TwoLz2Rn From United States of America, joined Oct 2005, 429 posts, RR: 0 Posted (5 years 9 months 4 weeks 12 hours ago) and read 9565 times:
After an amazing three weeks in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, it was time to leave.
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Air Burkina flight to ORY (I assume)
After a farewell drink we said good bye to our host families at started to file into the airport…which was a big pain. First you get your passport and itinerary looked at before you even enter the terminal to make sure you are on that flight. Then you check your bags and get your boarding pass. We all got our boarding passes and saw that boarding started at 8:15pm even though our flight left at 10:45pm…we would soon find out why. Then there is a glass door with a lady holding a stack of papers but doesn’t tell you what they are for. When she says you can pass, there are three guys putting the AF “carry-on bag” things on people’s bags.
Then you go to passport control where they tell you that you need to fill out the paper that the lady was holding. So you go back fill it out then go back to get your exit stamp. Then you dodge the crazy bugs while waiting to go through the metal detector. Before that there was a table with two ladies. One would look at your boarding pass say your seat number and the other would mark it out on a sheet. Then you go though the metal detector. After that you are in the “lounge”. Since boarding already started we waited in line. Before you got on the bus to go to the plane, there is a long hallway with about 8 tables and you got your carry on bag hand searched and lastly you get “wanded” with the hand metal detector. It was ridiculous (but we figured for such a poor country they are just creating jobs for people).
Taking photographs in Burkinabé airports is forbidden so I didn’t want to risk it inside the airport.
Our bus left the terminal and then we arrived at our plane.
July 14, 2007
AF 735
OUA-CDG
Aircraft: A330 (F-GZCA)
Depart: 10:45pm
Arrive: 6:15am (+1 Day)
On the bus coming up to the plane
On the stairs
We waited about another 30 minutes or so before the announcement was made that everyone was onboard and we would take off on time! Then the announcement was made that “due to international law” they had to spray the cabin. About 5 minutes later a F/A is walking up and down the aisles with two aerosol cans (spraying what we thought to be deet). Once that mess settled and we could all breath again, I saw the Air Burkina flight from ORY arrive. A few minutes later we started our taxi to the end of the runway while the safety video played. Once that was finished, the engines roared and had a powerful takeoff.
Looking over Ouagadougou (sorry for the VERY bad quality)
A few minutes after the seatbelt sign was it was announced that we would be getting dinner. I would have preferred breakfast but whatever. Dinner consisted of (this is the only time I saved the menu):
Pesto Pasta Salad
Choice of:
Sauté of lamb with thyme jus accompanied by semolina and sautéed zucchini
- or -
Fillet of monkfish with lemon, Burkina Faso green beans and potatoes
Cheese
Seasonal fruit salad
Chocolate cake
I took the lamb which was excellent. The pasta and fruit salad were gross and the chocolate cake was decent.
Does OUA have catering facilities at the airport??
The flight was very smooth the entire way.
Right after dinner I fell asleep and woke up with about an hour till landing.
A bad picture of Paris in the background
Landing was nice but with my luck I wasn’t facing the terminal (it was parallel to 2A, 2C, 2E)
For some reason we parked at 2F (is there a difference between the two 2F’s) and not 2C as stated in the itinerary.
Arrival at 2F
Before exiting the jetway, we had our passports checked and then again at passport control, then again at customs!
KLM685 From Mexico, joined May 2005, 1577 posts, RR: 21 Reply 1, posted (5 years 9 months 4 weeks 5 hours ago) and read 9208 times:
Great trip report! I wrote you on your first trip to post pics of OUA and didn't notice this one. Must have been a great trip. Do you have more pics of the place?
Evan767 From United States of America, joined Aug 2005, 2957 posts, RR: 2 Reply 3, posted (5 years 9 months 3 weeks 6 days 10 hours ago) and read 8367 times:
Nice report but remember you could've chunked a good part of your travel time off if you flew DL CVG-ATL-DKR-OUA. Just a suggestion!
The proper term is "on final" not "on finals" bud...
TwoLz2Rn From United States of America, joined Oct 2005, 429 posts, RR: 0 Reply 4, posted (5 years 9 months 3 weeks 6 days 9 hours ago) and read 8279 times:
two things I do remember seeing at the airport were an L-1011 with no markings and an Air Burkina saab 340 but i didn't catch the reg. number.
Definatly an idea but 90% of the group was studying in France before this so it was easier (and more enjoyable) for everyone to take the AF flight so we would all arrive in OUA together. Although I REALLY want to go to Dakar soon (via DL).
RoseFlyer From United States of America, joined Feb 2004, 8740 posts, RR: 52 Reply 5, posted (5 years 9 months 3 weeks 6 days 6 hours ago) and read 8194 times:
Thanks for the trip report. It reminds me of the last time I was in a 3rd world country and had my passport/ticket inspected about 7 times. It seems to be far less efficient, but they are probably as good as or better at detecting problems.
If you have never designed an airplane part before, let the real designers do the work!
ThegreatRDU From United States of America, joined Mar 2006, 2273 posts, RR: 3 Reply 6, posted (3 years 4 months 3 weeks 6 hours ago) and read 6185 times:
Good TR...but let me guess photography at OUA is banned...
The777Man From United States of America, joined Jul 1999, 6082 posts, RR: 56 Reply 8, posted (3 years 4 months 2 weeks 6 days 11 hours ago) and read 5147 times:
Nice report! Very different routing than most trip reports here! Foods seems really good on your flight, just as I have always had great food on my AF flight.
The777Man
Need a Boeing 777 Firing Order....Further to fly....GA, T5, CI and LX 777s
Gardermoen From Australia, joined Jul 1999, 1518 posts, RR: 1 Reply 9, posted (3 years 4 months 2 weeks 6 days 11 hours ago) and read 5139 times:
Great report on an exotic airport we don't get to see much of. Enjoyable!
Then you go to passport control where they tell you that you need to fill out the paper that the lady was holding. So you go back fill it out then go back to get your exit stamp. Then you dodge the crazy bugs while waiting to go through the metal detector. Before that there was a table with two ladies. One would look at your boarding pass say your seat number and the other would mark it out on a sheet. Then you go though the metal detector. After that you are in the “lounge”. Since boarding already started we waited in line. Before you got on the bus to go to the plane, there is a long hallway with about 8 tables and you got your carry on bag hand searched and lastly you get “wanded” with the hand metal detector. It was ridiculous (but we figured for such a poor country they are just creating
Phew - what a kerfuffle!
I'd like to know what is the traffic make up on these flights like?
SW733 From United States of America, joined Feb 2004, 6072 posts, RR: 10 Reply 11, posted (3 years 4 months 2 weeks 6 days 4 hours ago) and read 4811 times:
Quoting Gardermoen (Reply 9):
I'd like to know what is the traffic make up on these flights like?
Most of these flights are VFR...Africans living in France, Europe, North America who are visiting family back home, or said family going to visit them. Some business traffic up front. Fares are usually quite high.
Twolz2rn From United States of America, joined Oct 2005, 429 posts, RR: 0 Reply 12, posted (3 years 4 months 2 weeks 6 days 1 hour ago) and read 4606 times:
Quoting Gardermoen (Reply 9): I'd like to know what is the traffic make up on these flights like?
Quoting SW733 (Reply 11): Most of these flights are VFR...Africans living in France, Europe, North America who are visiting family back home, or said family going to visit them. Some business traffic up front.
Yup. I actually remember the flight being completely full both ways.
Quoting SW733 (Reply 11): Fares are usually quite high.
Very much so. I flew coach and paid abour $900 roundtrip.
Quoting ThegreatRDU (Reply 6): but let me guess photography at OUA is banned...
It supposed to be but this is when I just started writing trip reports and was still shy about taking pictures. Looking back on it, I wish I took more!
You know, I've always wondered, do the FA's get extra pay for going to destinations like this??
SW733 From United States of America, joined Feb 2004, 6072 posts, RR: 10 Reply 13, posted (3 years 4 months 2 weeks 6 days ago) and read 4510 times:
Quoting Twolz2rn (Reply 12): You know, I've always wondered, do the FA's get extra pay for going to destinations like this??
Not that I know of. I could be wrong (usually am), but I think it's just the normal bid system. I would guess these flights bid low? I just know - Ouagadougou/Lome/Bamako/Niamey, or Hong Kong/Cape Town/Miam/Rio...I think I know what I would choose if I had to go somewhere for work
MaverickM11 From United States of America, joined Apr 2000, 15727 posts, RR: 47 Reply 14, posted (3 years 4 months 2 weeks 5 days 20 hours ago) and read 4320 times:
Quoting TwoLz2Rn (Thread starter): Taking photographs in Burkinabé airports is forbidden so I didn’t want to risk it inside the airport.
Meh...just make sure no one is looking and you'll be fine.
I tried to get out on that AF flight but it was full; the next day I got on ET to ADD and security really wasn't that bad at all. I'm not sure if it's more thorough for AF though.
Twolz2rn From United States of America, joined Oct 2005, 429 posts, RR: 0 Reply 15, posted (3 years 4 months 2 weeks 4 days 22 hours ago) and read 3806 times:
Quoting SW733 (Reply 13): I think it's just the normal bid system
Interesting if true. We had a little joke saying they send the FA's on probation to the less "popular" destinations...
Quoting MaverickM11 (Reply 14): Meh...just make sure no one is looking and you'll be fine.
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