As requested here is the trip report.
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/Forum81/HTML/003530.html
Kuwait Airways 302
Bombay - Kuwait
Airbus A300-605R (9K-AMA)
Business Class: 2K (First Class Seat)
Scheduled Departure Time: 6:10
Scheduled Arrival Time:7:55
Actual Departure Time: 6:30
Actual Arrival Time: 7:55
Check In: We arrived at the airport around 3:45am for the 6:10 flight. The line for the x-ray machine was not long but took awhile. Once we were done with that
we got to the check in counter which had a huge line for the two that were open. My dad went up and asked if there was a separate line for business class
passengers and the guy said he would check us in. He stopped what he was doing with the lady in front of him and started checking us in. I was happy but I am sure the lady and the people in line behind her were far from it, as I would be if I were in her position. Our boarding passes were handed to us, as was the lounge invitation. Immigration was ok, done in 15 minutes, which was not bad at all for Bombay. As I sat down in the lounge, “CNN Breaking News” Was blaring on the TV. Apparently some guy had tried to set his shoes on fire on an American Airlines flight from CDG - MIA. I’m not entirely sure this is what people want to see at an airport before they fly. It is no surprise though; the way AA treated me on the two flights earlier this week. Anyway this was the Sheraton lounge that most airlines share and it was alright, the usual drinks and so forth were available and the seating was comfortable but not as spacious as the TAJ lounge next door.
Boarding: We were told in the lounge at 5:30 that the flight was ready for boarding and we proceeded to gate 4. At the gate we were first frisked by Indian
security, then our bags were hand searched by Kuwaiti security personnel on the jetway while another one asked us questions about why were flying Kuwait
Airways and where we were going and why?. I had a feeling these guys were sky marshals. Once onboard we were greeted by a friendly steward who smiled and
showed us to our seats. Kuwait Airways does not use First Class on this route and so Business Class passengers are seated in the First Class seats. The seats were comfortable, with plenty of legroom and recline, there were PTV’s in each seat with 12 working channels. Juice was offered as the welcome drink and
blankets were handed to those who requested one. 6:10 rolled by and nothing happened, 6:20 the same, then at 6:30 we began our pushback. No word on why we were delayed. Cabin crew were all seated in their seats by 6:10 and service was non existent till the seatbelt sign went off.
This is a quick link to show you what the seats are like.
http://www.kuwait-airways.com/Images.../firstpix4.jpg
Flight: We took off at 6:40am following an IC 320 and AI 310. First time I have been in a queue for take off at BOM. The entertainment was started and the crew came round with a glass of orange juice for those who wanted to eat breakfast. A few minutes later they came round with a tray and a choice of bread. No menus were handed out so I was wondering what choice we would have for the main course. We were then given a choice of either cereal or fruit and I chose the fruit, which consisted of a slice of pineapple, pear, melon and a date. It was moist and not dry like most other times I get fruit on the plane. Then the main course came
round, it was a choice of either pancakes with vegetables or eggs with a potato pancake. I chose the eggs that turned out to taste like anything but eggs. I think they were powdered eggs. Atleast the mushrooms provided some taste for the eggs. The potato pancake was pretty good though. The tray was collected and
lights shut off. The only movie that was interesting was Rat Race which I had seen a week before on my CX SFO-HKG flight. So I decided to sleep and had no trouble with the full flat seat. Even though I was wishing for the new full flat CX seat C Class seat I had earlier this week, I slept for 1 hour and woke up refreshed. As I woke up a glass of water was offered which I took and the crew gave me a questionnaire to fill in on Kuwait Airways that contained close to 70 questions. No problem, had another hour to kill so. I finished it just as the crew came round with gifts for all the passengers, a Kuwait Airways radio. It was big measuring about 8 X 6 inches and kind of looked like a bomb according to my roommates in the States. Decent started soon after and the crew came round collected the headset and did the landing check.
Arrival: The landing was one of the smoothest I have ever had in my years of flying, no thrusts were used either and we silently taxied off the runway. We landed exactly at 7:55am, the scheduled arrival time. We were quickly off the plane and out of immigration in 5 minutes. At the baggage carousel our bags were out within 5 minutes of standing there and customs 30 seconds later.
Verdict: This was my first time flying Kuwait Airways, though not my first time flying to Kuwait; I had flown Emirates in July. While I do prefer Emirates and Gulf Air to them, they were alright. The service was fine, mechanical but fine. This was my sixth flight in 8 days and was a refreshing change from the big hyped about airlines that I flew, AA, CX, and QF. I am not going to go out of my way to fly KU again but I will have no problem choosing them next time I visit my parents for a short flight to the Indian sub-continent or Middle East. I shall continue to use KLM as my choice of airline to the U.S.
Let me know what you think?