk and ask them.I don't think they will let you stay for 16 hours though.

I have flown Air Arabia many times and I know what I am getting so for me as long as the plane leave on time stays in the air and get there on time I am happy and Air Arabia has always done all three.You get one cup of water and have to buy food BUT we bring are own food so that works out great.

@2bibbie

I did start out by talking to a travel agent (who has got me good deals for all my past overseas holidays) - however, they would not do Air Arabia ticketing. The other options they offered were a minimum of 1.5 times the fare I get on Air Arabia.

I also spoke to Air Arabia - Air Arabia does the whole point to point thing - they don't sell you a ticket from Hyderabad to Luxor - they sell you a ticket from Hyderabad to Sharjah and a separate one from Sharjah to Luxor.

But, thanks for the inputs - I am now aware that travelers do have rights that they can assert :)

@DZL Power
Thanks for the info - very useful!

Air Arabia offered to do the visa for me, but are not sure if they can get me back my passport by the time I travel! So - not a risk I'm willing to take:)

Also, fault is mine for leaving this till so late - lesson learnt :(

@ctown
Thanks for the info - firsthand is very useful :)

Also, my longest flight with Air Arabia is just 3.5 hours - so I think I can manage without food for that long :)

Update on my situation:

I found out that there is a Sharjah Transit Hotel within the airport - http://www.southtravels.com/middleeast/uae/sharjahtransithotel/index.html

Just emailed them asking about rates and availability - will share any info I get.

Thanks for all the tips and info!

Cheers,
Navin