[MoHaB]

MS 961 Bangkok to Cairo
Captain: Mohammed Nassar, F/O Ali Roshdy and Sherif Kotb
Total flight time 9hs 20mins
After a quick 60 minutes on the ground in Bangkok, I witnessed how the cleaners cleaning the aircraft, some pick up trash, some pick up used blankets and carpets and some re-group the magazines. It was a quick and effective specialization of labor process. Within 30 minutes, the plane was serviced and ready for boarding again.
Captain Mohammed Nassar came down the aisle and personally welcome mother and myself onboard, as the previous flight captain and purser asked him to look after my mother and myself since we're guest to Egypt onboard all the way!
We were 30 minutes later than schedule on push back and eventually took off at Bangkok time 0130. With a flying time of 9 hours and 20 minutes at FL360. Total passenger onboard 309 out of 319. First Class have 11 out of 12 seats taken. I notice quite a few Western foreigner and their Thai wife are in First Class, perhaps Egypt Air offer good fares and connections onward to Europe.

Dinner Service

Dinner Service soon commenced with fresh catering from Bangkok, one of my favorite catering station. The service from Flight Attendant in First Class are not as nice as the Beijing to Bangkok flight, there are more seniors and the older woman FA did not smile at all, just getting her job done.

Appetizers: Prawn / Smoked Halibut / Asparagus

Main Course : Prawn Brochette / Tenderloin Beef (Very large) / Roasted Duck with Fried Rice / Potato / Vegetable.

I had Roast Duck, it is filleted so no bones. It is the Best Duck I ever have onboard, beats the one I had on Singapore Airlines First Class last year. I actually took 2 servings since nobody else ask for the duck.
After dinner service, lights were turned down and everyone went into sleep mode. Both my mother and I slept soundly for about seven hours before being waked up for Breakfast. At one hour outside of Cairo, I checked the route that we flew overnight on the Air Show, we flew Westwards from Bangkok past Myanmar, then India (Hyderabad), Arabian Sea, Over UAE/Oman and Saudi Arabia then onto Egypt.


Simple Continental Breakfast, nothing more. I was told later that Egyptians don't eat breakfast :) I do like the fine China plate used on Egypt Air. Very nice drawing miniature.

Approach to Cairo, Egypt

Looking down from the air, Cairo is huge! We commenced our descend around 5:30 local time while Cairo gradually awake.


Over Heliopolis on approach to Runway 05R

Final Approach Runway 05R , outskirt of Cairo. We touched down on Egypt's soil around 05:45am in the morning, on the 17th April 2008. A short taxi to the remote stand ended our 14 hours 55 minutes journey from Beijing, China. As most Int'l flights use remote stand, ours no exception. We took a bus to main terminal (Arrival Terminal 1 Hall 3/4?)

Some of the Petroleum Air Service Dash 7 on the apron.


A nice Red Carpet Welcome.

Nefertiti on stand.

Busy Domestic scene, note many Egypt Air Express Embraer E170 Jet.


Last look of SU-GBP Nefertiti took us from Beijing to Cairo.

AMC Airlines B737-200. A rare sight for me.
This marks an end to my first Egypt Air experience from Beijing to Bangkok and Cairo. However, our tour of Egypt only just commenced, we will visit Cairo, Hurghada (Red Sea), Luxor, Edfu, Kom Ombo, Aswan, Abu Simbel and Alexandria in the following 10 days.
For those are interested in Egypt, please view my sightseeing photos and videos.
https://www.samchuiphotos.com/Sights/Egypt/index.html


MS 960 Cairo - Bangkok - Beijing
B777-266/ER SU-GBX Neit
27 April 2008
After 10 days of wonderful sightseeing in Egypt, include highlights of:
1. Visit the Giza Pyramids
2. Snokerling in Red Sea with many fish and corals
3. Visit Valley of the Kings and Karnak Temple
4. Nile Cruise, the best way to see Egypt
5. Abu Simbel Temples
6. Cairo Marriott Hotel (Former Palace) and Khan El Khalidid Bazaar
I am deeply impressed with Egypt, its friendly people, its cultural, history, myths and many colorful souvenirs that I promise a return to Egypt for more in the near future!
Egypt Air use the old Terminal One for its International flight check-in. There will be a brand new Terminal Three opening later this year replacing the old terminal but for the time being, Egypt Air is using the former. There is a dedicated check in area for First and Business Class passengers and I receive a rather interesting Lounge Invitation Card

I was given priority and skipping the long queues at Immigration. An officer offered to fill the form for me and stamp it in his office and offer me a quick passage. I proceeded to the lounge but only to my disappointment, the lounge is a dump, one of the worst lounge I've ever visited.

The lounge is quite small, and it is in an open space, next to a food court on the 2nd floor of main terminal building. There were very few choice of drinks and food. There was a free Wifi service but no internet kiosk. There were no magazine or any kind of entertainment. I am guessing Egypt Air must plan to replace this lounge soon with the completion of Terminal three and would not invest further into the current lounge. Boarding started at 22:35 for an on-time 23:15 departure to Bangkok. I headed down to the gate and the waiting lounge is very small and a long queue (common) to board the bus to the remote stand.


There were two stairs but all passenger have to use the second one to board the A/C as part of security procedures.

MS 960 Cairo to Bangkok
Total flight time 8hs 25mins
Passenger Onboard: 209/319
Route: Initial South of Egypt, past Hurghada, cross the Red Sea, over Saudi Arabia and Oman, then Arabian Sea and India, flying over Ahmedabad and over Myanmar
As I was very tired and sleepy on the return flight, I didn't record much and will provide some simple observations and pictures.
Dinner Service

Appetizer: Smoke Salmon and Shrimp Cocktail

Main Course: Oriental Beef / Grilled Salmon / Chicken Breast with Vegetables / Penne Pasta / Basmati Rice with Almonds
The catering from Cairo, did not compare very well to Bangkok. After the meal service, I spent the rest of the flight sleeping and also skipped the Breakfast. We landed in Bangkok ahead of schedule, arriving 1150am on 28 April.
I chose to remain onboard the aircraft while the cleaners service the plane. A few more First Class pictures:




MS 960 Bangkok to Beijing
Total flight time 4hrs 30mins
Passenger Onboard: 137/319

With new crew onboard, we left gate G3 ahead of schedule departure time, taxi to Runway 19L and a quick take off for Beijing.
Lunch Service

Appetizers: Lobster Tail Medallion with Chicken Galantine.
Main Course: Steam Garoupa / Beef Tenderloin / Chicken Breast with Roast Potato / Pumpkin / Steam Rice
Since I skipped the breakfast service on the overnight flight from Cairo, I was feeling hungry but the lunch service didn't start for 2 hours into the flight, the purser came to explain this is to allow the Cairo originated passenger to have more time to rest and adjust the time zone changes for meals. Nevertheless, they set up the table for me and allow me to have lunch before others.
The rest of the flight were quite uneventful. We touched down quietly in Beijing new 3rd runway 19 firmly at 18:20 local time, 10 minutes ahead of schedule. I was the first person head out the plane.
Within 20 minutes I retrieved my baggage and I found my way out on the street in China. My Egyptian adventure have came to a final end.

My experience with Egypt Air
Overall, Egypt Air is a good quality airline with modern aircraft equipment. However, It is a dry airline with outdated seat in First and Business Class, justified the reason of the lower ticket price they charge. The crew, unlike most government airline, were generally approachable, friendly and helpful. Meal service remain the best thing with Egypt Air with its "serve in front of you" presentation. Egypt Air B777 do boost one of the most generous leg room in Economy Class (34-35" seat pitch) in a customized 3-4-2 seating. It took many surprises that they were invited to join the Star Alliance, hopefully we will see more improvement carried out with new Cairo Terminal, new aircraft ordered (B777-300/ER) it will provide a better premium product. My trip with Egypt Air is an overall positive and interesting experience.



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