pep
Medlem
Ny Odysse til Africa. I stedet for at flyve fra Hue (HUI) er jeg begyndt oftere at flyve fra Da Nang, 110 km herfra. Fordelen er at jeg checker in direkte udenrigs - uden at skulle flyve indenrigs først til SGN eller HAN. Der er en ny limousine service (Phuong Limo Xe Hoi) fra Hue city der kører mig direkte fra min private addresse til DAD lufthavn. Betalte ca. 5 USD inc. taxi drop-afgift i DAD. Måtte dele min luksus 4WD-limo med 2 andre pax men jeg fik lov at blive hentet sidst og blive droppet først. Dette er billigere end en taxi til min lokale lufthavn! Tiderne skal dog anpasses da bilerne kun kører 3 gange dagligt.
Bangkok Airways har ikke egen lounge i DAD og der er kun 1 klasse øko) til Bangkok. I DAD afstod jeg fra at betale 25 USD for tilgang til Orchid lounge (hvor kaffen ikke er saerlig god!). Nappede i stedet "loungen" Burger King, udmærket omraade (tarmac view, charging station, godt internet, etc.).
Turen gik i smadder i Addis idet jeg missede min B2B (turnaround) forbindelse fra KQ400 til KQ401). Fejlen var dels min egen at jeg ikke havde adviseret kaptainen ordentligt og anmodet om escorte. Dels KQs fordi de ikke have prioritet for biz-pax.Ved ankomst til ADD holdt der en VIP bil og vi var kun 3 i biz. Men denne Govn. VIP accepterede ikke vi kørte med ham da han hævcdede det var et ”special arrangement”. Jeg blev sur da han havde taget min plads i vores ankommende fly uden jeg brokkede mig. Saa blev jeg henvist til cattle-bus og selv om jeg er rimeligt professionelt og kendt med ADD lykkedes det mig lige netop ikke at borde mit fly igen. Station Manager stod i KQ401 kabinen da vi kaldte ham, men da jeg var 200 meter væk on the tarmac fik jeg ikke lov at boarde, iflg. ham security denial.
Saa måtte jeg afvente ham og vi fik en en ny billet udstedt fra ADD-DJB-NBO-KGL. Afgang 6 timer senere. Via Djibouti. 299 USD extra selv om det var omtrent hvad jeg havde betalt for min billet. Men alle legs skulle genudstedes og booking klasserne blev højere. Hvad jeg virkelig værdsætter var at han inviterede mig i loungen og gjorde alt muligt for at hjælpe mig, inc. finde ud af hvad en alternative Billet med ET ville koste. Omvejen til Djibouti ville jeg gerne have været foruden idet jeg var træt. Men et meget spændende og lærerigt sted at mellemlande. Et boost for æventyret!!
Kom til NBO kl 22 og næste fly til KGL gik først næste morgen. Men KQ lagde sig ned og accepterede mig i deres dejlige lounges.
Ankom KGL en dag senere, men sparede en hotelnat i KGL hvor jeg i st. f. sov som et lam i Pride lounge i NBO som jeg virkelig elsker (se nf.). KQ er ikke top notch in the air (mad og drikke). Men de kan levere hvis ting begynder at gå galt.
Lært lektie: Ved B2B må man være aggressiv og anmode FA/kaptajnen om ground assistance for at fange næste forbindelse. Jeg var over confident idet staff ombord syntes det var alle tiders med en passager som var så proffessionel (men ikke kan gøre det alene, man er ikke bedre end sit team).
Flg. er gengivet paa SKYTRAX
1. Bangkok Airways. Economy 10/10
Flew Danang to Bangkok 15/5-2019 on an A320. Excellent trip. Early check-in, peaceful airport, early and top prepared in all aspects, take off 15 prior to listed. They call called me onboard from my airport hiding even 50 Minutes prior to take off. No faults, whatsoever. Cheap as hell (202 usd return, inc. full service and luggage). Why struggle with LCCs which costs almost the same and always conflicts on luggage? Must admit the price of PG has gone down 30-50% after Vietjetair opened the same route for basically half the price. Good luck for them – I have had enough and costs always end up high anyway…
Whenever I fly eco in this region I find that PG, when available on the route, are the obvious choice. Well, except for maybe Myanmar, Japan, Hanoi, where they tend to be expensive due to lack of competitors
2. Kenya Airways Business 07/10
Transited in BKK from Vietnam and boarded after midnight 15th May 2019. Aircrafts were the old Dreamliner 787-800 and 737, respectively. I like KQ (we have had our issues…). In BKK they were professional and appeared as a true legacy carrier This, even I travelled on a strongly promoted ticket. Smooth cooperation with KQ and the AF lounge in BKK allowed me to relax in the lounge 6 hours until Kenya Airways could issue all 4 Boarding Passes of my ongoing trip to Kigali via Addis. Buying 2 tickets with complicated routing (married segments) turned out to be much cheaper than go direct. But time spent increases; likewise the risk of lapses. All flights punctual. Food only passable, only 2 options offered and only cold dishes for dinner. No cheese, no ice-cream. Other airlines do better in Economy regarding food. Drinks also very narrow offering with 2 industrial, cheap beers. Same for wines: only 1-2 options. Champagne offered (on both flights) was fine: JM Gobillard & Fils. The Dreamliner offer a very boring and cramped layout of 2 x 2 x 2 in 5 rows. Business almost full (only 4 vacant seats) and economy completely full (but no operational upgrades were done). Second flight almost empty. Poor food, only a quiche in a paper box offered as breakfast. And, this was business class..?? FAs in excellent mood. Had 50 minutes turnaround time in ADD which I failed to complete in time due to no prior notification by KQ aircrew to ground staff to rush me through.
3. Kenya Airways Economy 7/10
Travelled ADD-DJB-NBO-KGL on 16-17th May 2019 on B737 and E90, respectively. Got my ticket reissued in airport in ADD due to No Show (I was late from previous connection on different ticket). That costed me 300 usd, same amount as I paid for original (return) ticket. The Station Manager in ADD went the extra mile to get me onwards the same day and he invited me to the Ethiopian Gold Lounge, that Skyteam uses.
Service onboard fair, but food is ridiculous and substandard. They serve only microscopic meals, e.g. a little-finger sized hot roll snack from ADD to NBO (5 hours trip). That’s stingy. In NBO I had to spent the night but fortunately KQ granted me lounge access due to all the trouble that I have had. The prestigious lounge has food, views, and nice architecture with curving designs and view of tarmac. It has 6 beds in silent area and I slept well till next morning. Flights less than ½ hours delayed. NBO-KGL on the Embraer was delayed due to passengers could not fit their overhead luggage into the narrow space and some 5-10 pax was deprived their luggage to have it inscribed on site and put down in luggage room until we reached KGL. For me a dramatic flight as I had 6 BPs issued with KQ and lost 2 connections from ADD but the station manager did well to rebook me. KQ has lowered services onboard but remain strong when things go wrong.
4. Kenya Airways Pride Lounge in Nairobi 9/10
In NBO on 16-5-2019 I had to spent the night due to missed connection causing a downgrade to economy class. However, fortunately KQ granted me lounge access due to all the trouble that I have had. The prestigious lounge has food, views, and nice architecture with curving designs and view of tarmac. I love the pulse and dynamics of this lounge with its many sections with different themes. Food is good and drinks are fine and plenty. It has 6 beds in silent area and I slept well till next morning.
Bangkok Airways har ikke egen lounge i DAD og der er kun 1 klasse øko) til Bangkok. I DAD afstod jeg fra at betale 25 USD for tilgang til Orchid lounge (hvor kaffen ikke er saerlig god!). Nappede i stedet "loungen" Burger King, udmærket omraade (tarmac view, charging station, godt internet, etc.).
Turen gik i smadder i Addis idet jeg missede min B2B (turnaround) forbindelse fra KQ400 til KQ401). Fejlen var dels min egen at jeg ikke havde adviseret kaptainen ordentligt og anmodet om escorte. Dels KQs fordi de ikke have prioritet for biz-pax.Ved ankomst til ADD holdt der en VIP bil og vi var kun 3 i biz. Men denne Govn. VIP accepterede ikke vi kørte med ham da han hævcdede det var et ”special arrangement”. Jeg blev sur da han havde taget min plads i vores ankommende fly uden jeg brokkede mig. Saa blev jeg henvist til cattle-bus og selv om jeg er rimeligt professionelt og kendt med ADD lykkedes det mig lige netop ikke at borde mit fly igen. Station Manager stod i KQ401 kabinen da vi kaldte ham, men da jeg var 200 meter væk on the tarmac fik jeg ikke lov at boarde, iflg. ham security denial.
Saa måtte jeg afvente ham og vi fik en en ny billet udstedt fra ADD-DJB-NBO-KGL. Afgang 6 timer senere. Via Djibouti. 299 USD extra selv om det var omtrent hvad jeg havde betalt for min billet. Men alle legs skulle genudstedes og booking klasserne blev højere. Hvad jeg virkelig værdsætter var at han inviterede mig i loungen og gjorde alt muligt for at hjælpe mig, inc. finde ud af hvad en alternative Billet med ET ville koste. Omvejen til Djibouti ville jeg gerne have været foruden idet jeg var træt. Men et meget spændende og lærerigt sted at mellemlande. Et boost for æventyret!!
Kom til NBO kl 22 og næste fly til KGL gik først næste morgen. Men KQ lagde sig ned og accepterede mig i deres dejlige lounges.
Ankom KGL en dag senere, men sparede en hotelnat i KGL hvor jeg i st. f. sov som et lam i Pride lounge i NBO som jeg virkelig elsker (se nf.). KQ er ikke top notch in the air (mad og drikke). Men de kan levere hvis ting begynder at gå galt.
Lært lektie: Ved B2B må man være aggressiv og anmode FA/kaptajnen om ground assistance for at fange næste forbindelse. Jeg var over confident idet staff ombord syntes det var alle tiders med en passager som var så proffessionel (men ikke kan gøre det alene, man er ikke bedre end sit team).
Flg. er gengivet paa SKYTRAX
1. Bangkok Airways. Economy 10/10
Flew Danang to Bangkok 15/5-2019 on an A320. Excellent trip. Early check-in, peaceful airport, early and top prepared in all aspects, take off 15 prior to listed. They call called me onboard from my airport hiding even 50 Minutes prior to take off. No faults, whatsoever. Cheap as hell (202 usd return, inc. full service and luggage). Why struggle with LCCs which costs almost the same and always conflicts on luggage? Must admit the price of PG has gone down 30-50% after Vietjetair opened the same route for basically half the price. Good luck for them – I have had enough and costs always end up high anyway…
Whenever I fly eco in this region I find that PG, when available on the route, are the obvious choice. Well, except for maybe Myanmar, Japan, Hanoi, where they tend to be expensive due to lack of competitors
2. Kenya Airways Business 07/10
Transited in BKK from Vietnam and boarded after midnight 15th May 2019. Aircrafts were the old Dreamliner 787-800 and 737, respectively. I like KQ (we have had our issues…). In BKK they were professional and appeared as a true legacy carrier This, even I travelled on a strongly promoted ticket. Smooth cooperation with KQ and the AF lounge in BKK allowed me to relax in the lounge 6 hours until Kenya Airways could issue all 4 Boarding Passes of my ongoing trip to Kigali via Addis. Buying 2 tickets with complicated routing (married segments) turned out to be much cheaper than go direct. But time spent increases; likewise the risk of lapses. All flights punctual. Food only passable, only 2 options offered and only cold dishes for dinner. No cheese, no ice-cream. Other airlines do better in Economy regarding food. Drinks also very narrow offering with 2 industrial, cheap beers. Same for wines: only 1-2 options. Champagne offered (on both flights) was fine: JM Gobillard & Fils. The Dreamliner offer a very boring and cramped layout of 2 x 2 x 2 in 5 rows. Business almost full (only 4 vacant seats) and economy completely full (but no operational upgrades were done). Second flight almost empty. Poor food, only a quiche in a paper box offered as breakfast. And, this was business class..?? FAs in excellent mood. Had 50 minutes turnaround time in ADD which I failed to complete in time due to no prior notification by KQ aircrew to ground staff to rush me through.
3. Kenya Airways Economy 7/10
Travelled ADD-DJB-NBO-KGL on 16-17th May 2019 on B737 and E90, respectively. Got my ticket reissued in airport in ADD due to No Show (I was late from previous connection on different ticket). That costed me 300 usd, same amount as I paid for original (return) ticket. The Station Manager in ADD went the extra mile to get me onwards the same day and he invited me to the Ethiopian Gold Lounge, that Skyteam uses.
Service onboard fair, but food is ridiculous and substandard. They serve only microscopic meals, e.g. a little-finger sized hot roll snack from ADD to NBO (5 hours trip). That’s stingy. In NBO I had to spent the night but fortunately KQ granted me lounge access due to all the trouble that I have had. The prestigious lounge has food, views, and nice architecture with curving designs and view of tarmac. It has 6 beds in silent area and I slept well till next morning. Flights less than ½ hours delayed. NBO-KGL on the Embraer was delayed due to passengers could not fit their overhead luggage into the narrow space and some 5-10 pax was deprived their luggage to have it inscribed on site and put down in luggage room until we reached KGL. For me a dramatic flight as I had 6 BPs issued with KQ and lost 2 connections from ADD but the station manager did well to rebook me. KQ has lowered services onboard but remain strong when things go wrong.
4. Kenya Airways Pride Lounge in Nairobi 9/10
In NBO on 16-5-2019 I had to spent the night due to missed connection causing a downgrade to economy class. However, fortunately KQ granted me lounge access due to all the trouble that I have had. The prestigious lounge has food, views, and nice architecture with curving designs and view of tarmac. I love the pulse and dynamics of this lounge with its many sections with different themes. Food is good and drinks are fine and plenty. It has 6 beds in silent area and I slept well till next morning.
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