Lap747 From United Kingdom, joined Jan 2008, 45 posts, RR: 0 Posted (1 year 8 months 6 days 8 hours ago) and read 8228 times:
This trip report will be the fifth and final, covering my recent holiday to South East Asia. The routing was NCL-DXB-KUL-DPS-SIN-HKG-DXB-NCL – with Emirates, Malaysia Airlines, AirAsia and Jetstar Asia.
I will split the TR into three sections as there is a lot of pictures and also to make it easier to read. Firstly will be the pictures from HKG. The second part will be the HKG-DXB flight with pictures from inside the terminal of HKG and the final part will be the flight from DXB-NCL.
Firstly before I begin the actual trip report, I want to share some pictures I took of HKG when I visited Tung Chung one day. These pictures were taken in a one hour time span and I’m glad I found it the hill that our guidebook told us to go up to get good views! I will just let most of the pictures do the talking.
We have clearance, Clarence. Roger, Roger. What's our vector, Victor?
Lap747 From United Kingdom, joined Jan 2008, 45 posts, RR: 0 Reply 1, posted (1 year 8 months 6 days 8 hours ago) and read 8204 times:
Now onto the actual trip report!
Background
After three weeks of travelling around a very humid South East Asia it was time to return to the cold climate of the UK. Since we had flown with Emirates on the outbound leg of the journey to KUL it made sense to book with them coming back from HKG to NCL via DXB. Another reason I wanted to fly with them as opposed to CX or BA to LHR was because EK fly the A380 into HKG on Sundays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays. As I had never flown on an A380 before this was a good opportunity to do so!
We left the Harbour Grand Hotel in Kowloon at 10pm for our 12.35am flight. The taxi ride seemed to take a while but we arrived at Terminal 1 in good time.
Drop off area at T1
Area 3 for EK check-in
Main terminal entrance
As soon as I stepped inside I was impressed by the building. It is such a huge building but it is very open, bright and airy which makes it a nice relaxing environment to be in.
FIDS with a couple of UO and CX flights cancelled
Zone G for EK
KE check in opposite
Overview of check-in
The check in agent was very friendly and checked the bags through to Newcastle and gave us boarding passes for both of the flights. I then went through security, and afterwards walked the entire length of the terminal, I was exhausted by the end of it, but got some good pictures!
CX A333
CI A333 B-18306 with CX’s ‘Asia’s World City’ B77W in the background
CX B77W B-KPS
A couple of BA B744’s and AY A343
LH A346
ET B763 heading to ADD via BKK
Head to head!
KL B744 heading back to AMS
F-GSQA getting ready for CDG
VS A346 G-VSHY heading home to LHR having arrived from SYD earlier in the evening
I headed up the terminal a bit more and saw the EK A380 heading for DXB via BKK.
Not mine yet! A6-EDK heading to BKK
CX A343
Was happy to see the Orient Thai B743
Looking up to the other end of the terminal
CA, MU and KA Airbuses
KA A319
N8 A332 B-LNG
I took a walk down to gates 15-19 to see the KE A380 amongst others
SQ lounge
KE A380 just after arriving from ICN
One of two late night BA departures to LHR (2315 and 2345) – G-CIVE
By this time my EK A380 had arrived from DXB
OZ B744
SQ B777 heading to SFO
The second BA flight G-CIVR
By this time it was time to head to gate 60 for my first flight on the A380!
Wednesday 24th August 2011
EK381
Hong Kong Chek Lap Kok Airport (HKG/VHHH) – Dubai International Airport (DXB/OMDB)
Departure Time – 12.35am
Arrival Time – 4.35am
Duration – 8 hours
Aircraft – Airbus A380-861 / A6-EDL / Built in 2010, Delivered to EK on 12th August 2010
Seat – 75A
Boarding was soon announced and I was on board by 12am. The whole boarding process didn’t seem to take too long despite the size and amount of passengers on the plane. Once boarding was completed the load seemed to be good, there weren’t many empty seats.
View of the massive wing from 75A
The big IFE screen
The window was pretty cool as well, although it was harder to get photos with no glare due to the big gap between the inner and outer windows.
The flight information for tonight, although it seems they need to update the code for Hong Kong!
Tail camera with the cargo doors still open
I couldn’t get over the size of the wing!
The captain soon made a PA to say we would have a little delay due to a passenger not showing up but having a bag on the flight. It took a little while for the bag to be found and we soon pushed back around 20 minutes late. Soon the safety video was played and hot towels and menus were handed out.
During pushback I was amazed at how quiet the engine start was. Even when all four were fired up, they were very very quiet!
There was just the KE A380 taking off in front of us, so after that departed we were on our way to DXB.
About 30 minutes into the flight I had a walk around the A380.
The rear staircase heading up to Business Class... you could hear people at the bar from the bottom of the stairs!
EK logo at the back of the plane
Front staircase heading up to First Class
From my seat behind the wing I thought the engines were quiet but at the front section of economy the engines are completely silent!
Cabin view
Flying along the South coast of China
A midnight snack was served which consisted of a Beef Pastrami sandwich and fruit.
Menu for the flight
Midnight snack... it didn’t taste bad but I didn’t really enjoy it at 1.15 in the morning.
‘Cockpit’ view
Flying over the Ganges Delta in Bangladesh... too bad it was at night as it would have probably made for some good photos
I then watched the comedy film Little Fockers before I fell asleep for about three hours as I was shattered after having a whole day in Hong Kong before heading to the airport.
When I woke up I decided to have some of the instant cup noodles (which I forgot to take a photo of!) However, it was just basically a vegetable pot noodle.
Breakfast was served just after leaving the coast of India – It was either a Swiss cheese omelette or Stir-fried Hokkien noodles – I went for the omelette which tasted pretty good.
Getting closer to Dubai
We commenced our descent about 140 miles from DXB and had a straight in approach with no holds to runway 30R.
On approach
The landing was VERY hard, i’m not sure if this is normal for the A380 because of its size but it was possible the hardest landing I have ever experienced.
Parked at the gate with another A380 taxiing into the gate next door
Final tail camera view
At the end of the flight I again went into the flight deck and talked to the very friendly American captain.
All in all it was a great flight on the A380... it is definitely a fantastic aircraft to fly on, it is very comfortable and very quiet! Can’t wait for my next flight on one!
We have clearance, Clarence. Roger, Roger. What's our vector, Victor?
Lap747 From United Kingdom, joined Jan 2008, 45 posts, RR: 0 Reply 2, posted (1 year 8 months 6 days 8 hours ago) and read 8183 times:
CONTINUED...
I made my way through connections, through security and was back in the terminal for the 2 ½ hour wait for my flight to Newcastle.
FIDS with the busy morning rush hour
I went along to the Emirates official store to buy a model of the A380 and then I went to try and find A6-EDL to get a picture of it in the daylight. I managed to find it but pictures were a bit of a problem!
A6-EDL parked at the gate after bringing me back from HKG
Soon it was time for boarding for EK35 to NCL via gate 212.
Wednesday 24th August 2011
EK35
Dubai International Airport (DXB/OMDB) – Newcastle International Airport (NCL/EGNT)
Departure Time – 7.20am
Arrival Time – 12.05pm
Duration – 7 hours 45 minutes
Aircraft – Airbus A330-243 / A6-EAQ / Built in 2003, Delivered to EK on 29th April 2003
Seat – 30A
A6-EAQ was operating today’s flight – An eight year old A332
Down the escalator into the holding area
Boarding was announced around 20 minutes later.
View from the airbridge with a B77W heading to CMB next door
Seated in 30A – This is something I had wondered... Why do planes at certain airports (always seems to be ones in hot climates) already have the flaps set at the gate before pushback and before engines are started? Is this done for any particular reason?
DXB ATC tower
Hot towels and menus were handed out before pushback began while the safety briefing was being shown.
B77L A6-EWH being towed to a gate this morning
I wonder what airline is based at DXB....
BA and LH getting ready for their flights back home
We took off towards the desert and made a right turn soon after and headed towards the city and past the Burj Al Arab and the Palm Jumeirah
Burj Al Arab
The Palm Jumeirah – You can see the apartments on the trunk of the Palm that I had stayed in two years before on my holiday to Dubai
It was a very cool sight to see it from the air
Fading away in the haze
Breakfast was served shortly after takeoff –The options were Traditional Arabic morning mezze or Deli platter. I went for the Deli platter which tasted good and was a good alternative to something hot which I had eaten on the previous flight.
The Tigris River in Iraq
Lunch was served around 4 hours into the flight – The options were Breaded fish fillet or Chicken Tikka, I went for the Chicken Tikka.
The meal was nice however the dessert could have been better if it wasn’t as cold as what it was
Our route took us over Iraq, Turkey, over the Black Sea, Moldova, Ukraine, Poland, Germany and the Netherlands.
We made landfall in the UK over Hull and then turned right towards Newcastle.
An airport in the UK – not sure which one...
We commenced our descent and flew past the City of Sunderland and Newcastle before turning left to line up with Newcastle’s runway 25.
Newcastle City
The Millennium Bridge, Tyne Bridge and The Sage music venue
We made a smooth touchdown on runway 25, however the pilot braked extremely strongly – the EK A330 normally uses the full length of runway at NCL however we exited the runway where an A319 or Dash 8 normally does!
I did take a landing video but there was a small child crying through the whole video, so I decided not to post it.
BA A320 taxiing for takeoff and U2 A319 just landed
Back in Newcastle – saying bye to A6-EAQ
One last view
TOM B752 next door
TS A310 about to pushback to YYZ
Overall the flights with Emirates were very good and they continue to be a pleasant airline to fly with – even though their standards have slipped a bit in the past few years.
I enjoyed every minute of my holiday in South East Asia and I hope you have enjoyed reading about the different flights I took as much as I have enjoyed writing about them. If you have read all five parts – Thank You! If not... get reading!
Thanks for reading!
Regards,
Lap747
We have clearance, Clarence. Roger, Roger. What's our vector, Victor?
joffie From Australia, joined Mar 2006, 775 posts, RR: 2 Reply 3, posted (1 year 8 months 6 days 3 hours ago) and read 7609 times:
Hello,
Great report. Enjoyed it. I have never flown EK, but they seem OK in Y class. I noticed they have always had pretty good catering in Y class. About the A380 landing, seems that hard landing is quite common within the airlines.
aflyingkiwi From New Zealand, joined Nov 2010, 487 posts, RR: 7 Reply 4, posted (1 year 8 months 5 days 22 hours ago) and read 7136 times:
Great report Lap747!
I'm going to be flying the EK A380 in January so it's good to get a precursor to the flight. Food on your flights looked pretty good which seems to be the case with most EK flights. BTW great spotting photo's in HKG!
Lap747 From United Kingdom, joined Jan 2008, 45 posts, RR: 0 Reply 5, posted (1 year 8 months 4 days 17 hours ago) and read 5816 times:
Thanks for the comments!
Yes, EK Y class is not bad at all and the food is pretty good. I thought that the landing might have been quite hard because of the size of the A380, which seems to be the case will all carriers.
Hope you enjoy your flight on the EK A380, aflyingkiwi!
Luke
We have clearance, Clarence. Roger, Roger. What's our vector, Victor?
Lap747 From United Kingdom, joined Jan 2008, 45 posts, RR: 0 Reply 8, posted (1 year 7 months 3 weeks 4 days 15 hours ago) and read 4652 times:
Quoting gkirk (Reply 6): I think the UK airport in your pic is Doncaster Sheffield Robin Hood and Maid Marion along with the Sheriff of Nottingham Airport
Haha, thanks!
Quoting MSS658 (Reply 7): Nice ending to your trip report series. I'm glad you where able to log the A380. Looks nice as well.
Emirates is a carrier on my to-fly list.
Thanks for the comments Marc. It was very nice to fly the A380, a great aircraft!
Luke
We have clearance, Clarence. Roger, Roger. What's our vector, Victor?
sultanils From Belgium, joined Mar 2010, 1173 posts, RR: 29 Reply 9, posted (1 year 7 months 3 weeks 4 days 14 hours ago) and read 4568 times:
Hello Luke,
Nice to see the final part of your Asia holiday online. Those views into HKG from the mountain are amazing, I bet you had a great time spotting there! Nice pics from HKG at night as well, so many widebodies there. I've been in HKG also some 4 years ago on my travels to Vietnam on CX. I found it to be a quite pleasant airport. And as for EK: solid flights from an established carrier, you know what to expect. Good for you you got to score the whale jet, certainly something 'big'
Quoting Lap747 (Thread starter): As I had never flown on an A380 before this was a good opportunity to do so!
Rightfully so!
Quoting Lap747 (Thread starter): One of two late night BA departures to LHR (2315 and 2345) – G-CIVE
I wonder how BA manages to fill 2 widebodies within this short timeframe and with lots of competition?
Quoting Lap747 (Thread starter): the EK A330 normally uses the full length of runway at NCL however we exited the runway where an A319 or Dash 8 normally does!
The777Man From United States of America, joined Jul 1999, 6079 posts, RR: 56 Reply 10, posted (1 year 7 months 3 weeks 4 days 11 hours ago) and read 4427 times:
Hi Luke !
Nice report to finsih your travels fo Asia ! Great pictures from HKG! It's one of my favorite airports!
Service on EK seems to be okay and is probably not as good as a few years ago but still nice. Good choice to take EK directly to NCL to avoid connecting somewhere else in Europe.
Where are you going next ?
The777Man
Need a Boeing 777 Firing Order....Further to fly....GA, T5, CI and LX 777s
Well I did take a couple, but they didn't come out too well. Also I wasn't sure whether to post them or not since on the first EK 77W to KUL the captain asked me not to put them on the internet.
I have to agree! I loved HKG, the way you can go right up to the windows, unlike other airports. The terminal building is so light and airy aswell, not to mention being huge!
I haven't got any flights booked yet, but I will need to for next March as I am going to America for 3 months. I've been looking at which airline and Delta seems to have the most appealing fares for LHR-PHX. Not to mention it will be a B764 and B753!
I also want to fly on the SQ 77W between MAN and MUC at some point but not sure when.
Luke
We have clearance, Clarence. Roger, Roger. What's our vector, Victor?
Lap747 From United Kingdom, joined Jan 2008, 45 posts, RR: 0 Reply 13, posted (1 year 7 months 3 weeks 3 days 8 hours ago) and read 3907 times:
Quoting kaitak (Reply 12): What is the best way of getting there - and how long does it take?
Thanks for the comments! Hong Kong is definitely an amazing city!
The way I got to the spotting location was to take the Tung Chung line on the MTR from Kowloon (I think it also goes from Hong Kong) to Tung Chung, it takes around 30 minutes.
Luke
We have clearance, Clarence. Roger, Roger. What's our vector, Victor?
nethkt From Thailand, joined Apr 2001, 985 posts, RR: 3 Reply 14, posted (1 year 7 months 3 weeks 3 days ago) and read 3764 times:
Loads of pics. Enjoy them all, Many thanks
Total of 4 meal services HKG to NCL! What a way.
I guess you only got served properly twice on non-stop HKG-LHR.
Given the price and short connect in DXB, I'd take EK over BA/QF/CX to the UK anytimes.
Thanks again.
Don't be annoyed knowing the passengers around you are non-revs and op-upgraders, be grateful for them. Life is beautifu
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