ansix12

Hi all:

I am planning on going to Egypt next spring using my points in business class. Looks like direct flights are pretty much all MS. Would appreciate any comments about MS such as aircraft, seat and food etc.

Thanks in advance

tcook052

As this was originally posted in Air Canada forum and isn't about Air Canada it's been relocated to the proper venue which is the Other Middle Eastern and African Airlines forum for further input.

tcook052
Air Canada forum moderator

IAN-UK

Basically it's a run-of-the-mill airline: comfortable enough though not in the latest seats; good food offset (for some) by no booze. I reckon its a neat way to introduce yourself to Egypt.

Cedar Jet

You get what you pay for in life...airlines included. After a few flights with MS my advice is avoid. I have no confidence in their safety standards generally.

GlenP

I've been flying MS, and their subsidiary MS Express, on a fairly regular basis for nigh on 30 years.

I find them to be amongst the better middle tier airlines I've used and, since they joined * Alliance, and brought in an US based consultancy firm in the wake of the 30 June Revolution, there have been noticeable improvements in the standard of onboard service and catering, certainly in J.

Their, increasingly common, 737-800s feature a decent AVOD system for short - medium haul; sorry can't comment on their long haul fleet, ex-YYZ as I left their to work in Europe just shy of 40 years ago.

In many ways I'd put them on a par with LH or AF; though the fact that their mainline aircraft are still fitted with proper business class seats is a definite plus.

Crews can be either very attentive, or disappear once the meal service is over, as with most carriers, some being very good at looking after passengers to the point where they appear with a bottle of water to offer a drink the moment you wake up, if you fall asleep.

International luggage allowances, when compared to many European carriers, can be very generous; 21 x 23kg in Y and 2 x 32kg in J, but do drop to one checked bag at the respective weights for domestic flights, if booked separately from the international legs or if you take a stop-over in your itinerary.

The fleet is of average age, but some of the A330's and 777's are much younger, Apart from the never ending battle with sand (Cairo International is genuinely out in the desert), they appear to be well maintained and kept reasonably clean.

From recent experiences, security at both CAI and LXR, international and domestic, are very strict. Belts and shoes off (which we haven't done for a few years in the UK), anything even remotely unidentified electrical, on the scan to enter the airports, prompting a search of your cases (electric shavers being a right pain), cameras and computers being both examined and swabbed - and I mean every part they can get at, and every passenger frisked, regardless of whether they set off the scanner alarm or not. You'll get this treatment at least twice between first attempting to enter the check-in hall and boarding your flight. (Watch out for the plain clothes security, on the apron, whose 9mm handbags are a dead giveaway )

The only problems at the moment are that, with the decline in tourist numbers, they do have a tendency to drop international routes, either on a seasonal basis or pending a recovery in traffic; hence the fact I can't fly MAN - CAI direct at the moment & have just rebooked an LH - MS combination, via MUC.

Additionally, domestic services are being, somewhat ruthlessly, consolidated, due to lower demand from tour companies who specialise in the Cairo, Luxor and Abu Simbel daytrips for tourists. Therefore you may find your itinerary changing several times over the course of the run up to your trip, and even whilst in Egypt.

Not a huge problem when travelling between tour centres but a possible issue when making domestic - international connections (although CAI T3 is a doddle to navigate).

Overall, I'd say that, if the price, or redemption, in this case is right, then go for it; you'll have many of the ancient sites, virtually, to yourself at the moment and it's still possible to have an affordable exotic holiday in Egypt.

KLouis

I flew them ATH-CAN in business class last year. They were about 500€ cheaper than the cheapest competitor and up to 1000 € cheaper than the four alternative *A members I could have used. The no frills service (including food) was simply decent on all four legs, but nothing exceptional. I also think that the seats were bettr than in the LH airbus that I flew on a few weeks later. I'd have absolutely no problems flying them again on a long haul if the price is right.

as219

Glen, many thanks for your informative post...

A question I think you're in a position to answer: If we're on the first CAI-LXR flight of the day, at 6:15am, how early would you arrive at the airport if you had to check bags? Would flying in J rather than Y make a difference? We really can't miss the flight, but we also don't want to waste any time at CAI given the early hour.

(Your point about flights being consolidated makes me nervous as well. Our cruise leaves from Esna at 11am or so, and we really don't want to fly down the evening prior. My feeling is that so long as some early morning flight goes down there we should be ok. The trip is in February, and while this is peak tourist season, I highly doubt the crowds will have returned by then.)

GlenP

Egyptair used to say arrive at the airport 1 hour before a domestic flight, 2 hours for international, but with the enhanced security screening you now experience I'd allow 1.5 - 2 hours. (The number of flights leaving the terminal can mean there's quite a queue for the initial security checks, just to get into the check-in area, regardless of whether you're travelling in business or economy - cheaper than average business fares mean a lot of people can book this for domestic flights.)

It's not bad airport, T3 being clean and modern, but the domestic departures area of the terminal (airside) doesn't have the restaurants and cafes the international departures features. It is a good place to watch the comings and goings on the apron though.

Consolidation shouldn't be an issue with the first flight of the day; they normally get the business travellers going between Cairo and Upper Egypt, and vice versa, it's really the mid-day and afternoon flights I've encountered this on, normally the later flight being consolidated into an earlier one.

This really only creates an issue with hotel check-in times, as they generally look at anything earlier than 15:00 - 16:00 as being an early arrival.

One point with the early departure is that you most likely won't get the chance of breakfast, and they only do a drink run on the run from CAI up to Luxor; you get some sandwiches, a bit of salad and some olives as well, in J, so you might want to see if your hotel can do you something before you set off for the airport.

Even if you get delayed Luxor International Airport isn't that far from the city, or more specifically, the Corniche (20 minutes being an average travel time, and enjoy the green fields, crossing the Sphynx Avenue and, possibly, passing Luxor Temple), though it can get to over 1/2 hour, if your boat is berthed up by the bridge. Just remember that, if you've booked a package tour, they'll be aware of any delayed/ changed flights, and are highly unlikely to set sail without you (most cruises sped a couple of days in Luxor before sailing anyway).

as219

Wow. 1.5-2 hours even for a domestic 6am flight? Ugh. Getting there at 4am means leaving downtown at 3 am. Would you want to be there at 4am for a 6am flight?

I'm starting to rethink the leave-the-night-before idea...

P.S. Our dahabiya cruise leaves from Esna, not Luxor. We need to assume 1.5 hours from the airport to the boat...