Programs: BA Gold, UA ex-Gold, CO ex-Gold, EY, GF, HH Diamond, Hyatt & SPG Gold, 10 Muccis, 1 FT ASBO
Posts: 2,047
Quote:
Originally Posted by justforfun
Flying YUL-CAI-JNB in F/J. The transfer process is the biggest fiasco I have witnessed in all my years of traveling.
Presumably you chose to transit CAI on your YUL-JNB itinerary on the basis of cost alone. Frankly anyone who chooses to fly two long haul MS flights with a connection in CAI is asking for trouble and/or disappointment.
According to a quick look on Trip Finder you could have travelled in Business Class on an AC/LH or AC/SA (all Star Alliance carriers) itinerary for only another 10% extra.
Presumably you chose to transit CAI on your YUL-JNB itinerary on the basis of cost alone. Frankly anyone who chooses to fly two long haul MS flights with a connection in CAI is asking for trouble and/or disappointment.
According to a quick look on Trip Finder you could have travelled in Business Class on an AC/LH or AC/SA (all Star Alliance carriers) itinerary for only another 10% extra.
FYI, there is no wifi being offered at MS business/first class lounge at CAI at this time. Food and beverage is not that impressive. Not a place to spend more than 30 minutes, I am afraid.
Was most recently in Cairo T3 (and T2 FWIW). Although new, the terminal seems to be only as good as those that work in it ! The departure areas for the domestic flights were cramped,bottle necks for security, only one or 2 food outlets beyond domestic security. There was a small domestic *A*G lounge opposite the one coffee shop, it was very crowded and was nothing more than a room with chairs, a coffee machine etc. As usual beware of the bak-shish pitfalls.
I've a question. In about 4 weeks I will travel to Egypt. I will fly with KLM to Cairo airport Terminal 1. I'm thinking to book a flight to my final destination Alexandria. The price is very good just €32 but I will arrive with KLM at 1.00am at Terminal 1 and the Egyptair domestic flight to Alexandria will leave at 10.45am at terminal 3. What kind of thinks can I do at Cairo airport to dead the time? And I have an another problem... I will arrive with 35-46 kg baggage (yes you can travel with this amount of luggage when flying to Cairo with KLM) But the maximum baggage is 20kg when flying domestic with Egyptair Express. I found a list at Egyptair.com that you must only pay 5 Egyptian pounds for excessive baggage... is this true? because the costs are very low.
Cairo T3... what can you say? It is new. It is shiny. The modern, flat screen panels tell you the plane is boarding and the gate open when no such thing is occuring. There is a Burger King which is nicer to hang out at than the so called business lounge.
Oh.. and on arrival. Standing in the business class line for passport check and having many expeditors cut to the front of the line with stacks of passports of VIPs, resulting in the business class line being much slower, and more frustrating, than the normal passport control lines. Welcome to Egypt!
I'm proud to report that I'm writing this while sitting in the newly opened Star Alliance lounge in T3. I gather it has only been open for a few days and it is a real improvement over the previous two temporary lounges they had here. Negatives - food is mediocre and no alcohol. But the facility has comfortable chairs with numerous plugs, European 2 pin style, and is warmly decorated. Also there is internet. I saw some English language magazines and they have International Herald Tribune. So am definitely feeling better about what was a dire circumstance here. I did have to discuss entry with the lounge dragons as I just hit *G last week and am awaiting my cards - but the ticket agent put Gold on my bp and I had a printout of my mileage from the web and they didn't really have much energy to argue.
