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My review of Royal Jordanian’s A321 business class
I’m going to Jordan to see the Dead Sea! I did my homework, and decided to travel on Royal Jordanian from Frankfurt. Cost-wise it’s only 22,000 Avios + £179 (business class), comparing to 38,750 Avios + £312 from London. Don’t even get me started on BA: for this 6-hour flight they operate a narrow-body, so expect the pathetic Club Europe seats if you paid for business class!
I arrived into Frankfurt (on BA) the night before, but not my bag. Frankfurt might somehow be my nemesis – in 2018 I was also here to transfer before Christmas, and my RJ flight was cancelled due to poor weather conditions in Amman. They rebooked me to Qatar’s QSuite though, so some silver lining there.
The check-in desk was opened three hours before departure, where I got my boarding pass and lounge invitation.
All passengers at Frankfurt T2 pass emigration first, and security check is near the boarding gates. The only Oneworld Lounge here is Japans Airlines’ Sakura Lounge, which is small but decent. The Goulash and Japanese Katsu Curry are quite good, but forgive my camera shot…
Time to board:
It is also a narrow-body (A321), but they’ve installed proper incliner seats in business class unlike the European airlines. There are 20 seats in five rows.
I’ve got the 1A seat.
The cushion and throw are already set up, and the leather seat is comfortable. Amenity bag:
Not too shabby for a short four-hour flight. I didn’t get a chance to take a proper photo of the recliner mode, but here it is:
As you may have noticed, there’s no IFE at the back of the seat. Each business class passenger is handed an iPad instead.
You can also connect to the in-flight wifi to access the same entertainment system. The wifi is only an Intranet, so you can’t really browse other things.
Let’s check out the menu, which has got a festive design for Christmas.
There are traditional local specialties such as Mansaf, but also Asian cuisine including rice curry and chow mien. Curiously there’s no pasta or steak, which are probably the most common dishes you see on an airplane.
How they serve the food is true novelty – from starter to dessert everything is served out of a trolley, and you basically mix and match whatever you want. I saw a trolley on Gulf Air too but it was only for dessert.
It is quite interesting, and convenient if you want to try a bit of everything. I had the Mansaf (lamb with yellow rice) but it’s quite different to what I had in my mind.
In all honesty, food quality is below average to my preference although I like the dessert and cheese. But they’ve really put their heart into serving the food, and the whole “ritual” took one hour and a half, a big chunk of the flight time.
There’s no fast track for premium passengers on arrival, but there were very few foreigners passing immigration anyway. Landing visa costs 40 dirhams, and the staff picked DCC without my consent so be wary. I booked airport pickup via Royal Jordanian, very reasonable at 19 dirhams.
Although it is a short flight and there’s no lie-flat seat, it is a very wholesome experience and definitely in a totally different league with BA’s alternative.
My review of LATAM B787 business class
Having done loads of research and searches I ended up redeeming Avios on LATAM Santiago – Lima – London in business class for coming back. A backup plan was BA’s direct flight, but spending 14 hours in Premium Economy didn’t sound as appealing to me.
LATAM is slowly rolling out their new business class cabin, which looks amazing:
Unfortunately the refurbishment is gonna take a while, and the Boeing 787 aircraft that I’m going onboard still has the old seats. I was on their A350 in 2018 and it looks quite similar.
The seats are grey, but the red headrest on top make the cabin much less dull than Iberia. The 2-2-2 configuration is no longer a popular choice in business class nowadays, no wonder LATAM is keen on a refresh.
As the window seats have no direct aisle access, I recommend solo travellers to go for a middle seat to avoid any hassle.
Storage space is limited besides the one under the footrest.
Control panel for seat adjustment is located on the armrest.
I forgot to take a photo of the lie-flat bed. It is on the shorter side but largely comfortable. I had a good seven or eight hours of sleep on the plane and then slept through the night after landing in Madrid. No jet lag this time at all!
On the SCL-LIM flight they handed out a small flamboyant amenity bag:
And a larger one along with slippers for the LIM-MAD leg:
For the short-haul fight, the menu is just one-pager:
My steak is so-so:
Both dinner and breakfast are served on the long-haul leg, with a bigger menu:
As I have just had the steak I ordered the grilled fish this time, which is quite decent. I skipped the breakfast.
IFE is decent, but screen is positioned quite low, which isn’t very friendly to my neck.
There’s no wi-fi onboard, which is unusual. Otherwise it’s a reasonable yet not outstanding business class product. Given how difficult it is to find reward availability between Europe and South America though, I don’t have much to complain.
My review of Iberia A330’s business class
The final trip before my next job is to South America, and first stop Buenos Aires! It sounds insane, but a one-way flight from Madrid to Buenos Aires in business class costs only 51,000 Avios plus just over €100, so although I have to add the London – Madrid leg myself it’s still a fantastic deal!
The flight, operated by Iberia, is mostly on an A350 aircraft which features the newer business class design. Unfortunately my flight is operated by an older A330 aircraft instead. However, from my research the two business class products don’t differ that much (at least not from the pictures), and it’s not worth tweaking my travel plans for the A350.
For checking in, Iberia uses Terminal 4 at Madrid airport, although you’ll actually take the shuttle train later to T4S for all non-Schengen departures. Priority passengers (business class and Oneworld elite) use the check-in counters numbered 700-799.
Priority passengers, as well as cardholders of Amex Platinum, are invited to use the fast track security.
We are onboard! Iberia’s business class cabin features 1-2-1 staggered configuration, which is probably the most commonly seen nowadays across all airlines.
For solo travellers the real window seats provide the best privacy, especially when you are sleeping.
If you are travelling with a partner, then choose the middle seats that are closer to the centre.
The monitor is mounted above the ottoman, which is my preferred design.
The seat converted into a bed:
The baseline is, it is a lie-flat business class seat, and that’s about it. It’s not really pleasing aesthetically, not very comfortable and is lacking in storage space. The A350 product appears nicer but kind of follows the same design principle and is barely anything revolutionary.
The amenity kit – Iberia is obviously obsessed with beige and grey!
The menu:
My beef tenderloin, cod tartare and ice cream:
Here is the thing: the meal portion isn’t really big, and for a 13-hour flight you don’t get served another meal (small plate of pasta) until close to landing.
In between there’s only salad and fruit available. I think it’s the first time I have to fight hunger when flying business class!
The IFE contains a decent, although not great selection of international films and dramas.
Their in-flight wifi is excellent though. Business class passengers and Iberia Plus members (free sign-up) can get the messaging package for free. A full package costs €24.99 for the entire flight and supports video streaming.
I had known what to expect before I hopped onboard, so there’s little surprise (good or bad) in this trip. Other things equal I’d probably choose most other airlines over Iberia, but given their excellent redemption deals I’m likely to fly with them again when going to South America next time.
My review of Etihad B787 First Class
I wasn’t expecting to be sitting in the first class cabin again so soon after the Emirates Suite, but here I am flying from Abu Dhabi to London on Etihad. Unfortunately it was just several months before Etihad resumed its First Apartment service on this route, otherwise it would have been a very different experience.
After visiting the very underwhelming first class lounge, I am ready to board the plane. First and business class passengers are invited to board together, but the flight attendant is vigilant when a first class passenger arrives and guides them to the seat.
In business class they have the Business Studio which I very much liked.
Back to business, oh I mean first 😛 There are two rows and eight seats in total. Oddly half of them are backward facing which you don’t normally anticipate in premium cabins.
The first class cabin is very empty today. From the conversations I picked up one of the passengers was upgraded, probably due to his elite status in Etihad Guest.
Etihad’s first class seat is rather industry standard. It is a long rectangular-shaped private suite. When I say suite, it’s obviously not on a par with Emirates, but still quite spacious otherwise.
The sofa chair and IFE screen are fixed to either end of the suite. If you are travelling with someone, they could sit down on the foot rest for a paired dinner.
There’s a mini-bar under the arm rest, which contains some soft drinks.
There are a remote control and small screen on the other side. It might sound counter intuitive but the seat a bit too wide for me to be comfortable, as my arms cannot rest on both sides at the same time.
Like in business class the amenity bag is produced by Acqua di Parma. Don’t forget to take your pyjamas!
This is when the suite is switched to sleeping mode.
I find it private and cosy enough. One big problem though is the lack of storage space. Not sure if you have noticed but there’s NO overhead locker in first class. The only place where you can leave you stuff is under the foot rest.
Fortunately the seat next to me is empty so I just put my bags there. I’m not sure where people store their personal items when the cabin is full.
The IFE system is the same across all cabins, as I have also travelled in Etihad’s business and economy class recently.
Time to eat something! A collection of amuse-bouches before the meal:
The menus:
The selection of food is similar to what Emirates offers. It goes without saying that I need to order the caviars first:
It’s nice but I’d love to have more than just 20 grams.
Followed by the Arabic mezze and lamb shank mandi. The latter is braised lamb with rice, which tastes really good and reminds me of a delicacy in China’s Uighurs region.
But the most amazing dish has be to the chocolate fondant, and I’m not even a chocolate person! On the whole I think Etihad’s first class wins against Emirates on catering.
It’s very poor of them to offer first class passengers only 200MB free wifi though. Remember to create a Boingo account beforehand for your free wifi.
Finally, the bathroom:
Etihad’s first class on Boeing 787 is good but nothing spectacular, and the next time I’ll probably lean towards its Business Studio as the experiences aren’t so different and the latter costs a lot less. Etihad’s First Apartment will be of course, a totally different story and I hope to try it out soon.
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 British Airways’s First Class on Boeing 777
My main purpose of booking BA’s first class was to try out the Concorde Room, and I wasn’t really looking forward to the flight that much. I travelled in their first class once in 2016 and didn’t think very highly of it, but maybe there has some improvement since.
My flight has minor delay because of a last-minute aircraft change. There’s an A380 roll-up banner at the boarding gate which got me excited, but it turned out to be Boeing 777 in the end.
First up, a few pictures:
I’m not sure if you’ve noticed, but the pictures above are actually from two cabins. This 777 has already been refurbished, which means they’ve got the new Club Suite configuration in business class (Picture 3 & 4). The seat and finish are just so similar that I could barely tell one from the other. Well, the Club Suite does have a door…
Back to the first class cabin, it has two rows and four seats in total. The seats are angled which is pretty rare for first class.
Jokes aside, you’ve got a lot of the space in here compared to in business class.
相较于商务舱而言头等舱还是更加宽敞，旁边的小桌子上可以放东西，脚凳下的空间也比较大。
Control panel and the small wardrobe:
I’ve got so many pet peeves about the design. To start with I hate folding screens, as you cannot watch the programs during take-off and landing. I also hate push-release tray as it’s just so much trouble taking them out and in, and my finger got jammed!
On a different note, I like the amenity bag and the pyjama set, although I’ve never heard of the brand – Temperley London – before.
I need to work my blog so didn’t spend much time on the IFE, but the Anti-Valentine genre did make me smile 🙂
In-flight wifi is free to First Class passengers (limited to one device), but it’s a nightmare trying to get connected. After a ton of effort I finally managed to connect my laptop, and the internet speed is not great. In addition, the socket under my seat is broken, so I have to charge my phone at the empty seat next to me.
The seat when flattened:
BA is refurbing the first class cabin as well by adding a door to improve privacy.
The menu:
I understand caviar is too expensive for BA’s catering budget, but still I think they should try harder to come up with a decent menu.
The amuse-bouche and soup:
Not impressed by the burger – I think McSpicy is better!
The ice cream is good.
I decided to try the lamb chop before landing, which turns out to be a delight. It is probably the nicest thing I’ve ever had on a BA flight, and I’m happy to pay for it in a restaurant.
The champagne and wine list:
I’m not a champagne drinker, but I know people stay hours in the Concorde Room for the Grand Siecle and then continue the drinking party onboard to make sure they get their money’s worth 😛
The experience is in line with my memory from the last flight, and although there’s nothing to write home about, I don’t think BA’s first class is a bad product either. If you’ve never flown first class, maybe grab a £2k deal when BA has a sale as a starter and save other airlines for the future.
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 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!