RTW to Cairo and Petra (DL J, NH F, QR J, EK F, CM J, James Chicago, Conrad Cairo)
May 11, 2015, 6:40 pm
#16
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: BSB
Posts: 260
When I booked my CAI-AMM flight using BA Avios, it was schedule to leave Cairo at 06:45 and arrive in Amman at 09:00. A month before the flight I got a message from BA stating that there was a change on the flight and it would leave at 07:45. Before my trip, I printed all my tickets. BA was showing 06:45 and on Royal Air Jordanian site, 07:45.
The day before the flight, I checked it again and on RJ it was 07:45. This should have been enough, as it doesnīt make sense not to trust the information on the carrier official site. But I donīt know why, I checked on other sites. On BA, 06:45; on Google Flights, 07:45; on Matrix, 06:45. Finally, I went to Cairo Airport site and checked when this flight took off on that day (the previous day). It was around 07:00.
So, I woke earlier to arrive at the airport for a 06:45 flight, expecting to waste an hour of sleep by being overzealous, as it shouldnīt be possible that the airline site would display a wrong departure time. But it as was! Unbelievable! If I trusted it, I could have missed my flight. Royal Air Jordanian just got on my blacklist.
Anyway, from what I read, I was expecting Cairo Airport to be a total mess. May be it was the early time, but it wasnīt too bad. Itīs funny that I and my luggage had to go through metal detector/x-ray before entering the airport, then again before check-in and again before entering the boarding room. What the "fork"?!?
Food on the lounge was bad, just three options of pastries, none appetizing. I didnīt have breakfast at the hotel as I got up at 03:30, so I ate a dry croissant, anyway. Seating options were decent.
An hour before the flight, boarding was announced on the screens, so I left and went downstairs. When I arrived at the gate, it was closed. A few minutes later the boarding call disappeared from the screens.
I used a voucher to enter the lounge, thus I wasnīt sure if I would have to argue to enter again, so I just roamed around. As there are few seats near the gates, I waited for 30 minutes on restaurants level.
The flight was on an Embraer, with 1-2 rows on business class. Storage space was sparse as most of the overhead bins were designated to crew equipments. The seat was comfortable, as was the breakfast served. Upon deplaning, there was a separate shuttle for business class.
On immigration, visa on arrival can only be paid on Jordanian Dinars. I went to change some money, they didnīt have the exact change, so I exchanged a bit more, only to find out that I could have paid with a credit card.
Luggage took a while to arrive and when I arrived landside there was a representative from Petra Night Tours with a sign with my name on it. I booked a tour including guide and transfer from Amman for U$ 310.
The car was brand new and even featured internet (tethering from the cell phone), although it stopped working after a few minutes. After 30 minutes the driver stopped at a shop. I had to wait 20 minutes until he finished eating, smoking and chatting with friends. Amman to Petra is about 2,5 hours, so I wouldnīt have minded if he did this later on, but 30 minutes into the road?
Anyway, I slept the rest of the journey and when we arrived in Petra the driver stopped at a local restaurant so I could have lunch. Food was decent, but nothing special.
After that, he dropped me at Petras entrance, where the guide was waiting for me. He also gave me a cell phone to call him when I was finished.
Visit began with a walk through a narrow gorge, which is paved. By the end on the gorge there was the stunning Treasury. After tons of pictures, we continued down a path that led to several tombs/caves, the amphitheater, the Royal Tombs and Colonnade street.
From here the guided tour was over and, as I still had some time left before sunset, he suggested me to go to the Monastery. It was a good suggestion, indeed, but after walking for the last 2 hours, it was close to one hour going uphill. I was completely exhausted when I arrived.
After some rest and more pictures, I went back on my way to the exit/entrance. I grabbed a bite at the visitor center before calling the driver to pick me up.
I really enjoyed my time there, as there are great places to go and you can set your pace. The visiting structure is good and my only complaint is that lots of people selling knick-knackery and souvenirs there and they are constantly calling you to check their goods.
I slept most of the journey back and Iīm glad I did, because the few times I opened my eyes the driver was driving fast and sometimes overtaking on curves. I liked the services of Petra Night Tours, but the driving part could be better.
I arrived at AMM around 21:00 to wait for my flight at 03:55. If Emirates counter was opened, I could have checked my bag and head to the lounge, but this only happened at 01:00. I was tired and dirty, but glad that I went to Petra.
The day before the flight, I checked it again and on RJ it was 07:45. This should have been enough, as it doesnīt make sense not to trust the information on the carrier official site. But I donīt know why, I checked on other sites. On BA, 06:45; on Google Flights, 07:45; on Matrix, 06:45. Finally, I went to Cairo Airport site and checked when this flight took off on that day (the previous day). It was around 07:00.
So, I woke earlier to arrive at the airport for a 06:45 flight, expecting to waste an hour of sleep by being overzealous, as it shouldnīt be possible that the airline site would display a wrong departure time. But it as was! Unbelievable! If I trusted it, I could have missed my flight. Royal Air Jordanian just got on my blacklist.
Anyway, from what I read, I was expecting Cairo Airport to be a total mess. May be it was the early time, but it wasnīt too bad. Itīs funny that I and my luggage had to go through metal detector/x-ray before entering the airport, then again before check-in and again before entering the boarding room. What the "fork"?!?
Food on the lounge was bad, just three options of pastries, none appetizing. I didnīt have breakfast at the hotel as I got up at 03:30, so I ate a dry croissant, anyway. Seating options were decent.
An hour before the flight, boarding was announced on the screens, so I left and went downstairs. When I arrived at the gate, it was closed. A few minutes later the boarding call disappeared from the screens.
I used a voucher to enter the lounge, thus I wasnīt sure if I would have to argue to enter again, so I just roamed around. As there are few seats near the gates, I waited for 30 minutes on restaurants level.
The flight was on an Embraer, with 1-2 rows on business class. Storage space was sparse as most of the overhead bins were designated to crew equipments. The seat was comfortable, as was the breakfast served. Upon deplaning, there was a separate shuttle for business class.
On immigration, visa on arrival can only be paid on Jordanian Dinars. I went to change some money, they didnīt have the exact change, so I exchanged a bit more, only to find out that I could have paid with a credit card.
Luggage took a while to arrive and when I arrived landside there was a representative from Petra Night Tours with a sign with my name on it. I booked a tour including guide and transfer from Amman for U$ 310.
The car was brand new and even featured internet (tethering from the cell phone), although it stopped working after a few minutes. After 30 minutes the driver stopped at a shop. I had to wait 20 minutes until he finished eating, smoking and chatting with friends. Amman to Petra is about 2,5 hours, so I wouldnīt have minded if he did this later on, but 30 minutes into the road?
Anyway, I slept the rest of the journey and when we arrived in Petra the driver stopped at a local restaurant so I could have lunch. Food was decent, but nothing special.
After that, he dropped me at Petras entrance, where the guide was waiting for me. He also gave me a cell phone to call him when I was finished.
Visit began with a walk through a narrow gorge, which is paved. By the end on the gorge there was the stunning Treasury. After tons of pictures, we continued down a path that led to several tombs/caves, the amphitheater, the Royal Tombs and Colonnade street.
From here the guided tour was over and, as I still had some time left before sunset, he suggested me to go to the Monastery. It was a good suggestion, indeed, but after walking for the last 2 hours, it was close to one hour going uphill. I was completely exhausted when I arrived.
After some rest and more pictures, I went back on my way to the exit/entrance. I grabbed a bite at the visitor center before calling the driver to pick me up.
I really enjoyed my time there, as there are great places to go and you can set your pace. The visiting structure is good and my only complaint is that lots of people selling knick-knackery and souvenirs there and they are constantly calling you to check their goods.
I slept most of the journey back and Iīm glad I did, because the few times I opened my eyes the driver was driving fast and sometimes overtaking on curves. I liked the services of Petra Night Tours, but the driving part could be better.
I arrived at AMM around 21:00 to wait for my flight at 03:55. If Emirates counter was opened, I could have checked my bag and head to the lounge, but this only happened at 01:00. I was tired and dirty, but glad that I went to Petra.
May 13, 2015, 5:50 pm
#18
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: BSB
Posts: 260
As I arrived at the airport 7 hours before departure, I almost finished reading an entire book to pass the time. There isnīt much to do or see on the airport landside. Check-in opened a bit less than 3 hours before departure. I waited in the first class line and was ignored by the attendants working on business class, who kept calling the customers from the business line.
When the Station Manager saw that, he immediately called me and started to process my check-in himself and called out the attendants for that. I was wearing shorts, an Australia jersey and my snickers were dirty from dust, so maybe they thought I wasnīt first class material.
After handling me my boarding passes, I asked the Station Manager about lounge access and he said it was printed on the boarding pass and checked it. It wasnīt, so he checked my reservation and said it was coded as staff travel (as all tickets through Alaska Airlines). I explained that to him and he didnīt get (an Emirates ticket booked with Alaska Airlines miles coded as staff travel?), but he still went to his office and stamped the pass for lounge access.
I went to Royal Jordanian Crown Lounge eager for a shower. I asked the receptionist about it and he said they charge U$15 per use. I found it an absurd to charge the shower on a business class lounge, so just for the principle I decided to wait for the Emirates first class lounge.
The Crown Lounge is spacious and spread across two wings. Seating options are good. I was a bit hungry but food options were unmemorable. At least they had some fresh juice.
By the time boarding started, I was really needing some sleep. I was the only passenger on first class (an A330) and asked the flight attendant if they could serve the poached eggs right after the belt signs were off, so I could rest a bit. The eggs were good and I was so tired that I slept for two hours with the seat slighted reclined. I woke up with landing announcements, put my seat on upright position and dozed a bit more.
We parked on Concourse B and my flight to JFK would also leave from B, so even though first class lounge on Concourse A is new and better, I stayed on B. First thing to do was to take a shower, but that was a big disappointment. The shower cabins are small, with just a bench and two hangers. No toilets, no sinks, no mirrors for shaving. Water pressure and temperature kept varying during the shower and the towel seemed to be from a Motel6.
Despite that, I was feeling refreshed and went for breakfast. I had both great cheese and mushroom omelet with a fresh watermelon juice. I wandered around to check the rest of the lounge. Concerning space and furniture, I didnīt find it that much different from the business lounge downstairs, but of course service options were better and there were less people inside. Food and seating options were great and I enjoyed it overall, even though the other one on A seems to be much better (and the showers are immensely improved).
I went to the quiet room and liked it better than the one in Concourse A, as there are curtains separating the couches, so you have better privacy. I slept for 2 hours then went to the spa and had a 15 minutes head massage, which was good but I felt sometimes like my hair was being pulled.
I finished reading my book and it was lunch time. I ordered a warm langoustine tail as appetizer, a dover sole fillet as main and a moelleux au chocolat as dessert. I also asked for a pineapple juice with mint which the server double checked with me, as apparently nobody had asked for this before. Maybe this is only typical in Brazil.
The langoustine was great, with a delicious taste and a great texture mix of the langoustine with the nut foam. The fish was ok, the gnocchi was good but there wasnīt much flavor in the fish. Dessert was fantastic, it canīt be better than a warm chocolate cake that melts from inside with a vanilla ice cream.
By the time lunch was finished, it was time to board. Even though this wasnīt Concourse A, I think Emirates first class lounges are the better ones all around when connecting from a flight. It doesnīt have rubber ducks from the FCT or hour long massages as Thai first class lounge & spa, but they are close to the gates, have great food and seating/resting options, some spa offerings and good views from the tarmac. The FCT may be better if you are checking in the airport, but you would have to clear immigration even if you are just connecting in Frankfurt.
I was really anticipating this flight as Emirates suites with a shower were going to be the highlight of this trip.
When the Station Manager saw that, he immediately called me and started to process my check-in himself and called out the attendants for that. I was wearing shorts, an Australia jersey and my snickers were dirty from dust, so maybe they thought I wasnīt first class material.
After handling me my boarding passes, I asked the Station Manager about lounge access and he said it was printed on the boarding pass and checked it. It wasnīt, so he checked my reservation and said it was coded as staff travel (as all tickets through Alaska Airlines). I explained that to him and he didnīt get (an Emirates ticket booked with Alaska Airlines miles coded as staff travel?), but he still went to his office and stamped the pass for lounge access.
I went to Royal Jordanian Crown Lounge eager for a shower. I asked the receptionist about it and he said they charge U$15 per use. I found it an absurd to charge the shower on a business class lounge, so just for the principle I decided to wait for the Emirates first class lounge.
The Crown Lounge is spacious and spread across two wings. Seating options are good. I was a bit hungry but food options were unmemorable. At least they had some fresh juice.
By the time boarding started, I was really needing some sleep. I was the only passenger on first class (an A330) and asked the flight attendant if they could serve the poached eggs right after the belt signs were off, so I could rest a bit. The eggs were good and I was so tired that I slept for two hours with the seat slighted reclined. I woke up with landing announcements, put my seat on upright position and dozed a bit more.
We parked on Concourse B and my flight to JFK would also leave from B, so even though first class lounge on Concourse A is new and better, I stayed on B. First thing to do was to take a shower, but that was a big disappointment. The shower cabins are small, with just a bench and two hangers. No toilets, no sinks, no mirrors for shaving. Water pressure and temperature kept varying during the shower and the towel seemed to be from a Motel6.
Despite that, I was feeling refreshed and went for breakfast. I had both great cheese and mushroom omelet with a fresh watermelon juice. I wandered around to check the rest of the lounge. Concerning space and furniture, I didnīt find it that much different from the business lounge downstairs, but of course service options were better and there were less people inside. Food and seating options were great and I enjoyed it overall, even though the other one on A seems to be much better (and the showers are immensely improved).
I went to the quiet room and liked it better than the one in Concourse A, as there are curtains separating the couches, so you have better privacy. I slept for 2 hours then went to the spa and had a 15 minutes head massage, which was good but I felt sometimes like my hair was being pulled.
I finished reading my book and it was lunch time. I ordered a warm langoustine tail as appetizer, a dover sole fillet as main and a moelleux au chocolat as dessert. I also asked for a pineapple juice with mint which the server double checked with me, as apparently nobody had asked for this before. Maybe this is only typical in Brazil.
The langoustine was great, with a delicious taste and a great texture mix of the langoustine with the nut foam. The fish was ok, the gnocchi was good but there wasnīt much flavor in the fish. Dessert was fantastic, it canīt be better than a warm chocolate cake that melts from inside with a vanilla ice cream.
By the time lunch was finished, it was time to board. Even though this wasnīt Concourse A, I think Emirates first class lounges are the better ones all around when connecting from a flight. It doesnīt have rubber ducks from the FCT or hour long massages as Thai first class lounge & spa, but they are close to the gates, have great food and seating/resting options, some spa offerings and good views from the tarmac. The FCT may be better if you are checking in the airport, but you would have to clear immigration even if you are just connecting in Frankfurt.
I was really anticipating this flight as Emirates suites with a shower were going to be the highlight of this trip.
May 15, 2015, 6:14 pm
#20
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: BSB
Posts: 260
From the first class lounge, through the finger until reaching my seat, I was smiling the whole time. Can any aircraft get more fun than this? Press a button to close the doors, so I can put the pajamas bottoms without needing to head to the lavatories. Press the button again to open the doors. Press another one to raise the minibar then another to close the windows shades. You can choose to operate the three of them together or individually and if you are going to use the semi-transparent one or the blackout.
Now, check yourself on the vanity mirror, than see whatīs inside the food basket. What else is inside this bag on the floor with the PJs? Sleepers and a massive amenity kit. Goodbye to my great old one from business class?
Oh, there is a kind of drawer with a writing kit. Is this any useful? Letīs check the IFE system. How do I do it? Hum, is this tablet just to control the seats? No, everything inside my suite!
I declined the pre-departure beverage and spent the first half hour of the flight just browsing the movies selection. The screen is great, both in size and brightness, but the selection is amazing and on several movies you can choose the languages and subtitles. This shouldnīt be a big deal, but EKīs language options are by far more extensive than from other companies.
I started watching Project Almanac, which was entertaining enough. I wasnīt hungry after my lunch at the lounge, so I ordered a cappuccino with fresh fruit, which were very good.
After that I watched Kill the Messenger, a good movie based on a true history and asked for a salmon on a bagel, a cheese board and orange juice. The cheese were good and the bagel great.
I then watched Side Effects, another good movie. Usually, I find it hard to find an interesting American movie (one that is original and I donīt know how it will play and end within the first five minutes) but the library collection is so extensive that it wasnīt hard to find some options. Later I went to the bar to try the expensive Hennessy Paradis, but there wasnīt any bottle available, so they gave me a glass of the Hennessy Prive. I certainly noticed the difference between a U$ 700 cognac and a simpler U$ 350 one.
I was needing some sleep, so there is nothing better to improve your dreams than taking a shower at 40000 feet. I read extensively about it, so I knew how it would work. Everybody said that 5 minutes of water are good enough, but when you stop the water flow, it gets a bit cold inside the shower as there is an exhauster on the ceiling. I was also a bit tense that water would finish with still some soap on me, so a few more minutes of water would be more relaxing.
Also, there is one thing missing in the showers: a window! Itīs already fantastic to be taking a shower a 40000 feet high, but it would be over the top to be bathing seeing the clouds from above or the stars. I donīt think privacy would be any issue.
I also took advantage to shave. Can it get any more fun in a plane, to be wrapped in a towel after a shower shaving yourself? This just adds insult to the crap showers on the first class lounge on concourse B.
I asked for turndown service and slept for a few hours. When I woke, I pressed the call button to order dinner. As I watched Trash, a good Brazilian movie I hadnīt seen, I had caviar, lobster and prawn, smoked salmon, kingfish and pudding. Everything was very good, the pudding a notch above and the kingfish a bit bellow.
Although this was a 14 hours flight, time passed like a breeze. This was my best flight so far and Iīm kind of skeptical to read that Cathay and Singapore have a better first class. Can it get better? Fortunately I have flights schedule on Cathay next month and on Singapore suites and Etihad apartments in October to find out.
I asked the flight attendant if by chance she had an extra amenity kit so I could give to my wife and she said sure, do you want a male or female kit? Iīm glad Emirates gives the tote bag.
Unfortunately there wasnīt any delays in JFK, so we landed on time. Immigration was strange, there was no one in line and the officer didnīt ask a single question to me, so everything took about two minutes. I thought that returning to US after being in the Middle East would raise more questions than coming from Brazil (I get at least a business or pleasure question).
After picking my luggage, I took the Airtrain to Federal Circle and waited for my shuttle to Hilton Garden Inn JFK. It took a while, so I called and they said it was leaving again. I waited for about 20 minutes only to discover that you can also take the shuttle to the Sheraton (they are next to each other), even though there is nothing on them telling that.
Now, check yourself on the vanity mirror, than see whatīs inside the food basket. What else is inside this bag on the floor with the PJs? Sleepers and a massive amenity kit. Goodbye to my great old one from business class?
Oh, there is a kind of drawer with a writing kit. Is this any useful? Letīs check the IFE system. How do I do it? Hum, is this tablet just to control the seats? No, everything inside my suite!
I declined the pre-departure beverage and spent the first half hour of the flight just browsing the movies selection. The screen is great, both in size and brightness, but the selection is amazing and on several movies you can choose the languages and subtitles. This shouldnīt be a big deal, but EKīs language options are by far more extensive than from other companies.
I started watching Project Almanac, which was entertaining enough. I wasnīt hungry after my lunch at the lounge, so I ordered a cappuccino with fresh fruit, which were very good.
After that I watched Kill the Messenger, a good movie based on a true history and asked for a salmon on a bagel, a cheese board and orange juice. The cheese were good and the bagel great.
I then watched Side Effects, another good movie. Usually, I find it hard to find an interesting American movie (one that is original and I donīt know how it will play and end within the first five minutes) but the library collection is so extensive that it wasnīt hard to find some options. Later I went to the bar to try the expensive Hennessy Paradis, but there wasnīt any bottle available, so they gave me a glass of the Hennessy Prive. I certainly noticed the difference between a U$ 700 cognac and a simpler U$ 350 one.
I was needing some sleep, so there is nothing better to improve your dreams than taking a shower at 40000 feet. I read extensively about it, so I knew how it would work. Everybody said that 5 minutes of water are good enough, but when you stop the water flow, it gets a bit cold inside the shower as there is an exhauster on the ceiling. I was also a bit tense that water would finish with still some soap on me, so a few more minutes of water would be more relaxing.
Also, there is one thing missing in the showers: a window! Itīs already fantastic to be taking a shower a 40000 feet high, but it would be over the top to be bathing seeing the clouds from above or the stars. I donīt think privacy would be any issue.
I also took advantage to shave. Can it get any more fun in a plane, to be wrapped in a towel after a shower shaving yourself? This just adds insult to the crap showers on the first class lounge on concourse B.
I asked for turndown service and slept for a few hours. When I woke, I pressed the call button to order dinner. As I watched Trash, a good Brazilian movie I hadnīt seen, I had caviar, lobster and prawn, smoked salmon, kingfish and pudding. Everything was very good, the pudding a notch above and the kingfish a bit bellow.
Although this was a 14 hours flight, time passed like a breeze. This was my best flight so far and Iīm kind of skeptical to read that Cathay and Singapore have a better first class. Can it get better? Fortunately I have flights schedule on Cathay next month and on Singapore suites and Etihad apartments in October to find out.
I asked the flight attendant if by chance she had an extra amenity kit so I could give to my wife and she said sure, do you want a male or female kit? Iīm glad Emirates gives the tote bag.
Unfortunately there wasnīt any delays in JFK, so we landed on time. Immigration was strange, there was no one in line and the officer didnīt ask a single question to me, so everything took about two minutes. I thought that returning to US after being in the Middle East would raise more questions than coming from Brazil (I get at least a business or pleasure question).
After picking my luggage, I took the Airtrain to Federal Circle and waited for my shuttle to Hilton Garden Inn JFK. It took a while, so I called and they said it was leaving again. I waited for about 20 minutes only to discover that you can also take the shuttle to the Sheraton (they are next to each other), even though there is nothing on them telling that.
May 15, 2015, 11:08 pm
#21
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: IAH
Programs: DL DM, Hyatt Ist-iest, Stariott Platinum, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 12,789
Man I recall that lounge at CAI. Very underwhelming. I also didn't understand the triple x-ray.... I'm happy they never scanned my Priority Pass card because I'd be disappointing if they got any revenue for it. Yeah-carb central (though that was Egypt in general, from my view). Also no booze, though that wasn't surprising.
May 19, 2015, 6:10 pm
#22
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: BSB
Posts: 260
Man I recall that lounge at CAI. Very underwhelming. I also didn't understand the triple x-ray.... I'm happy they never scanned my Priority Pass card because I'd be disappointing if they got any revenue for it. Yeah-carb central (though that was Egypt in general, from my view). Also no booze, though that wasn't surprising.
May 19, 2015, 6:26 pm
#23
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: BSB
Posts: 260
I spent the night at Hilton Garden Inn JFK. There is nothing special about the room, but there were 3 bottles of water and some cookies in it. I didnīt have breakfast, but the options were good. Even if there were just yogurts it would be enough for me.
Check-in on Copa was smooth and I waited at Swiss lounge, which isnīt big and the food spread is bad. It has nice tarmac views, though, and if not crowded seating options are good.
My first leg was on an old business class with no individual entertainment, just a tiny screen on a wall on the first row. It was fully loaded. There were no menus distributed, you could just choose between pasta and fish. Food was edible but not good but dessert was worthy (which was a given on all my flights; my sweet tooth certainly helped). It was funny that when my tray with lunch was collected, the flight attendant gave my spoon back and told me to hold it for dessert, which was served 5 minutes later. I kept holding it, indeed, as I didnīt get even a knapping to put it on my tray table. The seat isnīt very comfortable and you just get a small crappy pillow and blanket, the kind ones you get on economy class. I was reading a book, so the 5 hour flight wasnīt bad, but Copa business class is closer to being a premium economy than to a real business class.
We landed in Panama City on time and I had a 90 minutes layover. I went to Copa business lounge but itīs really bad, it was crowded, with a few empty seats when I got there and for food there were just some bags of chips and cookies. I couldnīt even find where I could get a soda.
My PTY-BSB flight was on a newer aircraft with better service. The seat was a bit more comfortable and there was a small individual screen to watch the entertainment system. Program options were limited.
Menus were distributed but food was bad. The ice cream with caramel sauce was good, again. I reclined the seat and slept the rest of the flight. We landed in Brasilia on time and immigration was a breeze. I took a taxi home.
Considering all, this was a great trip. Delta and Qatar business class were solid, I was slighted disappointed with ANA (due to high expectations) and amazed with Emirates. The advantage of Copa is its award space availability, but if there are other options they would probably be better. I would happily expend some more hours on Emirates First Class Lounge (specially in Concourse A) and wouldnīt mind doing that on Al Mourjan Lounge.
The hotels were good but none were special in any particular aspect. Cairo and Petra were worth the visit, the later better than the former. Narita is a nice place to go on a not very long layover.
Thanks for reading. Writing this TR was a good exercise and taking notes of the trip was a great way to remember some details that I probably would already forget.
Check-in on Copa was smooth and I waited at Swiss lounge, which isnīt big and the food spread is bad. It has nice tarmac views, though, and if not crowded seating options are good.
My first leg was on an old business class with no individual entertainment, just a tiny screen on a wall on the first row. It was fully loaded. There were no menus distributed, you could just choose between pasta and fish. Food was edible but not good but dessert was worthy (which was a given on all my flights; my sweet tooth certainly helped). It was funny that when my tray with lunch was collected, the flight attendant gave my spoon back and told me to hold it for dessert, which was served 5 minutes later. I kept holding it, indeed, as I didnīt get even a knapping to put it on my tray table. The seat isnīt very comfortable and you just get a small crappy pillow and blanket, the kind ones you get on economy class. I was reading a book, so the 5 hour flight wasnīt bad, but Copa business class is closer to being a premium economy than to a real business class.
We landed in Panama City on time and I had a 90 minutes layover. I went to Copa business lounge but itīs really bad, it was crowded, with a few empty seats when I got there and for food there were just some bags of chips and cookies. I couldnīt even find where I could get a soda.
My PTY-BSB flight was on a newer aircraft with better service. The seat was a bit more comfortable and there was a small individual screen to watch the entertainment system. Program options were limited.
Menus were distributed but food was bad. The ice cream with caramel sauce was good, again. I reclined the seat and slept the rest of the flight. We landed in Brasilia on time and immigration was a breeze. I took a taxi home.
Considering all, this was a great trip. Delta and Qatar business class were solid, I was slighted disappointed with ANA (due to high expectations) and amazed with Emirates. The advantage of Copa is its award space availability, but if there are other options they would probably be better. I would happily expend some more hours on Emirates First Class Lounge (specially in Concourse A) and wouldnīt mind doing that on Al Mourjan Lounge.
The hotels were good but none were special in any particular aspect. Cairo and Petra were worth the visit, the later better than the former. Narita is a nice place to go on a not very long layover.
Thanks for reading. Writing this TR was a good exercise and taking notes of the trip was a great way to remember some details that I probably would already forget.
May 22, 2015, 5:31 am
#25
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: BSB
Posts: 260
I never have problems with jetlag and, as long as I get some sleep, Iīm fine. I also get used to a new time zone in 2 or 3 days, but in this case I didnīt stay long enough for that, so when I got home it was like I never left.
This RTW was from east to west and I donīt know if this helped. Iīll do a RTW west to east in two weeks and see how it plays out.
May 23, 2015, 7:24 am
#27
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: BSB
Posts: 260
Just kidding, she is great.After my flight with EK, Iīm also looking for that. Based on this ranking (with 3 different opinions), CX and SQ are superior to EK, so they must be a blast.
May 23, 2015, 8:04 am
#28
Join Date: May 2015
Location: Maastricht, unless I'm out.
Programs: BAEC, Flying Blue, Eurostar, Miles&Smiles
Posts: 321
I can relate to very few of the trip reports on here: my travel is usually done on a budget and I think I had one business class flight to Amsterdam and that's about it.
But, looking at those pictures of Petra took me right back home to when I lived in Jordan!! So, so beautiful and mystic. I know the knik knak sellers can be a little irritating I think well they are making a living and to me it brings the place alive. I think what it would have been like all those thousands of years ago and I think the noise would have been shouting against the silence of the desert of these people with a better understanding of architecture that I can ever dream of. So I find the noise and the animals are bringing the place back in time. And of course speaking a little Arabic helps to send them on their way - to say we are not tourists. My friend would always say 'we are not tourists, we are travelling scholars'. If you had had more time visiting nearby Wadi Rum is worth it!
Impressed the driver made the journey in 2.5 hours!! My slightly decrepit Peugeot managed it in about 4 with only two minor breakdowns (for this car that's impressive).
But, looking at those pictures of Petra took me right back home to when I lived in Jordan!! So, so beautiful and mystic. I know the knik knak sellers can be a little irritating I think well they are making a living and to me it brings the place alive. I think what it would have been like all those thousands of years ago and I think the noise would have been shouting against the silence of the desert of these people with a better understanding of architecture that I can ever dream of. So I find the noise and the animals are bringing the place back in time. And of course speaking a little Arabic helps to send them on their way - to say we are not tourists. My friend would always say 'we are not tourists, we are travelling scholars'. If you had had more time visiting nearby Wadi Rum is worth it!
Impressed the driver made the journey in 2.5 hours!! My slightly decrepit Peugeot managed it in about 4 with only two minor breakdowns (for this car that's impressive).
May 23, 2015, 1:55 pm
#29
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: BSB
Posts: 260
I know the knik knak sellers can be a little irritating I think well they are making a living and to me it brings the place alive. I think what it would have been like all those thousands of years ago and I think the noise would have been shouting against the silence of the desert of these people with a better understanding of architecture that I can ever dream of. So I find the noise and the animals are bringing the place back in time.