New Year’s in Dubai, with SAS, EgyptAir & Ethiopian in Business Class
Feb 13, 2013, 2:35 pm
#17
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2010
Programs: TK Elite Plus, SAS EBG, QR Platinum, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 2,297
Hello guys. Thanks for your replies!
I'm using a lowly cropframe Nikon D7000 with a 10-24 wide-angle lens.
Hello there. Thanks for reading, and I'm glad you've enjoyed it so far! 
Hello there. Very sorry to hear about your bad experience in Morocco. I've been there many times and never gone through what you experienced. But then again my mother's side of the family is Moroccan 
Casablanca is indeed a dirty city, but in comparison to Cairo the place is heaven, LOL.
Yeah. The Ethiopian flight was originally changed from B787 to B763, so as you could imagine I was pretty happy to find out about the upgrade to B77L. As for the SQ flight, apparently they cut all their award inventory to BD that very afternoon, just moments before my friend booked the ticket. Such a shame since I've really wanted to try them out some day.
/J
your critique of cairo rings a bell with me.
It brings back memories of my own lousy trip to morrocco.
Every step of the way I were accosted by someone asking for money, the place was chaotic and dirty and just not a nice place to be in, pity the historical significance of these places. My partner said, we needed another holiday to get over this one. lol
Anyway, the report is looking v good so far.
It brings back memories of my own lousy trip to morrocco.
Every step of the way I were accosted by someone asking for money, the place was chaotic and dirty and just not a nice place to be in, pity the historical significance of these places. My partner said, we needed another holiday to get over this one. lol
Anyway, the report is looking v good so far.
Casablanca is indeed a dirty city, but in comparison to Cairo the place is heaven, LOL.
/J
Feb 13, 2013, 4:28 pm
#18
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2010
Programs: TK Elite Plus, SAS EBG, QR Platinum, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 2,297
Part 3: Dubai – Addis Ababa in Ethiopian Airlines Business Class
After an exhausting evening at the Dubai Mall, I took the last metro to Dubai International Airport at 10pm. With roughly two hours to go before check-in opens, I decided to kill off some time by wandering about Terminal 3 and savouring some terrible indian food at the landside food court.
Terminal 3 exterior.
Eventually as the clock passed midnight, I took the transfer shuttle over to Terminal 1. In order to access the check-in counters at T1 one was forced to pass a security check. The queues were massive, and there was no FastTrack to speak of for premium passengers.
A total of six counters were used for this flight, four for Economy, one for Business and one for Sheba Miles Silver/Gold and Star Alliance Gold. While the lines for Economy were massive, the Business counter was practically deserted. A friendly DNATA agent checked my credentials before providing me with a boarding pass, lounge invite as well as a hotel voucher for my long layover in Addis Ababa. With the check-in formalities done, I quickly cleared passport&security control before heading straight to the Lufthansa Senator Lounge.
Prior to my visit, I held some concerns whether I would be allowed to enter the lounge or not. Luckily by the time I arrived the lounge was practically deserted, and the attendant was more than happy to welcome me inside.
Overview of the main seating area.
Relaxing chairs.
With roughly four hours to go before boarding, I decided to dump my belongings at one of the relaxing chair in order to catch some sleep before the flight. Despite wearing an eyemask and Bose QC15 headphones, I found it quite hard to fall asleep. At the end, I poured myself a large Bailey’s on the rocks which acted as a great nightcap.
The F&B section of the lounge.
The food section. Ironically Emirates are responsible for the catering here.
Some Bailey’s to put me to sleep and some water to hydrate me when waking up.
I ended up getting a good two hours of sleep before the lounge attendant tapped me on the shoulder, asking me if I wanted to have some food from the buffet before closing it down. I declined her offer and went back to sleep. At 4am I left the lounge and wandered over to gate C9 for boarding.
Flight: ET601 DXB–ADD
Departure: 4.30
Arrival: 7.45
Duration: 4h 15m
Seat: 3L
At the gate another safety check was performed on all passengers before boarding was called. Passengers in Business Class were allowed to board the plane first, and once onboard I was welcomed by a friendly Ethiopian stewardess wearing the traditional white robe. Boarding was done through door 2L and with Business Class occupying only the front section of the plane, the whole process was calm and civilised.
Business Class cabin on Ethiopian’s B777-200LR.
The seats.
Seatback and stowage space.
Shortly after settling into my seat, the purser came around to offer pre-departure drinks, magazines, hot towels and amenity kits. I opted for some Champagne of the brand Jacquart Brut Mosaique, and a copy of TIME.
Some welcome Champagne and OJ.
After monitoring the flight on ExpertFlyer a few days before showed that this flight would indeed be very full. Economy was overbooked and only two seats were empty in Business Class. At the end I only spotted a single empty seat in Business Class, and by the looks of it a handful of the passengers were op-ups. It was particularly interesting to watch a sudanese lady enter the cabin, having no idea she had been upgraded to Business.
The cabin gradually filling up.
The plane pushed back roughly fifteen minutes behind schedule and soon we were on our way towards the Ethiopian capital. Many of my fellow passengers went to sleep right away, whereas I opted for the breakfast service along with a movie.
The IFE selections were fairly poor, with only 20 movies. Half of those western.
Roughly 30 minutes of the flight, the friendly stewardess came over to greet me by name before giving me the breakfast options. Choices today were either french toast or salmon and cream cheese bagel. I opted for the former which was served with fresh fruit and warm pastries.
Breakfast on ET601.
For a four hour flight in Business Class this breakfast was far from generous, and while I know the fact that the appetite isn’t at its best around 4am in the morning, I still would’ve appreciated a more substantial breakfast service closer to arrival. Nevertheless all items on the tray tasted good, but nothing out of the ordinary.
Coffee served after breakfast.
After breakfast, I put the seat in bed mode and finished watching the movie. I ended up falling asleep half ways through the movie. As for the seat itself, it’s a 170-degree angled seat. While not as comfy as those found on EgyptAir, they were still decent enough for a good sleep and I wouldn’t mind having them on a longer
flight too.
In bed with Ethiopian Airlines
Soon, arrival preparations were made and we began our descent into Addis Ababa’s Bole International Airport. Upon arrival, Business Class passengers were taken to the terminal in a separate bus. I however decided to stick around until everyone had left the plane in order to ask for a souvenir from the crew.
Seat in bed mode after arrival.
Shortly after entering the terminal, I made my way over to the transfer desk to obtain further information about my layover. The agents were perhaps some of the rudest I’ve ever met. Their mindset was basically set to ”customer is always wrong”, and immediately upon inquiring about my hotel stay, I was asked why I didn’t take an earlier flight from Dubai. I calmly explained that the early flight was chosen for the sole purpose of flying the new Dreamliner. The agent still refused to grant me hotel access, and instead told me to either pay $100 for the dayroom or spend 18 hours in the lounge.
I guess it was my lack of sleep that morning, but from that moment I had pretty much had it. After a good yelling to the agent, pointing out that her way of treating me as well as the other customers was simply unacceptable, she handed me over to the supervisor. The supervisor pointed out to the agent that since my hotel voucher was already signed and stamped by the Dubai station manager, they were obliged to grant me access to the room. The supervisor then apologised for her colleagues bad behaviour, and I was soon given a visa voucher as well as instructions to the hotel.
After an exhausting evening at the Dubai Mall, I took the last metro to Dubai International Airport at 10pm. With roughly two hours to go before check-in opens, I decided to kill off some time by wandering about Terminal 3 and savouring some terrible indian food at the landside food court.
Terminal 3 exterior.
Eventually as the clock passed midnight, I took the transfer shuttle over to Terminal 1. In order to access the check-in counters at T1 one was forced to pass a security check. The queues were massive, and there was no FastTrack to speak of for premium passengers.
A total of six counters were used for this flight, four for Economy, one for Business and one for Sheba Miles Silver/Gold and Star Alliance Gold. While the lines for Economy were massive, the Business counter was practically deserted. A friendly DNATA agent checked my credentials before providing me with a boarding pass, lounge invite as well as a hotel voucher for my long layover in Addis Ababa. With the check-in formalities done, I quickly cleared passport&security control before heading straight to the Lufthansa Senator Lounge.
Prior to my visit, I held some concerns whether I would be allowed to enter the lounge or not. Luckily by the time I arrived the lounge was practically deserted, and the attendant was more than happy to welcome me inside.
Overview of the main seating area.
Relaxing chairs.
With roughly four hours to go before boarding, I decided to dump my belongings at one of the relaxing chair in order to catch some sleep before the flight. Despite wearing an eyemask and Bose QC15 headphones, I found it quite hard to fall asleep. At the end, I poured myself a large Bailey’s on the rocks which acted as a great nightcap.
The F&B section of the lounge.
The food section. Ironically Emirates are responsible for the catering here.
Some Bailey’s to put me to sleep and some water to hydrate me when waking up.
I ended up getting a good two hours of sleep before the lounge attendant tapped me on the shoulder, asking me if I wanted to have some food from the buffet before closing it down. I declined her offer and went back to sleep. At 4am I left the lounge and wandered over to gate C9 for boarding.
Flight: ET601 DXB–ADD
Departure: 4.30
Arrival: 7.45
Duration: 4h 15m
Seat: 3L
At the gate another safety check was performed on all passengers before boarding was called. Passengers in Business Class were allowed to board the plane first, and once onboard I was welcomed by a friendly Ethiopian stewardess wearing the traditional white robe. Boarding was done through door 2L and with Business Class occupying only the front section of the plane, the whole process was calm and civilised.
Business Class cabin on Ethiopian’s B777-200LR.
The seats.
Seatback and stowage space.
Shortly after settling into my seat, the purser came around to offer pre-departure drinks, magazines, hot towels and amenity kits. I opted for some Champagne of the brand Jacquart Brut Mosaique, and a copy of TIME.
Some welcome Champagne and OJ.
After monitoring the flight on ExpertFlyer a few days before showed that this flight would indeed be very full. Economy was overbooked and only two seats were empty in Business Class. At the end I only spotted a single empty seat in Business Class, and by the looks of it a handful of the passengers were op-ups. It was particularly interesting to watch a sudanese lady enter the cabin, having no idea she had been upgraded to Business.
The cabin gradually filling up.
The plane pushed back roughly fifteen minutes behind schedule and soon we were on our way towards the Ethiopian capital. Many of my fellow passengers went to sleep right away, whereas I opted for the breakfast service along with a movie.
The IFE selections were fairly poor, with only 20 movies. Half of those western.
Roughly 30 minutes of the flight, the friendly stewardess came over to greet me by name before giving me the breakfast options. Choices today were either french toast or salmon and cream cheese bagel. I opted for the former which was served with fresh fruit and warm pastries.
Breakfast on ET601.
For a four hour flight in Business Class this breakfast was far from generous, and while I know the fact that the appetite isn’t at its best around 4am in the morning, I still would’ve appreciated a more substantial breakfast service closer to arrival. Nevertheless all items on the tray tasted good, but nothing out of the ordinary.
Coffee served after breakfast.
After breakfast, I put the seat in bed mode and finished watching the movie. I ended up falling asleep half ways through the movie. As for the seat itself, it’s a 170-degree angled seat. While not as comfy as those found on EgyptAir, they were still decent enough for a good sleep and I wouldn’t mind having them on a longer
flight too.
In bed with Ethiopian Airlines
Soon, arrival preparations were made and we began our descent into Addis Ababa’s Bole International Airport. Upon arrival, Business Class passengers were taken to the terminal in a separate bus. I however decided to stick around until everyone had left the plane in order to ask for a souvenir from the crew.
Seat in bed mode after arrival.
Shortly after entering the terminal, I made my way over to the transfer desk to obtain further information about my layover. The agents were perhaps some of the rudest I’ve ever met. Their mindset was basically set to ”customer is always wrong”, and immediately upon inquiring about my hotel stay, I was asked why I didn’t take an earlier flight from Dubai. I calmly explained that the early flight was chosen for the sole purpose of flying the new Dreamliner. The agent still refused to grant me hotel access, and instead told me to either pay $100 for the dayroom or spend 18 hours in the lounge.
I guess it was my lack of sleep that morning, but from that moment I had pretty much had it. After a good yelling to the agent, pointing out that her way of treating me as well as the other customers was simply unacceptable, she handed me over to the supervisor. The supervisor pointed out to the agent that since my hotel voucher was already signed and stamped by the Dubai station manager, they were obliged to grant me access to the room. The supervisor then apologised for her colleagues bad behaviour, and I was soon given a visa voucher as well as instructions to the hotel.
Last edited by LH4116; Jul 25, 2013 at 1:41 pm
Feb 13, 2013, 5:16 pm
#19
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: JFK/LGA
Programs: AA, BA, UA, US; IHG Plat, SPG, HH Gold
Posts: 48
great photos and exactly what I am looking for... Will be on a EgyptAir 777-300ER at exact seat 9A next month, different route, CAI - JFK. How comfortable was the almost lay-flat seating in bed mode?
Thanks for your report, will keep reading.
Thanks for your report, will keep reading.
Feb 15, 2013, 11:48 am
#20
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: YVR - Vancouver, with most winter weekends in Whistler.
Programs: Aeroplan 35K, Alaska MVP, Marriott Titanium / Lifetime Platinum, Hertz President's Circle
Posts: 4,609
It's great to see an African Report, since many miles are not redeemed on the African airlines.
I've been fortunate enough to visit Cairo twice, once in 2006, and once in 2011. Although Cairo has changed, I still find it a fascinating city worth visiting. The desperation of those vendors in the Khan el Khalili market leave something to be desired. Almost no tourists are visiting there now.
It is nice to see that the DXB-ADD flight is being served with the 777-200 equipment. I have seen the 767 and the 787 scheduled onto that route over the past 8 months, and as a result, you don't often know exactly what you are going to get. There does seem to be a large difference between the 777 / 787 product and the old 767 product and with that awful departure time, you'd want a decent bed.
I'm not one to usually suggest improvements to trip reports, but since you asked for comments... if you put the equipment type in the header of the flight that you took, it makes it easier to search the forum to see what kind of seats you can expect with an MS A330 etc... (instead of having to read through the report). Fabulous photos though, the lie flat seats look great.
I've been fortunate enough to visit Cairo twice, once in 2006, and once in 2011. Although Cairo has changed, I still find it a fascinating city worth visiting. The desperation of those vendors in the Khan el Khalili market leave something to be desired. Almost no tourists are visiting there now.
It is nice to see that the DXB-ADD flight is being served with the 777-200 equipment. I have seen the 767 and the 787 scheduled onto that route over the past 8 months, and as a result, you don't often know exactly what you are going to get. There does seem to be a large difference between the 777 / 787 product and the old 767 product and with that awful departure time, you'd want a decent bed.
I'm not one to usually suggest improvements to trip reports, but since you asked for comments... if you put the equipment type in the header of the flight that you took, it makes it easier to search the forum to see what kind of seats you can expect with an MS A330 etc... (instead of having to read through the report). Fabulous photos though, the lie flat seats look great.
Feb 18, 2013, 9:00 am
#21
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2010
Programs: TK Elite Plus, SAS EBG, QR Platinum, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 2,297
In the near-flat mode the seat on the 77W was fairly comfy, although in bed mode you slide down quite easily. I much preferred the seat on the Airbus.It is nice to see that the DXB-ADD flight is being served with the 777-200 equipment. I have seen the 767 and the 787 scheduled onto that route over the past 8 months, and as a result, you don't often know exactly what you are going to get. There does seem to be a large difference between the 777 / 787 product and the old 767 product and with that awful departure time, you'd want a decent bed.
I'm not one to usually suggest improvements to trip reports, but since you asked for comments... if you put the equipment type in the header of the flight that you took, it makes it easier to search the forum to see what kind of seats you can expect with an MS A330 etc... (instead of having to read through the report). Fabulous photos though, the lie flat seats look great.
I'm not one to usually suggest improvements to trip reports, but since you asked for comments... if you put the equipment type in the header of the flight that you took, it makes it easier to search the forum to see what kind of seats you can expect with an MS A330 etc... (instead of having to read through the report). Fabulous photos though, the lie flat seats look great.
Feb 18, 2013, 9:01 am
#22
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2010
Programs: TK Elite Plus, SAS EBG, QR Platinum, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 2,297
Hilton Addis Ababa Hotel
At the arrivals hall I was met up by a friendly hotel representative who escorted me to the van and drove me straight to the hotel. The Hilton was a 20 minute ride from the airport. At check-in, I received meal vouchers as well as an upgrade to the executive floor thanks to my HHonors Gold status.
View of my executive room.
The bathroom.
While it has been pointed out by many that the Addis Ababa property is perhaps the worst in the entire Hilton chain, I still found the hotel to be decent enough. While the furniture were still from the 60s, the room was clean, quiet and comfortable. After grabbing nice and refreshing shower, I then headed downstairs for the lunch buffet before returning to my room for a 6 hour nap.
View from my room.
By the time I woke up it was already becoming dark, so I decided to head over to the executive lounge to spend my remaining two hours there.
The lounge buffet spread.
This was actually my first time using a hotel lounge, and I must say that I was pretty pleased with the concept. I will definitely make sure to book more Hilton stays before my Gold status expires. At 8pm it was time for me to head to the airport.
At the arrivals hall I was met up by a friendly hotel representative who escorted me to the van and drove me straight to the hotel. The Hilton was a 20 minute ride from the airport. At check-in, I received meal vouchers as well as an upgrade to the executive floor thanks to my HHonors Gold status.
View of my executive room.
The bathroom.
While it has been pointed out by many that the Addis Ababa property is perhaps the worst in the entire Hilton chain, I still found the hotel to be decent enough. While the furniture were still from the 60s, the room was clean, quiet and comfortable. After grabbing nice and refreshing shower, I then headed downstairs for the lunch buffet before returning to my room for a 6 hour nap.
View from my room.
By the time I woke up it was already becoming dark, so I decided to head over to the executive lounge to spend my remaining two hours there.
The lounge buffet spread.
This was actually my first time using a hotel lounge, and I must say that I was pretty pleased with the concept. I will definitely make sure to book more Hilton stays before my Gold status expires. At 8pm it was time for me to head to the airport.
Last edited by LH4116; Jul 25, 2013 at 1:43 pm
Mar 24, 2013, 9:35 am
#23
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: TSV, Australia
Posts: 2,401
I guess the destinations were not the point of your trip, but I don't think you did CAI justice.
Maybe save your verdict for when you have longer than 18 hours there.
It really is a fascinating place and the people grow on you
Maybe save your verdict for when you have longer than 18 hours there.
It really is a fascinating place and the people grow on you
Mar 24, 2013, 7:18 pm
#25
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: East Ester, Alaska
Programs: Alaska Million Miler, United Million Miler, Wyndham Rewards Diamond, Choice Hotels Diamond
Posts: 12,148
Somehow I missed this when it first came out. You cabin over shots are very nice - do you have some sort of a wide angle lens? I also liked your Dubai photos. Since I have no more interest in shopping than I do carrot farming, I think I'd be spending most of my time on Dubai's beach or down at the marina. And if I had access to Lufthansa's Senator Lounge, I'd definitely be checking in early. From lighting to seats to food, it looked really nice.
Mar 25, 2013, 8:59 am
#26
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Asia/Europe
Programs: CX, OZ, MU (+AY, DL), Shangri-La, Hilton
Posts: 7,236
Oh, nice report and some comments about the current situation in Cairo not unlike some friends have made. Not to diss the proud Egyptian Nation though, understandable that the recent upheavals have not gone unnoticed.
Really liked the SAS part of the report, actually thinking now of booking a Scandinavian biz class flight somewhere to the Mediterranean coming spring/summer when I have the chance to travel in Europe. The food looks quite classy and at the same time kept simple enough.
Really liked the SAS part of the report, actually thinking now of booking a Scandinavian biz class flight somewhere to the Mediterranean coming spring/summer when I have the chance to travel in Europe. The food looks quite classy and at the same time kept simple enough.
Mar 26, 2013, 4:28 pm
#27
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2010
Programs: TK Elite Plus, SAS EBG, QR Platinum, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 2,297
Somehow I missed this when it first came out. You cabin over shots are very nice - do you have some sort of a wide angle lens? I also liked your Dubai photos. Since I have no more interest in shopping than I do carrot farming, I think I'd be spending most of my time on Dubai's beach or down at the marina. And if I had access to Lufthansa's Senator Lounge, I'd definitely be checking in early. From lighting to seats to food, it looked really nice.
I do indeed use a 10-24mm wide-angle lens. I have a fisheye as well, but I don't use it as much these days when the wide-angle does the job better. The beaches in Dubai looked pristine, and I regret not spending more time there. Little did I know that most beaches there are open to the public. I'm already planning my next trip there, and I'll definitely make sure to pack my swimming shorts.
The Lufthansa Senator Lounge was indeed nice despite its small size, but given the fact that Emirates is the king at Dubai their lounges are far more superior, albeit not as cozy.
Really liked the SAS part of the report, actually thinking now of booking a Scandinavian biz class flight somewhere to the Mediterranean coming spring/summer when I have the chance to travel in Europe. The food looks quite classy and at the same time kept simple enough.
Apr 1, 2013, 9:26 am
#29
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2010
Programs: TK Elite Plus, SAS EBG, QR Platinum, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 2,297
Ethiopian Airlines Business Class Addis Ababa – Stockholm
After spending roughly one hour in the lounge, it was finally time to head for the boarding gate. A special queue was set up for Business Class passengers, and after having my boarding pass inspected I was directed downstairs to a dedicated minivan that would take us to the aircraft. The minivan pulled up at the B737 roughly five minutes before the bus carrying Economy passengers, giving us plenty of time to board at our own
Business Class seats on the B737-800.
Once onboard we were welcomed by the friendly crew who immediately distributed amenity kits, hot towels, newspapers and welcome beverages. I settled for a glass of Champagne which was served with a smile.
Welcome Champagne.
Soon Economy Class boarded the aircraft, and by looks of it most passengers were Swedish holidaymakers returning home from the Seychelles. 5 out of 16 seats in Business Class were taken, leaving me with plenty of space to move around. The doors were soon closed, and we began our taxi towards the runway. The captain came over the PA announcing our flight time to Cairo would be roughly 4 hours, followed by a quick 45 minute pitstop before continuing the journey with a 5 hour flight to Stockholm.
The takeoff was smooth, and shortly after reaching cruising altitude the dinner service began. First up was a round of beverages along with some snacks.
I settled for some more Champagne, a glass of water along with some Ethiopian snacks called ”kolo”.
The Champagne served was Jacquart Brut Mosaique, and while it’s far from the best I still found it to be fairly enjoyable, if not a tad too dry. The crew were friendly throughout the service, addressing me by name, although I wasn’t too happy about them being a bit sparse on the refills. Shortly after finishing my snacks, a table linen was placed on my table followed by a meal tray. Offerings today were beef with potatoes and red wine sauce, or chicken ravioli. Since I had already eaten beef with red wine sauce for lunch, I settled for the ravioli.
Dinner tray, with starter served in a small bowl as opposed to separately.
To go along with the meal I chose red wine. The choices were either a south african red or french. I settled for the french red which turned out to be a 2007 Chateuaneuf Du Pape, very impressing for Business Class I must say. While the wine was enjoyable, I did find it a bit on the sweet side.
As for the chicken ravioli it was a bit of a letdown. The chicken turned out to be from the thigh, rather than the more tender breast fillet. The texture of the meat was chewy and it was lacking in taste. As for the ravioli, I found it to be rather tasteless as well. All in all I had expected a bit more from Ethiopian, considering all the good reviews about their food. The lack of a third option in Business Class was a bit of a letdown as well.
Soon the tray was cleared, and the dessert cart was rolled out. Choices were either strawberry mouse with dark chocolate, fresh strawberries and a cheese plate. I settled for all three, with a glass of port to go along with the cheese.
Cheese and dessert.
While the cheese was at the right temperature, I found the Edamer to be quite boring and tasteless. The brie was fine though. The strawberry mouse however was overly sweet and lacking in texture. Essentially it was just a bowl of whipped cream whit some strawberry sauce on the top.
Coffee and dessert.
After finishing my dessert, I was offered another cup of coffee along with a glass of Baileys. All in all I was slightly disappointed with the food on Ethiopian considering all the good reviews, but I guess the Addis Ababa catering facility is mainly to blame as the food ex-ARN I’ve been told is much better.
With roughly 7 hours remaining, the toughest part of the flight began. For starters the B737-800 is NOT suited for flights longer than 4-5 hours. While the seats may look comfortable they were not, as the recline was very limited and the footrest provided zero support. Finding a comfortable sleeping position was impossible, and at the end ended up stretching out over the adjacent seat.
At 2am local time the aircraft touched down in Cairo, where we parked at a remote stand. Having your already terrible sleep interrupted by a stopover in the middle of the night was by no means fun. On the ground in Cairo catering was loaded onto the plane, and fuel was pumped into the wings. During our time on the ground a woman in the first row of Economy demanded to be upgraded due to foot pain, and incredibly enough the crew complied.
Honestly I wasn’t too happy with the crew’s action. The woman was already seated on a row with extra legroom and an upgrade to Business Class wouldn’t exactly make things better. I’ve endured some horrible leg pains from long haul flights in Coach, but not a single time have I demanded my right for an upgrade. But as the flight was already as terrible as flying Business Class could get, I didn’t care much for the woman and her husband being upgraded.
Shortly after take-off from Cairo, I took out my Bose QC15 headphones from my bag before passing out while sitting upright. I was later woken up by the lights being turned on for the breakfast service. The choices for breakfast consisted either of an omelette with sausage or pancakes. I chose the former which was served with a croissant and some canned fruit.
Breakfast.
Given the fact that the breakfast was catered from Cairo I had very low expectations regarding the taste and quality. The omelette turned out to have strange tainted flavour, which also went for the hash brown. The sausage on the other hand was tasteless, which also applied for the vegetables.
Shortly after the trays had been cleared, we began our descent into Stockholm Arlanda Airport. Our approach offered some nice views of central Stockholm and the Old Town, before touching down on runway 08/26. After docking to the gate, I quickly bid the crew goodbye before clearing passport control. Traveling with only hand luggage I proceeded directly towards the exit before taking the bus home.
Conclusions
While being the longest of the five flights of this trip, this was the flight that I was least looking forward to. The comfort levels on this flight were equivalent of those in Economy, and I would even recall being able to sleep better in Economy due to the proximity of having a wall to lean at. The food was a big letdown as well, but at least the crew were very friendly and attentive. In all fair honesty I found Ethiopian Airlines to be a tad overrated, and I doubt I would ever consider the airline again, at least on the ARN route.
Thanks for reading! Comments are much appreciated.
After spending roughly one hour in the lounge, it was finally time to head for the boarding gate. A special queue was set up for Business Class passengers, and after having my boarding pass inspected I was directed downstairs to a dedicated minivan that would take us to the aircraft. The minivan pulled up at the B737 roughly five minutes before the bus carrying Economy passengers, giving us plenty of time to board at our own
Business Class seats on the B737-800.
Once onboard we were welcomed by the friendly crew who immediately distributed amenity kits, hot towels, newspapers and welcome beverages. I settled for a glass of Champagne which was served with a smile.
Welcome Champagne.
Soon Economy Class boarded the aircraft, and by looks of it most passengers were Swedish holidaymakers returning home from the Seychelles. 5 out of 16 seats in Business Class were taken, leaving me with plenty of space to move around. The doors were soon closed, and we began our taxi towards the runway. The captain came over the PA announcing our flight time to Cairo would be roughly 4 hours, followed by a quick 45 minute pitstop before continuing the journey with a 5 hour flight to Stockholm.
The takeoff was smooth, and shortly after reaching cruising altitude the dinner service began. First up was a round of beverages along with some snacks.
I settled for some more Champagne, a glass of water along with some Ethiopian snacks called ”kolo”.
The Champagne served was Jacquart Brut Mosaique, and while it’s far from the best I still found it to be fairly enjoyable, if not a tad too dry. The crew were friendly throughout the service, addressing me by name, although I wasn’t too happy about them being a bit sparse on the refills. Shortly after finishing my snacks, a table linen was placed on my table followed by a meal tray. Offerings today were beef with potatoes and red wine sauce, or chicken ravioli. Since I had already eaten beef with red wine sauce for lunch, I settled for the ravioli.
Dinner tray, with starter served in a small bowl as opposed to separately.
To go along with the meal I chose red wine. The choices were either a south african red or french. I settled for the french red which turned out to be a 2007 Chateuaneuf Du Pape, very impressing for Business Class I must say. While the wine was enjoyable, I did find it a bit on the sweet side.
As for the chicken ravioli it was a bit of a letdown. The chicken turned out to be from the thigh, rather than the more tender breast fillet. The texture of the meat was chewy and it was lacking in taste. As for the ravioli, I found it to be rather tasteless as well. All in all I had expected a bit more from Ethiopian, considering all the good reviews about their food. The lack of a third option in Business Class was a bit of a letdown as well.
Soon the tray was cleared, and the dessert cart was rolled out. Choices were either strawberry mouse with dark chocolate, fresh strawberries and a cheese plate. I settled for all three, with a glass of port to go along with the cheese.
Cheese and dessert.
While the cheese was at the right temperature, I found the Edamer to be quite boring and tasteless. The brie was fine though. The strawberry mouse however was overly sweet and lacking in texture. Essentially it was just a bowl of whipped cream whit some strawberry sauce on the top.
Coffee and dessert.
After finishing my dessert, I was offered another cup of coffee along with a glass of Baileys. All in all I was slightly disappointed with the food on Ethiopian considering all the good reviews, but I guess the Addis Ababa catering facility is mainly to blame as the food ex-ARN I’ve been told is much better.
With roughly 7 hours remaining, the toughest part of the flight began. For starters the B737-800 is NOT suited for flights longer than 4-5 hours. While the seats may look comfortable they were not, as the recline was very limited and the footrest provided zero support. Finding a comfortable sleeping position was impossible, and at the end ended up stretching out over the adjacent seat.
At 2am local time the aircraft touched down in Cairo, where we parked at a remote stand. Having your already terrible sleep interrupted by a stopover in the middle of the night was by no means fun. On the ground in Cairo catering was loaded onto the plane, and fuel was pumped into the wings. During our time on the ground a woman in the first row of Economy demanded to be upgraded due to foot pain, and incredibly enough the crew complied.
Honestly I wasn’t too happy with the crew’s action. The woman was already seated on a row with extra legroom and an upgrade to Business Class wouldn’t exactly make things better. I’ve endured some horrible leg pains from long haul flights in Coach, but not a single time have I demanded my right for an upgrade. But as the flight was already as terrible as flying Business Class could get, I didn’t care much for the woman and her husband being upgraded.
Shortly after take-off from Cairo, I took out my Bose QC15 headphones from my bag before passing out while sitting upright. I was later woken up by the lights being turned on for the breakfast service. The choices for breakfast consisted either of an omelette with sausage or pancakes. I chose the former which was served with a croissant and some canned fruit.
Breakfast.
Given the fact that the breakfast was catered from Cairo I had very low expectations regarding the taste and quality. The omelette turned out to have strange tainted flavour, which also went for the hash brown. The sausage on the other hand was tasteless, which also applied for the vegetables.
Shortly after the trays had been cleared, we began our descent into Stockholm Arlanda Airport. Our approach offered some nice views of central Stockholm and the Old Town, before touching down on runway 08/26. After docking to the gate, I quickly bid the crew goodbye before clearing passport control. Traveling with only hand luggage I proceeded directly towards the exit before taking the bus home.
Conclusions
While being the longest of the five flights of this trip, this was the flight that I was least looking forward to. The comfort levels on this flight were equivalent of those in Economy, and I would even recall being able to sleep better in Economy due to the proximity of having a wall to lean at. The food was a big letdown as well, but at least the crew were very friendly and attentive. In all fair honesty I found Ethiopian Airlines to be a tad overrated, and I doubt I would ever consider the airline again, at least on the ARN route.
Thanks for reading! Comments are much appreciated.
Last edited by LH4116; Jul 25, 2013 at 1:44 pm
Apr 1, 2013, 10:50 am
#30
Join Date: Oct 1999
Location: New York
Posts: 7,347
Wow this is a fascinating trip report!
It seems that both Star Alliance carriers need some work on improving customer service. I agree that 737 is not really designed for any flight above five hours.
Honestly after reading your report, I am not sure if I am ready to fly ET yet. However the cabin interior looks pretty nice and the new business class seats are seemingly in good shape. At least the F/As are friendlier than Egyptair.
Thanks,
Carfield
It seems that both Star Alliance carriers need some work on improving customer service. I agree that 737 is not really designed for any flight above five hours.
Honestly after reading your report, I am not sure if I am ready to fly ET yet. However the cabin interior looks pretty nice and the new business class seats are seemingly in good shape. At least the F/As are friendlier than Egyptair.
Thanks,
Carfield