Trip Report: Kuwait Airways, Southeast Asia to Beirut (March 2019)

Trip Report: Kuwait Airways, Southeast Asia to Beirut
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I was traveling from South Asia to Beirut, and through my searches Kuwait Airways kept coming up as the most convenient and cost effective.  I have flown Kuwait Airways before (see review here) and had a decent experience so I wasn’t hesitant to book them again – also since my last travel, the airline had embarked on a refresh so I wanted to check out their updated products.  I booked my ticket directly with Kuwait Airways and the website was easy to manage and it was easy to book my ticket, select my seats, and manage the booking.  I could also manage the booking as well as check-in through the app, which was easy to download and use. 

My flight was scheduled to depart at 4:50am with a boarding time of 3:50am.  The day before, I was able to check-in through the app, confirm my seat assignment, and receive my boarding pass.  Even though I had my boarding pass, I still went to the airport about 2.5hrs early given the security.  The ticket included two checked bags at 23kg each as well as a hand carry at 7kg; the checked baggage allowance was enforced but the hand carry was never weighed.  My luggage was checked through to Beirut, I received my boarding pass, and went through security to the gate and waited for my flight.  The inbound aircraft was late in arriving so that delayed our departure; we were originally supposed to board around 3:50am but instead boarded around 4:15am.  It was a general boarding announcement, which meant all passengers in all rows boarded at the same time.

There was a lot of security in and around the plane.  As you entered the plane, women were taken behind a curtain for security purposes and on the plane were Kuwaiti security guards.  The plane itself was an old Airbus A322 with a 3-3 seat layout.  Everything in the plane was old, from the seats to the paneling to the carpets.  I had prebooked my seats online, and the seat reservations were complimentary and this included an exit row which I selected for myself.  The seats themselves were wide but they were very old and the padding/cushion had definitely gone making it an uncomfortable seat; the seat pitch was good.  The seat itself had a tray table and a seatback pocket with the safety card and airline magazine, and that was it.  Each seat contained a pillow, blankets were available upon request, and below each seat had a foot rest.   

Once the passengers boarded and the main cabin door had closed, the crew came around with English and Arabic newspapers.  Afterwards, safety demonstrations were done in both Arabic and English and then we took off for Kuwait.  Once we reached cruising altitude, the inflight service commenced with breakfast.  I had selected a special meal and those were delivered first, and then the trolley came with the regular meal.   There were two options available for the meal and those were served with both Arabic bread as well as a bread roll; both of them were cold and were only heated when placed on the heated food.  Regarding the food, it was decent in terms of both quantity and quality – there was enough food but you definitely weren’t stuffed and the food won’t win any awards.  Following the food was the drinks cart and then tea and coffee were served.  After a while (more time than necessary), the food trays were cleared and then it was up to the passengers how they wanted to pass the time.  Since there was nothing to watch, and since it was early morning, most passengers just slept until the plane started to descend for our arrival into Kuwait. 

Once deplaned, transfer passengers had to go through security to get back into the terminal.  I understand security and the need for it, as well as the need for heightened security, but it can be done with respect and a level of customer service; this was not the case at Kuwait Airport.  They are extremely rude, disrespectful, discourteous, and not customer friendly at all.  This was my experience both on the outbound and the return and it was so bad that I vowed never to fly Kuwait Airways ever again, solely based off the bad experience at the airport.  Once security was finally cleared, we were ushered into the new terminal, Terminal 4, at Kuwait International.  The terminal is still new and there are still building it, so the only items open for passengers are the gates, bathrooms, prayer rooms, two lounges, sitting areas, a small duty free, and coffee kiosks.  While it is enough for 1-2 hours, it is definitely not enough for longer layovers.

We made our way to the next gate for our flight which was scheduled to board at 8am and depart at 9am, but again boarding time was delayed and again all passengers were boarded together.   Also, there was a lot of security prior to boarding the plane and women were taken to be screened behind a curtain inside the plane.  The operating aircraft was an Airbus A320 in a 3-3 seat layout with an updated and upgraded interior.  The seat width was decent and the seat pitch was very good, and the seats were generally comfortable.  Each seat had a PTV, which had a headphone jack and USB port, and below that was the tray table and then the seatback pocket which contained the safety card, the airline magazine, and the air sickness bag.  The PTV was already active once you got onboard so passengers were able to go through the content and start watching while everyone was still boarding.  The content was decent and there were enough movies and TV shows for a small 3-4 hour flight, but definitely not enough content for longer flights.  The PTV did contain interactive flight maps and cameras, and the details and information provided were very interesting.  Once everyone had boarded, we sat at the gate for more than an hour while “paperwork was being corrected”; this announcement was only made after waiting for over 45 minutes in the plane.  Once the announcement was made, the air crew came around with glasses of water for the passengers.  Finally we pushed back, a safety video was screened, and we took off for Beirut. 

Once we reached cruising altitude, the meal service was started and again special meals were delivered first followed by the regular meals.  The regular meals had two options – chicken or lamb – and again for the portion size and quality were both decent, not great but not bad.  The meal service was followed by a drink service and then coffee and tea.  Once the meal trays were cleared, most passengers passed the time either sleeping or going through the entertainment section.  Given both the security situation of Lebanon’s neighbors and given Kuwait’s relationship with other countries in the Middle East, the flight took a long and circuitous route to get to Beirut.  Instead of a straight flight path, we took off for Kuwait and flew over Saudi Arabia to Egypt, and then turned up the Mediterranean Sea before turning into the final approach to Beirut.  It made the flight feel and last longer than necessary.  We finally landed in Beirut, taxied to the gate, and deplaned.

The return flight experience was same as the outbound, both in terms of airplane experience, aircraft type, and experience at the airport.  Overall, the customer service on board was basic – the crew did their work and did what they were supposed to do but did not go above and beyond their duty.  Also, they did not perform their duties with a smile or with any sense of customer service; it was basically this is my role and these are my duties.  It was also the same issue regarding any delays, which there were many, as no notice or information was given regarding delays in boarding nor takeoff.  Our return flight was supposed to start boarding Kuwait at 9:15pm, but that time came and went and there was no boarding call and no announcement made of a delayed boarding.  When passengers went up to ask for an update, since the ground crew had not informed anyone of any delay, they seemed annoyed that passengers were asking information and just expected passengers to wait until they were ready.  The lack of customer service on the ground, the inconsistent aircraft product, and the horrible treatment of the security made for an unpleasant experience flying with Kuwait Airways.  My previous experience flying with them was decent, so that is why I was not hesitant to fly them again; but after this experience, I will avoid them at all costs even if that means going longer routes or paying more money.   

Stay Report: Staybridge Suites Beirut (Beirut, Lebanon - March 2019)

Stay Report: Staybridge Suites Beirut

comment below and let me know your thoughts :)

I was traveling to Beirut and in looking for a place to stay, I was looking for something nice and comfortable but that was also in close proximity (walking or short drive) to the sights I wanted to see.  I looked at various options in Downtown but the reviews were not good, and I looked at places in Verdun but they seemed far; so I settled on the Staybridge Suites near Hamra.  I have stayed in Staybridge Suites before in America and I enjoyed my experience of suite-rooms, complimentary breakfast, and complimentary evening socials – based on my previous experience I was looking forward to the stay.  It was very easy to book the hotel through the IHG website and app, and through the app it was easy to manage my reservation.  I had some questions regarding transport so I emailed the hotel, and their response time was generally good and they provided detailed answers. 

The hotel is located in between Verdun and Hamra in Beirut, and it’s about a 20 minute drive from the   The hotel does not provide complimentary transportation to/from the airport, but it can arrange transportation through a local taxi company – I had arranged this through email with the hotel and when I arrived, the driver was waiting in the arrivals hall and it made for a smooth process to the hotel.  From the outside, the hotel itself looks very nice and newly constructed.  The glass windows on the outside let in a lot of natural light as well as providing an inside/outside concept.  Once you go through security you enter into the lobby, with the check-in counters on the left and a sitting area on the right.  Next to the check-in desks is the Pantry, in which you can buy snacks and other items you may have left at home, and next to that are the elevators.  Check-in was relatively quick, the amenities of the hotel were explained, and I was given the key to my room.
airport.

As the name suggests, all the rooms at the hotel are suites.  My room as located on the 3^rd floor and as you opened the door, it felt like stepping into an apartment rather than a hotel room.  You entered into a room that contained the entreway, the kitchen, and a small dining table.  It was a full kitchen with a stove, a microwave, dishes and utensils, pots and pans, and a small fridge.  There was a small dining table right behind the stove, but it could only seat about two people.  Beyond the kitchen was the sitting area with a pull-out sofa and two chairs that faced the TV on the wall.  While the seating area was not large, it was sufficient and provided a nice area to relax and enjoy the food or tea while watching TV.  The bedroom was located next to the sitting area.  As you entered the bedroom, against the right wall was the bed (which was a large double or a small king size bed) with a nightstand on each side.  There was a   On the other side of the bed, there was a path with closets on either side that led to the bathroom.  The bathroom was somewhat narrow but very long and contained a tub, a shower, a sink with lots of counter space, a toilet, and a bidet.  As with the sitting area, the space was not grand but was sufficient enough to move around and contain lots of facilities.  In becoming more environmental and green, there were refillable toiletry bottles in the bathroom – soap and lotion next to the sink and body wash and shampoo+conditioner in the shower and tub (they smelled really good).
chair in between the bed and the wall, and across from the bed was a desk as well as TV mounted on the wall.

There are many amenities in the hotel for the guests to enjoy including complimentary breakfast,   The breakfast, the coffee, and the evening social was on the mezzanine level which can be accessed by the elevator or via the stairs from the lobby.  The mezzanine level was laid out such that as you got off the elevator, you walked into an area which housed the food items in the middle and ahead and the coffee to the left side.  Beyond the food was the dining and seating area and beyond that was a smaller seating area with couches and a TV.  There was also a computer in this area.  The breakfast was very good and vast with lots of options including both Western and Middle Eastern.  The evening social occurred three times a week and it is an opportunity to get to know the staff as well as some of the guests.  The food served during the social is light, with some burgers and sandwiches but mostly chips and crudites along with drinks. 
complimentary coffee throughout the day, an evening social three times a week, a gym, laundry facilities, and complimentary wifi.

The gym and the laundry facilities were located in the basement, and both were decent size and had enough equipment and facilities to provide a decent workout and decent laundry.  The wifi was complimentary and relatively strong (depending on the day and time you logged on) and the good thing about the hotel is that they did not restrict the number of devices, so you could connect all your devices (which is necessary these days).   Overall, it was a nice stay at the Staybridge Suites.  The hotel is nice and provides spacious rooms, a lot of facilities for the guests to enjoy, good service, and is within walking distance to many attractions and services.