Originally Posted by
Fitch
Blimey, all that plus 3 hours in an Egyptian cab
Far too much like hard work IMO just to save a few (hundred) quid !!
Not just a few hundred this First from HBE to DOH to CDG (on a380) cost me like 1300 euro R/T. This was during that last travel festival sale, and I booked in the first 4 days so should get 4X points also. I think if I got a DOH To CDG in first it prices around 6131 euro so to me 4600 euro is worth the extra hassle
Originally Posted by
GingerAroundTheWorld
Lol did you do an around the world trip on qatar?
At least you have enough time to enjoy the First Class lounge in Doha then ^. I did that a380 First last month, showed up in the most casual outfit, love it when people are showing off, touching their fancy watch, looking over their sunglasses, flashing their expensive suit. Then I passed them by on the way to First Class wearing my sneakers :-D You beat me on the trash bag full clothes though, got to remember that! Best to keep an eye on the bag, the airline might think those are the used blankets from the previous flight :-P
Sorry for off topic, btw Cairo etc is safe, just annoying tourist industry (not to be confused with the real people), be ready to be ripped of from start till finish (unless you take an uber back to the airport, where you might experience another act of hospitality at the security where some dudes might ask you money. Or the checkin counter of Qatar might give you a business ticket instead of a first, I found out just before customs and ran back: "ooops, i did not see that, sorry sir, here is your first class ticket". Enjoy your caviar breakfast, I loved it :-)
I think they loved my trash bag luggage also. To be honest I could have re packed it all but why miss out on all the fun. I agree though the guys either expensive bags and designer clothes are the ones I hope to impress with my hefty bag chic styling. 😀
I didn't feel unsafe in Cairo, but it's up to each person to decide what their level of risk is going to be. I would try to pre-book as much as I could, in general I think it went fine for me but I would have been less nervous had I spent more time preparing.
I agree that the tourist industry is one big scam in cairo, in the end you touch a camel you pay you take a picture of some guy you pay, every tour stops at the papyrus "museum" which is just some store probably selling banana paper. Every tour ends up with hidden costs. Go to pyramids the guide has to bribe like 2-3 officials to let you behind some door supposedly isn't on the normal tour. It can be frustrating the good thing is that the Egyptian pound is so low right now you could literally (as in my case) get a guide a horse carriage a 2 hour tour and a bunch of other extras (the locked sections) for less then like 100 USD including tip. Am I sure I got ripped off here and there, yes, do I really care when I got to see quickly and comfortably what I wanted to see? Not really. BTW everything including the transfers from the airport are negotiable (I got most things less then half asking price but offering much less then that and meeting them in the middle) BTW I am sure they still probably didn't give me the local price on anything....
Today's DOH to CDG a380 had my son (who is 5) and only one other person. So 3/8 seats.
BUT a couple of minor disappointments. Ok I know these are first world problems I just thought they would be a little nicer.
1. Al safwa lounge no longer serves KRUG but on the a380 they did
2. No pajamas on the day flight (they don't even load them, the flight head purser basically said they don't load them anymore during day hours if flight is less then 8 hours (which cuts out LHR and CDG for a380 routes)
2. No caviar at all
they served breakfast which was the same exact Menu I had on the A350 in Biz the day before (PHL to DOH). I think it had one or two additional items and the build your own breakfast thing (which contains basically the same as the a350 breakfast)
3. The second "snack" menu was exactly the same as Biz class on a350
The good things;
1. With an almost empty first when I pushed the call button I typically had more then one stewardess respond within 10 min
2. Even though the food was the same as Biz it was still very yummy.
3. Krug for the whole flight. Also please note that he a380 Lounge this morning did not actually have Krug. When I went back they knew it was me and the bar tender called up front who then proceeded to bring me a glass.
4. Seat was very comfy less private then Etihad and Emirates but more comfy then emirates at least.
5. Al safwa lounge was really good and the quiet area sleeping room was a lifesaver (they mentioned that you may only stay for 6 hours max!) but it saved me needing to get the Hotel in the airport. Food was really good also.
6. I like the new Bric amenity bags. I might actually use again.
All in all was it worth it? I think for that price and the 4X bonus miles it was. However without the bonus I would be hesitant to do it again. Unless I needed to go somewhere. Remember from LhR to CAI or AMS to cai it's not that far away (4-5 hours) which I got with a 150 euro al italia flight.
If I needed to go to MEL or another a380 LH route for work etc I think it's a good price and effort for that long of a ride.