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Destination Kuala Lumpur, business class 787/10 Saudia Airlines review.

Saudia and Gulf Air are the least known Persian Gulf airlines, but they are by no means inferior to Emirates, Qatar [...]

by theflyer

October 7, 2022

Saudia and Gulf Air are the least known Persian Gulf airlines, but they are by no means inferior to Emirates, Qatar, and Etihad.

As mentioned it was a ticket involving two routes, I took advantage of one of the many incredible deals Saudia offers from Athens, also to accumulate Just under 30,000 FlyingBlue points and 90 XP points . The big flaw in Air France and KLM's loyalty program is that, as with ITA Airways, it involves earning points calculated on the fare of the ticket multiplied with the level you have. However, when you travel with the other Sky Team carriers instead, you earn points based on how much you fly, regardless of how much you spend.

At the airport

I arrived at JED on a flight from Athens, a very long layover that allowed me to experience at 110% the lounge in Saudia, probably one of the most beautiful lounges in the world. And pop into a couple of other lounges as well, but they definitely don't hold a candle to the Alfursan Lounge.

The first impact with this airport was not the best, disembarked from the airplane all (or most) passengers followed the directions for transfers, which was then the same direction for baggage claim as well.

So I walked all along the terminal, including areas that were somewhere between a construction site and an area open to the public, and once I got to the security check area, I found that I had gone in the opposite direction: unbelievable that such an airport has no understandable signage, or no one to point the right way. Obviously arriving at the wrong place was not just me, but 3/4 passengers.

Having identified the correct direction, we thus headed for the terminal, arrived at our destination, and passed security checks, very fussy and separate for men and women, I finally arrived at the center of Terminal 1 and I was literally speechless.

A huge square under a dome and in the center a huge pendulum, of course Doha's teddy bear has its charm, but there is no messing around here either.

The plaza is on two floors and when I arrived the whole elevator and escalator system was on the fritz. Nothing was working. Opened shortly before the outbreak of the pandemic, this terminal is still being completed with many spaces yet to be finished.

Fortunately, however, the lounge that opened in December is something spectacular.

The lounge

Of course, there is a review dedicated to this lounge and also a video, because the I must admit it is something I have never seen before. It surpasses those of Emirates, British, Singapore, not to mention Etihad.

To say it is immense is an understatement. As soon as you pass the reception area, you cross a suspension bridge over the terminal and enter the hall proper.

The floor plan is teardrop-shaped. The right side is the area for business class passengers, the left side is for first class passengers and those who hold a Gold or Platinum level in Saudia's loyalty program or Sky Team carriers of which the Arab carrier is a partner.

The part for everyone accommodates everything. Every conceivable type of seating, from sofas to arrangements with bar tables, from cinemas to small rooms for taking a nap. Here are the lounge buffet, the bar area, the dessert corner, and the pizzeria, with the option of ordering a pizza cooked in the open electric oven.

On the opposite side, on the other hand, there is a similar but more polished layout; this section is reserved for passengers who have at least Gold level in the Saudia loyalty program or in one of the Sky Team alliance. There is a Cigar Room, complete with cigars available.

There is a room to sleep comfortably and isolated from noise.

There is a beautiful sphere that houses a bar where you can drink typical Arabic coffee and especially the restaurant with a la carte menu where you can eat, whatever you want and as often as you want.

To get to the gate I had to walk at least 10 minutes, everything here is huge. I must say it is very nice, even better than the new Istanbul airport that I was convinced would be my favorite for years.

Arriving at the gate, I noticed the same disorganization as in Athens., must be in the DNA of this company. This time at least there were the different routes for premium and economy passengers.

As mentioned, the flight was almost an hour late.

The flight is made with the 787/10, the largest variant of the Dreamliner. This model is the backbone of Saudia's long-haul fleet.

Boarding was through the middle door for all passengers. Immediately, turning to the left, there is a small economy cabin, if I were to travel economy class I would try to take a seat in this small cabin.

It's only 4 rows of seats, so definitely the quietest area compared to the rest of the plane.

The business class cabin is unique and has a 1-2-1 layout, this means that all passengers have direct aisle access, as I always repeat which is not a given. The row to avoid is row 4: as you can see, of all the business seats, it is the only one with one less window.

The chairs chosen by Saudia are a popular set-up. The Collins Super Diamond Are the same as those chosen by ITA Airways, but also installed by many other carriers such as British Airways and Aeromexico. Each company then customizes it, not only in the colors but also in the seat options.

Saudia made different choices than all the other carriers I have traveled with regarding containers, infotainement, and console setup.

First of all with respect to BA and AZ there is one less storage space in the console.

The second container here is replaced by a small turret where the following are incorporated power and USB outlets, entertainment system controller, magazine holder and water holder.

For the rest, there is the hidden cockpit inside the armrest and the small space at the base of the console.

Compared with ITA, the table coming out from under the TV is slightly larger.

As distinctly larger is the screen, one of the largest I have ever found in business class.

Each passenger gets a comfortable pillow and a small blanket. This is definitely the biggest flaw. Other airlines give a comforter, here everyone on the plane has the same cover, which is totally inadequate given also the tendency to keep the in-flight temperature on the cool side.

The seat is operated from the small touch screen embedded in the console. Various positions can be adjusted and also the courtesy lights, ones that were not active on ITA's A350.

Since takeoff was late at night, I was already asleep before takeoff, just a pity we could not turn the chair into a bed before departure, damn safety regulations.

Saudia did not install the door as BA, but thanks to these outward-facing seats and staggered rows, you can still have decent privacy.

My advice, if you are traveling in business on this plane, is to choose the rows after 2, skipping 4 because of the lack of the second window. The reason is simple: you are away from the galley where the staff works and from the passenger toilets. So less noise and less movement near the seat.

Honorable mention for the presence of the air vents, although I must say I was cold throughout the flight.

Service

As soon as I got on board, I was offered a glass of juice, because. Saudia serves nowhere alcohol, and it is also very forbidden to take it on board. Which is forbidden by almost all carriers, but here if you get out of line you could end up in jail in Saudi Arabia. Along with the juice is also served the classic hot cloth with which to wipe your hands.

Afterwards, a covid kit, menu and, before leaving, Arabic coffee with dates were also distributed.

Finally, also before takeoff, the Beauty Kit was delivered. I am an avid collector of these clutches and I must say that the one in Saudia was too ugly to be a business class kit. And indeed it wasn't, but I only found that out on the return flight when the real one was handed out. While on this flight the economy ones had been handed out. Eye mask, earplugs, socks, and toothbrush.

The business class kit is branded Missoni and the products inside are Grown Alchemist: really good. You can also see the attention to the environment since some items, such as the toothbrush and comb, are compostable.

Halfway through the flight, I woke up cold and took the opportunity to gauge the crew's response time to my call for action. Pressed the button on the controller and the assistant arrived after less than 18". Chapeau.

In general, all the attendants were super courteous, and the attendant in my area had super smiling eyes since the rest of her face was covered by the covid mask.

Food & Beverage

On drinking, the menu is really restricted as there is no alcoholic beverage of any kind. Too bad zero solutions, such as alcohol-free beers or comparable products, are not proposed either. The thing that amazes me is that even classic drinks such as Coke or Pepsi are not served, nothing at all.

This is an overnight flight, taking off at 2 a.m. from Jeddah and landing at 4 p.m. local Malaysian time, Suadia's choice is to offer a rich breakfast menu with the "dine on demand" system: the passenger is free to order food whenever he or she wants during the trip and, in case of appetite, a snack always prepared by the on-board chef.

About 3 hours after landing, I ordered breakfast.. Scrambled eggs, freshly prepared, of course no pork but potatoes, tomato and onion pie. I decided to try the yogurt as well. To be served took less than 15 minutes, considering that it is express cooking on board a very good result.

I also ventured a cappuccino, let's say I drank better.

The beauty of taking multiple flights with the same airline is to be able to get immediate feedback on the feelings of the first flight. Regarding the cuisine, I must say that I was really surprised by the quality, service and presentation of the dishes. Of course, being forced to eat such a dish while drinking Perrier is not the best.

On the return flight I had the trio of hamburgers with cheese and fries, the meat cooked on board according to my requests is truly 5-star company service. Also, Dine on Demand done this way really makes sense, because it is not just a reheated dish but is prepared the moment it is ordered.

IFE

The operating system is the same on all Saudia aircraft, here however compared to the A320, there are more languages available including Italian and most importantly there is a huge touch screen.

Flaws remain in the interface, which is slightly cumbersome, and a quantity/quality of content that is inferior to many other companies. It lacks wi-fi and this is a huge flaw, Saudia is a 5 star carrier and such a carrier is expected to offer onboard connectivity.

One thing I didn't like was the fact that the IFE was idle until almost takeoff, an endless time on board, without being able to start watching a movie or playing a game of Angry Birds, I don't understand why.

The headphones are the same as the ones I found on the previous flight and are of very good quality even though I always end up using my bluetooth adapter and my airpods max with the isolation function to protect me from screaming children and annoying neighbors.

The choice to place controllers and power outlets outside the console cockpit is a good one. Indeed, it is much more convenient to be able to plug in and keep an eye on devices without having to fill the container space with wires. Ditto the controller outside, embedded inside the small turret, you avoid having to open/close the container by having to move the objects placed on top.

Lacking webcams, the virtual map is slow and cumbersome.

In conclusion

This chair is a guarantee, certainly not Singapore or ANA, but it is among the best. Impeccable staff, but the service is inconsistent. How do you on a flight from your hub not have the business class beauty kit on board? You miss the champagne, the glass of wine at dinner, but those are the rules and you have to adjust. But why not even have a soda?

Too bad there is no wifi and too bad it lacks a little bit of quality in the content offered in the entertainment system. As I have written before, I will fly with this company again, maybe next time though I will bring a couple of cans of Coke Zero.

Flying Blue

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The verdict

Probably if I had flown only one route with this carrier the final grade would have been significantly lower. Of course problems like the lack of a beauty kit are not forgivable. As well as the gastronomic offer clashes with the total absence of normal products such as soft drinks, as well as alcohol. On the other hand, however, the staff is really professional and present, the plane and the seat are certainties. The cover in business and no comforter is a red circle deficiency.

6.5

Service

6.5

IFE

F&B

Cabin and Armchair

6.5

Pro

The kitchen
The lounge
The staff

Against

The winery
No comforter
No Wi-fi
Little content, no live TV