Kigali til Dresden på 3 dage

pep · 29 Juni 2024

Er netop ankommet fra Rwanda til Saxen, hvor jeg skal undervise lidt paa Tharandt Universitetet i Dresden. Lokalt, forstår jeg knapt et ord....men har dog fået invitation til at komme med til aftenens fodboldkamp mellem Danmark og Tyskland. Næppe andre Skandinaver her, så jeg må nok køre low-key for ikke at blive tævet, hvis DK vinder...

Fløj 6 ben, hvoraf 3 i business. Bygget op omkring Kenya Airways billige business JNB-NBO-AMS-ZRH biletter hvortil der kræves en del til- og af-positionering...

Som medvidende rejsende (tak bc.se !) gik det hele glat. Ingen ratings under 7 for 6 flights må siges at være over forventning.

Højdepunketet var vel den nye SAA lounge i JNB. Afikansk mad og snacks overrasker positivt, og mange lækkerier tilbydes. De mange servetricer i baren og afrydderne var umådelig charmerende, flirtende, og tilbød telefonnumre, giftemål, og sjov på bageste række.

Sov 1 nat i fly og 1 nat i Zurich lufthavn i en cafe-sofa. Europas fly og lufthavne var propfyldt med rejsende pga. af ferie? Hårdt at skulle flyve med discountcarriers intra Europa, men det gik forbløffende godt, hjulpet af Schweizisk og tysk besættelse af præcision.

Skytrax ratings/reviews:

Rwandair Business 08/10

Kigali-Joburg 26 June 2024 in an old, narrowbody B737. I was upgraded from an inexpensive economy ticket to business class by using miles in their Dream Miles Frequent Flyer Program. Check-in and lounge access in Kigali smooth as usual. Luggage was kindly checked in to final destination 4 legs ahead on different tickets and airlines. That’s a courtesy winner which hardly any European airlines can cope with. Check-in issued my 4 onward Boarding Passes on the spot, which made my life easy by staying in transits throughout the journey enjoying entitlements and lounges - instead of struggling with immigration and landside e.g. in South Africa. Lounge in Kigali is good, though still with room for minor improvements. Boarding easy by walking 150m on tarmac directly to the aircraft. The 12 business seats were in 3 rows in 2 x 2 configuration. I had 1D to avoid direct exposure to the rising morning sun. In economy, seats are narrower and in 3 x 3 configuration. Morning flight, departed on time and arrived slightly early. Onboard, seating perfect, special meal accommodated, other hot meals offered were also good. No drinks and no food menu provided. Unclear what they actually had onboard for catering. Drinks and wine selection sparse and modest. However, we were offered pre-departure champagne (Piper Heidshick?). FAs were generous, pampering us well, and of world class in kindness and attentiveness. They might benefit from further airline exposures. IFE is useless, no headsets given. Given FFP miles instantly according to my original booking. Luggage well handled. Cannot demand much more for regional flights in business class.

Kenya Airways Business 8/10

Joburg-Nairobi-Amsterdam 26-27 June 2024 on Boeings 787-800. Checked in online from Rwanda and came to Joburg in transit for positioning. I arrived very early and would have to spend some 10-12 hours in the airport. However, the Kenya airways staff at the JNB transfer desk, a Ms. Nosisi, was kind, talkative, and very cooperative allowing me to depart on a 7 hours earlier flight. I then would avoid excessive time in JNB a tight onward connection in Nairobi. She did this, without any pay for ticket change, BP renewals, and retagging the luggage. I even got a much greater trip on a Dreamliner instead on my scheduled B737, which was another win as they have wide lie-down seats. My only cost was to forsake a preordered meal. The SAA lounge in JNB is gorgeous, impressive, and world class, now used by Skyteam, Star Alliance, and a number of airlines, as SAA have very few flights these days. The catering, bar, tarmac views, and space are all worldclass. From Kenya Airways, Ms. Nosisi, even came up to the lounge to find me in person to confirm my new boarding. She assured me that the inscribed luggage had passed security check and was onboard this earlier flight. Boarding easy though had to stand 25 Minutes in an airbridge, until the cabin was fully ready. Onboard, seats, and IFE was fully functioning. Catering was good and preordered meal accommodated on the last leg. Plenty of drinks of acceptable standard, though nothing extravagant. Only Tusker beer is offered; it’s of poor quality. Food tasty, well presented and extra hot dishes given on request. One meal service when going to Nairobi (4 hours flight) and two meal services while going to Amsterdam (8 hours). Pre-departure champagne is still their beloved JB Gobillard. FAs are good, attentive, and caring. Drink offerings onboard appear to be generous/unlimited. WiFi onboard useless. IFE fairly good. Transfer/transit in Nairobi went smooth, though we had to disembark by busses in the middle of night. The busses got filled, no premium toward business class nor Skyteam priority. Security checks quick. Pride lounge is good but was full, likely due to their new Asante Awards FFP with status match of elite-fliers offered widely, granting excessive access to the lounge which are now used at absolute maximum capacity. I watched the UEFA 2024 football tournament on TV; eventually, I even got a bed in the sleeper section to recharge for my next flight in the morning. Woke up early and got a lovely breakfast and shower prior to boarding to AMS was not very far from the lounge, all went smooth and on time. This flight to AMS had more perks than the previous. I got one more hot meal service round, amenity kit, mattress, etc. Arrived at Amsterdam as scheduled, and continued with their partner, KLM. Cooperation with KLM is still smooth despite that KQ has left Flying Blue Luggage transferred correctly. Ticket promotional, rendering value for money. Miles given quickly. Will fly again.

KLM Economy 7/10

AMS-ZRH 27/6 2024 on a small Boeing 737. This was the end-leg of a Kenya Airways 3-legs ticket. KLM handled transfer smooth and luggage correct, and granted lounge access. Long walks in Schipol, took me half hour to walk the 2-3 km. Departed briefly on time, a half hour delay was clearly and honestly informed. But being given an exit seat with large front space, I felt valued as FB elite holder. Full flight. Not much premium feeling by flying economy on legacy carrier in Europe any more. However, KLM still serves proper sandwiches and at least a single, full drink-round. Crew effective, though not sociable, merely superficially friendly. Convenient and quick airbridge barking and disembarking despite full flight. Eventless flight, boring, but no really fault. Score shall be 6 but must add 1 point for the nice KLM Crown Lounge 52.

Eurowings Economy 7/10

Zurich to Dresden via their hub in Dusseldorf. Both flights on A320s. Checked in in ZRH without any hassle or feeling entering a low-cost carrier. Gate bridging in airports convenient and saved time. Flights were both precise on timing and arrival. Luggage inscribed, transferred, and delivered within 5 Minutes on final destination. Transit in Dusseldorf smooth. Payable catering service onboard rendered several interesting options from printed menu leaflets. The airline was better than most reviews indicate. I must render them credit, at least 6 (7?) out of 10. If I had access to their lounges in ZRH and DUS, the trip would have been perfected. Not cheap; but reliable, no faults, and could fly them again.