It doesn't happen often but today was a mess.

Dxb to Muscat (45 mins)

Got on board at 8am for an 8.30.

Captain says a few issues with the hydrolics - 30 min delay.

30 mins pass, another pa saying another -15 mins.

30 mins later we are deplaned and told a swap will happen with a new departure time of 11am.

Go back to the F lounge (lucky us)

Announced for 11am leave lounge.

Arrive at gate, told delay still ongoing - go back to lounge.

Given 12.30 departure. Told by lady in F lounge flight is boarding - go to gate and told it's not and to return to the lounge.

Back in the lounge. Pop to Les clos - spend a lot because I've now had a few too many drinks...

Final call on the flight. Run over to the gate. Gate agent tells me he's been phoning me!

Get on board about 1.30.

Pilot comes on. Some y pax won't travel. They are escorted off. We leave about 2pm.

Total .... show and we lost most of the day in Oman. Planes go tech - but the messaging and contingency in Dxb was not great today.

I thought it was my lucky day when I saw sir Tim Clark...clearly not. ^

It could have been worse. Ship could have been parked at remote stand !

Let's be honest, a 2-day trip to Muscat isn't really about the destination but rather the flight experience (and miles for Plat renewal?) isn't it? Seems like miscommunication and lack of communication bothered you more than final delay. That kind of stuff sucks, too many companies get it wrong in that regard.

There are worse places to be stuck... Even the Priority Pass lounge I have access to, at Muscat, is pretty decent (and surprisingly free and easy with the drinks, bearing in mind regional sensibilities).

Sounds like Dubai on a Friday everyone's on break.

Yea, but if that were the case I'm pretty sure OP didn't expect to "waste" so much time doing this flight.

I think a weekend trip to Muscat - by all accounts a really excellent city break destination - from DXB is a perfectly reasonable thing to do for a Dubai resident, not sure where it's implied it's a mileage run...?

To lose half of it through delays is annoying and that's compounded by poor handling, but planes going tech is a bit of a fluid situation so it's difficult to be anything but sanguine about it - it happens.

It's not a mileage run - pre planned long weekend to Al Husn in Oman for Islamic new year.

3500 tier miles won't touch the sides of my renewal.


And yes the miscommunication was the issue and basically losing a day. Not back til Sunday night but it was a poor show by EK. As least we weren't in Mct awaiting the inbound...

That is frustrating. Reason I mentioned renewal was because you referenced needing to do a run for it somewhere else, shouldn't have assumed, sorry.

Yeah I need to do a run. Decided on F class to Mauritius for a different long weekend.