London to Muscat – First time in First
 

Hi,

My wife and I are flying to Muscat at the end of the monthand I’ve managed to upgrade us to First on both legs. This will be the first time we’ve ever flownFirst so looking forward to it but I’ve a few questions that I hope someonehere might be able to answer;

1. I believe we’ll be able to access the Concorde room usingthe new First wing however do we check in luggage at the First wing or is thisdone at the main check in desks and then we use the First wing to clearsecurity?

2. I’ve booked a Spa treatment for both of us, is theresomewhere secure that we can leave our hand luggage whilst having thetreatments?

3. Returning from Muscat does anyone know if there is a fasttrack facility available that we can use, I’ve seen online that there is thisfacility for Oman air passengers but I couldn’t see anything about BApassengers.


Any other tips or advice greatly recieved, thanks in advance.

D&C

In answer to your Question 3, there is a fast track security line for business class passengers. I don't know if there's an even faster one for first class, but assuming not you'd obviously be able to use the business class one.

1. You can use first wing to check bags in and clear security. Once cleared security, walk through corridor, walk through First lounge, exit First lounge to the left and walk straight ahead to the Concorde room, relax and enjoy.

2. Concorde room has a handy bag store area for hand luggage if you wish to use it. It's just on the left as you enter the Concorde room.

Enjoy your first First.

Firstly, welcome to FT and then:

Wow.. have a great time! I have been to MCT with BA a few times in the past - one of my favourite cities in the world!

You have done very well to have both of your questions answered within 2 posts, and from my experience, both are correct answers! Also, when we have flown from MCT, we have used the business class fast track and I remember there was also a separate bus for F and CW passengers - I never remember using an airbridge in MCT.

I think that flights to MCT are now direct? That will make the return overnight flight far more pleasant without the stop in AUH at 2am... :)

Enjoy - something to look forward to.


Think your questions about LHR have been answered - but yes, check in bags and do all security etc. in the First Wing over the right hand side of T5; don't forget that, with the new First Wing entrance, the first lounge you will arrive in will be Galleries First and not the Concorde Room...keep going for the 'real' First lounge in the Concorde Room!


There is a luggage store in the Concorde Room so do drop your bags. I recommend the Concorde Room terrace for a quiet drink too.


Muscat is - I believe - served by the 789 aircraft, which is a great way to try your first First: newest cabin and seating, and one of the most spacious First seats in the fleet in the smallest First cabin (8 seats, rather than the more usual 12/14...)- the only downside is the seat on the 789 has no 'buddy' footstool arrangement for actually dining together, but that's a small downside in my view


have a great time

given it's a relatively short overnight on the way out...do consider whether you might want to have your bigger meal on the round in the Concorde Room at LHR (which can be quite nice) and then maybe just dessert and a nightcap, or a quick one plate small meal, on the plane - leaves you more time to sleep...


on the return - it's a morning departure from Muscat, but do remember that First is "dine on demand" so if you feel like having breakfast in the lounge and then asking the crew to serve you a proper lunch later on in the flight, do just that

We went to MCT for Christmas.Great place.When you arrive at LHR go to the F wing at the south end of T5.Check in,go through security into the F lounge,and exit and go to the CCR.Bag storage on your left and reprobates at the bar diagonally to your right.

On arrival at MCT you need to queue at the money change to buy your visa,then straight out through immigration.If you like a good curry Mumtaz mahal is excellent.

The flight home is now a morning flight,and security was not very busy when we left.

BA have a second security check for them,and that is where laptops etc must come out.

I hope you have a great trip.

by the way...I realise I was wrong and Muscat is in fact a 777 not the 787...sorry about that, but it'll still be great (and, hey, at least you could try the buddy seat for dining...)

Coming back from Muscat recently in WT+ (with status), I just walked up to the priority security line and was let in. I think the same happened when I came in F awhile back, but I can't remember exactly since it was when it was a very late night departure.

Note that there is a second, more vigorous (but not coherent) baggage search at the gate, after which there are only seats and *nothing* else (not even a toilet) in the gate holding pen. There is no fast track for this, it's a single line, though it moves reasonably quickly. Liquids are not allowed through here unless in sealed bags, so insist that any duty free purchases are sealed in the bags typical in Europe - ask for the sealed security bag, not just "a [carrier] bag". This also means that if you want any shopping or lounge time in the airport, get there at least 2 hours before departure. Check-in queue, initial lesser security check, walk through airport, and the gate security check and bus transit will easily take up most of that.

Oman is a lovely place, but unfortunately the airport ground experience is not rapid.

You can pay for the visa online - follow the interface at https://www.evisa.rop.gov.om/en/visa-eligibility and pay, and print off the resulting form. This avoids having to queue at the money exchange desks to pay.

Orderly queueing is not necessarily in evidence around the immigration desks, so you may have to manoeuvre yourself towards the side of the queue that is heading for the immigration desks rather than the exchange bureau. Make it clear (such as by holding it visibly) to anyone marshalling the queues that you have pre-paid the visa fee.

Being in F I assume you will be near the front getting off, I suggest trying lead the charge of the planeload of people at the immigration desks or it can be slow (half an hour).

Thank you all for taking the time to reply and for your very informative answers, it's very much appreciated.


D&C

Interested to read this thread as my wife and I are also heading to MCT in F (on a 241) at the end of the month. Some useful tips! D&C, which date are you flying, wonder if we're on the same flight (we're on the 28th)!?

Lucky you going to Muscat. I loved it. Flying F will make it a nice start to the trip for sure. Is the new terminal finished yet?

I was there a few weeks ago (cw out , wtp back). All of above is good advice and captures things well. There are no airbridges yet so will be a bus, and the lounge is adequate but nothing to write home about.
I would say (if it works - I wish I'd known about it ) the E-visa is worth looking at. The airport is a bit of a (friendly and nice) scrum and it's a short overnight, so anything to save hassle is worth it. They will also sting you at the desk on the foreign exchange if need to pay by card etc.

Enjoy your first first and also muscat , it's a wonderful place!

not yet but it's getting there . Thanks