vikingscout

HI,
Has anyone done the IAD-BAH and return yet? How was the trip? how did you handle the 14+ hour flight?
How are the New Business class seats for this long flight?
Thank You in advance
VS

chinatraderjmr

BE WARNED. The loads on this flight are quite low in C / F (the flight also stops in Kuwait On the way to/from Bah). I imagine since there is no talk of CANCELLING this flight UA makes up for the low premium loads w cargo (only speculation) BUT WHAT I AM GETTING AT IS THIS FLIGHT SWITCHES TO THE OLD CONFIG MORE OFTEN THEN ANY OTHER FLIGHT I'VE FOLLOWED. YOU MAY SHOW THE NEW CONFIG NOW FOR YOUR FLIGHT BUT DON'T BE SURPRISED TO GET THE OLD CONFIG WOUT THE LIE FLAT IN C

scnzzz

New J is just fine for a flight of this length. But if you get the old config, it will not be terribly pleasant. Still, better than Y- either way.

QuinCy

I've done it one in J (lie flat) and four times in Economy plus. J is preferable, though the bulkhead row in Economy Plus helps make that long flight bearable.

I handle the flight by taking meds to put me to sleep for the duration. The stop in KWI is a pain in the ... because you have to get off the plane with all your carry-on luggage then sit at the gate while they clean the aircraft. No toilets or place to buy water at the gate, but if you want to go out to find such facilities, you have to take your carry-ons with you and then clear through security again to get back into the gate.

If you can sleep easily on the plane, it is a good flight and saves on the possible weather hassles that mess up connections in the winter. That said, my husband would much rather stop in AMS or LHR and break the journey when he travels; I don't like flying and so the long haul with meds works for me.

bsmnsr

It costs UA less to fly the bird to BAH than it does to keep it on the ground in Kuwait. There's too much time between IAD-KWI arrival and KWI-IAD departure for the plane to sit at the gate. If the plane is not at the gate it has to have security with the plane. Adding that extra cost for a few hours on the ground is way more expensive than sending it to BAH on lighter loads.

As long as you have a significant USG presence in Iraq and Kuwait, I think the KWI-IAD flight will remain. It's the only non stop between Kuwait and the US. Further a lot of Oil Companies fly the route in support of Saudi Arabia.

Lastly on 3 round trips, 5 of 6 flights between KWI-IAD or IAD-KWI have been the older, non life flat, variety. It's been so noticeable that one of the FAs actually complained about it being on every single route she'd flown in prior 2 months.

I think UA matches the lie flats to the demand. If there's a light load in C IAD-KWI, they shift a lie flat to a route with a higher density. Makes sense to me even if it is painful.

Lastly, life flat on the route with the stop in Kuwait isn't so bad. Semi-recline is a B**ch.

vikingscout

I would like to thank you all for your comments.
My options are:
UA IAD-BAH
UA/LH IAD-FRA_BAH
DL/KLM ATL-AMS-BAH

I was thinking the direct flight on UA, but on recline only , is a pain (did that on ATL-JNB on South African Airways). How is Lufthansa vs KLM in C?
Thanks
VS

bsmnsr

UA flight originates in BAH and stops in KWI before arriving IAD.
KL flight originates in KWI and stops in BAH before arriving AMS.

I'm not sure if the LH Offering is BAH-FRA direct or if the flight originates/stops somewhere else. If direct, I'd take LH.

glasnost7

I've done this trip several times in new/old C and even once in Y+. No complaints about the new C unless you get stuck in a full row of four. I haven't had that happen yet but I don't imagine it's fun.

I vastly prefer the UA BarcaLoungers to LH's sliding slope seat (especially since I sleep on my side). I have no problem getting a full night's sleep.

It's worth going to the lounge in KWI instead of waiting in the fish tank. Yes, you have to go back through gate security but the KWI-BAH loads are incredibly light.

chinatraderjmr

That makes sense about the loads (I said the same thing) but I wonder why UA has started a DXB-DOHA flight. The loads to DXB are high compared to KWI, especially in a premium and MOST people in the region are experienced travelers these days. With a choice of EK and QR flying this route multiple times a day I can't see how UA expects any local traffic. Also, just fared it and UA is more expensive in F or C then EK and QR (what drugs are they on???). Can't imagine they have cargo either as IAD-DXB is already popular w cargo so no room for Doha?

chinatraderjmr

I'm sure this has been covered but I can't find it anywhere. I have friends coming to Dubai next week flying UA in C, Then we are all going to BAH for the weekend via EK. When I return to DXB, They return to IAD on UA (BAH-IAD). There is a 1hr 20min stop in Kuwait. Does anyone know if you must get off the plane in Kuwait? Common sense says yes, but with only an hour in transit I don't see how they can get everyone off, clean & re board a 777 in an hour

Anyone know if the transit stop in KWI requires de planing??

rob_flies_ua

I haven't actually flown BAH-(KWI)-IAD as irrops in BAH meant I got rerouted, but there weren't that many of us scheduled to fly BAH-KWI. On the outbound, KWI-BAH, there were maybe 20 of us, return was maybe 30. I do believe they make everyone deplane in KWI into a small holding gate area and then it doesn't take that long to clean up after that small number of passengers.

rankourabu

All I can tell you is that when I boarded in KWI for KWI-IAD, there was noone on the plane, and it looked like they tidy up a bit.

glasnost7

I've flown this several times.

Everyone gets off at KWI. Not that hard to do, as there are at most 30 people in Y and the only time I've seen someone else in C was if I was traveling with a companion.

C pax get lounge access, beats waiting in the fish tank and you get a pass to the front of the queue for security to get back in the tank. Good food and strawberry juice in the lounge.

KWI-IAD is usually packed in Y, C is hit or miss.

PaulMCO

Love the fish tank. The wait is around 1 hour in the tank.

chinatraderjmr

Kuwait Air has flown non stop from JFK for years. It makes a stop in London 3 days a week z& is non stop 4 days a week. It's a very very cheap full F fare to either the a gulf or just to London (but no alcohol)