Intro
In early 2012 my brother and I decided to go on another Asia tour. Our focus was on Dubai and Bangkok, but later we also decided to include a short stay in Taipei in order to visit the Taipei 101. We had planned to combine one-way flights from the beginning to the end, but it turned out to be much cheaper to return to Dubai again before going home. As usual, I tried to include as many new carriers as possible.
First of all, we booked a very cheap Munich-Doha-Dubai roundtrip on Qatar Airways, an airline which I had wanted to try for a long time. Then we added five more flights (both Business and Economy Class) on four different airlines, including two new ones (details to follow). This is what the final itinerary looked like:
One day before departure, I had checked in online, so we just had to pick up the boarding passes and to drop off our luggage when we arrived at Terminal 2. Reserving seats had already been possible during the booking process on the Qatar Airways' convenient website.
A7-AEC, one of 13 A330-300s in the fleet, arrived on time:
Some weeks after booking, the originally scheduled A330-200 on that sector had been replaced by an A330-300. I wasn't amused because I would get QR's A330-300 twice, but what can you do? At least one of the two originally planned A320s between DOH and DXB was replaced by an A321 at the same time.
Great livery, isn't it?
A.netters Lukeyboy95 and MH017 know A7-AEC well:
DO & CO catering - that sounds promising:
QR004 was also operating as UA7965:
We had to queue up only shortly, friendly flight attendants soon welcomed us on board. Pillows and blankets had been placed on the comfortable 17.5 inch wide seats:
All Qatar Airways widebodies are equipped with PTVs:
The 32-inch seat pitch is generous, but large IFE boxes take away much space:
However, numerous seats in the back had remained empty, so my brother switched to the row behind and the both of us could stretch out.
Safety card and inflight magazine...
...and once again I spotted a mistake on the fleet information page. Any volunteers?
Shopping and entertainment guides:
Handset with minor signs of wear:
Headphones were distributed...
...and the flight attendants passed through the cabin with candy baskets:
They even served water, but stopped doing so before reaching our row.
In his welcome speech, the captain announced a flying time of just 4 hours and 45 minutes. The "cabin service director" made some announcements, too, but she spoke very fast and was hard to understand.
Lufthansa A321-100 D-AIRL and A340-600 D-AIHW (dedicated to SloAir) being prepared for their next missions:
Qatar Airways didn't order fuel dump nozzles for this plane:
We were pushed back 12 minutes behind schedule and, due to ATC delays, it would take another 16 minutes until we could finally roll onto the runway:
Nice VIP 727-100 on the right:
Beautiful view of the Alps:
Cocktail snacks and drinks were served 30 minutes after departure. I ordered ginger ale without ice and even got Schweppes - but the tiny can was just big enough to fill up the cup, and it was pretty warm:
Before serving dinner, the flight attendants distributed hot towels and set up non-slip tray underlays - not a bad idea:
The choice was between fish and chicken and I ordered the latter - very nice tray...
...and the uncovered main course looked good, too:
The quality of the meal turned out to be very good. I particularly liked the potato salad and the cucumber yoghurt - and the strawberry mousse was absolutely delicious. The main course was fine in general, but the mushroom sauce tasted a bit bland. Qatar Airways filled me up with that large meal!
My tea was served in a nice cup:
Now it was time to explore the Oryx IFE audio/video on-demand system which, according to Qatar Airways, offers a choice of over 1000 entertainment options. I'm not sure how many were really available in the version installed on this aircraft. While the system is not as advanced as Emirates' ice, it can keep you entertained for a very long time. Start screen:
Language selection:
Main menu:
News & info section with live TV - it didn't work, though:
The engines are missing here:
Data about catering not available either:
The flight was so short that I didn't need anything else but the moving map. That's a really strange aircraft silhouette:
Time for a cabin shot:
Plenty of refreshing towels in stock in the lavatories - very useful stuff:
Flight path straight over Iraq:
Pleasant mood lighting:
During descent, the flight attendants distributed hot towels again. Some time later, the captain announced that we would be sent into a holding pattern due to congestion at Doha Airport.
We finally touched down after a flying time of 5 hours and 5 minutes and arrived at the parking position 15 minutes late. Taking pictures on the DOH apron can cause trouble, so I had to be careful. One quick shot from the bus:
The check-in stuff at MUC had equipped us with yellow boarding pass wallets and yellow luggage tags for normal transfer (blue for Doha arrival, yellow with orange edges for short transfer, burgundy for First/Business Class). So when riding on the bus to the various terminal sections, you simply need to watch out for the right color before exiting. Of course there are also loud announcements as well as staff checking the wallets. The procedure is well organized, but the bus rides can take inconveniently long depending on the location of the aircraft parking position.
Saturday, March 2012
Doha (DOH) - Dubai (DXB)
Qatar Airways QR142
Scheduled times: 23:59-02:10
Actual times: 00:09-02:07
Flight duration: 00:42 (hrs)
Distance: 238 miles
Economy Class, seat 30B
Airbus A320-232
A7-ADI (MSN 2161), named "Al Khuraytiyat"
Delivered in 03/2004
1st flight on A7-ADI
43rd A320-200 flight
44th A320 flight
After arriving at the terminal building, we discovered a huge queue at security. It was hard to guess how long it would take us to pass through. I approached some Qatar Airways employees and said that boarding would commence soon - and they pointed towards the fast track lane. Just ten minutes later, we arrived at the gate and we could even take the first bus to the aircraft.
A7-ADI in old colors, one of 30 A320s in the fleet, would fly us to Dubai:
The plane wasn't equipped with PTVs yet - and the seats were quite hard:
Legroom was acceptable for this short hop:
Two more busses with passengers arrived and the plane was filled up entirely in the end. The captain made a welcome speech and spoke up again shortly afterwards, announcing a 10 minute delay to due a missing bag. Once again, water was served, but the flight attendants had to stop doing so before reaching our row.
Shortly after takeoff, orange juice/water and wraps were served - the latter (spicy beef) tasted okay, but not overwhelming:
The IFE was just right:
We touched down after a flying time of 42 minutes and arrived at the Terminal 1 gate 3 minutes ahead of schedule despite the initial delay.
When you arrive at a destination in the middle of the night, you want to get to the hotel as fast as possible. However, we found ourselves stuck at immigration for about one hour (!!!) - and if we hadn't switched to another queue after a while, we probably would have waited even longer. I hadn't experienced that at Dubai before and I was very disappointed about that. That's not what you expect when arriving at a top-tier destination - they should have enough money there to employ enough officers.
PlaneHunter From Germany, joined Mar 2006, 6185 posts, RR: 79 Reply 2, posted (9 months 1 week 6 days 8 hours ago) and read 20194 times:
Hilton Suite & Epic Landmarks
After a short taxi ride, we finally arrived at the excellent Hilton Dubai Creek where we had already stayed before (picture taken at a later point of time):
I had reserved a regular twin room for one night on the outbound journey and for two nights on the inbound journey during the "any weekend anywhere" promotion in January. However, the friendly receptionist told us that all twin rooms were occupied. Of course I wasn't amused and he ensured that an extra bed could be placed in the king room. But then he offered a king executive suite for an upgrade charge as high as our original rate. We declined and he lowered the upgrade charge by 50 percent. We declined again and received the keycards for a regular king room - but just when we were about to leave, the receptionist suddenly said: "Okay, you get the suite for free!"
This was a nice surprise - I don't have Hilton HHonors status, but probably there was a special entry in our reservation because I had exchanged some e-mails with the friendly and helpful guest service manager about day rates and late check-out during the booking process.
Well, we were expecting that the suite (on the highest floor) would be roomy and nice, but it turned out to be huge (70m²/740 sq.feet) and fabulous. This is the suite's long corridor:
Living room with hi-fi equipment:
Bar:
Dining/conference table:
Bedroom with huge king bed:
Well-equipped wardrobe:
Large and stylish bathroom including whirlpool bath:
Some daylight impressions:
Excellent espresso (all kinds of Nespresso capsules available)...
...and excellent views - that's what I call a perfect start to the day:
Early in the afternoon, we took a taxi to the mighty Burj Khalifa. I guess it will never cease to amaze me:
We had two hours left until our visit to the observation deck, so we strolled through the giant Dubai Mall. When we were passing a Texas Roadhouse restaurant (the first outlet outside of the US)...
...this counter display caught our attention:
We took a seat, enjoyed watching singing and dancing employees and had excellent steaks:
After lunch, we walked outside again for a short while to take some more photos of Burj Khalifa:
Glass model in the observation deck entrance area:
Just like last year, I had bought At the Top tickets online several weeks before the trip. On the way to the high-speed elevators, we passed a TV screen showing a great video about the construction of the tower. Some impressions:
Once again, I found the views breathtaking - and the scenery looked even more impressive in late afternoon sunlight. Massive Dubai Mall hit by a long shadow:
The 306 meter high The Address Downtown Dubai:
Let's zoom in a bit – that sidewalk down there is a good place to go if you want to take a picture of the tower in a whole:
Ever-growing Downtown Dubai complex with The Old Town Island and Souq Al Bahar in the middle:
Countless tables and chairs:
Apartment houses:
Rulers side by side:
Stunning array of skyscrapers along Sheikh Zayed Road:
The Rose Rayhaan by Rotana aka Rose Tower stands out:
Emirates Towers in the middle and Dubai World Trade Centre on the right:
Traffic junction, Dubai style:
Can you see the airport?
How about an Emirates 777?
The old skyline along Dubai Creek:
Sharjah in the distance:
Dubai Drydocks:
Giant cruise ships and the legendary Queen Elizabeth 2 at Port Rashid:
Emerging from the dust in the distance (from right to left): Burj Al Arab, Jumeirah Beach Hotel and Dubai Marina skyline:
376 meters between the observation deck and the tower's top - equivalent to the Empire State Building:
Back to the earth - Burj Khalifa at sunset:
Dubai Fountain in full swing - water can be shot 150 m (490 ft) into the air:
After returning to the hotel, we spent some more time on the marvelous rooftop terrace - what a fascinating scenery:
Later in the evening, we took a taxi to the airport and started our East Asia tour (reports to follow). Five days later, we arrived back in Dubai in the early morning. Once again, a friendly receptionist welcomed us at the Hilton Dubai Creek. We didn't get the executive suite this time, but a free upgrade to a "Deluxe Plus" room. That's what I call hospitality!
After a few hours of sleep, it was time to take a taxi to the Burj Al Arab. Two months before the trip, I had reserved a table for the famous Friday Brunch at the Al Muntaha restaurant, located on the hotel's 27th floor. Before our taxi driver was allowed to cross the private causeway, we had to show a reservation printout. The Burj Al Arab rises 321 meters into the sky:
While we had taken a common taxi, other guests may have arrived on this platform by helicopter:
Hotel shuttles, Burj Al Arab style:
The palatial lobby is dominated by Italian marble and gold leaf:
The world's tallest atrium:
Exclusive boutiques:
After being registered at this desk...
...we were granted access to a panoramic elevator. 200 meters above sea level, a friendly restaurant staff member welcomed us, brought us to our table and explained everything. Even though there weren't any empty tables left, it never felt crowded. And even though it's an exclusive and expensive restaurant, the atmosphere was relaxed. Taking pictures was allowed, but I was being discrete. View towards the dessert corner:
Stunning views of the city...
...and Atlantis, The Palm:
Even though we had enjoyed lots of good food in Emirates Business Class on the night flight from Seoul to Dubai, we were hungry again. The buffet at the Al Muntaha restaurant is the most impressive one I have seen - both quality and quantity were excellent. Sushi corner:
Awesome desserts:
I didn't take pictures of all our plates - what you'll see here is just a selection. I decided to start with seafood:
My brother had different kinds of caviar...
...and lobster:
Fried duck liver:
One of my dessert plates:
Fresh fruit juices of all kinds were included in the buffet, all other drinks had to be paid extra for. However, one should be aware that the prices for alcoholic drinks are astronomical. Anyway, we spend several hours up there and we loved it. I can only recommend that gourmet buffet to everyone who loves eating - it's absolutely worth the 120 Euro per person!
Back in the lobby:
The hotel's giant sail:
We decided to return to the mainland by foot:
Dubai Marina in the distance:
Hotels and skyscrapers:
The Jumeirah Beach Hotel is one of the "older" luxury hotels in Dubai, but it still looks impressive:
Tradition meets high tech:
We took a taxi at the entrance of the Wild Wadi Water Park and asked the driver to bring us to the Hard Rock Cafe. We were surprised to hear that it had been relocated to Dubai Festival City which wasn't far from our Hilton hotel. My brother wanted to see how much Dubai Marina had grown since his last visit, so we asked the driver to make a tour through that part of the city first. He was very talkative and told us many interesting things about Dubai which we hadn't known.
Skyscrapers everywhere:
Finally, we went back to the other end of the city:
There's also a Ferrari shop at Festival City - this red beast would look even better with "777" on the license plate:
We also visited the Gold Souk in Deira...
...and bought some spices for the kitchen at home at the Spice Souk:
Later in the evening, we returned to the hotel's rooftop terrace, enjoyed the views and some wine:
When we arrived at the check-in counters about two hours prior to departure in the early morning, we weren't amused to find a long queue. There was no need to worry because I had reserved our seats at the time of booking, but the queue was moving very slowly. Finally, after being stuck there for about 45 minutes, we got our boarding passes.
When we arrived at the gate area, there was more than one hour left until departure (07:25). According to the boarding passes, boarding would start at 06:25 - and I was assuming this was the point of time when the gate would be opened. However, about 45 minutes before departure, I noticed a "final call" announcement for our flight! So I headed to the gate within two minutes and found out that all passengers had already boarded the plane. I asked a gate agent what was going on and she just said that the flight would be closed in 10 minutes. I had never experienced such an early closure before. I immediately called my brother who was still buying gifts somewhere. Well, he wasn't far away and arrived a few minutes later.
A7-ADZ, one of 12 A321-200s in the fleet, would operate the short hop to Doha:
Most seats were already occupied, so I took this (bulkhead) seat picture later at Doha during disembarking:
We were seated in row 10 - actually not what I like, but seat assignments had been changed after the switch from an A320 to an A321. Legroom was fine:
As expected, the flight wasn't closed as early as announced, some passengers arrived at least 10 minutes after us. Captain Scott soon made a welcome speech and had bad news: Due to low visibility, our departure would be delayed by at least 30 minutes. That's not what you want to hear when you have a transfer time of 1 hour and 25 minutes. At least he promised to do whatever possible to get an earlier departure slot.
Shortly afterwards, the purser announced that breakfast would be served on the ground. This time we got a breakfast wrap which tasted alright:
We were finally pushed back 24 minutes behind schedule which turned me optimistic, but then it took another 25 minutes until we could take off. Our transfer time was down to 35 minutes and I wasn't expecting any more that we would catch our connecting flight to Munich. I was wondering how long we would be stuck at Doha and couldn't enjoy this flight. Captain Scott announced that we would make up some time, but I remained skeptical.
Cabin view:
On descent:
We touched down after a flying time of 42 minutes and arrived at the parking position 44 minutes behind schedule. Captain Scott had indeed kept his promise. Last shot of A7-ADZ:
I was expecting another long bus ride, but the parking position wasn't far from the transit terminal. Once in the building, we quickly approached a ground staff member and just said "Munich!" She had a look at her lists and directed us to the fast track security lane which we could pass within two minutes. Behind security, another ground staff member told us where to go and we finally arrived at the gate just a few minutes later. A bus arrived shortly afterwards and soon brought us and a few other passengers to the aircraft. Well, we were very relieved that we had made it!
Saturday, March 2012
Doha (DOH) - Munich (MUC)
Qatar Airways QR003
Scheduled times: 08:50-13:15
Actual times: 08:45-12:45
Flight duration: 05:37 (hrs)
Distance: 2674 miles
Economy Class, seat 40K
Airbus A330-302
A7-AEB (MSN 637), named "Al Sayliyah"
Delivered in 12/2004
1st flight on A7-AEB
12th A330-300 flight
28th A330 flight
On the way to the aircraft I was really concerned that we would stop in front of A7-AEC again. Even though Qatar Airways operates 13 A330-300s, only few of them are equipped with three classes. And as I had found out prior to the trip, the A330-300 flights to MUC are frequently operated by exactly those few 3-class planes. Fortunately, the bus brought us to A7-AEB which has also carried user Gabrielchew. Interestingly, the plane was parked just next to our A321 from DXB.
Nice clean fuselage:
Very distinctive tail design:
I'd have preferred one of these GE90-powered beasts for the flight to MUC:
Even though we belonged to the last group of passengers to board, there were still numerous empty seats in the rear section of the plane. My brother switched to an aisle seat in the middle row after boarding had been completed, but he returned again because he had more legroom in the aisle seat of our 2-seater. Familiar seat:
After the usual announcements, A7-AEB was pushed back five minutes ahead of schedule. Our A321 had reached its parking position at 08:09, our A330 left the parking position at 08:45 - my shortest transfer ever!
Now it was time to relax:
A7-AEB taxied straight onto the runway and lifted off after a powerful takeoff roll:
A hot breakfast was served about one hour after takeoff. There was a choice of omelette or pancakes - I chose the former:
The meal was large and everything tasted fine except for the sausage.
While we were cruising over Eastern Turkey, it became very bumpy, but I enjoyed the rough ride. Great views:
My preferred IFE, as usual:
Less than 90 minutes before arrival, biscuits and hot drinks were served:
By the way - I flew Dubai-Munich on Emirates two months later (similar timing) and got a large cold breakfast as well as a large hot meal for lunch which is probably too much for many passengers.
Numerous seats had remained empty on this flight:
Time flew by on QR003. Right turn over Burghausen:
Moments from touchdown:
We touched the ground after a flying time 5 hours and 37 minutes and arrived at the gate 30 minutes ahead of schedule. Now it was time to go home after an exciting and exhausting journey around Asia.
PlaneHunter From Germany, joined Mar 2006, 6185 posts, RR: 79 Reply 4, posted (9 months 1 week 6 days 8 hours ago) and read 20004 times:
Conclusion
Flying Qatar Airways was a pleasure: comfortable seating, clean cabins in good shape, tasty meals, decent IFE system on the widebodies, mostly friendly flight attendants and very helpful ground staff members. Qatar Airways is proud of being a 5-star carrier, but I'm skeptical about the Skytrax rating in general. Qatar Airways definitely belongs to the world's high-quality airlines, but I wouldn't rank it higher than Emirates, Oman Air and several other fine carriers which don't have a 5-star rating. Certain aircraft types, certain crews and other factors can make a big difference. Additionally, the current Doha Airport isn't a great transfer hub. Nevertheless, I would certainly fly Qatar Airways again.
Quoting PlaneHunter (Thread starter): Well, we were expecting that the suite (on the highest floor) would be roomy and nice, but it turned out to be huge (70m²/740 sq.feet) and fabulous.
That is very nice surprise. The pictures of the suite look very good.
Quoting PlaneHunter (Thread starter): She had a look at her lists and directed us to the fast track security lane which we could pass within two minutes. Behind security, another ground staff member told us where to go and we finally arrived at the gate just a few minutes later
You made it, that´s the main thing.
Quoting PlaneHunter (Thread starter): The meal was large and everything tasted fine except for the sausage
How was the sausage ?
I have enjoyed reading this TR. Your pictures taken in Dubai are just awesome, it makes me want to got there. See you soon, PlaneHunter. Keep up the good work.
No, I have my own "Flugstatistik". When I was younger I had the flight crew fill out my flight logs. That´s why I know that I flew with D-AIRL twice. But now I write down my registrations in my notebook.
Quokkas From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 9, posted (9 months 1 week 6 days 5 hours ago) and read 19314 times:
Hi PH,
I read your report with particular interest now that QR have commenced serving PER - it gives an extra option.
Quoting PlaneHunter (Reply 1): The 32-inch seat pitch is generous, but large IFE boxes take away much space
I found the same problem with EK's A332s.
Overall the inflight service looks good. The meals are reasonably well presented and generous.
Delays are becoming increasingly common in the region so you were fortunate to make your connections. Hopefully some of those delays will be eliminated as airports expand and improved co-operation between ATC allows better aircraft flows.
Great photos of Dubai. That restaurant looks fantastic.
rogerbcn From Andorra, joined Sep 2006, 1133 posts, RR: 19 Reply 10, posted (9 months 1 week 6 days 5 hours ago) and read 19313 times:
Hola PlaneHunter,
Impressive TR about your Dubai experience.
QR seems to provide an excellent in-flight experience; on the other hand, it seems DXB needs to improve their services at the airport... I guess they have a great service for C and F passengers but Economy seems to be quite abandoned.
Your Dubai stay at the Hilton seems from another wold, that is a great service and makes you think how things work at the hotel industry, I'll give it for 10, no, for 5, no.... OK I'll give it for free... imagine you accepted in the first place, or you paid for the suite price on your reservations...
I have always had a crush for tall buildings, so your experience at the top of Burj Khalifa looked interesting too.
The buffet experience seems impressive as well, but you should go thee after two days of fasting, I am quite driven to eat with my eyes so I will need some mental preparation before hitting this place.
Look forward to reading about your East Asia trips.
Great to have you back at the forum with such an interesting trip.
Salut!
Roger
"At reise er at leve" H.C. Andersen (Travelling is Living)
PlaneHunter From Germany, joined Mar 2006, 6185 posts, RR: 79 Reply 11, posted (9 months 1 week 6 days 5 hours ago) and read 19284 times:
Quoting Quokkas (Reply 9): I read your report with particular interest now that QR have commenced serving PER - it gives an extra option.
Hi Roy, thanks a lot for your comments! QR is indeed a good option - do they send the 77L down there?
Quoting Quokkas (Reply 9): I found the same problem with EK's A332s.
Yes, the A332s aren't the greatest machines in the EK fleet.
Quoting Quokkas (Reply 9): Overall the inflight service looks good. The meals are reasonably well presented and generous.
I was positively surprised after seeing numerous less attractive meals in some reports.
Quoting Quokkas (Reply 9): Delays are becoming increasingly common in the region so you were fortunate to make your connections. Hopefully some of those delays will be eliminated as airports expand and improved co-operation between ATC allows better aircraft flows.
Well, one shouldn't rely on tight connections. There would have been an earlier flight to DOH, but it departed really early.
Quoting Quokkas (Reply 9): Great photos of Dubai. That restaurant looks fantastic.
Thanks!
Quoting rogerbcn (Reply 10): Impressive TR about your Dubai experience.
Hola Roger, many thanks for your feedback!
Quoting rogerbcn (Reply 10): QR seems to provide an excellent in-flight experience;
Quoting rogerbcn (Reply 10): on the other hand, it seems DXB needs to improve their services at the airport... I guess they have a great service for C and F passengers but Economy seems to be quite abandoned.
The situation is totally different in Terminal 3...which is used by EK, btw.
Quoting rogerbcn (Reply 10): Your Dubai stay at the Hilton seems from another wold, that is a great service
Yes, it was amazing.
Quoting rogerbcn (Reply 10): and makes you think how things work at the hotel industry, I'll give it for 10, no, for 5, no.... OK I'll give it for free... imagine you accepted in the first place, or you paid for the suite price on your reservations...
That wouldn't have been a cheap stay...
Quoting rogerbcn (Reply 10):
I have always had a crush for tall buildings, so your experience at the top of Burj Khalifa looked interesting too.
I have always liked tall buildings, too. I try to visit all the top 10-15 giants.
Quoting rogerbcn (Reply 10):
The buffet experience seems impressive as well, but you should go thee after two days of fasting, I am quite driven to eat with my eyes so I will need some mental preparation before hitting this place.
Yes, fasting is recommended on the days before!
Quoting rogerbcn (Reply 10): Look forward to reading about your East Asia trips.
Good to hear!
Quoting rogerbcn (Reply 10): Great to have you back at the forum with such an interesting trip.
burj From United States of America, joined Nov 2007, 838 posts, RR: 4 Reply 12, posted (9 months 1 week 6 days 5 hours ago) and read 19215 times:
Wow! Don't know what to say.... what an awesome trip! That hotel suite is nicer than most apartments! I totally love the chicken statue things looking out the window!
The food onboard QR is amazing! Honestly it looks better than most of the stuff you served in first class on domestic U.S. flights!
I am curious why the picture of the cherries on the container of chicken and mushrooms...hope that doesn't confuse people who don't read English!
Can you tell us more about the buffet at the Burj Al Arab? How long are you allowed to stay? How much food can you eat? How hard is it to get a reservation? etc etc...
PlaneHunter From Germany, joined Mar 2006, 6185 posts, RR: 79 Reply 13, posted (9 months 1 week 6 days 5 hours ago) and read 19179 times:
Quoting burj (Reply 12): Wow! Don't know what to say.... what an awesome trip!
Hi burj, many thanks for your feedback! I'm glad you liked it!
Quoting burj (Reply 12): That hotel suite is nicer than most apartments!
Well, it was indeed tastefully furnished, exactly what I like.
Quoting burj (Reply 12): I totally love the chicken statue things looking out the window!
I can only agree!
Quoting burj (Reply 12): The food onboard QR is amazing! Honestly it looks better than most of the stuff you served in first class on domestic U.S. flights!
QR's catering is indeed great - but not as good as EK's catering IMO.
Quoting burj (Reply 12): I am curious why the picture of the cherries on the container of chicken and mushrooms...hope that doesn't confuse people who don't read English!
Yes, those cherries are indeed confusing!
Quoting burj (Reply 12): Can you tell us more about the buffet at the Burj Al Arab? How long are you allowed to stay?
The buffet is available from 10:00 to 15:00, you can stay five hours if you want to.
Quoting burj (Reply 12): How much food can you eat?
It's an all-you-can-eat buffet.
Quoting burj (Reply 12): How hard is it to get a reservation?
I'm not sure, but I guess it is. I reserved the table two months in advance.
OA260 From Ireland, joined Nov 2006, 24894 posts, RR: 60 Reply 17, posted (9 months 1 week 6 days 4 hours ago) and read 19047 times:
Hi Udo ,
Nice report . Dubai has changed so much over the years since I first started visiting there. I have a few friends working out there in Media/Aviation and engineering and always interesting to see their pics and everyday life on FB. Doesnt look like a bad life really !
Nice suite and lovely views and nice that you dont have to leave the a suite for a decent cup of coffee. Would be nice to spend alot of time in there but too much to see in Dubai too
I was in the Burj and wasnt really my taste but the buffet looks great so you can excuse the decor maybe .
Flights on QR look nice , they seem to be a mixed bag judging from other reports . A friend of mine recently left them and couldnt wait to get out . They are working with a competitor now and much happier. Good you got the better side of their product though .
Thanks for the pleasant read and pics.
Regards
Philip
OLYMPIC AIR - ΟΛΥΜΠΙΑΚΗ "Η ΕΛΛΑΔΑ ΨΗΛΑ" "GREECE FLYING HIGH"
lukeyboy95 From Papua New Guinea, joined Apr 2008, 951 posts, RR: 35 Reply 18, posted (9 months 1 week 6 days 4 hours ago) and read 19043 times:
Hi U.
It is great to see a report from you right at the top of the forum, especially given the 'drama' that has been going on in the background on FB. Really great to see some more of your reports.
What is also great is that you seem to still be flying the flag for economy reports. Hurrah! Now... Qatar was everything I would expect - tasty looking meals (though I agree that EK catering is superior), nice AC's etc. I suppose there are quite nice combinations of AC departing from LHR. I want to get the 787 but don't see it loaded on the booking engine yet.
Now. I know you are a big fan of Dubai, so I will check myself, but I really can't get enthusiastic about this place. It's still so artificial and odd. That said, I have noticed that it is working hard to try and nurture more art and culture. I suspect in 10 years time I will get more out of the city. I did think your photos were great, and I appreciate some of the modern architecture. I think the Metro system is particularly fetching.
Quoting PlaneHunter (Thread starter): The buffet at the Al Muntaha restaurant is the most impressive one I have seen - both quality and quantity were excellent. Sushi corner:
Man! Salvating... this looks insane! I do like Brunch in the city - but, you can find one for 30EUR with booze included! Not a smudge on yours though.
Nice! I think it is the first time to have seen an A/C I also flew in. I must look up what sector I took that on! You know more than I...
Quoting PlaneHunter (Reply 3): I had never experienced such an early closure before. I immediately called my brother who was still buying gifts somewhere. Well, he wasn't far away and arrived a few minutes later.
I suppose they have to meet that connection slot. Logistically, QR is fascinating. They've really driven down connection times.
Quoting PlaneHunter (Reply 3): Once in the building, we quickly approached a ground staff member and just said "Munich!" She had a look at her lists and directed us to the fast track security lane which we could pass within two minutes. Behind security, another ground staff member told us where to go and we finally arrived at the gate just a few minutes later. A bus arrived shortly afterwards and soon brought us and a few other passengers to the aircraft. Well, we were very relieved that we had made it!
Nice to know what happens when those sort of connections get hairy. I always see them, 45 minutes and such like. All staff polite enough I take it? Didn't get any of the horrors I did last visit!
Quoting PlaneHunter (Reply 4): Additionally, the current Doha Airport isn't a great transfer hub.
No, but here's for the NDIA. Looking forward to it.
Quoting OA260 (Reply 17): Dubai has changed so much over the years since I first started visiting there. I have a few friends working out there in Media/Aviation and engineering and always interesting to see their pics and everyday life on FB. Doesnt look like a bad life really !
Well, I guess it depends on which company you work for. And I wouldn't want to live there in the summer heat.
Quoting OA260 (Reply 17): Nice suite and lovely views and nice that you dont have to leave the a suite for a decent cup of coffee. Would be nice to spend alot of time in there but too much to see in Dubai too
Quoting OA260 (Reply 17): I was in the Burj and wasnt really my taste but the buffet looks great so you can excuse the decor maybe .
Sure, the decor isn't to everybody's taste.
Quoting OA260 (Reply 17): Flights on QR look nice , they seem to be a mixed bag judging from other reports .
Yes, that's why I'm skeptical about the 5-star rating.
Quoting OA260 (Reply 17): A friend of mine recently left them and couldnt wait to get out . They are working with a competitor now and much happier.
Well, I have also heard interesting things from insiders.
Quoting OA260 (Reply 17): Thanks for the pleasant read and pics.
I'm glad you liked it!
Quoting lukeyboy95 (Reply 18): It is great to see a report from you right at the top of the forum, especially given the 'drama' that has been going on in the background on FB. Really great to see some more of your reports.
Hi Luke, thanks a lot for your feedback! I'm glad to be back.
Quoting lukeyboy95 (Reply 18): What is also great is that you seem to still be flying the flag for economy reports. Hurrah!
Sure!
Quoting lukeyboy95 (Reply 18): Now... Qatar was everything I would expect - tasty looking meals (though I agree that EK catering is superior), nice AC's etc. I suppose there are quite nice combinations of AC departing from LHR. I want to get the 787 but don't see it loaded on the booking engine yet.
I'd love to try QR's 787, too. But I guess we will have plenty of time to do so.
Quoting lukeyboy95 (Reply 18): Now. I know you are a big fan of Dubai, so I will check myself, but I really can't get enthusiastic about this place. It's still so artificial and odd.
Tastes are different!
Quoting lukeyboy95 (Reply 18): That said, I have noticed that it is working hard to try and nurture more art and culture. I suspect in 10 years time I will get more out of the city.
Absolutely. More than 100 planes (with widebodies being in the majority) and a hub without jet bridges - that's amazing.
Quoting lukeyboy95 (Reply 18): They've really driven down connection times.
Which is not good at all.
Quoting lukeyboy95 (Reply 18): Nice to know what happens when those sort of connections get hairy. I always see them, 45 minutes and such like. All staff polite enough I take it? Didn't get any of the horrors I did last visit!
Yes, everybody was nice. It's unbelievable how you were treated at DOH.
Quoting lukeyboy95 (Reply 18): No, but here's for the NDIA. Looking forward to it.
MH017 From Netherlands, joined Apr 2005, 1633 posts, RR: 34 Reply 24, posted (9 months 1 week 6 days 2 hours ago) and read 18666 times:
Hello U.,
Good to see your TR, and what a great read !!!
Yes, I have flown QR quite a lot too, incl. your A7-AEC, and always had great and comfortable flights on them too...however, catering has declined during the last 3-4 years IMHO; pitch and comfortable seats is still the norm at QR (incl. the A319LR, which I flew too - TXL-DOH v.v.)
Your DXB pictures are stunning; it's a good 'eye-opener' for my next year's trip there, at the start of our Suez-Canal crossing with Royal Caribbean cruise-line
We'll fly EK this time (my 1st longhaul with them), coz they had an excellent offer with regard to their A380 opening flights to AMS...guess, can compare them with QR proper...
What a great room you had at the Hilton...good you perserferance paid off in the end
Guess, we need about 3-4 days to see it all at DXB (incl. the mandatory shopping)...looking forward to it all, as you can imagine...
Thanks for sharing; good to see you back here - it's appreciated very much !!!
Gr.,
MH017/Pieter...
don't throw away tomorrow !
25 PlaneHunter: Hi Pieter, many thanks for your feedback! This is highly appreciated. Good to hear! Really? I was surprised about the nice meals on my flights after
26 CaptainRed: Hi PH, great to see another report from you, and a very enjoyable one as well. Qatar Airways seems to really hold up to the expectations, especially t
27 PlaneHunter: Hi CaptainRed, thanks for your comments! Good to hear you liked it. Yes, why not? Thanks! Dubai is a class of its own. Yes, I really enjoyed that sui
28 MH017: Drop-downs from the baggage-bins, but slept most of both flights (due to the evening/night schedules); needless to say, these 319 flights were the lo
30 SRQKEF: Hi PH, once again a great report from you! Glad to see you back. Looks very promising! Absolutely. I like the colors of those seats. A346 landing gear
31 ba319-131: Great read PH, good to be reading another of your reports again - Now that's an impressive line up of flights! - Looks good, presentation and quantity
32 PlaneHunter: Hi Sveinn, thanks a lot for your feedback! Oh yes, but you read the FB thread, didn't you? Sure, the can should be cooled. Ice cubes lessen the taste
33 The777Man: Hi PlaneHunter ! Great to see that the Master of Trip Reports is back and does not disappoint ! Amazing report with amazing pictures ! I'm especially
34 aflyingkiwi: Hi PlaneHunter, Thanks for another great trip report! It sounds like you had a fun time in Dubai! Looks like a great trip, looking forward to the J cl
35 deltamartin: Hi PH! Glad to see you're back in business! Great and enjoyable report just as usual, and nice to read about your experiences on QR, as I will be flyi
36 LH4116: Hey PlaneHunter, I'm very glad to see you back as a writer on the forum. A great report as always, providing some excellent inspiration for my upcomin
37 PlaneHunter: Hi Lars, many thanks for your kind words! I'm glad you liked it! Yes, would have been nice to get on a 777, at least between DOH and DXB. If I rememb
38 akhmad: Hi PH, Nice to see you back in trip reporting business again. Missing you on A.net trip report forum is like a dessert misses the rain. Your high qual
39 PlaneHunter: Hi Suryo, many thanks for your kind words! This is really appreciated! You told me about it. Will you write a report? Didn't you get a mighty 77L? Or
40 akhmad: Yes, but I do not know yet when I will be able to publish it. Just managed to get Down Under and still have to go back to Dutch soil. It did. Noble i
41 PlaneHunter: Great! Take your time. There's no need to rush. Similar situation here...I have just started to write about my 2012 trips. Well, I prefer paper menus
42 717Flyer: Hi PH, First of all, let me say how good it feels to have our very own planehunter back in business here in the forums! And as always, you've written
43 infodesk: Hi PH, Just look at all the replies you've received in 24 hours! That surely is an indication how many of us love reading your reports! I'm impressed
44 PlaneHunter: Hi 717Flyer, thanks a lot! I'm glad to be back. Thanks, good to hear you enjoyed it! Take your time! Sure, it belongs to Asia. Usually I prefer a chr
45 The777Man: Hi ! From what I can recall, it had PTVs but I'm not so sure now. The777Man
46 PlaneHunter: A7-ADJ was delivered seven months after A7-ADI, so it may have been the first one with PTVs. However, A321 A7-ADZ was delivered in 2008 and didn't ha
47 MSS658: Hi PH Nice to read a great TR from your side again. Qatar seems to be a fine airline indeed. Good that the Doha connection worked out in both ways. To
48 PlaneHunter: Hi Marc, thanks for your feedback! It was very tight on the way back, I wouldn't choose such a short connection time again. The newer narrowbodies do
49 reifel: Hi Planehunter, Thank you for sharing your QR experience. I am really looking forward to the other parts of your trip. I was lucky to fly on QR from D
50 PlaneHunter: Hi reifel, many thanks for your feedback! Did UL or QR staff rebook you? Nice - as far as I know all the newer narrowbodies have PTVs. Older planes m
51 deltamartin: Hi again! I'll be flying CPH-DOH-HKG-DOH-ARN, the Scandinavian routes are pretty firm as A330, and so is HKG but maybe a slightly better chance of som
52 PlaneHunter: Sounds like a great trip! Quite odd that A333s are scheduled on all routes, but yes, there's a good chance for an equipment change. Good luck! PH
53 reifel: Hi Planehunter, Actually it was my fault being denied boarding. I holded a DXB-CMB-MAA ticket with UL and had no indian visa. I was aware this would b
54 PlaneHunter: That's too bad, what a shame. The UL check-in staff at DXB on my recent trip to BKK wasn't great either - they were talking about a visa and I clearl
55 Luxair747SP: Hi PH, Nice to see a report of you again!! Very nice pictures of Dubai and all the sights, that reminds me of my visit there some weeks ago. QR also l
56 sultanils: Hi PH, Well, after some time off, I’m glad to see you started another one of your travel series. A most promising start with this excellent story on
57 PlaneHunter: Servus Johannes, thanks for your comments! Thanks. I really enjoyed reading your report. Yes, see you soon! Hi Nils, thanks a lot for your feedback!
58 byronicle6: Hi Planehunter Great Report, Have really enjoyed reading this one. Qatar looks like a great carrier and one i will try to get on at some point Awesome
59 lufthansa747: Great report PH, but nothing else expected from you... QR looks nice but EK meals are better as you said. That Burj buffet... oh man. I would eat ther
60 volvair: Hi PH, very good to see the start of a new PH TR series with yet another challenging itinerary. This one was just as good as ever. I am really looking
61 gabrielchew: Nice to see another report of yours online! QR looks good, as nearly always. Looks nice Well, the suite you ended up in looks great, but I think they
62 flightsimboy: Hey PH, Great to see another of your mind spinning aircraft, destination and route chasing reports. And I instantly recalled your past trip to Dubai o
63 dkdaviator: Hello PH, Nice report there on your tour of Asia (technically the first and last parts of the overall trip I suppose). Nice variety there! It certainl
64 babybus: A very thorough trip report as always. I find the announcements on the bus really difficult to hear due to the bus noise and the loud hum of the air c
65 HOONS90: Thanks for your excellent trip report! I always look forward to reading them. Can't wait to read your Taipei-Seoul-Dubai report. It's too bad that the
66 roberts87: Nice report PH! I enjoyed reading it! Seems like QR is a great choice to fly, good service in Y. Particullary like the tray table covers. Dubai seems
67 dc9northwest: Hi PH, Finally I get to read and comment on your Dubai report! Indeed, QR has a simple yet good-looking color scheme. Yes, also on my EK flight there
68 adamspotter: Hi there PH, First of all, great to see a report from you again!! Welcome back and I hope to read some more from you every now and then Anyway excelle
69 PlaneHunter: Hi byronicle6, thanks for your reply! Good to hear you liked it. Yes, you should! They already have a nice fleet, soon to be enhanced by 787s. I gues
70 palmjet: Hi PH Fantastic report ! I've read your report a couple of times now and have finally got around to posting a comment. Sorry for the delay. I really e
71 FLIEGER67: Servus PH, great to see you back on track. I´am surely missed these stories from you´re hand. Great work and pictures. QR looks like ok, but DOH is
72 eastafspot: hi PH, Did i miss something or was it your first time with QR or your first TR about QR? Anyways it does not make any difference as it is always fasci
73 PlaneHunter: Hi palmjet, thanks a lot for your feedback! I'm glad you liked it. No worries! I have to admit that I'm not a fan of these colors either. Thanks! I'm
74 FlyingFinn76: Hi PH, Good to have you back writing reports after your little menopause . Somehow your choice of stopover location doesn't really surprise me at all.
75 airbuseric: Hi PH, really cool report, fantastic pictures of Dubai itself, impressive for sure. Shame I had to cancel my trip to this place, but I'll visit anothe
76 win1290: Hi PH, Thanks a lot for writing this and sharing an excellent trip report. It was a really good read and absolutely enjoyed it. Qatar Airways seems li
77 NZ107: Hi PH, Another great TR, thanks for sharing! Dubai is somewhere on my list of places to visit - I'm sure I'll get there eventually. Looks like you enj
78 PlaneHunter: Hi P., good to hear & thanks for your feedback. I know. But the place would become too crowded if all people liked it so much as I do. Yes, I wou
79 beowulf: Great report! I remember your last trip report about Dubai and enjoyed it equally. Thanks for all the tips about what to do in Dubai.
80 PlaneHunter: Hi beowulf, thanks a lot for your feedback! Good to hear. Have you meanwhile visited Dubai? PH P.S.: Part II can be found here: Double Letdown To BKK
81 beowulf: No, haven't been back to DXB. My first and only trip so far was in 2005 IIRC. Time to go again maybe?
82 signol: Hi PH, excellent to read another of your reports! I do have a reading backlog, so please excuse this late reply. Dubai is for sure on my bucket list t
83 PlaneHunter: Absolutely, Dubai has changed a lot in the last few years. Hi signol, many thanks for your comments! No worries! Then Dubai is perfect for you. The a
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From Germany, joined Mar 2006, 6185 posts, 
That's not what you expect when arriving at a top-tier destination - they should have enough money there to employ enough officers.
At least he promised to do whatever possible to get an earlier departure slot.
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