KLM and Emirates...ABZ - AUH, DXB - KUL, KUL - ABZ

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chunk
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Joined: 07 May 2004, 00:00
Location: Scotland usually

KLM and Emirates...ABZ - AUH, DXB - KUL, KUL - ABZ

Post by chunk »

KL 1442 - B733 Dep 1045 Arr 1310

This is a well worn route that I have written about before so I'll be brief. I always think that these planes are looking a bit old inside and nothing has changed with this one. However, the leg room was fine at row 7 and the flight was on time...luckily as the connection is pretty tight. On board....it was the usual KLM Economy service, friendly staff and a much improved cheese sandwich with some OJ in a snack pack. A little bit bumpy due to strong winds over the N Sea but never too bad. Flight was pretty full as ever.

KL 455 - B763 Dep 1415 Arr 0130

This is the first time I have taken this flight and got off in AUH - usually it is BAH (intermediate stop) that is the destination - hence the long flight time.

I took my seat at 15F - at the front of economy and had pretty good leg room...I just wonder if it is because it is Select seating for Elite members? Anyway, took off on time and headed toward Germany. Before long a drinks service was done with a bag of wee snack things...pretty tasteless other than salty but the red wine to wash it down with was good. Then came lunch which I must say wasn;t bad. As I could see the pasta option was the exact same as my previous 5 flights outof AMS I went for the chicken. It was in a mustard sauce with potato and beans - along with a wee prawn salad - not bad at all. Then a very light and tasty raspberry cake and some cheese. Pretty good for economy these days...with another red wine of course!!

I then watched bbc news, everyone loves raymond, tried to watch friends (gave up - that show is as funny as a kick in the nads) and finally the movie came on. Some pile of dog dirt with Richard Gere and JLo - I lasted 10 minutes before getting back into the magazines I had bought in Aberdeen airport. Really - KLM's choice of movies on the non 777 flights is getting worse....so bland. Sooner the rest of the longer haul fleet gets PTV's the better.

We were warned that things could get bumpy over the Caspian sea but not bad at all - in fact the seatbelt sign never came on! Somewhere over Iraq we were then served a snack of an Indian pastry with curry and tofu inside (it was a lot better than it sounds!) and a praline ice cream - along with another drink. I was picking up a car in AUH so thought I'd better not - diet coke for me. My boss of course was not driving so he had another beer! After crossing Iraq we flew over Kuwait City - great views at night....and down the coast to land in Bahrain. Most of the passengers got off here along with the crew and we were all asked to stay on board. A new crew came on as we were asked to sit with our seatbelts unfastened as they were re-fuelling. Then, very few passengers got on to go to AMS. We took off at 2330 local time and headed towards Abu Dhabi. Flight time was only 40 minutes as we got up to 25000 ft and got served some OJ. The plane landed in AUH finally at 0110 and passengers going to AMS were asked to stay on board. Immigration at AUH was a bit of a pest as the room was small and the staff pretty slow....but we got in before the PIA flight from Lahore so missed much of the carnage!

Overall another good (but not spectacular) KLM trip. I continue to use them because it means no transfer at LHR, friendly staff, consistent product and a good FF prgram! The 767's are leaving soon and though looking a bit tatty inside and no PTV's they are quite comfortable...probably more so than the 777's in some ways!

EK - B777, DXB - KUL 26th Feb Dep 0250, Arr 1320

This was my first flight over 1.5 hrs on Emirates since 1991 so was interested in the light of the fact they have 10 a breast seating. I am not a wee guy so thought it may be tight. Actually it was OK - you notice the aisle as being narrower but I honsetly didn;t find the seat that tight a squeeze. The flight itself was uneventful - took off and landed on time, the crew were friendly and very good looking though the food wasn;t vewry good. A spicy chicken sandwich just after take off and breakfast before landing were both pretty dull though the breakfast was v. large. The highlight had to be the ICE entertainment system - a huge screen and plenty choice though my system sis need re-set twice.....not a big problem as you could go back to where it froze easily. Overall I would use Emirates again if necessary and especially at the cost....£200 one way.

KUL - Kuantan - KUL - Tuesday 1 March _ Malaysia Airlines

This was a side trip to a meeting at a chemical plant in Kuantan on the East coast and actually only a 40 minute hop on a B734. I booked the ticked two days before online and it cost around £40 return....inc. the outward leg having to be biz class as there were no economy seats. Take off was on time and we flew over the mountains and immediately started descent...just as a small sandwich and juice was served....no tiem for anything else. Landed at Kuantan and got a taxi to my meeting. Came back tot he airport after my meeting finished early so thought i would get an earlier flight back.....no chance. Only 4 flights that day and all to KL - Iwas already on the next one! Most of the airport is 'outside' with the only air-conditioned room being after check in and security. I jsut had to sit in the heat for 2 hrs before check in opened and drink lots of water - it was ok though really. I jsut thought of the snow all over EUrope and everything was fine.....flew back to KUL without trouble and got the KLIA express train in to the City and my hotel.

KUL - AMS - ABZ 5/3/05 B744 Combi, B733

After all the delays for snow in AMS we felt lucky that we were only delayed 4 hrs leaving KL and even luckier that the captain had made up a lto of time. Left KL at 3am instead of scheduled 2315 but landed at AMS at 0730 instead of 0515 so it wasn;t too bad at all. As for the service.....usual KLM standard but I was so tired after a weeks work and bar hopping in KL that i missed a lot. A snack box after take off was very good - especially the sweet n sour chicken small dish. Just flaked out exhausted though did wake up a few times when things got bumpy...despite that the belt sign never went on whioch was surprising....I think the Captain didn;t want to put it on unless really necessary....

AMS was obviously back to normal by the time we arrived as I had a coffee and got on the flight to ABZ on time.

Thats all....next trip for me is ABZ - CDG - Beirut on AF / MEA 21 March so I will try and write that up too!

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sab319
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Post by sab319 »

nice report!!

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sn26567
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Post by sn26567 »

Quite impressive report, chunk.

Are you sure you flew over Iraq? I thought it was still off limits for scheduled flights.
André
ex Sabena #26567

chunk
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Joined: 07 May 2004, 00:00
Location: Scotland usually

Post by chunk »

I am certain we flew over Iraq! It actually has happened on my last four trips to the Gulf since November last year...in each occasion we went over Iraq at some point. The last two however basically went right down the middle of Iraq rather than skirt the edges which is what the other flights did. I suspect that was more to do with destination rather than security though. Remember there are scheduled flights into Baghdad these days from Amman so if commercial traffic can land there I guess there is no risk on overflying it!

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