thaia345 From Indonesia, joined Oct 2006, 814 posts, RR: 17 Posted (1 year 4 months 2 days ago) and read 12642 times:
Date: 06 Jan 2012
Route: Jakarta (CGK) - Hong Kong (HKG)
Flight: Garuda GA860
ETD: 0950
ETA: 1550
Seat: 1A (Executive Class)
Aircraft: A330-200
Flight time: 4hr 20mins
Registration: PK-GPL
1st Flight: 16 Dec 2012
Preflight
Took me almost 2hrs to get to the airport due to traffic from hell as there was a sever thunderstorm the night before that uprooted trees and even some advertising billboard.
Arrived at the airport with 50mins to spare. After check in it was just a few minutes in the lounge before boarding was called.
Inflight
Very empty in J with barely 10pax. Really love the ambience on GA A330 family.
Cabin views
Menu
My usual Mh B734 to KUL. Sadly I fly GA more now due to a much better inflight product with new B738’s plying the route
Meal time
Flight itself was normal for me, watched a few shows on my ipad before taking a nice nap. Woke up 30mins before landing. A run of the mill flight, yet fantastic service and product by GA.
Touchdown at HKIA
Goodbye PK-GPL
Date: 06 Jan 2012
Route: Hong Kong (HKG) - Paris (CDG)
Flight: Cathay Pacific CX261
ETD: 2350
ETA: 0533+1
Seat: 1A (First Class)
Aircraft: B747-400
Flight time: 12hrs 15mins
Registration: B-HKE
1st Flight: 04 June 1991
Preflight
Spend my transit time in HK at the Regal Airport Hotel which is really convenient. Got to the check in counters 2.5 hours before departure. For the first time ever, check in was quick and so was security and immigration.
CX F check in counters
Lanside at HKIA
The whole process took less than 5mins! Decided to have dinner at one of the airside restaurants before walking around the shops and then just relaxing at the Pier F Lounge till departure. But before heading to the lounge I went to a gate and surprised to see the B744 operating this sector will be B-HKE which was and ex-SQ bird 9V-SMK and came online for CX on 20 July 2005. Therefore unlike other B744 in CX fleet, this bird is running on Pratt engines. Really a pleasent and nostalgic surprise.
An Ex SQ bird
The Pier F Lounge
Inflight
Once i took my seat the great CX F service sprung into action. A full load in all classes today. Somehow being at the front of the queen of skies is still a special feeling. I will sorely miss her when most airlines stop flying her.
My suite, inflight mags and menu
As we were parked right at the end, it also meant we have a short taxi to the active runway. After take off the cabin crew took orders for the meal service.
Video of take off http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hbFGC...8W4TA4hX22Qw&index=12&feature=plcp
Once my meal order was taken, I went off to the lav to get some pics
The fantastic IFE on CX
And supper begins1
Everything was excellent but sadly or once the main course was just average. After the meal i managed to sleep most of the way and woke up about 1.45mims before landing. After freshening up its just breakfast and catching some shows on my iPad before descend commenced
Airshow decided to go all fuzzy on me
Breakfast
Overall another fantastic flight with CX.
Some shots of my room at the Four Seasons in Paris
Date: 08 Jan 2012
Route: Paris LeBourget (LBG) - Zurich (ZRH)
Flight: Private
ETD: 0805
ETA: 0910
Seat: Private
Aircraft: Cessna Citation Mustang
Flight time: 58mins
Registration: OE-FCP
1st Flight: Nov 2008
Being a Sunday traffic was really quick. And got to LBG in 20 mins flat from the city. By the time I arrived at the FBO the pilots were already prepping the aircraft. Relaxed with a cigarette and soon enough ATC cleared us for an earlier ETD and into the aircraft I went.
Nice cozy interior of the Mustang
Falcon parked next to us
I must say that although the Mustang is Cessna's smallest member of jets, she does have a nice stance and ramp presence due to the high T tail. Cabin wise it was cozy with 4 seats, really gives you a feeling of being in a nice luxury car.
Taxi and take off
Flight itself was pretty uneventful and smooth. Flight time was approximately 1 hr, which will give me about 30mins in the FBO at Zurich before my next flight on the Sovereign to Faro.
Cockpit with Garmin 1000 avionics suite
Nice breakfast provided for me
Looking towards the cockpit
Good morning western Europe
Sun starting to creep into the cabin now
Touchdown in Zurich
Video of landing in ZRH http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q_82q...8W4TA4hX22Qw&index=11&feature=plcp
Bye bye OE-FCP, will be onboard your sister ship OE-FMY in a few days
Date: 08 Jan 2012
Route: Zurich (ZRH) - Faro (FAO)
Flight: Private
ETD: 0930
ETA: 1058
Seat: Private
Aircraft: Cessna Citation Sovereign
Flight time: 2hrs 30mins
Registration: OE-GEM
1st Flight: 27 June 2005
Once I touched the ground in Zurich, my next flight is already ready to go. The ground crew immediately offloaded my bags from the Mustang and onto the van thats taking me to the parking position of the Sovereign.
Boarding the Sovereign
Smart looking interior and very well maintained for a 6 year old bird
It was a great flight with the Sovereign and her crew and looking forward to flying with her gain in about 48hrs time.
Goodbye you fantastic bird, see you in 3 days
Local resident
Will post Part 2 soon!
My next trips are:
26 Jan Rovaniemi, Finland, with stops in KUL, BKK, FRA, HEL, CPH and LHR: Ga in Biz, TG in F and biz jets: Embraer Legacy 600 & Cessna Citation Bravo
19 Feb New York with CX in F
Thanks for reading guys, below are my Trip reports from newest to oldest.
MSS658 From Belgium, joined Oct 2010, 2202 posts, RR: 14 Reply 1, posted (1 year 4 months 1 day 16 hours ago) and read 11384 times:
Hi
Great report, thanks for sharing it with us! Always surprised to see how GA evolved from one of the worst carriers to a top notch carriers.
CX and private flying looks good as well
jetlag73 From France, joined Sep 2011, 67 posts, RR: 0 Reply 3, posted (1 year 4 months 1 day 9 hours ago) and read 10802 times:
Thanks for another great TR,
So much travelling, to interesting places.
You seem to still enjoy every bit of it, which is great after flying F so many times.
At least we get to taste some of it thanks to you.
thaia345 From Indonesia, joined Oct 2006, 814 posts, RR: 17 Reply 4, posted (1 year 4 months 1 day 6 hours ago) and read 10462 times:
Quoting MSS658 (Reply 1): Always surprised to see how GA evolved from one of the worst carriers to a top notch carriers.
Hi Marc! ... a true statement indeed, as mentioned before, I still could even remember that I wouldn't even want to get on a GA flight anout 5-7 years ago, and now, they are on top of my list
Quoting ryan h (Reply 2): Another interesting report with aircraft that are out of my reach.
Hi Ryan, hey don't say that, a couple of years ago I wouldn't even imagine that one day I can fly in biz jets, and now I can...all you need is perseverance, determination and hardwork! Anything is possible and like they say, the sky's the limit.
Quoting jetlag73 (Reply 3): You seem to still enjoy every bit of it, which is great after flying F so many times.
At least we get to taste some of it thanks to you.
Luar biasa ! Teruskan menikmati hidup !
Hi Jet Lag! ....Well, with work being to tiring and tedious and also mentally draining, it would help if I at least enjoyed the journey right? Terima kasih!
rifkyrifky From Indonesia, joined Feb 2011, 28 posts, RR: 0 Reply 5, posted (1 year 4 months 1 day 2 hours ago) and read 10038 times:
A Great TR As usual
I am becoming a fan of you now.. lol
I am glad that you enjoy your trip with GA , CX, And those private jet's haha
I wish i can be you haha, Riding Private jet's, First&Business class everytime ahahaha
And i absolutely cant wait for the part two of your trip
Julio777 From Indonesia, joined Jan 2012, 19 posts, RR: 0 Reply 7, posted (1 year 3 months 3 weeks 5 days 22 hours ago) and read 8522 times:
Hi, i always enjoy your trip report, so inspiring. re Garuda's transformation, i also found it amazing, who would ever though before? For Cx's first class, it always looks amazing, too bad my company only allows it's staffs to fly biz class, been in cx biz class many times for trip to us, but never been in their first class not even get a change for upgrade..ha ha, any way at least i can get a glance of it from your trip report.
thaia345 From Indonesia, joined Oct 2006, 814 posts, RR: 17 Reply 8, posted (1 year 3 months 3 weeks 4 days 2 hours ago) and read 7627 times:
Quoting Julio777 (Reply 7): Garuda's transformation, i also found it amazing, who would ever though before?
Quoting Julio777 (Reply 7): but never been in their first class not even get a change for upgrade..
Hi Julio!
Yup, GA's transformation is really remarkable......as for CX, can't you compille the miles when you fly in biz then one day use the miles for upgrade to F?
julio777 From Indonesia, joined Jan 2012, 19 posts, RR: 0 Reply 9, posted (1 year 3 months 3 weeks 22 hours ago) and read 6876 times:
Hi Thaia, i always use my milage for more free flights . Oh ya i just realised maybe the reason i did not get uprade on cx because i always use my ba executive club when booking on cx, since at one period i fly more on us-europe sector compared to asia- us sector.
4xRuv From Israel, joined Dec 2003, 387 posts, RR: 3 Reply 10, posted (1 year 3 months 2 weeks 2 days 14 hours ago) and read 6421 times:
Hi
Great Trip reports.
I loved the pictures and the details.
You're a very lucky guy to fly on F frequently (what business are you in? maybe I should change mine )
I don't agree with you regarding the queen of the sky disappearing. She has an ancestor whom many carriers (I hope) will fly.
thaia345 From Indonesia, joined Oct 2006, 814 posts, RR: 17 Reply 11, posted (1 year 3 months 1 week 6 days 4 hours ago) and read 5870 times:
Quoting 4xRuv (Reply 10): You're a very lucky guy to fly on F frequently (what business are you in? maybe I should change mine )
I am in the automotive industry
I don't agree with you regarding the queen of the sky disappearing. She has an ancestor whom many carriers (I hope) will fly.
actually just flew back from LHR on TG, and the B744 has also been replaced with the A346 on this route, its all down to carbon emmisions tax!!! ...airlines are finding more efficient birds to fly in and out of the EU. I really do hope that the queen will still ply the skies as often in the near future...
thaia345 From Indonesia, joined Oct 2006, 814 posts, RR: 17 Reply 15, posted (1 year 3 months 5 days 3 hours ago) and read 4453 times:
Quoting abrelosojos (Reply 13): Wow. I continue to live vicariously through you.
Hi A, thanks ! hey but you have much more interesting flight routes though
Quoting ba319-131 (Reply 14): GA have really managed quite an amazing turnaround, really quite impressive. I hope to try them myself later this year.
IF you do, and are coming by Jakarta, do let me know, we should meet up !
Quoting ba319-131 (Reply 14): You're really getting into the private jet's these days!
Nice to try different type of private jets, but will cut down on them this year time to start saving for a rainy day again, will probably only use them mostly within the US as costs are much lower there
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