Trip Reports - Brussels to Auckland and back, AF J, QR F&J, SQ J, EK F, TG J, BD J

I’ve decided to write my first trip report for the forum. I don’t know if this is going to be a regular thing, but thought as this trip contained quite a variety of carriers it would make interesting reading. I don’t intend to go into huge detail about the flights, but instead just concentrate on the important factors and give my opinions about them.

The Background

I managed to bag one of the “good fares” which were recently available from Colombo to New York (via various points). In order to start the trip I redeemed some miles on Air France and bought a ticket on Qatar Airways.

The Itinerary

Brussels (Midi Railway Station) – Paris (CDG Railway Station)
TGV (Air France codeshare)
First class

Paris (CDG) – Dubai (DXB)
Air France
L’Espace Affaires (Business class)

Dubai (DXB) – Doha (DOH)
Qatar Airways
First class

Doha (DOH) – Colombo (CMB)
Qatar Airways
Business class

Colombo (CMB) – Singapore (SIN)
Singapore Airlines
Business class

Singapore (SIN) – Melbourne (MEL)
Singapore Airlines
Business class

Melbourne (MEL) – Auckland (AKL)
Emirates
First class

Auckland (AKL) – Bangkok (BKK)
Thai Airways
Business class

Bangkok (BKK) – London (LHR)
Thai Airways
Business class

London (LHR) – Brussels (BRU)
Bmi
Business class


The last two sectors of this ticket will not be covered in this trip report as there is a one month gap in the itinery. They are:

Brussels (BRU) – Milan (MXP) – New York (JFK)
Alitalia
Business class

Date Saturday 9th February 2008
Airline Air France
Class of service L'Espace Affaires (Business)
Flight number AF530
Aircraft type Airbus A330-200
Scheduled (actual) departure time 2315 (2316)
Scheduled (actual) arrival time 0845 (0851)
Flight duration 6:08
Distance 3,259 miles
Average speed 531 mph

Brussels Midi railway station (ZYR) to Paris (CDG) railway station

The first part of my journey was on the TGV high speed train between Brussels Midi railway station and Paris (CDG) railway station. Air France no longer fly the CDG-BRU route and instead place their airline code on the non-stop Brussels Midi to Paris (CDG) TGV train service. My ticket was a one-way award ticket from Brussels to Dubai via Paris. There is an Air France check-in desk at Midi station, and on weekdays Flying Blue Elite Plus passengers can use the Thalys lounge at the station, irrespective of their class of travel. Today being a weekend I had no access as the lounge was closed. I was given my boarding pass for the train and the connecting flight to Dubai. All Air France passengers travel in first class on the train, again, irrespective of their class of ticket booked. If you have luggage to check you have to wait until you get to CDG before you can say good-bye to it. At Brussels Midi you have the opportunity to give it to a porter who loads it into a separate storage facility, but you still have to collect it on arrival at CDG and then separately hand it in at a baggage drop at the airport. As I was carrying hand luggage only I was able to board straight away and take my seat. Once on board I discovered the carriage had had a very recent refit and looked very nice. The seats were comfortable and there was a power socket which took my standard European plug for my laptop. The train departed Brussels on time and arrived at CDG on time. The journey took 1 hour and 15 minutes. I arrived at CDG at 2150, to be met by a random customs check. The officials proceeded to open my suitcase and search through it on a nearby bench, in full view of the public. They did ask me if I had a problem with it. I did think it was wrong to do it in such an unprofessional way and on the concourse of a railway station but I didn't want to kick up a fuss because I had a flight to catch. The walk from the platform to the immigration check in terminal 2F took about 10 minutes.

Departure
I used the access no.1 line at CDG to go through immigration, but to be honest the wait would have been very short even if I'd used the normal line. Security had no queues either and I was through in less than 2 minutes. Anybody through here in the future, watch out for the stunning security woman.

I went straight to the AF lounge in the non-Schengen part of terminal 2F, and typically found it very full. I went down to the second floor and it was a bit quieter. The were very few newspapers in English (only the USA today and Herald Tribune) and NO magazines in English whatsoever. There were nice sandwiches on offer as well as Champagne. Whilst in the lounge I overheard a man talking on his mobile phone, and it turned out he'd been offered money to fly the next day to Dubai. So my flight was going to be full.

I went to the gate about 30 minutes before departure to find (as usual with Air France at CDG) no form of priority boarding at all. There were two queues, so I just joined one of them. It did move pretty quick and I was on board within 5 minutes.

Routing
We departed from 08L and flew south east towards Basle and Zurich in Switzerland, then over Austria, Croatia, Serbia, Bulgaria, Turkey, Syria, Saudi Arabia, just north of Bahrain and Qatar, and then our top of descent was over the Gulf with about 130 miles to run to Dubai. Our arrival was a straight in approach to runway 12L.

Routing of AF530 from Paris (CDG) to Dubai on Saturday 9th February 2008.
http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/bb39/mofomat/Trips/BRU%20to%20AKL%209th%20Feb%2008/CDGtoDXBroute.jpg

Seat and cabin
Arranged in 2-2-2.
Standard L'Espace Affaires seat.
Full electric adjustment.
Cloth.
Plenty of storage space.
Quite large TV screen situated on the back of frame surrounding the seat in front.
Folds flat but not horizontal.
Not very comfortable to sleep on.
Very difficult to get out of from the window seat if the aisle seat is reclined.

Entertainment
Very, very poor. There are a choice of 12 films and a few TV shows. The films are nothing that special. The TV choice is terrible. One episode of The Simpsons, Friends and CSI. These episodes are the same ones as on the last Air France flight I took many months ago. However, even if I did want to watch the TV programmes channel, it wasn't working properly and the sound and picture was distorted. The most entertaining part of the flight was the passenger next to me making a ludicrous statement that one of the stewards looked like George Clooney. The ironic thing was that the passenger was the spitting image of Omar Sharif.

Food and drink
Champagne was offered and accepted.
The starter was very nice and featured a cheese and tomato type dip with a piece of foccacia bread.
There was a choice of 2 main courses, duck or lamb. I went for the lamb but I found it to be one of the worst meals I have ever had, not just in business but in economy too. It was frankly appalling. I am not being over fussy here, and I am not too particular about what I eat, but the lamb was tiny, the accompanying sauteed potatoes were tasteless and dry, and there was a sad attempt at a tomato. The duck on the other hand looked much better.
Dessert was a kind of chocolate mousse and was quite nice.
Shortly before landing a small continental breakfast was served with fruit and croissants.

Cabin crew
Polite but not very warm. As per usual for Air France, once the first meal service had been performed they disappeared for the rest of the flight.

Arrival

A few minutes from touchdown, the Burj Dubai pokes it's head from above the mist. Already the tallest building in the world and it's not yet finished.
http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/bb39/mofomat/Trips/BRU%20to%20AKL%209th%20Feb%2008/P1000893.jpg

Dubai on final approach to 12L.
http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/bb39/mofomat/Trips/BRU%20to%20AKL%209th%20Feb%2008/P1000894.jpg

Beautifully designed control tower at Dubai.
http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/bb39/mofomat/Trips/BRU%20to%20AKL%209th%20Feb%2008/P1000897.jpg

Line up of EK aircraft at Dubai.
http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/bb39/mofomat/Trips/BRU%20to%20AKL%209th%20Feb%2008/P1000898.jpg

Waiting to cross the departure runway, 12R, whilst an Emirates Boeing 777-300ER departs.
http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/bb39/mofomat/Trips/BRU%20to%20AKL%209th%20Feb%2008/P1000899.jpg

The flight arrived on stand 6 minutes late. Thankfully it was a proper gate attached to the terminal and not a bus transfer. Business class passengers were the first to leave the aircraft.

Overall
As it was a free ticket I was fairly happy with the flight. The entertainment system and the main course (on this particular flight) left a lot to be desired. If i'd been paying full fare for the ticket however, I would have been disappointed.

Great start Mofomat. I look forward to reading the remainder of your report.

Where did you get the route map image from?

Date Sunday 10th February 2008
Airline Qatar Airways
Class of service First
Flight number QR101
Aircraft type Airbus A320
Scheduled (actual) departure time 1105 (1106)
Scheduled (actual) arrival time 1105 (1109)
Flight duration 0:46
Distance 238 miles
Average speed 310 mph

For the next stage of my trip I had to get from Dubai to Colombo. I found a good one-way fare on Qatar Airways via Doha in first and then business class. I would also earn Bmi Diamond Club miles. I was booked on a much later departure from Dubai at 1855. I've seen Dubai many times so wanted to leave on the earliest flight possible, and then spend my "stopover" in Doha. I went straight from my Air France flight to the transfer desk and asked about moving to the next flight at 1105. I knew from looking at the bookings a few days earlier that it was zeroed out in all booking classes. Sure enough, the man at the desk confirmed there were no spare seats in first class. However, he instructed me to come back in 1 hour and in the meantime to go through security (no queues at all) and use the contract first class lounge (see below). I backtracked through security and returned to the transfer desk, and by the time I'd got served (it was now 1025, and only 40 mins before departure) I found there were still no spare seats on the 1105 departure. I was instructed to now go to the gate and see if they could accommodate me there. At the gate I was told that there were still no seats in first but there were in economy. I decided to pass on this as even though it was only a short flight I still wanted to fly first class and also earn the first class miles on my Diamond Club account. The next flight would be 1700. I proceded to head to the terminal hotel in order to use the gym and take a rest, when after about a 100 metres walk I heard one of the Qatar gate staff running and shouting after me. It turned out just after I left the desk, one first class passenger had decided to downgrade himself in order to sit with his colleagues. Great news and great service from the Qatar Airways gate staff who didn't have to run after me. I would be surprised if this happened at some other airlines I could mention. After a brief moment when it looked like the man had changed his mind about downgrading himself, I received my boarding pass for the Doha flight (and also the Doha to Colombo flight later), and I boarded the plane.

Departure
I used the contract lounge located near gate 14 whilst I was waiting to see if I could get on the earlier flight. I can't remember the name and I didn't even take any pictures but this is one of the best lounges I have ever been to in any airport. Certainly in terms of food anyway. The spread was on a par with the Emirates first class lounge in Dubai. There were all sorts of hot food, seafood, desserts etc. The lounge itself wasn't too big, yet it wasn't crowded. There were several computers, none of which were working, but I managed to connect for free to a wireless network.

Routing
We departed runway 12R towards the south east, and then made a right turn for the 46 minutes flight direct to Doha. We landed on runway 34.

Routing of QR101 from Dubai to Doha on sunday 10th February 2008.
http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/bb39/mofomat/Trips/BRU%20to%20AKL%209th%20Feb%2008/DXBtoDOHroute.jpg

Seat and cabin
Arranged in 2-2.
The first class cabin on the QR Airbus A320 is very much like the cabins of domestic first on a typical U.S. flight, albeit slightly more legroom and more comfortable seats.

Entertainment
No personal TV's but a few small monitors which folded down after take-off and showed an episode of "Just for Laughs".

Food and drink
Many different items were served, including choice of juices and a Lebanese yoghurt drink, then Arabic coffee and dates before push back, followed by a light meal of hamour fish and salad with a fresh fruit dessert. There was even a choice of main course complete with a menu. A bit too much for such a short flight if anything.

Cabin crew
Service was always with a smile and if anything they were overstaffed in the first class cabin.

Arrival
We arrived at the stand 4 minutes late. Due to Qatar being one hour behind the UAE, we actually arrived only 4 minutes after departure from Dubai. We parked at a remote stand which is the norm at Doha, at least until the new airport opens in late 2009 early 2010. The transfer of first class passengers was in a large private bus but fitted out with comfortable and luxurious seats. Arriving passengers to Doha were dropped off at the arrival terminal, and transfer passengers were then taken to the Qatar Airways premium terminal.
I got off at the arrival terminal and went straight to immigration where there were no queues for first class passengers. As a UK passport holder I was entitled to buy a visa on arrival which cost 100 Qatari Riyals ($27.50). I paid with my mastercard.
I went through customs and entered the arrivals hall where I reserved a room at the Movenpick hotel in Doha. I arranged for a free transfer to and from the hotel which was a 15 minute journey.

View of Doha harbour from my hotel room.
http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/bb39/mofomat/Trips/BRU%20to%20AKL%209th%20Feb%2008/P1000902.jpg
http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/bb39/mofomat/Trips/BRU%20to%20AKL%209th%20Feb%2008/P1000901.jpg

Overall
I was very happy with this flight. The lounge at Dubai is great, the service by the ground staff to get me on the earlier flight was great. And the serivce both on board and on arrival was impeccable. I would definitely recommend Qatar Airways on this route.

Great start Mofomat. I look forward to reading the remainder of your report.

Where did you get the route map image from?

Thanks.

I created it in Google Earth and then saved the image.

Date Monday 11th February 2008
Airline Qatar Airways
Class of service Business
Flight number QR300
Aircraft type Airbus A330-300
Scheduled (actual) departure time 0005 (0008)
Scheduled (actual) arrival time 0715 (0716)
Flight duration 4:20
Distance 2,246 miles
Average speed 518 mph

I left the Movenpick hotel at 2215 and took the hotels private Audi A8 transfer to the airport. On the 15 minute journey there were lots of cars beeping their horns. It wasn't because of my driver's questionable abilities. It turns out Egypt had just won the African Nations Cup in Ghana.

Departure
Because I was flying business class I was entitled to use the completely separate Qatar Airways premium terminal at Doha Airport. I arrived and was met by a porter with a trolley who offered to take my bag. As it was small I declined. I also didn't need to check-in because I had my boarding pass already so I made my way straight to the security check. Had I needed to check-in I wouldn't have waited at all as there were many desks open and not a single other passenger. It was the same at security where I was the only passenger there. I was quickly through. One thing I noticed was that the female monitoring the screen as my bag and laptop went through the x-ray machine didn't even look up from her mobile phone on which she was texting. I found this completely unbelievable and it made me realise that security isn't perfect for any flight.

The Qatar Airways premium terminal is quite large and features the usual duty free shops on the ground level. I took the escalator to the first floor to find a creche, childrens arcade with computer games on which they can play for free, a health clinic and separate business and first class lounges.

The business class lounge was big and featured the ususal array of comfortable chairs and a separate tabled area by the buffet. Based on how the contract lounge was in Dubai I was expecting a similar choice of food here but it was actually a lot smaller. The food was nice and completely ample though. There was also free wireless internet.

Boarding was announced by a man walking around the lounge. A bus was used to transport the passengers to the aircraft which took about 5 minutes. The aircraft was the one specially painted to celebrate the 2006 Asian Games.

The Qatar Airways premium terminal with the lounges and other facilities on the first floor and the shops and boarding gates on the ground floor
http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/bb39/mofomat/Trips/BRU%20to%20AKL%209th%20Feb%2008/P1000908.jpg

View of the buffet area in the business lounge of the premium terminal
http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/bb39/mofomat/Trips/BRU%20to%20AKL%209th%20Feb%2008/P1000906.jpg

View of the business lounge in the premium terminal
http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/bb39/mofomat/Trips/BRU%20to%20AKL%209th%20Feb%2008/P1000907.jpg

Routing
We departed runway 34 and then made a small right turn to avoid the city. From there we flew across the Gulf, just south of Abu Dhabi, accross Oman, and then a straight routing across the Arabian Sea, making landfall over southern India, before descending and making a left turn for final approach onto runway 04 at Bandaranaike International Airport.

Routing of QR300 from Doha to Colombo on monday 11th February 2008.
http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/bb39/mofomat/Trips/BRU%20to%20AKL%209th%20Feb%2008/DOHtoCMBroute.jpg

Seat and cabin
Arranged 2-2-2
The seats were the latest version of Qatar Airways' business class and the whole appearance was very welcoming.
Folded flat but were not completely horizontal.
Many buttons to fine tune the position.
Lots of storage space.
My seat and my neighbours actually didn't move at all, and the cabin crew spent a long time trying to get my neighbours seat to work. The rest of the (full) business cabin looked OK, although slightly annoying is that after looking at the availability just before the flight, economy was completely zeroed out whilst business class was still open, which suggests there were op-ups. Good fortune for those receiving one, but not great when I couldn't even recline my seat slightly and I'd paid for it.

New business class seats on Qatar Airways Airbus A330-300
http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/bb39/mofomat/Trips/BRU%20to%20AKL%209th%20Feb%2008/P1000910.jpg
http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/bb39/mofomat/Trips/BRU%20to%20AKL%209th%20Feb%2008/P1000911.jpg

Entertainment
The large TV screen which was in the back of the frame of the seat in front featured on demand TV programmes and films. There was lots of choice but on certain shows the sound was a bit behind the images which became a nuisance. Headphones were meant to be noise cancelling but in reality weren't that much different from normal headphnes so I just used my BOSE QC2's.

Food and drink
There was a drink before departure, and straight after take-off. Food was plentiful and tasty. I had a feta stuffed chicken with potatoes.

Cabin crew
Just like the previous flight, the cabin crew were very friendly and nothing seemed like too much trouble. They dealt with the problem seats in a professional manner and seemed genuinely concerned. Without any prompting they offered a comment card and made a point of ensuring I left my name and contact details as I would be "contacted at some point without a doubt".

Arrival
We arrived on stand 1 minute behind schedule. Business class were first to deboard via the jetway.

Sri Lankan Airlines A330-200 which we had to wait for until we could finish taxiing to our stand.
http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/bb39/mofomat/Trips/BRU%20to%20AKL%209th%20Feb%2008/P1000914.jpg

Overall
Despite the problems with the seat and video I was very impressed with the flight. I think this is probably because of the crew and the ground services at Doha, which features the premium terminal.

Great use of Google Earth, mofomat. You've certainly upped the ante for subsequent trip reports, and I look forward to reading the rest of the report.

Nice report, looking forward to reading about the rest of your trip ^

Date Monday 11th February 2008
Airline Singapore Airlines
Class of service Business
Flight number SQ467
Aircraft type Boeing 777-200
Scheduled (actual) departure time 0930 (0924)
Scheduled (actual) arrival time 1555 (1552)
Flight duration 3:40
Distance 1,710 miles
Average speed 466 mph

So this is where my “good deal” ticket started. Thankfully the Qatar Airways flight from Doha arrived on time, and I made my way to the transfer desk in order to check-in for my SQ flight without actually going through immigration or customs. There was only one desk, and it was operated by Sri Lankan Airlines. I gave my e-ticket to the man and he proceeded to call, presumably, the Singapore Airlines check-in staff. After a few minutes, and a few questions, I was told to go relax in the Araliya lounge, and my boarding pass will be brought there. About 40 minutes before departure a man arrived in the lounge with my boarding pass (after previously coming to collect my passport to check that), and about 10 minutes after that at 0900 boarding was announced. So everything was fine with my ticket, as I expected, but there is always a lingering doubt.

Departure
The Araliya lounge was adequate with a few snacks and the usual selection of drinks. There were several computer terminals, but a couple seemed to be broken. There was also free wireless internet. There were plenty of very comfortable leather seats which you could use.

It was a short walk to the gate where the SQ flight was leaving from. A security check was performed and then it was straight onto the aircraft. This flight was to be on a regional configured triple seven, so I wasn’t expecting too much, but to my surprise it actually looked quite nice.

Drinks, the menu and headsets were handed out and we pushed back 6 minutes early.

Taxiing out to runway 04 at Colombo on SQ467
http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/bb39/mofomat/Trips/BRU%20to%20AKL%209th%20Feb%2008/P1000917.jpg

Evidence that Colombo is in a volatile area. The whole airport perimeter is very heavily fortified, and I shouldn't even have taken this photo
http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/bb39/mofomat/Trips/BRU%20to%20AKL%209th%20Feb%2008/P1000918.jpg

Routing
The flight departed runway 04 and he made a right turn after departure and flew on a direct course to the Indonesian island of Sumatra. From there it was a little bit further until we started our descent and a left turn for the approach onto runway 02L at Singapore.

The routing of flight SQ467 from Colombo to Singapore on Monday 11th February 2008
http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/bb39/mofomat/Trips/BRU%20to%20AKL%209th%20Feb%2008/CMBtoSINroute.jpg

Cabin and seats
2-3-2
Expecting the worse I was pleasantly surprised with the regional configuration of Singapore Airlines. The leg room was ample and as it was a lightly loaded flight the 2-3-2 issue was never a problem and the cabin didn’t feel cramped at all. The seats were electrically operated and adjusted well, and they also seemed fairly new or that they had been looked after well.

The business class cabin on Singapore Airlines Boeing 777-200 in the regional configuration
http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/bb39/mofomat/Trips/BRU%20to%20AKL%209th%20Feb%2008/P1000915.jpg

Entertainment
The screen was big, and there was plenty of choice for this relatively short flight. Also, everything was on demand, and it didn’t seem to suffer from any bugs.

Food and drink
There was a choice of three main dishes from which I chicken with noodles. It was tasty and plentiful. Champagne was also on offer as well as the usual soft drinks. Dessert was a crème brule and coconut dish which was absolutely fantastic! The stewardess obviously picked up on this because she offered me a second helping. Conscious of the fact that I seemed to have never stopped eating since I left Brussels, I declined.

Cabin crew
As expected they were great. Polite, efficient and great to look at. I couldn’t ask for any more. They also called me by my surname every single time without any use of a list. Fantastic.

Arrival
Just as we touched down I looked out of the right window and I saw, for the first time, the Airbus A380. It did look big, although a bit odd looking too. We arrived at the gate in terminal 2 a few minutes early. I then had to navigate my way to terminal 3 via the Skytrain. Terminal 3 has only been open for just over one month and I was looking forward to seeing what it was like. On first impressions it is huge, but also unnecessarily so, a bit like the new Bangkok airport, Suvarnabhumi. I seemed to be walking for a long time without actually getting anywhere. There were also a lot of open spaces, and escalators which didn’t seem to go anywhere, and also places where escalators were needed. It did seem like a bit of a mess. Anyway, I made it to the Silver Kris Lounge and everything was fine.

Approaching runway 02L from the south west, crossing the busiest port in the world. Singapore city is visible in the distance
http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/bb39/mofomat/Trips/BRU%20to%20AKL%209th%20Feb%2008/P1000922.jpg

Inside the new Terminal 3 at Changi. A lot of space, but a long way to walk
http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/bb39/mofomat/Trips/BRU%20to%20AKL%209th%20Feb%2008/P1000926.jpg

Overall
For a relatively short flight I was very impressed. In fact, Singapore Airlines could use this configuration on long-haul flights and it wouldn’t be too bad in comparison to some other airlines. The entertainment and food are both very good, and the crew just about the best you could come over.

What type of camera do you use. I've tried to take pictures out of airplane windows without the greatest of success.

Great reading.

Thank you for the effort you have put into this.

Looking forward to the rest of your trip with anticipation.

Adam

What type of camera do you use. I've tried to take pictures out of airplane windows without the greatest of success.

This one. Really pleased with it.

http://www2.panasonic.com/consumer-electronics/shop/Cameras-Camcorders/Digital-Cameras/Lumix-Digital-Cameras/model.DMC-FZ50S_11002_7000000000000005702

Date Monday 11th February 2008
Airline Singapore Airlines
Class of service Business
Flight number SQ227
Aircraft type Boeing 747-400
Scheduled (actual) departure time 2100 (2126)
Scheduled (actual) arrival time 0715* (0731)
Flight duration 6:41
Distance 3,743 miles
Average speed 560 mph

Departure
I had a good 4 hours in the brand new Silver Kris Lounge for business class passengers in terminal 3. After the long trek from terminal 2 I was met by two lounge staff who were stood around the entrance, which didn’t have any doors. After being welcomed in I took a left to the business class section, the first class section being on the right. The lounge was very quiet at this time of day (mid-afternoon), so first of all I had a good look around. There were lots of seats laid out in various ways and some with different material. Some leather, some cloth. There was plenty of food on offer in the buffet, although the beef shepherd’s pie was a joke. It was pure mashed potato with the merest hint of meat underneath. There were showers in the men’s toilets, so I used one of them. Although clean it wasn’t perfect. They were very warm and stuffy, and also quite dark. They were also quite cramped and nowhere near as good as the showers in the Air France arrivals lounge in terminal 2C at Charles de Gaulle. Also, the water seemed to collect and run into the dressing area creating a pool in which to step whilst trying to put on your shoes and socks.
There were literally about 20 computers in the business section all brand spanking new, and all available to use. It did get much busier around 1900, but it still didn’t seem too busy. One thing which annoyed me though was that there seemed to be a surplus of staff just wondering around trying to find something to do. They always seemed to be hanging around and waiting for you to finish your snack or drink so they could take the plate or glass before it had even touched the table. This got quite tiresome after a while, especially when they were taking the drinks from myself and people nearby before we had even finished them. I guess that’s the culture in the far east though, and I wouldn’t change it for the world.
Before long I had to leave and make the walk to gate A17 where my flight was leaving from. Yet another shuttle train was needed to get there (although it is possible to walk but it would take much longer). When I arrived I found very long queues for the security check. Despite there being six x-ray machines only two were being used. There was also a priority sign for Singapore Airlines premium passengers but that wasn’t being used, so I just joined the back of the line. All in all it took about 20 minutes to get through. Not very good at all. The problem will be much worse when more gates are in use, because the security check is performed for a “group” of gates, in this case 6, yet my flight was the only one leaving. Final call was announced whilst there were a good 80 or 90 people still waiting to be screened.
I boarded my flight and made my way to the upper deck, where I found ample space for my belongings due to the extra storage bin by the window. It was a full upper deck. As our departure time came and went I started to worry about my connection in Melbourne which was going to be tight. The reason for the delay was a passenger who didn’t turn up for their flight and their baggage had to be offloaded. We eventually pushed back 26 minutes late.

Entrance to the Silver Kris Lounge. First on the right, business on the left.
http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/bb39/mofomat/Trips/BRU%20to%20AKL%209th%20Feb%2008/P1000932.jpg

Lots of spare seats in the Silver Kris Lounge, Singapore Terminal 3
http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/bb39/mofomat/Trips/BRU%20to%20AKL%209th%20Feb%2008/P1000931.jpg

Silver Kris Lounge in Terminal 3
http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/bb39/mofomat/Trips/BRU%20to%20AKL%209th%20Feb%2008/P1000929.jpg
http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/bb39/mofomat/Trips/BRU%20to%20AKL%209th%20Feb%2008/P1000930.jpg

Food area
http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/bb39/mofomat/Trips/BRU%20to%20AKL%209th%20Feb%2008/P1000933.jpg

Shower
http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/bb39/mofomat/Trips/BRU%20to%20AKL%209th%20Feb%2008/P1000934.jpg

Routing
We departed from runway 02C and then made a right turn towards the south east. Our flight took us over the Indonesian island of Java and then we made landfall just west of Port Hedland in Australia. We continued over the Western Australia before flying just to the north of Adelaide as the sun began to rise. We made or approach from the north onto runway 16 at Melbourne’s Tullamarine airport.

The route of flight SQ227 from Singapore to Melbourne on Monday 11th February 2008
http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/bb39/mofomat/Trips/BRU%20to%20AKL%209th%20Feb%2008/SINtoMEL.jpg

Cabin and seats
2-2
The seats were of the old type Raffles Class (now marketed as plain old Business Class), but were still comfortable. I was sat just behind the emergency exit door so I had unlimited legroom. I recommend this seat to anybody that can get it because the other seats looked to have limited leg room and gave the impression of being cramped.

Upper deck of flight SQ227 from Singapore to Melbourne
http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/bb39/mofomat/Trips/BRU%20to%20AKL%209th%20Feb%2008/P1000936.jpg

Entertainment
The system was very much like the previous flight, with on demand movies and TV programmes with plenty of choice. The system was stable too.

Food and drink
The drink orders were taken prior to take off, and promptly arrived just after the seat belt sign was switched off. I had a Singapore Sling and it tasted great. Not long after the drinks service came the food. There was no choice of starter, but I was happy with what was offered. It was salmon and noodles with various sauces and salad. It was a large portion. I’d pre ordered my main course via the “book the cook” option. I chose the Lobster Thermidor. It arrived with saffron rice and asparagus. It was tasty and presented very well. There was also a generous portion. The only disappointment was dessert which was a tub of Ben and Jerry’s ice cream. Although nice, it’s not what I expect to see on a high quality airline such as Singapore Airlines in business class. The ice cream was not the problem, but the fact that it was served in a tub. I requested not to be woken for breakfast and I had a good sleep. I woke as it was being served, and it consisted of various fruits and breads.

Lobster Thermidor ordered via the "Book The Cook" service
http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/bb39/mofomat/Trips/BRU%20to%20AKL%209th%20Feb%2008/P1000937.jpg

Cabin crew
Fantastic. Again, I expected nothing less from Singapore Airlines and they didn’t disappoint. They always seemed to be there when you needed something and despite there being a full cabin they were never late in clearing your table and serving the food and drink at the right time.

Arrival
Before landing priority cards were handed out so that business class passengers could get through customs and immigration quicker. As I was transferring to another flight I didn’t need one. We arrived on stand, 16 minutes late, just 39 minutes before my next flight left, and I didn’t even have my boarding pass yet. As I was walking down the steps from the upper deck my name was called out and I was asked to make myself known to the staff on the jetway. I did, and I was just told that I had to go straight to the gate of my next flight. Thanks for that. Still, it was nice that Emirates were expecting me, as although I was on a through ticket, the airlines are not really cooperating at all. I made my way following the transfer signs, and I arrived upstairs in departures just before the security check. Luckily there were no queues and I was through in a few minutes, and at the gate a few minutes after that.

Overall
Another great flight on Singapore Airlines, but it was let down by the pre-boarding situation at Singapore. I can’t remember when I last had to wait that long to go through a security check, and it makes it even more annoying when there was a priority lane sign which wasn’t being used. On top of this, there was only one flight leaving from that area. Imagine when the 5 other gates are occupied by 747’s or even A380’s. I don’t see how even opening the other four machines would solve the queuing problem.

Date Tuesday 12th February 2008
Airline Emirates
Class of service First
Flight number EK406
Aircraft type Airbus A340-500
Scheduled (actual) departure time 0810 (0847)
Scheduled (actual) arrival time 1340 (1409)
Flight duration 3:02
Distance 1,643 miles
Average speed 542 mph

I arrived at the Emirates gate after a 10 minute walk from the arriving aircraft to find a nice surprise. The gate agent checked my passport and then handed it back before informing me, “we’ve put you in 2K which is a suite on your own”. I instantly realised I’d been upgraded! And not just any old upgrade. As the aircraft was an Airbus A340-500 it meant I was going to be in one of the private suites, which in my opinion is one of the best seats out there on any aircraft. I had flown these before on a return trip from Dubai to Osaka, but it was still welcome. I queried whether the flight was overbooked but he said “no, the computer says you’re flying first class”. I kept my mouth shut in case I was put back in business class again, but I suspect the upgrade was done automatically because the economy and business class were full and the agent had no information on it. I’m only a silver on Skywards, about to be dumped down to the lowest level, so I was surprised to be chosen for an upgrade. I was even a bit guilty knowing I was traveling on such a “good fare”.

Departure
In the end the flight was delayed and the gate agent said I might as well go use the Emirates lounge on the upper floor. It was nice with plenty of food items including breakfast. After about 15 minutes boarding was announced and it was a short back downstairs to the gate. The aircraft was about halfway through boarding when I arrived. The business cabin was completely full, and there was only one spare seat in first class. Eventually we pushed back 37 minutes late, but I wasn’t complaining.

The Emirates lounge in Melbourne
http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/bb39/mofomat/Trips/BRU%20to%20AKL%209th%20Feb%2008/P1000943.jpg

My aircraft to Auckland waiting for the pax at Melbourne Tullamarine
http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/bb39/mofomat/Trips/BRU%20to%20AKL%209th%20Feb%2008/P1000944.jpg

Routing
We taxied out to runway 16 which was a departure to the south. We made a left turn to head east before making our way across the Tasman Sea. Our approach took us just to the south of Auckland city and just to the north of the airport to start the downwind leg. A right turn brought us onto final approach to runway 23L, before arriving on stand 29 minutes late.

Route of flight EK406 from Melbourne to Auckland on Tuesday 12th February 2008
http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/bb39/mofomat/Trips/BRU%20to%20AKL%209th%20Feb%2008/MELtoAKL.jpg

Cabin and seats
1-2-1
Well, what can I say? Probably in the top three of any aircraft interior at the moment, although some airlines are catching up. The first class on the A340-500 is quite special. First of all the seat is almost entirely enclosed by an electrically sliding door (has to be left open for take off and landing). The top is open so somebody could peer over. There is a wardrobe at the front of the suite. Moving inside there is a drawer for the writing pad, a flip open drawer for a container of moisturisers, a personal minibar containing an assortment of drinks and a glass, a socket for electrical items, and a handheld touch screen remote control for the operation of the TV, the seat and the door. The seat itself folds completely flat and is very comfortable, although this wasn’t needed on such a short daytime flight. Also, in first you would normally receive pyjamas to wear and an amenity pack, but again, they weren’t needed on this flight. The only criticism I would have is that although there are plenty of storage spaces for small items, there are none for large items. There is the bottom of the wardrobe but the opening is very narrow, and there is also a storage area by your feet, but this doesn’t take anything bigger than a laptop bag. Emirates chose not to install overhead bins in the first cabin in order to make the cabin feel more spacious. In the end the stewardess stored by larger bag in a separate area in the galley.

The fantastic first class suites on the Emirates A340-500
http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/bb39/mofomat/Trips/BRU%20to%20AKL%209th%20Feb%2008/P1000945.jpg

First class suite featuring the snack basket and huge TV screen
http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/bb39/mofomat/Trips/BRU%20to%20AKL%209th%20Feb%2008/P1000949.jpg

Entertainment
Emirates is renowned for it’s ICE system. So that meant on demand and lots of choice. It all worked perfectly fine, from the TV programmes to the outside camera view of the take off.

Food and drink
I’ve already mentioned the private minibar in the suite which contains a variety of soft drinks and a glass. Of course, there are also the usual drinks which are served by the cabin crew. In first class, Emirates have a large menu from which you can order what and when you like, although on this short flight the service order was more conventional. I had a salad with feta cheese starter followed by a cheese omelette with beans, steak and potatoes. I then had a lemon meringue pie for dessert. There is also the snack basket which is in every suite and contains Pringles, Toblerone, Aero, some nuts, and a Bounty bar, which incidentally, hasn’t been the same since Mars of Slough really “did it” when they removed the little cardboard strip from the Bounty.

Breakfast of cheese omelette and steak and potatoes
http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/bb39/mofomat/Trips/BRU%20to%20AKL%209th%20Feb%2008/P1000955.jpg

Cabin crew
Good, and plenty of them. I was never left with an empty glass and plates were cleared away promptly.

Arrival
We pulled up at the gate 29 minutes late. It was a short walk to immigration which was empty, and where I was greeted by the most miserable official I have ever met. He was curt and unfriendly. I had my camera around my neck, switched off and with the lens cover on, and he barked “don’t even point that thing at me!” What an idiot and clearly someone on a power trip just because he knows that if I answer back he could make life very difficult for me. Still, he couldn’t find any reason not to let me in the country and 2 minutes later I was on my way. I was met in the arrivals hall by the chauffer driver who was holding my name up on a board. Emirates offer this service for free for all business and first class passengers arriving and departing Auckland and other stations around the world.

Auckland Airport below the Trent on the downwind leg to runway 23L
http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/bb39/mofomat/Trips/BRU%20to%20AKL%209th%20Feb%2008/P1000966.jpg

On final approach, Auckland is hit by a huge downpour
http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/bb39/mofomat/Trips/BRU%20to%20AKL%209th%20Feb%2008/P1000970.jpg

Overall
Even without the upgrade the flight would have been good I’m sure, but with the added bonus of first class travel it couldn’t have been much better. Even the delay wasn’t a big issue. Also the hassle of getting into the city was removed with the chauffer transfer direct to my hotel.

Date Thursday 14th February 2008
Airline Thai
Class of service Business
Flight number TG990
Aircraft type Airbus A340-600
Scheduled (actual) departure time 1530 (1722)
Scheduled (actual) arrival time 2130 (2310)
Flight duration 11:24
Distance 5,933 miles
Average speed 520 mph

Auckland airport viewed from the visitors gallery. The Emirates A340-500 is just arriving on the service I myself arrived on two days earlier
http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/bb39/mofomat/Trips/BRU%20to%20AKL%209th%20Feb%2008/P1010046.jpg

Departure
I arrived at Auckland airport well ahead of the scheduled departure time to find that the flight was delayed by nearly 2 hours. There was a small wait at check-in. The lady was extremely friendly and polite, but was strict with my hand luggage and asked to weigh it. The limit was 10kg in business. My bag was 9.9kg. I received a voucher worth $NZ10 even though I had lounge access. This was quite generous and I had no problem getting a decent sandwich and a drink in the food court. I paid the airport departure tax of $NZ25 before going through immigration and security which took about 2 minutes.

The standard Star Alliance lounge in Auckland is operated by Air New Zealand. It was very large but also very full and wasn’t very quiet. It was still better than most lounges though as it had a wide selection of food and snacks, including burgers, free wireless internet, and large showers, which I used.

Boarding was announced at 1645 and we pushed back at 1722, 1 hour and 52 minutes late.

The Food area in the Air New Zealand lounge at Auckland
http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/bb39/mofomat/Trips/BRU%20to%20AKL%209th%20Feb%2008/P1010047.jpg

The crowded Air New Zealand lounge at Auckland
http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/bb39/mofomat/Trips/BRU%20to%20AKL%209th%20Feb%2008/P1010048.jpg

Routing
We departed from runway 05R and after a few minutes made a left turn towards the north west and passed to the north of Auckland. We headed across the Tasman Sea and made Australian landfall just to the north of Brisbane. We continued across Queensland, dodging some big thunderclouds and lightning, before passing just south of the Gulf of Carpentaria. We continued over East Timor, the Island of Borneo directly flying over Brunei, before crossing the South China Sea, passing overhead Ho Chi Minh City, Cambodia and then beginning our descent and making a left turn onto runway 19R.

Routing of Thai flight TG990 from Auckland to Bangkok on Thursday 14th February 2008
http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/bb39/mofomat/Trips/BRU%20to%20AKL%209th%20Feb%2008/AKLtoBKK.jpg

Cabin and seats
2-2-2
The A340-600 has the latest Thai seats installed, and they look quite spacious. However when I first sat down the cushion was very uncomfortable. I adjusted it slightly by moving the front part electrically forward, but it still wasn’t that good. As the flight progressed I did get a bit more used to it. I did manage to sleep a bit, as although it wasn’t horizontal, it did fold flat and there was a footrest which stopped you from slipping too far down the seat. Overall the seat did feel a bit flimsy and the plastics felt cheap. The right armrest was loose and the drinks table under the opening for the TV wasn’t flat, so I was always worried my drink would fall off. I was sat in 11K which was a bulkhead just behind first class. This meant more legroom but it also meant that I had to reach a long way to the magazine rack, and also because the TV’s were in the armrest I was missing some storage space. The electrical socket took my European plug without an adapter and didn’t suffer from power outages at all.

Entertainment
Large screens in the armrest with on demand films and TV programs. The system was reliable on this flight and easy to operate.

Food and drink
Before departure drinks were served very late and the glasses collected very early before take off, so I only managed two sips of Champagne. Also the glasses they use are quite small so throughout the flight I seemed to be thirsty. Drinks were served once again promptly after take-off, and the meal orders were taken. There was one starter, a parma ham, cheese and melon dish, followed by a salad. There was a choice of 4 main course dishes, and I had a beef green curry with eggplant and rice. The food was OK but seemed as if it was economy food served in a larger dish. Cheese was served followed by a chocolate ice cream in a plastic container. Again, this is something that I expect to be served in economy but not in business class. On top of that it had melted so much that I didn’t need a spoon and could almost drink it. Not good at all.

The main course of beef green curry
http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/bb39/mofomat/Trips/BRU%20to%20AKL%209th%20Feb%2008/P1010049.jpg

After what seemed like only two hours since the first meal, sandwiches were brought round, followed by a second serving 30 minutes after that. Again, they weren’t presented in a particularly nice way, placed in a plastic container.

The second meal service was full portions again. This time I had scallops to start followed by a rather nice Thai dish with noodles and pak choi. Dessert was a kind of lemon cheesecake. I preferred the second meal service to the first.

Cabin crew
They were welcoming and frequently toured the cabin during the flight. Their service during meal times was good and the only criticism I could make is that at the start of the flight they served one side of the business cabin with drinks long before the other, and I was left thirsty for quite a while.

Arrival
We arrived on stand at 2310, 1 hour and 40 minutes late. It was only a short walk to the Royal Orchid lounge at the C gates, where I had time to check my emails and grab a drink.

Skirting around a huge CB just south of the Gulf of Carpentaria
http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/bb39/mofomat/Trips/BRU%20to%20AKL%209th%20Feb%2008/P1010051.jpg

Overall
Based on this flight Thai doesn’t really come close to matching other airlines in the region such as Singapore Airlines. The staff are equally as friendly but the food isn’t particularly good and served in a way befitting the economy cabin but not business class. It’s the little touches which are missing such as the nuts being handed to you in the plastic wrapper instead of a ceramic bowl as on most other airlines, and melted ice cream in a tub being served for dessert.

Very nice report so far mofomat ^

An interesting mix of airlines to experience.

What a nice selection of airlines and aircraft, and a very approachable, readable style! Thanks for the effort mofomat!

-C

Thanks for the messages of appreciation. ^

Hopefully I'll add the last two segments soon.

Date Friday 15th February 2008
Airline Thai
Class of service Business
Flight number TG910
Aircraft type Boeing 747-400
Scheduled (actual) departure time 0030 (0042)
Scheduled (actual) arrival time 0620 (0645)
Flight duration 12:36
Distance 5,958 miles
Average speed 473 mph


Departure
I left the Royal Orchid lounge at the C gates and made the short walk to security where there were no queues. I then walked for about 10 minutes to gate C9 where my flight was waiting and already boarding. I was sitting on the upper deck in seat 12A, which is great for the extra storage space by the side, but neither this closet or the overhead bins could take my roller board. Instead this was placed in an overhead locker in the downstairs business cabin. I didn’t really like the idea of this so removed all of my valuables beforehand. Drinks were served and I made myself comfortable.

Routing
We departed from runway 19L, a short taxi from gate C9, and took off towards the south west. We made a right turn and climbed to our initial cruising altitude of 28,000ft. We crossed the eastern half of Thailand, the Bay of Bengal, and crossed the Indian coastline just south of Calcutta (Kolkata). From there we continued across India to the north of Delhi, over northern Pakistan and central Afghanistan, before turning to the north and over Kazakhstan, and then north west across Russia and to the south of Moscow. From there we continued across the Baltic States, the Baltic Sea, south of Copenhagen, and then across the North Sea before starting our descent to the north east of London. Our landing runway was 09L which necessitated an approach path over the northern suburbs of London, before making a 180 degree turn to line up.

Routing of TG910 from Bangkok to London Heathrow, Friday 15th February 2008.
http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/bb39/mofomat/Trips/BRU%20to%20AKL%209th%20Feb%2008/BangkokBKKtoLondonLHR.jpg

Cabin and seats
2-2
I was seated on the upper deck, and not by the bulkhead this time, so I could reach the magazine rack. The seat was the same design as the previous flight but this was much more comfortable, so I conclude I was unlucky on the Auckland to Bangkok flight. As mentioned previously, the upper deck of the 747 has a nice extra storage closet by the window, which is great for placing your hand luggage inside, and also resting things on top of. The seat also contains a socket for laptops, but mine had to be switched on or reset by the steward.

The latest Thai business class seat, in this case on the upper deck of the Boeing 747-400. Note the huge storage cabinet below the windows, a feature of all 747's on the upper deck.
http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/bb39/mofomat/Trips/BRU%20to%20AKL%209th%20Feb%2008/P1010055-1.jpg
http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/bb39/mofomat/Trips/BRU%20to%20AKL%209th%20Feb%2008/P1010054-1.jpg


Entertainment
The same system as the previous flight, but this time it had to be reset before it worked flawlessly. Also, having had a long flight from Auckland to Bangkok, I’d actually run out of things to watch. The selection of films, although high in numbers, didn’t actually feature anything I personally wanted to watch.

Food and drink
Drinks were provided before departure, and I chose Champagne. Orders for the main course were taken before take-off, and as soon as the seat belt signs were switched off service began promptly. No choice of starter, but it was nice consisting duck foie gras rolled with tenderloin, pepper apple and walnut rolled with salmon and pastrami, and cannelloni bean and fennel salad in cabbage cup. There was a choice of 4 main course dishes and I chose the pan-fried Australian veal loin with three peppercorn sauce, roasted potatoes with rosemary and roasted vegetables. Then there was a cheese course of camembert, Danish Blue and cheddar. Dessert was a raspberry and chocolate mousse. Although the starter was very good, the veal was very dry and didn’t feel like it belonged in a business class cabin. The dessert was OK, and it was at least better than the previous flight.
I slept through the middle part of the flight so I am not sure whether any snacks were served, although I didn’t see any evidence of this.
Breakfast was served very early before landing (2 hours and 45 minutes). Breakfast was finished with 2 hours still to go before landing. I didn’t mind this because I was hungry and had slept enough, but I can imagine it would be annoying for someone to be woken that early for breakfast.When it came it was reasonably OK, and consisted of a choice of two types of breads, a croissant and a roll, some fruit, a yoghurt and then mushroom omelette with sausage, tomato and Lyonnaise potatoes. The portions were big enough but it just didn’t feel very good quality. Certainly not compared to the food I’d experienced on Singapore Airlines.

Starter of Foie Gras and salmon
http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/bb39/mofomat/Trips/BRU%20to%20AKL%209th%20Feb%2008/P1010052.jpg

Main course of veal loin
http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/bb39/mofomat/Trips/BRU%20to%20AKL%209th%20Feb%2008/P1010053.jpg

Cabin crew
As usual, very good. They seemed better than the previous flight in that they seemed more organized. They were also very, very polite.

Arrival
After landing at about 0625, it was quite a long taxi to the stand at Terminal 3, and we actually didn’t arrive at the gate until 0645, that’s 25 minutes late. I decided to make my way to terminal 1 via the Flight connections centre. Another way would have been to clear immigration in terminal 3, and then make my way landside to terminal 1. I don’t have much experience of transfers at Heathrow, it being mainly and origin and destination for me, but based on this experience it wasn’t that bad. I had to take a bus airside to the flight connections centre but there were no queues anywhere. I arrived at the Bmi lounge in the international part of T1 at about 0720, with plenty of time to get a drink.

Overall
Although a perfectly acceptable flight, I think Thai lack the final touch which a few other airlines manage, namely Singapore Airlines. I would still fly with Thai again however.

Really enjoying this TR! Thank you for taking so much effort and posting so quickly.

Fantastic trip report. I really liked your usage of Google Earth and your pictures were great. Definitely setting a new standard for trip reports.

Definitely an interesting variety of destinations and air carriers.

Onedog

Date Friday 15th February 2008
Airline Bmi
Class of service Business
Flight number BD145
Aircraft type Airbus A319
Scheduled (actual) departure time 0830 (0834)
Scheduled (actual) arrival time 1035 (1039)
Flight duration 0:41
Distance 218 miles
Average speed 319 mph

Departure
I grabbed a drink and used the free computer in the Bmi Diamond Club lounge in the international departures area of terminal 1. If I wasn't a Diamond Club Gold I wouldn't have been able to use the Diamond Club section, and would have had to use the section upstairs, which I have never seen, but apparently it differs very little from the section downstairs. Boarding was announced at 0815, and after a short delay due to catering problems, we pushed back at 0834. It was a long taxi to the holding point of runway 09R.

Routing
We made a very spritely departure from 09R, and were into the clouds long before we even crossed the eastern perimeter fence. From there we flew east over Kent, crossed the English Channel between Dover and Ostende, and then then reached our cruising altitude of 19,000ft for only a few minutes. We then continued the short distance across the western part of Belgium before being given a direct clearance to the initial approach fix for runway 02, the single "cross" runway.

The routing of BD145 from London Heathrow to Brussels on Friday 15th February 2008.
http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/bb39/mofomat/Trips/BRU%20to%20AKL%209th%20Feb%2008/LHRtoBRU.jpg

Cabin and seats
3-3
Bmi don't sell the middle seats in the business class section on their European flights, so although it was in effect a standard economy style seat, there was plenty of space. I was sat in seat 1A, so I also had more legroom. The seats were new and had a very soft leather feel.

Entertainment
Just the in-flight magazine and a large selection of newspapers.

Food and drink
A very hot cooked breakfast was served featuring omelette, a very tasty sausage and beans. Also a Muller fruit corner yoghurt was handed out in a separate box which also contained a bottle of fruit juice.

Cabin crew
Just one crew member was serving the business class cabin. She was friendly, polite and also efficient.

Arrival
We would have been on stand exactly on time but the gate staff were not ready for us, so in the end we were 4 minutes late. No big problem at all.

Overall
A very nice end to the first stage of my trip. Despite it being friday morning, and in winter, there were no real delays, something which is always likely flying from Heathrow. I am a regular flyer on Bmi and I really rate them.

Thanks for an interesting trip report. You've really made a big effort!

This is a great report Mofomat. ^

Great trip report! Thanks. ^

Great report and very nice photos!! ^

Thanks for the report, really good reading. Just two questions:

I managed to bag one of the “good fares” which were recently available from Colombo to New York (via various points).What kind of CMB-NYC ticket allows a routing CMB-SIN-MEL-AKL-BKK-LHR-BRU-MXP-JFK? This is more than 2 1/2 times the direct distance!

I created it in Google Earth and then saved the imageBut where did you get the routing points from?

Thanks for the report, really good reading. Just two questions:

What kind of CMB-NYC ticket allows a routing CMB-SIN-MEL-AKL-BKK-LHR-BRU-MXP-JFK? This is more than 2 1/2 times the direct distance!

Check out this thread from October last year.

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=751016


But where did you get the routing points from?

I presume you mean how did I know the flight path?

From watching it on the inflight map, and also knowing a bit about the airways structure. My maps are pretty accurate.

Check out this thread from October last year.

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=751016Oh boy, I should really read the Mileage Run Deals forum more often...

I presume you mean how did I know the flight path?

From watching it on the inflight map, and also knowing a bit about the airways structure. My maps are pretty accurate.OK; I thought there was a website I didn't know that had flight tracks for historic flights.

Great report--enjoyed the pics.

Fantastic trip report, Mofomat. I (selfishly) hope it's the first of many. ^

Brilliant trip report Mofomat!

I read it closely as I will be taking my CMB next month. Nice organization. Really enjoyed the pics. The CMB airport pic...well, if the windsock hadn't been there, I would have thought it was a jailhouse yard. Security is good, though. Also, I'm curious if SQ will open that priority lane you mentioned if more flights are leaving around the same time.

Greenfireflyer

Really superb report in every respect.

There is also the snack basket which is in every suite and contains Pringles, Toblerone, Aero, some nuts, and a Bounty bar, which incidentally, hasn’t been the same since Mars of Slough really “did it” when they removed the little cardboard strip from the Bounty.


Excellent report, Mofomat. I too have fond memories of the cardboard strip in the Bounty Bar. Quite what the confectioners at Mars were thinking when they made the dubious decision to remove it is beyond me. The case might be made that that decision marks the nadir of British confectionary history, comparable perhaps only to the equally deplorable rebranding of the "Marathon" as "Snickers."

Excellent report, Mofomat. I too have fond memories of the cardboard strip in the Bounty Bar. Quite what the confectioners at Mars were thinking when they made the dubious decision to remove it is beyond me. The case might be made that that decision marks the nadir of British confectionary history, comparable perhaps only to the equally deplorable rebranding of the "Marathon" as "Snickers."

Glad I'm not alone in thinking this. Obviously it was a decision made by the accountants.

Great pics!

Excellent report, thanks a lot. Will be on a similar ticket next month and can't wait...

Great tripreport Mofomat and very enjoyable to read! ^ Makes me really looking forward using my own ticket next month... :)

Excellent report, thanks a lot. Will be on a similar ticket next month and can't wait... Hey Oli, when will you start your trip? My BKK-SIN-CHC segments are scheduled for early March...

Superb trip report! Thanks Mofomat ^^

Wonderful report - I will be on a few of the same flights in a month or so!

Great idea with the use of Google Earth..

-Brian

Comprehensive TR, Mofomat! Thanks. ^

I came across your TR while searching for more details on AF CDG-DXB flights. In fact, I'm flying on a similar AZ ticket too. ;)

Nice clear pictures. Do you mind me asking which lenses you were using?