Qr: Hbe-sin $1,068 rt

Old Feb 20, 2017, 8:06 pm
  #16  
 
Join Date: Feb 2017
Location: Knoxville, TN
Posts: 5
QR has HBE-PEK Business $967 R/T too.
Lots of availability: https://www.google.com/flights/#sear...2;sc=b;mp=1500
Adh88 is offline  
Old Feb 21, 2017, 5:41 am
  #17  
 
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Bristol
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Originally Posted by Gino Troian
6 gates total at HBE - tiny! But security with army as you drive into airport, security check
for passport and travel documents before you can WALK to terminal entrance, another security check for passport and documents as you enter terminal, another passport check and bag scan, THEN you can check in. Then once checked in, customs and another passport check for security to gates and passport check again before boarding... ....ed up lol
Blimey, all that plus 3 hours in an Egyptian cab

Far too much like hard work IMO just to save a few (hundred) quid !!
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Old Feb 21, 2017, 1:30 pm
  #18  
 
Join Date: Sep 2016
Posts: 38
Originally Posted by bison1847
I'm actually sitting in HBE right now, to positing for one of the deals that was around last month.

Took a taxi from CAI takes about 3 hours (an Egyptian friend recommended getting from one of the desks there) to get to HBE. The lounge here is horrible no food or drink but a nice lady came and brought us a stale sandwich and cappuccino. The taxi with a 2 hour stop at the pyramids was 68 usd not cheap for Egypt but not a bad deal.

the check in staff are a bit in unwilling to bend any rules as my carry on bag was 5kg over (they said 2 bags at 10kg wax for Biz) and as I had only 1 I thought why would it be a problem. Anyways after arguing and even talking to the supervisor I know have a trash bag (my second bag) with exactly 5kg of clothes in it and that's ok apparently. As I have a 7 hr 45 minute layover tonight in Doha I wanted to have my clothes. I literally had 6 flights in the pst 3 days all on Qatar and never once did they care.

did I mention I'm on the a380 in first Tommorow morning. I have a great first class experience with my trash bag full of clothes 😜

Anyways the lounges here are crap and security actually seems tougher then cairo, HBE is a small airport looks like 10 gates maybe.
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 :-)
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Old Feb 21, 2017, 2:46 pm
  #19  
 
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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.
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Old Feb 21, 2017, 11:53 pm
  #20  
 
Join Date: May 2016
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4X miles

sorry - I've been following this thread and wondered how you got 4X miles on the Qatar first?
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Old Feb 22, 2017, 1:30 am
  #21  
 
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Originally Posted by worldmiles
sorry - I've been following this thread and wondered how you got 4X miles on the Qatar first?
There was a promotion during the travel festival sale for privilege club members 3x miles in economy and 4x miles in premium class
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Old Feb 22, 2017, 3:54 am
  #22  
 
Join Date: Sep 2015
Posts: 70
I recently did have another stopover and just guided myself as I have been in Egypt before and seen the sights. Stayed at the IC, not really great hotel but its Egypt. Its also next to the museum. Best value I had there is that they arranged a mercedes with driver for 4 hours for 20 euro to take me to the pyramids. I didn't bother to negotiate.

The pyramids are always a hassle but a good guide book and a car to drive you around there is great and all you need. few tips:

- Ignore everything and everyone past the gate with security check (it's all fake)
- Walk towards the sphinx first, its down near the city.
- After strolling around the pyramids have the car drive you to the panorama, You can see the 3 largest pyramids in one view here.
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Old Feb 22, 2017, 8:43 am
  #23  
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Fare dropped to $925 today https://www.kayak.com/flights/HBE-SI...11-15/business

Last edited by MightyTravels; Feb 22, 2017 at 9:06 am
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Old Feb 22, 2017, 4:47 pm
  #24  
 
Join Date: Jul 2008
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I got it for $806, plus I had to buy a $100 MS fare round-trip to relocate from CAI. Thanks for the heads-up. A350 from DOH to SIN. It also shows First from HBE to DOH, not only on this on but a bunch of others I have coming up out of CAI/LXR. Does this mean I can use the Doha QR First Class lounge?

Originally Posted by MightyTravels
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Old Feb 22, 2017, 5:37 pm
  #25  
 
Join Date: Nov 2014
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Originally Posted by RabbitohRob
I got it for $806, plus I had to buy a $100 MS fare round-trip to relocate from CAI. Thanks for the heads-up. A350 from DOH to SIN. It also shows First from HBE to DOH, not only on this on but a bunch of others I have coming up out of CAI/LXR. Does this mean I can use the Doha QR First Class lounge?
Yup, Al Safwa access on the return flights! Enjoy ^
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Old Feb 23, 2017, 11:40 am
  #26  
 
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Italy
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Considering booking this as part of a TPs run, 760 TPs for around 1600, seems decent to me.

Question is: I've found flights to position at Alexandria.

Turkish arriving at 2 AM and QR flight leaving at 10 AM the same morning, do you reckon this would be good enough?

And where to spend those 7-8 hours? at the airport or anybody knows a hotel nearby?
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Old Feb 23, 2017, 2:13 pm
  #27  
 
Join Date: Jul 2008
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Originally Posted by Danusa86
Considering booking this as part of a TPs run, 760 TPs for around 1600, seems decent to me.

Question is: I've found flights to position at Alexandria.

Turkish arriving at 2 AM and QR flight leaving at 10 AM the same morning, do you reckon this would be good enough?

And where to spend those 7-8 hours? at the airport or anybody knows a hotel nearby?
Loads of time. You won't be in Italy remember. Things actually work in Egypt LOL
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Old Feb 23, 2017, 2:15 pm
  #28  
 
Join Date: Jul 2008
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Posts: 345
Originally Posted by Gino Troian
Yup, Al Safwa access on the return flights! Enjoy ^
Oh very good. I go through DOH 30 times a year, only ever travel Business or First ( when available ) and am Platinum with QRPC but thy always refuse me entry. I have half dozen flights too and from Egypt this year and all in and out are showing as First. Happy days.

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Old Feb 23, 2017, 2:23 pm
  #29  
 
Join Date: May 2011
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Originally Posted by RabbitohRob
Loads of time. You won't be in Italy remember. Things actually work in Egypt LOL
Good to hear, hope TK will not cancel the flights haha

The last experience transiting in Algiers wasn't the best though
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Old Feb 23, 2017, 2:33 pm
  #30  
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Originally Posted by RabbitohRob
... I go through DOH 30 times a year, only ever travel Business or First ( when available ) and am Platinum with QRPC but thy always refuse me entry...
I wonder why .. ?
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