I just flew
EgyptAir business from
EWR to CAI and I wanted to leave a review for others who may be considering it. Not sure if this is the best thread for it, happy to repost in another more appropriate one. I had read such disappointing things about EgyptAir online but it was surprisingly a great experience. This is the 787 MS which may be a different product than you get on other routes. I understand that the quality of the overall product is far behind others major airlines like Turkish or Emirates, but I thought for
70K points + $7 through Aeroplan for an 11-hour flight direct to Egypt, it was a very decent deal. The good and the bad below:
- Pre-boarding: the SAS lounge from the 60+ gate area in Terminal B at Newark is as sad if not worse than a "The Club" PP lounge. We ventured to Terminal C for United Polaris access. Just allow yourself enough time and be aware that CLEAR will try to bounce you -- just walk up to the TSA agent directly, explain you're going to the lounge and you know the right terminal for your flight is B and that you'll leave with plenty of time. No issues. Polaris may not be worth it for some, but I wanted to try it as it was my first experience. A bit disappointing but definitely better than the alternative.
- Seat: Comfortable with lots of storage space, fully reclinable to horizontal position. You get a pillow and a blanket. By no means the best quality but they do the trick. There is a bottle of water, no other snacks. Amenity kit is just okay. You get slippers, no PJs. Bring your own entertainment unless Arab movies are your thing.
MS 787 Business Class fully reclinable seat
- In-flight service: FAs are their best asset, they were lovely and so kind. I understand this being a dry airline is a turn-off for a lot of people, but we're not big drinkers and we don't drink alcohol when flying anyway (it really helps jetlag when you don't). This means the welcome cocktail is a mango or a guava choose. The guava was lovely! Meals were abundant.
The
main meal consisted of a cheese platter with 3 kinds of cheeses and some sweets (figs, grapes, candied fruit), a side salad with arugula and shaved parm cheese, and a salmon appetizer which was actually very fresh. Entree choices were either a peppered beef with mashed potatoes which was decent (pic below) or a seasoned rice and chicken, which was also yummy (P2 got all the alternatives so we could try both). Dessert was a passion fruit mousse cake or a cheesecake, I thought both were fairly good! Throughout service, they constantly came with a warm bread basket to choose as much as you wanted.
Main meal appetizers
Main meal entree
Main meal dessert
I slept like a baby so I have no idea what came in between these meals. I am sure there were snacks but I just woke up for
breakfast, which included some sort of oatmeal with berries and coconut, cheese, a warm croissant (not pictured) and break basket, a Chobani yoghurt (flavor of your choice), and a main entree of either frittata with sauages (pictured) or waffles dusted in chocolate and banana (P2 got, they were good). The whole meal was decent (once you sprinkled salt, it desperately needed it).
Breakfast
I didn't get the feeling that you could "eat anytime" like on other first class products but I was so full from the lounge + first meal anyway, I can't imagine wanting to eat anything else!!
If looking for a direct flight from the US to Cairo, I think this is a great choice. Happy travels!