So anyways, heres a bit of an update on my foray back into J on
EK140 PGR - DXB 18 Feb.
Sorry it's double lined, copy & paste job from notepad...
I checked into the Menzies Aviation Lounge in PRG, it's pretty
simple but plenty sufficient for me, a quiet corner with hot veggie
soup & buns, fruit, coffee, biscuits & all the usuals but obviously
nothing to compare with DXB lounges. But I was happy to be there &
the staff are friendly.
Next on to boarding which was nice & quick. I had selected seat 11K
which is a window seat one row in front of Y, but my pass had 11B
(isle), no worries, I sort of prefer isle seats anyway since I'd
rather not have to climb over someone else to get out.
The cabin crew were excellent as usual. I have always preferred EK
crew over the SG robots & Etihad didn't even come close the one
time I used them....
I have never understood the gripes others make about EK cabin crew,
some of them can be real fun!
Dinner was great! had a salmon appitizer, Beef main & dessert was a
choc cake with some sort of berry sauce.
Unfortunately from this point on the wheels start falling off, one
by one. Not entirely the fault of EK I admit.
Firstly the 777 is a bit of a dunger when it comes to cabin /
engine noise, I've been in J a few times but this trip? Seriously
the noise while climbing was horrific! Engines sound like they're
self destructing, horrible metallic buzzing / grinding about five
minutes after take off until cruise... then on descent while we
were in a holding pattern it sounded like we were in a freaking
flying teepee! I dunno if it was the flaps or landing gear causing
turblance but It's not something I've ever noticed sitting down the
back.
Then the proverbial group of Spanyards... only they could be louder
then a jet aircraft, Jabbering away while standing next to my seat
for half the flight. Sheesh! & later in the flight a screaming baby
three rows up, like I say not EK's fault but I was thanking myself
that I used points rather then hard cash to sit in the middle of
all this.
So since we got stuck in a holding pattern it means we are ten
minutes late, then the plane parks up out the middle of nowhere,
seemingly closer to Abu Dhabi then DXB. The shuttle bus takes
forever to get us to the terminal, consequently I'm seven minutes
late for my complamentry chauffeur pickup, but nothing said by
chauffeur staff about that.
Yup, the limo turns into a pumpkin (van) too bad, so sad.
The main purpose about the pickup is that I get to the hotel quick
smart... which we did.
Oh yes, the hotel... So my voucher has Copthorne Airport hotel on
it, but I had randomly selected Meridien while booking under the
chauffeur pick up, simply because you have to put something in the
field to complete the booking, but you won't know until you
actually check in.
When the chauffeur desk assistant noticed the discrepency she
became very keen to "grant" me my wish (Meridien).
Hummm does anyone smell a rat here?
I had been in Meridien a few years back & it was pretty average
then, The staff are nice & friendly & it's just a bed for a few
hours sleep so no big worries. Well never again! What a crape hole!
Sorry but this place seriously needs renovating with a
bulldozer...
I mean basic is fine, but this place should be left for the
chainsmokers with their dutyfree cartons of ciggies. It's the sort
of place you expect to find in Kazakstan, the smell of what seems
like a blend of smoke & old cooking lard permiates even the sheets,
not very nice for us non smokers. So here I am, No sleep for
tonight.
so I'm typeing this sad little tale, my nose blocked, asthma for
the first time in years... & the air con so damn noisy I can feel
the bed actually viberating! I suspect it's powered by an old DC3
engine :/
Oh I almost forgot the wifi. They wanted to charge me USD $200
every time I said the word wifi! Well you get what I mean?
pathetically expensive, while budget hostels in Bulgaria give
unlimited free wifi.. Maybe its a ploy to stop the bad hotel
reports, so I'm saveing this on notepad for now.
In summary, for me, in the air I'm more then content with EK.
I like the crew, I like the A380 (much more then the 777 or A340)
It's more on the ground where things seem to fall apart, I may be
wrong but the hunch is that ground staff here in DXB would rather
put you in a cheap & nasty hotel to save a couple of $$ & leave the
customer some what dissapointed, Me not been the only one diverted
from Copthorne tonight. I don't know what the Copthorne is like but
it wouldn't take much to beat Meridien
Interested to see what the rest of you flyertalkers have to say.
Lets see what todays flight brings us.... DXB - AKL 10:30 Y!