New Year’s in Dubai, with SAS, EgyptAir & Ethiopian in Business Class
Feb 9, 2013, 7:44 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2010
Programs: TK Elite Plus, SAS EBG, QR Platinum, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 2,297
New Year’s in Dubai, with SAS, EgyptAir & Ethiopian in Business Class
Hello fellow FlyerTalkers. After being a long time reader of the trip reports forum here on FT, I figured it would be time to make a little contribution of my own.
Introduction
Following BMI’s departure from Star Alliance, mileage collectors from all over the world flocked the call centres in order to make that final redemption before the cutoff date. As luck would have it, a good friend of mine whose stash of miles was a bit too large for him to use all by himself, offered to book me a redemption 25K of his remaining miles.
I obviously accepted his kind gesture, and agreed to cover all the taxes, fuel surcharges and the £150 cash portion. After notifying my friend about my dates, I was soon presented with the following itinerary. All flights are in Business Class.
Stockholm – Paris CDG: SAS B737-600
Paris CDG – Cairo: EgyptAir B777-300ER
2-day stopover in Cairo
Cairo – Dubai: EgyptAir A330-300 (changed from Singapore Airlines, arrgh!!!)
4-day stopover in Dubai
Dubai – Addis Ababa: Ethiopian Airlines B787-8 Dreamliner (changed to B777-200LR due to overbooking)
1-day layover in Addis Ababa
Addis Ababa – Stockholm: Ethiopian Airlines B737-800 (changed from B757-200 with long haul seats)
The total cost for the trip was £461,50. Quite acceptable given the fact that I was flying during the high season, and the fact that an Economy Class ticket would’ve even set me back more.
Having the flights booked and set, I began looking for accommodation. Due to my short stay in Cairo, I decided to look for a hotel close to the airport. I managed to secure the Radisson Blu Cairo Heliopolis for $136 for 2 nights, using the Carlson Gold 2-for-1 weekend rate. Due to the fact that New Year’s is the very peak of the tourist season in Dubai, most hotels were priced at shamefully high rates, beyond my budget.
Luckily however in August 2012, I came over a mistake rate at the Ramada Jumeirah Hotel, where three nights were booked for $124 (805 SEK). It later turned out that a currency conversion error was the cause of this mistake rate. Apparently it should’ve been priced in USD rather than SEK.
Part 1: Stockholm – Paris CDG in SAS Business Class
I woke up at 5am on the morning of December 27th 2012, feeling ever so pleased that this christmas madness is finally over. With a 10.35am departure from Arlanda, my mother was kind enough to give me a ride to the bus station from where I took the airport bus at 7am. Roughly 90 minutes later, I arrive at the check-in hall of Terminal 5.
Check-in hall at ARN T5. Recycled pic.
As one would expect in these post-christmas days, the airport was completely packed with the typical fly-once-a-year holiday crowd. The place was bedlam, and both the Economy and Priority check-in lines were packed.
Priority check-in area at the SAS concourse.
Luckily however the Priority line was moving along quite quickly, and despite the queue I only had to wait for 3 minutes before it was my turn to check-in. Having the check-in formalities done, I made beeline for the fasttrack lane which was completely deserted this morning.
Next stop was the SAS Lounge. At the reception I was warmly greeted by the staff, who recognised me from an earlier visit. As always during the morning and afternoon rush hour, the Star Gold lounge was jam packed, so I decided to have my breakfast in the more quiet Business lounge.
A regular Scandinavian cold cut breakfast.
Eventually as the USA flights were called for departure, I moved over to the Star Gold lounge where I spent the last 45 minutes before boarding.
Flight: SK569 ARN-CDG
Departure: 10.35
Arrival: 13.10
Duration: 2h 35m
Seat: 1F
Gate 1 was assigned for this morning’s flight to Paris, which meant that I only had to walk down the stairs from the lounge. As usual on SAS no priority boarding call was made, and all passengers flocked the gate.
Once onboard, I discovered that there had been a last minute change to a domestic configuration B736. This meant no curtain for Business Class, and no front lavatory. Business Class today consisted of a single row, with all four seats taken. Economy Class was packed to the brim too.
Fairly decent legroom at the bulkhead row on the B736. Better than the MD-80.
The doors were soon shut, and we made an on-time departure followed by takeoff. Roughly 10 minutes into the flight the seatbelt sign was turned off, and the crew came out to distribute magazines. One thing that I love about SAS is their magazine selection, which includes practically any magazine that you may find in the store.
I settled for the second last issue of Newsweek.
A few minutes later, aperitifs were served. Since SAS nowadays only serve some cheap sparkling wine in Business on European flights, I opted for a standard Gin & Tonic.
My G&T. Note the lack of salty nibbles. Another cost cutting measure, I guess.
After finishing my G&T, our friendly purser collected the glasses and served the lunch. On the menu today was beef tenderloin with potato gratin and steamed carrots, along with a shrimp starter, cheese and some Green&Black’s chocolate. To go along, I opted for a bottle of Backhouse California Pinot Noir.
Lunch on SK569
Normally beef don’t do very well in the harsh conditions of an airplane cabin, and I was expecting the tenderloin to taste like a shoe rubber. It turned out to be the complete opposite. The tenderloin was cooked to rare perfection, with a smooth texture and lots of flavour. It was perhaps the best piece of steak I’ve ever eaten on a plane. The Pinot Noir went along perfectly with its mellow and fruity tones, with hints of red berries.
All in all it was a terrific meal, and I enjoyed every single bite of it. Soon the trays were cleared, and coffee + digestifs were served.
SAS no longer serve Bailey’s, so I opted for some Amarula instead.
The food, alcohol and lack of sleep left me feeling a bit drowsy. So I took a nap for the remainder of the flight to Paris.
To be continued
Introduction
Following BMI’s departure from Star Alliance, mileage collectors from all over the world flocked the call centres in order to make that final redemption before the cutoff date. As luck would have it, a good friend of mine whose stash of miles was a bit too large for him to use all by himself, offered to book me a redemption 25K of his remaining miles.
I obviously accepted his kind gesture, and agreed to cover all the taxes, fuel surcharges and the £150 cash portion. After notifying my friend about my dates, I was soon presented with the following itinerary. All flights are in Business Class.
Stockholm – Paris CDG: SAS B737-600
Paris CDG – Cairo: EgyptAir B777-300ER
2-day stopover in Cairo
Cairo – Dubai: EgyptAir A330-300 (changed from Singapore Airlines, arrgh!!!)
4-day stopover in Dubai
Dubai – Addis Ababa: Ethiopian Airlines B787-8 Dreamliner (changed to B777-200LR due to overbooking)
1-day layover in Addis Ababa
Addis Ababa – Stockholm: Ethiopian Airlines B737-800 (changed from B757-200 with long haul seats)
The total cost for the trip was £461,50. Quite acceptable given the fact that I was flying during the high season, and the fact that an Economy Class ticket would’ve even set me back more.
Having the flights booked and set, I began looking for accommodation. Due to my short stay in Cairo, I decided to look for a hotel close to the airport. I managed to secure the Radisson Blu Cairo Heliopolis for $136 for 2 nights, using the Carlson Gold 2-for-1 weekend rate. Due to the fact that New Year’s is the very peak of the tourist season in Dubai, most hotels were priced at shamefully high rates, beyond my budget.
Luckily however in August 2012, I came over a mistake rate at the Ramada Jumeirah Hotel, where three nights were booked for $124 (805 SEK). It later turned out that a currency conversion error was the cause of this mistake rate. Apparently it should’ve been priced in USD rather than SEK.
Part 1: Stockholm – Paris CDG in SAS Business Class
I woke up at 5am on the morning of December 27th 2012, feeling ever so pleased that this christmas madness is finally over. With a 10.35am departure from Arlanda, my mother was kind enough to give me a ride to the bus station from where I took the airport bus at 7am. Roughly 90 minutes later, I arrive at the check-in hall of Terminal 5.
Check-in hall at ARN T5. Recycled pic.
As one would expect in these post-christmas days, the airport was completely packed with the typical fly-once-a-year holiday crowd. The place was bedlam, and both the Economy and Priority check-in lines were packed.
Priority check-in area at the SAS concourse.
Luckily however the Priority line was moving along quite quickly, and despite the queue I only had to wait for 3 minutes before it was my turn to check-in. Having the check-in formalities done, I made beeline for the fasttrack lane which was completely deserted this morning.
Next stop was the SAS Lounge. At the reception I was warmly greeted by the staff, who recognised me from an earlier visit. As always during the morning and afternoon rush hour, the Star Gold lounge was jam packed, so I decided to have my breakfast in the more quiet Business lounge.
A regular Scandinavian cold cut breakfast.
Eventually as the USA flights were called for departure, I moved over to the Star Gold lounge where I spent the last 45 minutes before boarding.
Flight: SK569 ARN-CDG
Departure: 10.35
Arrival: 13.10
Duration: 2h 35m
Seat: 1F
Gate 1 was assigned for this morning’s flight to Paris, which meant that I only had to walk down the stairs from the lounge. As usual on SAS no priority boarding call was made, and all passengers flocked the gate.
Once onboard, I discovered that there had been a last minute change to a domestic configuration B736. This meant no curtain for Business Class, and no front lavatory. Business Class today consisted of a single row, with all four seats taken. Economy Class was packed to the brim too.
Fairly decent legroom at the bulkhead row on the B736. Better than the MD-80.
The doors were soon shut, and we made an on-time departure followed by takeoff. Roughly 10 minutes into the flight the seatbelt sign was turned off, and the crew came out to distribute magazines. One thing that I love about SAS is their magazine selection, which includes practically any magazine that you may find in the store.
I settled for the second last issue of Newsweek.
A few minutes later, aperitifs were served. Since SAS nowadays only serve some cheap sparkling wine in Business on European flights, I opted for a standard Gin & Tonic.
My G&T. Note the lack of salty nibbles. Another cost cutting measure, I guess.
After finishing my G&T, our friendly purser collected the glasses and served the lunch. On the menu today was beef tenderloin with potato gratin and steamed carrots, along with a shrimp starter, cheese and some Green&Black’s chocolate. To go along, I opted for a bottle of Backhouse California Pinot Noir.
Lunch on SK569
Normally beef don’t do very well in the harsh conditions of an airplane cabin, and I was expecting the tenderloin to taste like a shoe rubber. It turned out to be the complete opposite. The tenderloin was cooked to rare perfection, with a smooth texture and lots of flavour. It was perhaps the best piece of steak I’ve ever eaten on a plane. The Pinot Noir went along perfectly with its mellow and fruity tones, with hints of red berries.
All in all it was a terrific meal, and I enjoyed every single bite of it. Soon the trays were cleared, and coffee + digestifs were served.
SAS no longer serve Bailey’s, so I opted for some Amarula instead.
The food, alcohol and lack of sleep left me feeling a bit drowsy. So I took a nap for the remainder of the flight to Paris.
To be continued
Last edited by LH4116; Jul 25, 2013 at 1:31 pm
Feb 9, 2013, 10:09 am
#2
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2010
Programs: TK Elite Plus, SAS EBG, QR Platinum, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 2,297
Part 2: Paris CDG – Cairo in EgyptAir Business Class
With a short 85 minute layover at CDG, I was worried whether I’d make the connection or not. After notifying the purser on SK569 I was granted permission to de-board first. Fearing chaos at the terminal, I was surprised to find the place practically deserted. After leisurely strolling over to the EgyptAir check-in counters where I picked up a new boarding pass for the Cairo portion of the trip.
Having done that, I headed straight towards the non-Schengen satellite for security and passport control. Not wanting to risk missing my flight, I skipped out on the lounge this time. Passport control was empty, as well as the fasttrack security lane, and soon I stood face to face with the Triple-7 that would be doing the honours this afternoon.
Flight: MS800 CDG-CAI
Departure: 14.35
Arrival: 20.00
Duration: 4h 25m
Seat: 9A
The boarding was delayed by 20 minutes due to a late arrival of the incoming aircraft, but eventually a priority call was made from Gate 18. For some reason the agent manning the priority gate refused to let me pass, assuming that I didn’t look the part to be a *G or traveling in Business. Eventually he spotted the tag on my bag, and waved me over.
Once onboard, I got a somewhat cold reception from the crew. No welcomes or no smiles, just ”first aisle to the left, please”.
Business Class cabin during boarding.
As I entered the cabin, I was somewhat surprised that it had already began showing signs of age. Despite the plane being just two years old, the cabin could easily have been mistaken for a 10 year old plane. After stowing my trolley in the overhead bin, I settled down into the seat. The legroom was massive, perhaps a bit too much. They could’ve easily fitted a 5th row in the front cabin and still offer plenty of room. The crew was nowhere to be seen, as passengers began filling the cabin.
Plenty of legroom in those seats. Each row had 4 windows!
The seats were comfortable, offering an ample amount of storage space. Seat controls were plentiful, making it quite easy to find a comfortable lounging position.
15 inch IFE screen. The selection was fairly decent.
Seat controls. A massage feature was available as well.
Eventually all passengers had boarded, filling up the entire front Business Class section. The rear section was blocked off for the whole flight. Most of my fellow passengers were nouveau riche egyptians, with Louis Vuitton bags and expensive watches, including the woman next to me who, well was not the friendliest.
We eventually began our taxi, during which the young female flight attendant serving our row, began offering pre-departure beverages. Since EgyptAir is a dry airline, the choices were either OJ, water or Guava Juice.
I opted for the Guava Juice, which was served lukewarm in a plastic glass.
Soon our mighty Triple-7 reached the runway, before taking off with a great force.
Leaving CDG after using a third of the runway’s length.
The plane reached cruising altitude in no time at all, but despite that the crew were nowhere to be seen for the first thirty minutes of the flight. In the meantime I began watching Ruby Sparks on the IFE, a great film but with some hard-to-watch scenes.
The 777 Cabin, shortly after reaching cruise.
Eventually our flight attendant appeared from the galley with a tray of table linens. Without a word, she placed it on my table. No pre-meal drink orders were taken, and soon I was presented with my starter tray.
Starter consisting of foie grass, fig paste, spicy paprika and basil.
While the combination of sweet and salty flavours was strange, the taste was even stranger. The bread which the foie grass was served on tasted more like a sweet sponge cake. The foie grass was rather flavourless. The fig paste and paprika remained untouched.
So far, I was not impressed with the starter, and to make matters worse the flight attendant was in big hurry to serve the main course. I kindly asked to have it served a few moments later, which didn’t make her very pleased. So I opted for the fish, which she placed on the drink tray.
Main course of salmon, sweet rice, hollandaise sauce, steamed spinach and carrots.
Once again the main course didn’t impress either. The salmon was served lukewarm, the sweet raisin rice mixed terribly with the savoury sauce, spinach had a bitter taste, and the carrots were undercooked. And as if this wasn’t bad enough, the flight attendant was back five minutes later to collect the trays. Many of my fellow passengers handed away trays half-full with food. I on the other hand asked for some more time to finish the food, which was met with a deep sigh.
After the service was finished, the crew retreated into the galley, not to be seen again for the rest of the flight. It took quite some time before my tray was cleared and dessert was served.
Dessert consisting of a coconut cheesecake with caramel sauce.
The dessert which neither looked nor tasted like cheesecake, was overly sweet and served with a plastic spoon. I only took a few bites before deciding that this was too darn sugary for me.
All in all I can’t say that I was happy with the soft product that EgyptAir had to offer. The quality of the food was below what most airlines serve in Economy Class, and the same goes for the crew. Nevertheless my expectations for the airline were set quite low, so I wasn’t too disappointed.
With roughly two hours left of the flight, I put the seat in bed mode and watched a few TV-shows before falling asleep.
The seat in bed mode. It doesn’t go completely flat, but it’s comfortable enough.
Eventually we began our descent into Cairo International Airport, and soon enough our Triple-7 made a smooth touchdown, and an on-time arrival to the gate. Two jetways were attached to the aircraft, and Business Class passengers were allowed to de-plane from door 1L. Economy Class passengers were held in the aisle for a while until all Business Class passengers had de-planed.
At the customs hall I was met up with a representative from the Radisson Blu. He was friendly, and assisted me in all the procedures of obtaining a visa, collecting luggage and passing customs, before handing me over to the driver of the shuttle bus. For a chaotic airport like Cairo, it was an absolute bliss. The transfer service is available for $10, and I hugely recommend it for anyone staying at the hotel.
Radisson Blu Hotel Cairo Heliopolis
It took me one hour in total to reach the hotel, after disembarking the plane. At check-in an over friendly male receptionist decided to pre-authorise my card with $500 without my approval. Worse was the fact that I didn’t receive an upgrade either, since this hotel only upgrade Concierge Elite members. If there’s one thing I dislike about Radisson it’s their upgrade policy.
The fairly impressive Atrium.
For allegedly being a five star hotel, I wasn’t too impressed with the room. While it was clean and comfortable, it felt more like a Holiday Inn than a Radisson Blu. Being in the same price range as the Hilton, I would even recall the Radisson Blu offering less value for the money. If it wasn’t for the 2-for-1 rate of course.
My Standard Room at the Radisson Blu.
Average bathroom.
A welcome arrangement consisting of a large fruit plane and petit fours hand been placed on the coffee table, along with a hand written welcome card. In the end, the hotel managed to fulfil its basic need, and I was left pretty satisfied mainly due to the friendly staff and proximity to the airport.
To be continued soon. Comments are much appreciated!
With a short 85 minute layover at CDG, I was worried whether I’d make the connection or not. After notifying the purser on SK569 I was granted permission to de-board first. Fearing chaos at the terminal, I was surprised to find the place practically deserted. After leisurely strolling over to the EgyptAir check-in counters where I picked up a new boarding pass for the Cairo portion of the trip.
Having done that, I headed straight towards the non-Schengen satellite for security and passport control. Not wanting to risk missing my flight, I skipped out on the lounge this time. Passport control was empty, as well as the fasttrack security lane, and soon I stood face to face with the Triple-7 that would be doing the honours this afternoon.
Flight: MS800 CDG-CAI
Departure: 14.35
Arrival: 20.00
Duration: 4h 25m
Seat: 9A
The boarding was delayed by 20 minutes due to a late arrival of the incoming aircraft, but eventually a priority call was made from Gate 18. For some reason the agent manning the priority gate refused to let me pass, assuming that I didn’t look the part to be a *G or traveling in Business. Eventually he spotted the tag on my bag, and waved me over.
Once onboard, I got a somewhat cold reception from the crew. No welcomes or no smiles, just ”first aisle to the left, please”.
Business Class cabin during boarding.
As I entered the cabin, I was somewhat surprised that it had already began showing signs of age. Despite the plane being just two years old, the cabin could easily have been mistaken for a 10 year old plane. After stowing my trolley in the overhead bin, I settled down into the seat. The legroom was massive, perhaps a bit too much. They could’ve easily fitted a 5th row in the front cabin and still offer plenty of room. The crew was nowhere to be seen, as passengers began filling the cabin.
Plenty of legroom in those seats. Each row had 4 windows!
The seats were comfortable, offering an ample amount of storage space. Seat controls were plentiful, making it quite easy to find a comfortable lounging position.
15 inch IFE screen. The selection was fairly decent.
Seat controls. A massage feature was available as well.
Eventually all passengers had boarded, filling up the entire front Business Class section. The rear section was blocked off for the whole flight. Most of my fellow passengers were nouveau riche egyptians, with Louis Vuitton bags and expensive watches, including the woman next to me who, well was not the friendliest.
We eventually began our taxi, during which the young female flight attendant serving our row, began offering pre-departure beverages. Since EgyptAir is a dry airline, the choices were either OJ, water or Guava Juice.
I opted for the Guava Juice, which was served lukewarm in a plastic glass.
Soon our mighty Triple-7 reached the runway, before taking off with a great force.
Leaving CDG after using a third of the runway’s length.
The plane reached cruising altitude in no time at all, but despite that the crew were nowhere to be seen for the first thirty minutes of the flight. In the meantime I began watching Ruby Sparks on the IFE, a great film but with some hard-to-watch scenes.
The 777 Cabin, shortly after reaching cruise.
Eventually our flight attendant appeared from the galley with a tray of table linens. Without a word, she placed it on my table. No pre-meal drink orders were taken, and soon I was presented with my starter tray.
Starter consisting of foie grass, fig paste, spicy paprika and basil.
While the combination of sweet and salty flavours was strange, the taste was even stranger. The bread which the foie grass was served on tasted more like a sweet sponge cake. The foie grass was rather flavourless. The fig paste and paprika remained untouched.
So far, I was not impressed with the starter, and to make matters worse the flight attendant was in big hurry to serve the main course. I kindly asked to have it served a few moments later, which didn’t make her very pleased. So I opted for the fish, which she placed on the drink tray.
Main course of salmon, sweet rice, hollandaise sauce, steamed spinach and carrots.
Once again the main course didn’t impress either. The salmon was served lukewarm, the sweet raisin rice mixed terribly with the savoury sauce, spinach had a bitter taste, and the carrots were undercooked. And as if this wasn’t bad enough, the flight attendant was back five minutes later to collect the trays. Many of my fellow passengers handed away trays half-full with food. I on the other hand asked for some more time to finish the food, which was met with a deep sigh.
After the service was finished, the crew retreated into the galley, not to be seen again for the rest of the flight. It took quite some time before my tray was cleared and dessert was served.
Dessert consisting of a coconut cheesecake with caramel sauce.
The dessert which neither looked nor tasted like cheesecake, was overly sweet and served with a plastic spoon. I only took a few bites before deciding that this was too darn sugary for me.
All in all I can’t say that I was happy with the soft product that EgyptAir had to offer. The quality of the food was below what most airlines serve in Economy Class, and the same goes for the crew. Nevertheless my expectations for the airline were set quite low, so I wasn’t too disappointed.
With roughly two hours left of the flight, I put the seat in bed mode and watched a few TV-shows before falling asleep.
The seat in bed mode. It doesn’t go completely flat, but it’s comfortable enough.
Eventually we began our descent into Cairo International Airport, and soon enough our Triple-7 made a smooth touchdown, and an on-time arrival to the gate. Two jetways were attached to the aircraft, and Business Class passengers were allowed to de-plane from door 1L. Economy Class passengers were held in the aisle for a while until all Business Class passengers had de-planed.
At the customs hall I was met up with a representative from the Radisson Blu. He was friendly, and assisted me in all the procedures of obtaining a visa, collecting luggage and passing customs, before handing me over to the driver of the shuttle bus. For a chaotic airport like Cairo, it was an absolute bliss. The transfer service is available for $10, and I hugely recommend it for anyone staying at the hotel.
Radisson Blu Hotel Cairo Heliopolis
It took me one hour in total to reach the hotel, after disembarking the plane. At check-in an over friendly male receptionist decided to pre-authorise my card with $500 without my approval. Worse was the fact that I didn’t receive an upgrade either, since this hotel only upgrade Concierge Elite members. If there’s one thing I dislike about Radisson it’s their upgrade policy.
The fairly impressive Atrium.
For allegedly being a five star hotel, I wasn’t too impressed with the room. While it was clean and comfortable, it felt more like a Holiday Inn than a Radisson Blu. Being in the same price range as the Hilton, I would even recall the Radisson Blu offering less value for the money. If it wasn’t for the 2-for-1 rate of course.
My Standard Room at the Radisson Blu.
Average bathroom.
A welcome arrangement consisting of a large fruit plane and petit fours hand been placed on the coffee table, along with a hand written welcome card. In the end, the hotel managed to fulfil its basic need, and I was left pretty satisfied mainly due to the friendly staff and proximity to the airport.
To be continued soon. Comments are much appreciated!
Last edited by LH4116; Jul 25, 2013 at 1:32 pm
Feb 9, 2013, 2:06 pm
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2010
Programs: TK Elite Plus, SAS EBG, QR Platinum, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 2,297
Part 3: Cairo – Dubai in EgyptAir Business Class
After spending roughly a day wandering the streets of Cairo, I could only conclude that this is an awful city. Apart from the traffic, the polluted air and the filthy houses, the people in particular were far from the friendliest. Trying to get a table at a restaurant resulted in a yelling from the manager. Those who didn’t act rude however, were only doing so in the interest of taking your money. This was the case when visiting the Egyptian Museum, where a so called ”official guide” kept following me, insisting that I’d buy a tour from him. At the end, I paid him 40 EGP for the tour just to shut him up.
I returned to the hotel at roughly 8pm in the evening. Starving from the lack open restaurants in the city, I headed across the street for some Kochary and Falafel. While being cheap as chips it tasted all right, and left me very full.
I woke up the following morning at 6am. After a quick shower, and packing up my stuff, I headed down to the reception, where I paid the bill before heading off to the airport. This time the shuttle driver dumped me at curb side of the terminal, forcing me to tackle the crowds and scam artists all by myself.
I quickly stopped by a check-in machine to print my boarding pass, before realising that I also needed a customs form. The form was obtained from a check-in desk, and I was soon able to clear passport control and security. With one hour to go before boarding, I headed over to the EgyptAir Alameisan Lounge which was closest to my gate.
Lounge entrance.
The lounge was practically a mini version of the Star Alliance Lounges found in LHR, LAX and CDG. To be honest I’m not a big fan of that design.
Lounge overview. The place was pretty crowded.
Luckily I managed to find two empty seats for myself.
The food and drink offerings this morning consisted of hot foods such as fried eggs and sausages, as well as various pastries, breads, cold cuts, juices and a coffee machine. Since I hadn’t had any breakfast at the hotel, I settled for a croissant and some sausages.
My light breakfast.
Gradually the lounge began filling up, and as I went off to get some more coffee somebody had already moved my stuff aside and taken my seats. Seriously, do people in this country have any manners left? Nevertheless, I figured I’d better spend the last 30 minutes at the gate.
Flight: MS912 CAI-DXB
Departure: 9.15
Arrival: 14.30
Duration: 3h 15m
Seat: 10A
Boarding was once again called 15 minutes late, without explanation. Passengers in Business Class and Star Gold were allowed to board the plane first. At door 1L an additional boarding pass control was made, before I was allowed to enter this brand new A330-300.
First impressions of the A330 cabin were far more positive than those of the B777. It was all bright and clean with no signs of wear.
Cabin during boarding.
The seats on the A330 were the same as on the B777 with the exception of the tighter pitch. To me this was good news since it meant that I could reach the stowage compartments without having to get out of the seat.
As you can see, there’s quite some contrast to the B777. Only 2 windows per row.
The cabin quickly filled up, and I didn’t spot a single empty seat on the flight. The passengers today were mostly businessmen, and not a single child as opposed to the previous flight. The crew was friendlier offering newspapers at the gate.
Soon the doors closed, and we quickly taxied to the runway before taking off over the vast desert lands.
Climbing to our cruising altitude.
Shortly after reaching cruising altitude, the service began with hot towels followed by table linens, breakfast tray and warm pastries.
Breakfast tray.
There was hardly any time for me to finish the pastries, before the breakfast main course was served. Choices were either omelette with a beef patty and potatoes, or some type of mystery nugget. I chose the former.
Breakfast main.
The food on this flight was much better than on the previous one. While the omelette may have a been a bit on the bland side, the beef and potatoes tasted very well. The croissant was slightly on the dry side, but still acceptable enough. What I didn’t like was the lack of refills. Not a single time did I see the crew offering refills on the juice or some extra breads. Neither coffee or tea was served during the breakfast which was a bit of a shame. The service was once again rushed, but I managed to finish more this time.
Finishing the breakfast with some coffee.
After the trays had been cleared, I put the seat in the bed mode and watched a movie. The seat on the A330 was actually more comfortable than on the B777, and the tighter pitch meant I felt less exposed while sleeping. The movie in question was Guess Who, starring Ashton Kutcher and the late Bernie Mac, a great performance from both actors.
Bed mode.
The flight was enjoyable, and it passed too quickly. We soon began our descent into Dubai International Airport. During our approach we were treated to some nice views over the city.
My seat after arrival.
Upon exiting the aircraft from door 1L, I quickly made my way to the passport control. A premium lane was available, but for some reason I didn’t see anyone guarding it, which meant that all passengers used it. Luckily the airport was fairly quiet this afternoon and it didn’t take me more than five minutes to get through.
Shortly after exciting the arrivals hall, I made my way to the metro station to catch a ride into town. A day pass was purchased for 16 AED, and the booth lady was kind enough to give me directions to my hotel. Upon checking in at the Ramada, I was shocked to hear that my reservation couldn’t be find. Perhaps they canceled my mistake rate, I thought to myself. Luckily it turns out that the metro lady had given me directions to the wrong Ramada, and the receptionist was kind enough to get me a taxi to the correct hotel. Turns out I was at the Ramada in Bur Dubai.
Ramada Jumeirah Dubai
Hotel exterior.
A quick taxi ride later, and I found myself at the more superior Jumeirah property. The check-in this time worked fine, and I was only asked for my hotels.com confirmation number. My request for a non-smoking king room was granted, and soon one of the bellboys escorted me to my room.
My King Standard room at the Ramada Jumeirah Hotel.
Having heard some mixed reviews on the Ramada chain, my expectations for the hotel were sat fairly low. Those were however exceeded the moment I entered the property. As for the room, it was big, bright and comfortable. Amenities included a minibar, safe, complimentary water, coffee/tea, an iPhone station and complimentary robes. I would certainly rank the standard higher than that of the Radisson I stayed at earlier.
The full-marble bathroom featuring a walk-in shower.
All in all, I couldn’t have been more pleased with the hotel especially considering that I paid practically nothing for it. Having un-packed my bags and changed to a clean shirt, I headed for some evening sightseeing and dinner.
After spending roughly a day wandering the streets of Cairo, I could only conclude that this is an awful city. Apart from the traffic, the polluted air and the filthy houses, the people in particular were far from the friendliest. Trying to get a table at a restaurant resulted in a yelling from the manager. Those who didn’t act rude however, were only doing so in the interest of taking your money. This was the case when visiting the Egyptian Museum, where a so called ”official guide” kept following me, insisting that I’d buy a tour from him. At the end, I paid him 40 EGP for the tour just to shut him up.
I returned to the hotel at roughly 8pm in the evening. Starving from the lack open restaurants in the city, I headed across the street for some Kochary and Falafel. While being cheap as chips it tasted all right, and left me very full.
I woke up the following morning at 6am. After a quick shower, and packing up my stuff, I headed down to the reception, where I paid the bill before heading off to the airport. This time the shuttle driver dumped me at curb side of the terminal, forcing me to tackle the crowds and scam artists all by myself.
I quickly stopped by a check-in machine to print my boarding pass, before realising that I also needed a customs form. The form was obtained from a check-in desk, and I was soon able to clear passport control and security. With one hour to go before boarding, I headed over to the EgyptAir Alameisan Lounge which was closest to my gate.
Lounge entrance.
The lounge was practically a mini version of the Star Alliance Lounges found in LHR, LAX and CDG. To be honest I’m not a big fan of that design.
Lounge overview. The place was pretty crowded.
Luckily I managed to find two empty seats for myself.
The food and drink offerings this morning consisted of hot foods such as fried eggs and sausages, as well as various pastries, breads, cold cuts, juices and a coffee machine. Since I hadn’t had any breakfast at the hotel, I settled for a croissant and some sausages.
My light breakfast.
Gradually the lounge began filling up, and as I went off to get some more coffee somebody had already moved my stuff aside and taken my seats. Seriously, do people in this country have any manners left? Nevertheless, I figured I’d better spend the last 30 minutes at the gate.
Flight: MS912 CAI-DXB
Departure: 9.15
Arrival: 14.30
Duration: 3h 15m
Seat: 10A
Boarding was once again called 15 minutes late, without explanation. Passengers in Business Class and Star Gold were allowed to board the plane first. At door 1L an additional boarding pass control was made, before I was allowed to enter this brand new A330-300.
First impressions of the A330 cabin were far more positive than those of the B777. It was all bright and clean with no signs of wear.
Cabin during boarding.
The seats on the A330 were the same as on the B777 with the exception of the tighter pitch. To me this was good news since it meant that I could reach the stowage compartments without having to get out of the seat.
As you can see, there’s quite some contrast to the B777. Only 2 windows per row.
The cabin quickly filled up, and I didn’t spot a single empty seat on the flight. The passengers today were mostly businessmen, and not a single child as opposed to the previous flight. The crew was friendlier offering newspapers at the gate.
Soon the doors closed, and we quickly taxied to the runway before taking off over the vast desert lands.
Climbing to our cruising altitude.
Shortly after reaching cruising altitude, the service began with hot towels followed by table linens, breakfast tray and warm pastries.
Breakfast tray.
There was hardly any time for me to finish the pastries, before the breakfast main course was served. Choices were either omelette with a beef patty and potatoes, or some type of mystery nugget. I chose the former.
Breakfast main.
The food on this flight was much better than on the previous one. While the omelette may have a been a bit on the bland side, the beef and potatoes tasted very well. The croissant was slightly on the dry side, but still acceptable enough. What I didn’t like was the lack of refills. Not a single time did I see the crew offering refills on the juice or some extra breads. Neither coffee or tea was served during the breakfast which was a bit of a shame. The service was once again rushed, but I managed to finish more this time.
Finishing the breakfast with some coffee.
After the trays had been cleared, I put the seat in the bed mode and watched a movie. The seat on the A330 was actually more comfortable than on the B777, and the tighter pitch meant I felt less exposed while sleeping. The movie in question was Guess Who, starring Ashton Kutcher and the late Bernie Mac, a great performance from both actors.
Bed mode.
The flight was enjoyable, and it passed too quickly. We soon began our descent into Dubai International Airport. During our approach we were treated to some nice views over the city.
My seat after arrival.
Upon exiting the aircraft from door 1L, I quickly made my way to the passport control. A premium lane was available, but for some reason I didn’t see anyone guarding it, which meant that all passengers used it. Luckily the airport was fairly quiet this afternoon and it didn’t take me more than five minutes to get through.
Shortly after exciting the arrivals hall, I made my way to the metro station to catch a ride into town. A day pass was purchased for 16 AED, and the booth lady was kind enough to give me directions to my hotel. Upon checking in at the Ramada, I was shocked to hear that my reservation couldn’t be find. Perhaps they canceled my mistake rate, I thought to myself. Luckily it turns out that the metro lady had given me directions to the wrong Ramada, and the receptionist was kind enough to get me a taxi to the correct hotel. Turns out I was at the Ramada in Bur Dubai.
Ramada Jumeirah Dubai
Hotel exterior.
A quick taxi ride later, and I found myself at the more superior Jumeirah property. The check-in this time worked fine, and I was only asked for my hotels.com confirmation number. My request for a non-smoking king room was granted, and soon one of the bellboys escorted me to my room.
My King Standard room at the Ramada Jumeirah Hotel.
Having heard some mixed reviews on the Ramada chain, my expectations for the hotel were sat fairly low. Those were however exceeded the moment I entered the property. As for the room, it was big, bright and comfortable. Amenities included a minibar, safe, complimentary water, coffee/tea, an iPhone station and complimentary robes. I would certainly rank the standard higher than that of the Radisson I stayed at earlier.
The full-marble bathroom featuring a walk-in shower.
All in all, I couldn’t have been more pleased with the hotel especially considering that I paid practically nothing for it. Having un-packed my bags and changed to a clean shirt, I headed for some evening sightseeing and dinner.
Last edited by LH4116; Jul 25, 2013 at 1:35 pm
Feb 9, 2013, 2:37 pm
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2010
Programs: TK Elite Plus, SAS EBG, QR Platinum, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 2,297
Dubai Highlights
I had four very pleasant days in Dubai enjoying the great weather, nice food and good shopping. Here are some highlights from my visit.
The Burj Khalifa. Tourist trap, let’s move on…
The Dubai Mall. Despite its massiveness I quite liked the place.
The Gold Souq. Another overrated tourist trap, which I recommend you staying away from.
The Burj Al Arab. That’s the closest a mortal like me will ever get.
Jumeirah Beach.
The Dubai Marina. What an absolutely lovely place to spend the afternoon!
Mall of the Emirates at dusk.
The Dubai Skyline at night.
Scoring the best view in town to watch the fireworks at new year’s.
One last visit to the beach before leaving for the airport.
I had four very pleasant days in Dubai enjoying the great weather, nice food and good shopping. Here are some highlights from my visit.
The Burj Khalifa. Tourist trap, let’s move on…
The Dubai Mall. Despite its massiveness I quite liked the place.
The Gold Souq. Another overrated tourist trap, which I recommend you staying away from.
The Burj Al Arab. That’s the closest a mortal like me will ever get.
Jumeirah Beach.
The Dubai Marina. What an absolutely lovely place to spend the afternoon!
Mall of the Emirates at dusk.
The Dubai Skyline at night.
Scoring the best view in town to watch the fireworks at new year’s.
One last visit to the beach before leaving for the airport.
Last edited by LH4116; Jul 25, 2013 at 1:38 pm
Feb 10, 2013, 5:52 am
#7
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2010
Programs: TK Elite Plus, SAS EBG, QR Platinum, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 2,297
) being put to good use ^
Feb 10, 2013, 3:59 pm
#11
Join Date: Dec 2001
Posts: 3,181
My family left Cairo in 1958.
It was sad reading what Cairo has become. It used to be a wonderful clean city with very friendly people.
When I returned in 1978 it was already in decline and when my father returned in 1982 he thought he was in a "foreign country." It was unrecognizable.
Thanks for the report.
It was sad reading what Cairo has become. It used to be a wonderful clean city with very friendly people.
When I returned in 1978 it was already in decline and when my father returned in 1982 he thought he was in a "foreign country." It was unrecognizable.
Thanks for the report.
Feb 11, 2013, 4:27 am
#12
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2010
Programs: TK Elite Plus, SAS EBG, QR Platinum, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 2,297
Hello guys, thanks for your replies!
Hey William, thanks for stopping by! For 24 hour transits it's possible to obtain a transit visa on Arrival. For any stays longer than that you need to apply in advance for a regular visa.
So sad to hear how Cairo has changed over the years. But on the flip side though there are other nice cities in Egypt too.
The next parts will be up soon!
My family left Cairo in 1958.
It was sad reading what Cairo has become. It used to be a wonderful clean city with very friendly people.
When I returned in 1978 it was already in decline and when my father returned in 1982 he thought he was in a "foreign country." It was unrecognizable.
Thanks for the report.
It was sad reading what Cairo has become. It used to be a wonderful clean city with very friendly people.
When I returned in 1978 it was already in decline and when my father returned in 1982 he thought he was in a "foreign country." It was unrecognizable.
Thanks for the report.
The next parts will be up soon!
Feb 11, 2013, 6:33 pm
#15
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 16
your critique of cairo rings a bell with me.
It brings back memories of my own lousy trip to morrocco.
Every step of the way I were accosted by someone asking for money, the place was chaotic and dirty and just not a nice place to be in, pity the historical significance of these places. My partner said, we needed another holiday to get over this one. lol
Anyway, the report is looking v good so far.
It brings back memories of my own lousy trip to morrocco.
Every step of the way I were accosted by someone asking for money, the place was chaotic and dirty and just not a nice place to be in, pity the historical significance of these places. My partner said, we needed another holiday to get over this one. lol
Anyway, the report is looking v good so far.