Other Middle East and Africa Frequent Flyer Programs - GULF AIR Business and First Class ???

Hi

As every year, I will travel to Sydney in december.

GulF Air propose an excellent price to SYDNEY from London in Business or First Class ( 1700/2100 Pounds ) for next december and I would like to know if some of the FT have some reports or advice to give. I don't know the Gulf Air's product at all ... Is it good, OK, bad, ??? Seat and service.

Thanks

Herve

And about the frequent flyer points I have read on FT thet the only airline with an agreement with Gulf Air to collect miles is Virgin Atlantic. Is it still the case ? No other one ? It will be great for me to collect those miles somewhere else than in a new Gulf Air FF account.

i just read somewhere that GULF airlines has just upgraded or will be upgrading their premium class products (F and C)... So that will be good when you travel.

They have upgraded their signature lounge at Bahrain, no idea about the interior of the planes though. I'd appreciate any details, as I'm flying with them in Dec/Jan to SYD (and putting the points into VS).

Well, I am flying a relatively short flight on Gulf Air first class in two weeks from HKG to BKK, and I will write a report then.

My impression is that Gulf Air is no Singapore or Cathay Pacific, but the F product seems to be decent. From LHR to BAH, you may get a more updated first class cabin, if you pick an Airbus A330 flight, but from BAH to SYD via SIN, you will fly the slightly older Airbus A340 with a less fancy first class seat. Gulf Air's website has some information about the seats. About business class, seats seem to be more dated...

With only a few hundred pounds difference in price, I will go for first class. Unless you need to accure miles on particular airline program, I don't see any reason not to give these second-tier international airlines a try.

Carfield

Thanks. It will be great if you can write a trip report.
Now I just find availibility with SQ using my LH miles in business (lucky just before Xmas) but I am not sure I would like to sepend so much miles for that... I will wait for your trip report before decision.

Thanks again to all of you.

Herve

My impression is that Gulf Air is no Singapore or Cathay Pacific, but the F product seems to be decent.

well, yes and no. in fact, the aircraft used on BAH-SIN-SYD are none other than ex-SQ A340-300s with zero changes to the 1990s-generation cabin.

i posted a mini-report at: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=190607

anyway in summary, the J seats are WELL below current lie-flat standards, with F almost flat in the 2-1-2 config. service was decent.

One unique thing onboard GF FC is the presence of a chef to prepare your meals. Quite beautiful presentation, and excellent service. Crew was the most international I've ever seen, from Europe, Australia, and Asia, along with the Middle East of course.
I flew GF around the first of the year BKK-HKG, just a 2.5-hour flight, but it was quite nice. The seats can't compare to SQ's F or C product, but for that price what would you get on SQ? Maybe a seat toward the back....how does 62F sound?

gulf air currently use the old business class seats from SQ .

you can credit your FFP to Asiamiles.

>>GulF Air propose an excellent price to SYDNEY from London in Business or First Class ( 1700/2100 Pounds ) >>for next december and I would like to know if some of the FT have some reports >>

Somebody on AIRLINERS just wrote a wonderful report with fantastic pictures on Gulf Air in economy though, from Singapore to Sydney and back. Both trips are listed separately. At least in Y it was pretty awful; broken seats, terrible food, nasty crews. I believe that Gulf Air are losing money. The aircraft this person in fact flew on were 2nd hand acquired from Singapore.

Well Gulf Air's economy product is known as pretty poor. Checking out the www.airlinemeals.net can pretty much tell you the story -- the Y meal between HKG and BKK is just a light meal with cold noodles and fruits and a spring roll.

However, first and business class seem to receive a pretty average rating... I think Y should be avoided unless price is your only concern, but F and J should be fine.

I am flying the F route next week and will definitely post some reports ASAP!

Carfield

http://www.airliners.net/discussions/trip_reports/read.main/46623/

http://www.airliners.net/discussions/trip_reports/read.main/46700/

Here is the link to the great trip report on Gulf Y from Singapore t Sydney and back. It was great fun looking at the pictures especially the volcano in Indonesia.

http://www.airliners.net/discussions/trip_reports/read.main/46623/

http://www.airliners.net/discussions/trip_reports/read.main/46700/

Here is the link to the great trip report on Gulf Y from Singapore t Sydney and back. It was great fun looking at the pictures especially the volcano in Indonesia.

Wow those were fantastic trip reports. A pictoral slide show through the flights and scenery...it was almost like being there...

Yea, what an entertaining trip report! ^

What a great idea! to "capture" one's trips with pictures every step of the way, with nice little descriptions tied together to form his trip story. I guess he probably had a digi cam and lap top with him? Snap picture, and then type right away (or soon afterwards) so that he remembers exactly what happened....

I will have to do the same on my future trips... :)

Wow those were fantastic trip reports. A pictoral slide show through the flights and scenery...it was almost like being there...

The best trip reports are on Airliners. These young guys have all the technical skills. There was also a wonderful one on a trip to Cuba.

>>GulF Air propose an excellent price to SYDNEY from London in Business or First Class ( 1700/2100 Pounds ) >>for next december and I would like to know if some of the FT have some reports >>

Correct me if I'm wrong, the layover in Bahrain when you return to London is a total of 5 hours... that's gotta suck even with their new lounge

Gulf Air's online reservations seem to indicate that there are 2 types of A340s in operation, one that they label 'A340' and the other 'A340-300'. :confused: Does anyone know what the difference is? Something tells me that one type is the old SQ configuration while the other isn't, but I might be wrong?

340 = The three ex-SQ A340s, A4O-LG, LH and LI. Most commonly found on the LHR/FRA-Gulf-Sydney run.
343 = The four remaining A340s

All are a bit faded/rickety, the only main difference being the ex-SQ machines have PTVs in Y.

The A330s are much nicer (better J, better F, PTVs all over the place) but they have horrendous legroom in Y. There are 5 of them (IIRC) mainly on CDG, lesser LHR (e.g MCT) and BKK/HKG.

By coincidence, my brother just took a flight Manila/Abu Dhabi/Islamabad on Gulf Air, and gave me the following report.

"First, the flight from Manila to Abu Dhabi on Gulf Air was excellent. Most of the airlines from oil-rich Middle Eastern countires are very plush and nice, much better than anything we fly in the states. I was on an Airbus 340. When I checked in at Manila, because of a full flight they offered me an upgrade to Business for $100. Of course I jumped on that for the 10 hour flight to Abu Dhabi. Then at the gate they called me up and said they were upgrading more Economy to Business and Business to First, and I was selected. So for that leg, everything was great (food, comfort, service). From Abu Dhabi to Islamabad was another story. I tried hard but couldn't upgrade, was stuck in the middle seat between two guys who smelled horrible. Was afraid to move and touch these guys, very uncomfortable 4 hour flight."

I will go to the US just before for some meetings and have a meeting in SIN

The solution is a lovely week-end in CAI to buy a F-class RTW with Star and I will make LHR NYC (meetings)-Tokyo (Ana)-SIN (UA meting) and SYD (SQ) way back SYD SIN LHR with SQ. Reservation is already done.

For my partner I will take a SQ business award ticket. I was lucky to find availibility Dec 20.

And yes on the way back with Gulf Air the connection was bad anyway.

Thanks again

H

Well I guess I don't need to tell you much about my GF flights...

Anyway, I will save it for the report.

Just quick conclusions, food are good... seats (non SQ) are okay, but not great... the F/As service varied... amenities -- basic... I will not go for J class, but F class is okay, but my greatest concern is the on time record... minor delay on outbound, but over an hour late on inbound. On time records seem to be rather varied...

Carfield