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My review of Gulf Air’s Falcon Gold, Boeing 787-9
I came to Bahrain in British Airways’ first class, but I’m more looking forward to my trip back with Gulf Air as it’s the first time I fly with them. It only cost me 45,000 Aeroplan points, which needless to say is a very good deal.
I wrote about my ground experience already so let’s jump straight to boarding. Although the Falcon Gold lounge is a lacklustre, they have made some effort to enhance the boarding experience. There is a dedicated waiting area for business class passengers with comfortable sofa, and priority boarding is guaranteed.
First glance at the Falcon Gold (business class) cabin:
As you can see, Falcon Gold has opted for the relatively uncommon Apex Suite layout, and it’s the first time I’ve seen it. Other airlines that have Apex Suite include Oman Air, Japan Airlines and Korean Air.
The Apex Suite has six seats in a row (2-2-2), which is 50% more than many 1-2-1 designs. However, it makes good use of the space and you may find it more comfortable than say, a reverse herringbone seat.
The two middles seats are aligned with each other:
The two window seats on the other hand are slightly staggered to allow for some separation.
For a solo passenger the “true” window seats are no doubt most ideal, as you are hidden away whilst still keeping aisle access. You can push up the partition to avoid eye contact with your neighbour.
The amenity bag’s surface feels very rough, so not made of expensive materials.
The shell creates more privacy for the seat. It has a reading light at the top.
You can keep all the three windows to yourself, luxury!
But, I really hate the folding tray table. First of all it prevents me from leaving anything on the “armrest”, as I would otherwise need to move them around every time I take out or put back the tray.
What’s more, it is very accident-prone – at least the me. My finger was caught on the BA flight, and again here!! Thankfully it’s not the same finger…
Interestingly the chair has a massage function. It’s not good though as I could barely feel any action when it’s turned on.
There’s enough space under the ottoman for a backpack.
The lie-flat bed:
Although not super wide, the bed is very long which is great news if you are tall. You don’t need to stick your feet in a cubby hole.
The IFE is quite dry:
Champagne, date and Arabic coffee are served after take-off. Wine and nuts are served before the meal.
Menu:
Nothing too exciting here. I ordered the mezze followed by the fillet steak, and they are just standard.
The cheesecake is better.
There’s a bit of ritual when it comes to the dessert and afternoon tea, as they actually push a trolley down the aisle and let you pick what you want!
Wifi for the entire flight costs $15 which is at the cheap end amongst airlines, although it’s not fast enough for streaming. There’s a surprise waiting for you in the bathroom 😉 – a smart toilet seat!
The service is just okay, not top-notch, and some flight attendants don’t really communicate at all. Gulf Air has a decent business class product, however my experience is far from how some reviewers call it “the best business class cabin in the sky”, to be honest.
My review of the Falcon Gold Lounge, Bahrain
I’m flying Gulf Air for the first time and this article will look at the ground experience. Bahrain airport is located on an island in the north east of the country. In fact the island is so much nicer than the city centre that it almost feels like a resort itself.
The airport went through a major refurbishment in 2021 that cost over one billion dollars. The airport isn’t very big though. It’s got four entrances and Gulf Air premium passengers are invited to use Gate 1.
Gulf Air names their premium business class product Falcon Gold, and you can see this brand name everywhere.
You need to go sideways to find the check-in counters. I don’t think it’s a good design, as you couldn’t see which side is less busier.
After checking in you can use the two dedicated emigration desks, and then the fast track lanes for security check. Go up one level and you’ll see the Falcon Gold lounge!
There’s a business centre with desktops and printers for use to the right.
The lounge, although not huge or exclusive, has a modern design and is very new.
It is an open space on the mezzanine floor so overlooks the departure hall.
There’s a snack station at the centre of the lobby.
A mini cinema:
The bar is closed.
There are quite few entertainment activities though: foosball, pool, golf simulator and flight simulator!
Breakfast buffet:
And an egg station:
It is pretty much what you expect at a med-scale hotel in Bahrain, so not impressive. I think they used to offer a-la-carte dining and barista coffee before, but it’s no longer the case.
There’s a kids club too:
Gulf Air doesn’t have the best ground experience, and their Falcon Gold lounge has got nothing to write home about. Unless you want to try out their games, you don’t have to arrive early.
How to book LATAM flight with Avios
LATAM left Oneworld in 2020, which was a blow to the alliance as it was the only airline they had in South America. In 2018 I few to Peru on a cheap LATAM business class ticket which helped me earn BA Gold status, and I also redeemed Avios for some domestic trip which would otherwise be more expensive.
Fortunately, LATAM maintains its ties with most of its alliance partners except American Airlines. You can still earn Avios when travelling with LATAM if crediting the flight to BA, although you won’t earn tier points and BA elite benefits don’t apply.
More importantly, we didn’t lose the ability to redeem Avios on LATAM flights. You can do it with either BA or Iberia, and they charge the same:
Here are the catches:
- You can redeem LATAM tickets online with Iberia, however they are non-changeable and non refundable
- You cannot redeem LATAM tickets online with BA, and intra-continent economy class tickets don’t come with baggage allowance
If you are very certain about your trip, it’s better to book your trip on Iberia’s website. It’s hassle free and you are guaranteed one-piece baggage allowance when travelling in economy.
However, for the peace of mind I’d say flexibility is very important under most circumstances, so I’d rather book with BA and you can change / cancel for the standard £35 fee. You can check availability on Iberia’s website first and then phone BAEC’s hotline, but be prepared for a long call. Many of the agents aren’t well trained or familiar with the LATAM procedure, and even if they are issuing the ticket can still take quite some time.
Once the ticket is issued, you can manage your booking on LATAM’s website but it requires their own PNR. The quickest way to figure it out, from my experience, is by messaging @Latam_Chile on Twitter with your itinerary details. They are very helpful and prompt.
A final non-Avios-related tip for those who hold an US-issued American Express card: you might want to check the ticket price on Amex Travel too. It turns out LATAM is an Amex Insider Fares partner so you can sometimes get preferential rates:
In my case, the ticket from Buenos Aires to Santiago is more than 50% cheaper on Amex Travel for the Easter holiday period, as long as you have enough Membership Rewards points to pay for it. It also comes with free seat selection and one-piece baggage allowance.
My review of Emirates First Class Suite, B777
I’m finally sitting in my Emirates First Class Suite! I booked my ticket (for 85,000 miles + 400 AED) in early 2020, and unsurprising the flight was cancelled amid the epidemic. I eventually managed to rebook the flight, and I’m relieved to see the price has now crept to 102,000 miles + 1600 AED!
There are very few aircrafts of Emirates refitted with the First Class Suite. For London there is one daily flight in and out of Stansted, and Skywards availability may be released closing in.
Premium cabin passengers board from the front, so if you fly business class you can have a view of the suites as well. Let’s check out the business class cabin first:
It looks very underwhelming. Very few airlines still have the 2-3-2 configuration nowadays in business class, and it does seem very packed. Emirates’ First Class Suite is no doubt a huge breakthrough, but I’m not sure why they didn’t do anything to the business class as well.
Let’s go back to first class:
Emirates isn’t the only airline that offers a suite experience in first class or business class, but if I remember correctly their suite is the only one that’s sealed from ceiling to floor. It reminds me of the private boxes you see in some cafes in China.
There are two rows and six suites in first class, and three guests on that day. Here’s how my 2K suite looks like:
I can’t imagine anyone not being amazed when they see it for the first time! This is far more than just a seat, and definitely not something I had expected to see in the air.
Here’s what a middle suite looks like, which is almost identical:
A fun detail: as you have observed there are three windows by the middle seat as well. I thought they were wallpapers, but they are actually screens connected to the live camera feed!
The suite has so many compartments and it’s interesting to find out what they are. There is a desk in front that hides a dressing mirror, plus a notebook and some skincare products.
it impresses me that each suite has their own minibars, well-stocked and obviously free! Many snacks are in there if you feel peckish when watching a film.
At the back there are cabinets for jackets and blankets.
There isn’t a traditional luggage compartment in the suite, and you definitely don’t need one. There is enough space under the desk for a full-size suitcase.
The touch screen and control panel by the seat can be used to adjust the inclination and window blinds. The three window blinds can be controlled separately.
The tablet can also display flight information so you don’t have to pause the program you watch on the main screen.
On the left arm there is a small storage cabinet, and more seat controls.
And the the remote control on the right arm.
More controls are still to come! There is a panel to adjust the temperature and lighting of your suite on the wall. It also indicates whether the bathroom is being used,
You can change the brightness and colour as you like, and it feels dreamy!
And I have a new pyjama set to wear at home 🙂
Somehow they didn’t proactively offer me the amenity bag, but of course I had to request one.
I own a Bvlgari now!
The noise-cancelling headset:
The IFE content is just incredible! There are tens of, if not in the hundreds 2022 new releases.
And a few live TV channels:
It’s virtually a mini cinematic experience!
First Class passengers can enjoy the wi-fi for free, providing that your booking is linked to a Skywards number. The wi-fi is good enough for messaging and browsing, but good luck if you want to stream videos.
Let’s have a look at catering, starting with an Arabic coffee and a date:
Drinks:
The ONLY champagne on offer is Dom Perignon, which retails for around £200 a bottle.
Unfortunately I’m not a big fan of champagne, otherwise I could get more back from my 85,000 miles…
And food:
The amuse-bouche, which I think is foie gras and salmon:
How can I not order the caviar?
The caviar is great. I didn’t know you could actually order as much as you want, which I regret for not doing…
The tomato consomme:
Lamb bukhari looks quite different to what Google Image told me. I guess they have presented it in a nicer way as we are in first class.
Baklava:
The snack menu:
I ordered the edamame and beef sliders:
Honestly, most food is just so-so except for the caviar and baklava. I would just eat the caviar next time…
The door and blind have got the luxury feel.
Seat in flat mode:
This is probably the most ordinary part of the suite. Obviously it’s comfortable enough, but far from being a real bed and not that different from any other first class or even business class seats.
Lavatory:
There’s no shower room or bar on B777 – you can only find them on the A380.
The ground experience at Stansted is quite good too. Upon disembarking, a member of staff greets and guides the premium passengers until we arrive at immigration. Emirates has a dedicated fast track lane and an exclusive luggage belt for first / business class.
This is, without a question, the best flight experience I’ve ever had so far, and my previous first-class flights with BA or Air China are by no means comparable.
When it comes to the best first class cabin on the sky, people often mention Singapore Airlines (First Class Suite) and Etihad (First Apartment) as well. From what I’ve watched online they don’t look as fancy as Emirates, but they win at offering a proper double bed. Etihad of course has also The Residence, but it’s already a different league.
My review of Emirates First Class Lounge, Dubai Concourse B
I’m finally heading back to London after spending two nights by the airport at Dubai, and I’m really looking forward to the First Class Suite experience with Emirates!
Emirates owns the Terminal 3 of Dubai airport. There is a dedicated entrance for Business and First Class passengers, with totally separated facilities too – it feels like a VIP terminal within Terminal 3.
The moment I stepped out of the car, a porter came around to help me with my bags and accompanied me to the check-in desk. He stayed with me until I finished checking in.
Check-in area for First Class and Platinum passengers:
Check-in area for Business Class and Gold passengers:
With so many counters available I can’t imagine a queue is necessary at any given time.
After checking in, passing the security check and passport control should be a breeze – if they hadn’t somehow messed up my entry record and took half an hour to fix it…
Emirates has seven lounges at Terminal 3, three Business three First and one mixed. In terms of the First Class lounges, there is one at each concourse, and Concourse A has the most famous and largest one. You can even board from the lounge itself, as it occupies an entire floor of the terminal!
I didn’t do any homework however, and just headed to the nearest lounge I could find, which turns out to be the one at Concourse B.
I’m told about another lounge closer to my boarding gate (Concourse C), but advised to stay here as that one is a lot smaller. Terminal 3 is huge though, so be mindful of the time when it’s nearer boarding.
First Class passengers and Emirates Platinum members are invited to use the First Class Lounge. All Emirates members can also pay a discounted $250 rate (pre-tax) to enjoy it. There are also the Business Class Lounges and Marhaba Lounges (for Priority Pass and Dragonpass) which are decent enough.
The entrance reminds me the of Centurion Lounge at Hong Kong. There’s a small fountain behind the entrance.
It might be “small” compared to the Concourse A lounge, but it’s still huge by any other standard. It takes me more than 10 minutes to just walk around the lounge. You can see how many facilities they have here from the signpost.
A few more pictures as demonstration.
Many airlines, such as British Airways have been downgrading their lounge experience by removing the Spa service. Emirates have kept it instead.
The 15-minute complimentary message menu:
Quiet Room for relax and recharge.
The kids club is next door.
Bathroom:
Showers:
A nice wine display room:
The dining room is a must-visit. It is larger than many restaurants or airport lounges itself.
You can help yourself to the hot food buffet or desserts.
Hot food options are:
- Stir Fieds Bibimbap with Chicken
- Foul medames
- French toast
- Plain paratha
- Aloo mutter
Plus the traditional English breakfast. I tried some Bibimbap and wasn’t impressed.
A Japanese sushi counter:
If you’ve got time, don’t miss the full a-la-carte dining experience and the menu is here. Breakfast menu is extensive, and you can even order some All Day Lunch items such as a Wagyu burger!
I’m not sure my stomach can handle a burger or steak at 7am, so opt for the eggs benedict and sushi instead.
As you may have guessed from the presentation, they aren’t very tasty. The cappuccino I ordered isn’t barista-made either. Well I probably should have got Wagyu…
In summary, the lounge is huge and contains all sorts of facilities, so I would recommend to arrive early for a free massage and the dining experience. But aesthetically it doesn’t impress me – nothing really Wows me unlike the Al Mourjan Lounge at Doha.
Etihad sale: Rome – Abu Dhabi for €70 only (including Easter) !
I just booked myself a First Class ticket on Etihad from Abu Dhabi – London via Aeroplan, and then trying to figure out how I can get to Abu Dhabi from Southern Europe. Athens is already quite cheap at €142 with the hidden-city trick, but then I realised Etihad is running a ludicrous sale from Rome!
There are plenty of €70 tickets for FCO-AUH (one-way) throughout March and April:
Considering that it’s a six-hour flight on a wide-body aircraft, it’s almost handing out the ticket for free – in fact, the ticket’s fare is only €29 with the remaining being taxes. It appears to be a flash sale and can be booked on etihad.com only. Looking at Skyscanner, it’s even cheaper than Wizz Air!!
A return trip is available for around €160:
Dates around the Easter holiday are available, which is handy if you are planning a last minute holiday break.
Six hours for a day flight isn’t too long so I’m happy to fly in economy class. Note that it’s hand baggage only though, and you can pay an additional €40 to add on a check-in luggage when booking.
My review of Etihad B787’s business class
Most international routes were still suspended or reduced when I was in China last year. Fortunately Etihad had already resumed weekly flights from Shanghai and Guangzhou, which connects perfectly with my layover in Dubai. I redeemed 60,000 Aeroplan points for a business class ticket from Shanghai to Abu Dhabi.
Passenger volume is very low at Shanghai Pudong, despite it being one of the largest airports in China.
Etihad uses China Eastern’s No 77 First Class Lounge, which also welcomes American Platinum cardholders.
Etihad’s China routes are all operated by Boeing 787 at the moment, with the two-class setup. In business class, you’ll find the four staggered Business Studios in each row.
Forward-facing window seats are semi-enclosed thus more preferred, whereas the rear-facing ones are less private.
Forward-facing middle seats are quite intimate, as it’s very easy talking to each other.
Boeing 787 makes up the majority of Etihad’s current fleet. Business Studio also features on their Boeing 777 and Airbus 380 aircrafts. On Airbus 350 however, they’ve got the reverse herringbone seats.
I’m not sure about your preference, but I LOVE Etihad’s Business Studio! I always find angled seats a bit awkward no matter how big the room is, and it’s refreshing to see a straight seat instead.
The screen is fixed in front of you, so that you can enjoy the programs while take-off and landing. The tray is hidden on the side, and you can easily pull it out by a gentle tap. I love both designs.
There’s a small storage cabinet next to the seat.
The amenity bag is made by Acqua di Parma, and it looks pretty.
The IFE has six live channels. I watched Vengeance and really liked it.
I used to fly with Etihad once, in economy class, but that was many years ago. I was really impressed by their catering and still remember the fruit plate was very tasty. This is today’s menu:
The Arabic Mezze is good:
The spiced beef is really impressive! To be honest I’m not sure it’s a real Chinese dish, but the way of cooking and seasoning are truly authentic. The quality is great especially for plane food.
Dim sums are nice too.
Even the coffee is presented with a classy tray and cutlery.
The seat in flat mode:
The seat is not very wide, and there’s no arm support. I’m more on the slim end but still find it slightly uncomfortable, which could be a concern.
My only major complaint is about their wifi packages. The whole-flight package (24 hours) costs $30, which is a bit steep, but more importantly limited to 350MB data only. Seriously what can 350MB of data do? Remember that an image nowadays could easily be a few megabytes in size.
Invitation for fast track immigration is handed out before landing. There is an arrival lounge for business class passengers at the arrival hall – if you are on a revenue ticket, you can wait here until your complimentary chauffeur service is ready.
I am genuinely impressed by Etihad’s Business Studio. They could have been more generous on wifi but otherwise it’s one of the best business class products I’ve seen in the last couple of years. Etihad’s First Apartments is also set to return to the sky soon, and I can’t wait to try it out!
Virgin Australia’s status match: benefits with United, Etihad, Singapore and more!
Virgin Australia launched a status match program last year, which might entitle you to special benefits with them and partner airlines for up to 15 months!
- Elite members from select airlines can apply for a status match
- If granted, you commence a three-month Gold trial
- Fly one qualifying sector and earn 80 tier credits to extend your Gold status for one year
In general, S* Gold, Skyteam Elite Plus and Oneworld Sapphire / Emerald qualify, excluding Virgin Australia’s partners. Some minimum requirements include:
- British Airways Silver
- Lufthansa Senator
- Air France Gold
- Finnair Gold
- Delta Gold
- American Airlines Platinum
- Emirates Gold
The list is very extensive so you have high chances of being eligible. There is no direct link to apply – you need to click Member Support and submit a feedback form to apply.
Even if you don’t fly Virgin Australia, the Gold card is still useful with a bunch of other airlines.
| Priority Check-in | Priority Boarding | Additional Baggage Allowance | Fast Track | Lounge Access | |
| Hainan / Tianjin / Capital / Hong Kong Airlines | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| Singapore Airlines | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| United Airlines | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Air Canada | ✓ | ||||
| Virgin Atlantic | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Etihad | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Qatar Airways | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| South African Airways | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Details of the lounge access policy is here, but in general you need to be on a flight operated by the partner carrier and can bring one guest.
If you are based in the UK, there’s a good chance that you’ll fly Virgin Atlantic some day, as well as some of the other partners. I value Priority Check-in and Lounge Access the most in terms of the aforementioned elite benefits.
80 tier credits are very easy to accrue, but you can’t possibly accomplish the one qualifying sector unless you travel to / within Australia. According to the program rules, your status will be re-evaluated at the end of the three months, which normally means you’d drop to a non-status member.
However, from the reports we’ve seen so far it seems that everyone has been downgraded to Silver instead post the Gold trial. It comes with two lounge passes for VA’s domestic lounges, and more importantly most of the partner benefits (barring lounge access) still apply for another year!
If you plan to fly Virgin Australia or their partner airline soon, it’s worthwhile signing up for the Gold trial beforehand.