Trip Report: Ethiopian Airlines - Newark, NJ to Lome, Togo (December 2017)

Trip Report: Ethiopian Airlines - Newark to Lome, Togo

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I was connecting to Ethiopian Airlines as part of my journey from New Orleans to Lagos.  I was flying Ethiopian from Newark to Lomé.  Ethiopian had recently started this route as part of their connection to their Star Alliance partner United, which has a hub at Newark.  I have flown Ethiopian before (check out the review here) and had a pleasant experience so I was looking forward to this flight. 

Ethiopian Airlines is one of the major carriers serving Africa and have really integrated the

Dreamliner aircraft into their operations, especially from the U.S.  Even though they partner with Star Alliance members, you cannot book connections through Ethiopian’s website; instead you have to go through partner or third-party websites.  After you book through these websites, it is somewhat difficult to manage your booking through the website; instead you have to call the airline to request seat assignments, special meals, and adding frequent flyer numbers.  This part of the process is very inconvenient.  As I was connecting to Ethiopian from a partner airline, this is the process I had to follow.

The flight from Newark was scheduled to depart at 9:15p and arrive into Lomé at 12p for a scheduled flight time of 9h45m.  I was able to check-in online and receive my boarding pass, but because I was transferring from another airline I had to check-in again at the boarding gate to confirm my boarding pass and receive an Ethiopian Airlines boarding pass.  Boarding was scheduled to begin at 8:15p, an hour prior to the scheduled departure time, so I arrived at the gate around 8p.  The plane was already there, but the crew were still outside so it looked like we were not going to have an on-time departure.  Boarding started around 8:45p and passengers were supposed to board by groups.  It was extremely chaotic and slow process; in fact, each time I have boarded with Ethiopian it has been chaotic and slow process.  After a lengthy wait, in which the gate attendant threatened to discontinue boarding as passengers were not compliant, we finally boarded the plane.

The operating aircraft was a Boeing 787-900 Dreamliner with a small-ish business class and two sections of economy.  The economy seats were in a 3-3-3 layout which made the plane feel less dense.  As stated earlier, boarding was extremely slow and chaotic.  At 9:15p, our scheduled departure time, passengers were still boarding the plane.  Around 9:30p, all passengers had been boarded and we were finally able to push back; while the two economy sections were completely full, there were only two passengers in business class.  A safety video was shown, and after a slow taxi and wait, we finally took-off.

Even though it was a Dreamliner plane, it felt like an older version based on the PTV

screens and the seat comfort.  The seat width was decent but the seat comfort was extremely poor; it was uncomfortable from when you sat down and got even more uncomfortable as the flight progressed.  On the seatback was a PTV screen, with controls in the armrest (again, who thought that was a good idea?!?).  Underneath the PTV screen was a USB port and the headphone jack was located in the armrest.  Below the PTV screen was the tray table and below that was the seatback pocket which contained the duty free magazine, the airline magazine, and the safety card.  As you boarded, a blanket and pillow were already provided on each seat.  The PTVs were active from the moment you boarded, which is something I think all airlines should do.  This allows you to not only decide what you want to watch, but it also keeps most passengers occupied so they are not paying attention to delays.  The selection on Ethiopian was limited – while they had a decent selection of movies, their TV selection was extremely poor.  It was a struggle to find enough programs to watch.

As soon as we passed 10,000 feet, the attendants got up to start their service.  Headphones were passed out while we were still on the ground, and once in the air amenity kits were passed out.  It is a very nice touch that Ethiopian still provides amenity kits to all passengers – economy amenity kits include a pair of socks, an eye mask, tooth brush, and tooth paste.  About an hour later, specially requested meals were served and then the carts were brought out to serve dinner and drinks.  There was a choice of chicken or pasta, and complimentary drinks were served including soft drinks, juices, and alcohol.  The serving size for the food was good, but the quality and flavor was a bit lacking.  It wasn’t the worst meal, but definitely not the best either.  Afterwards, tea and coffee were provided and then the lights were dimmed so passengers could rest.

During the flight, the seatbelt sign was off so passengers to move freely as they wanted. 

Water and drinks were available throughout the flight in the galleys, but no snacks were available.  Attendants were always available in the galley, but they rarely passed through the cabin.  About two hours prior to landing, the lighting in the cabin changed to signal morning and to wake passengers up.  The attendants came by with their breakfast service – a meal and complimentary juice, tea, or coffee.  Again, the serving size was decent but the quality and flavor were lacking.  After the meal trays were cleared, we started our decent into Lomé.  As we departed late, we landed behind schedule.  Luckily it was a quick taxi to the gate, but it took some time for the door to be opened.  Those passengers who were continuing onto Addis were to stay onboard while those who were connecting to other flights in Lomé deplaned.

Overall, it was an average experience onboard Ethiopian.  The seat comfort was definitely poor so it made it hard to rest and sit for the flight period.  Other items that needed improvement were the boarding process, the meal quality, the meal flavor, and the entertainment selection.  Positives include access to USB ports, a less dense plane, traveling on a Dreamliner which provides a better overall service, access to Star Alliance partners, easy connections with Africa, and a general ease of traveling within Africa.  Ethiopian is on track to become the biggest airline within Africa, and while their service has slipped a bit, they still provide a good service and good connections.

Trip Report: United Airlines - New Orleans to Ottawa via Newark (October 2017)

Trip Report: United Airlines, New Orleans to Ottawa

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United has been offering lower fares recently.  I need to fly to Canada for work and when I looked online, United was offering the best options both in terms of flight times and prices.  When I have previously flown to Canada, I like to fly Air Canada to try their product; however, this time Air Canada's prices were significantly higher so I booked United.  My route was New Orleans to Ottawa via Newark (and same on the return).  New Orleans to Newark was operated by an Airbus A320 while Newark to Ottawa was operated by an Embraer 190.  

It is very easy to manage your booking through the United app.  Through the app, you can view your booking, change your seat assignments, access boarding passes, see gate numbers, gate changes, flight status, as well as access the on-board entertainment.  It really is a useful app to have if you are flying with United.  With the app I checked in online and received my boarding passes.  My flight was scheduled to depart New Orleans at 3:50p and arrive into Newark at 7:50pm.  The flight had arrived from another destination, and after a quick turnaround we started boarding.  Boarding happened by groups, and within 30 minutes the plane had been boarded.  


The operating aircraft for the almost 3hr flight was an Airbus A320 with a 3-3 seat layout.  The legroom was surprisingly very good, I am tall at 6'1 and the legroom was good enough for me.  My knees were not hitting neither the seat in front of me nor myself.  The seat itself was pretty decent and comfortable enough for the 3hr flight (although I have been on this aircraft for longer flights, and after 3.5hrs the seat starts getting uncomfortable).  There was a small pocket in front of the seat that was empty.  The inflight magazine, safety card, and other information was stored in the pocket above the seat.  This is very convenient as this layout provides more legroom for passengers.  I also saw passengers use this nook as a holder for ipads and other electronic devices.  It was a quick taxi to the runway and we took off near our scheduled time.

About 15-20 minutes after reaching our cruising altitude, the inflight service continued.  Complimentary drinks were served along with complimentary pretzels.  Snack boxes were also available to purchase.  The drinks were provided in small cups, and this was the only inflight service for the entire 3 hours.  After providing drinks, the flight attendants never came by for another service - not even for water.  I understand trying to cut down on costs, but they could have at least come back down the aisle with water.  The rest of the flight was uneventful as it was up to the passenger to pass the time.  You can access free entertainment through United's app when you are connected to United Wifi.  Unfortunately the wifi was not working on this plane so you were not able to connect to the entertainment - there was no apology, just a statement that the wifi was not working.  We landed in Newark earlier than our time, but it took a while to taxi to our gate as there was another plane there.  We finally got to our gate and deplaned.

I had about one hour before my next plane departed, but I also had to switch from the C concourse where United is based to the A concourse where United Express is based as my next flight was on a small plane. The operating plane for my flight to Ottawa was a small Embraer plane in a 1-2 layout.  There was one seat on one side and two seats on the other side and neither of them had a lot of room.  The plane was also small in height - I am about 6'1 and my head was hitting the roof of the plane.  Luckily the flight time was only 1h20 minute so a lot of time was not spent in the plane.  Given the short flight time, as soon as we reached cruising altitude the inflight service commenced.  Complimentary drinks and snacks were provided.  It was a very short and uneventful flight - and that's good because it is not a comfortable plane to be on for a long period.  

Overall, it was a decent flight with United.  While United is a mainline carrier, their service resembles that of a low-cost carrier.  Before their ticket prices were very high and you did not get a lot for the ticket price, but now they seem to have lowered their prices in comparable to the service you receive.  You do not pay a lot of money and in return you do not get a lot of service - basic prices for basic services.

Trip Report: TAP Portugal, Newark to Lisbon (February 2017)

Trip Report: TAP Portugal, Newark to Lisbon

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I have a two-pronged goal: I want to see new places and also try out new airlines.  As part of this goal, I decided to visit Lisbon, Portugal and decided to fly TAP Portugal.  TAP is the national carrier of Portugal, and they have been heavily advertising their low fares and free "Portugal Stopovers".  They even have a "Portugal Stopover" app with free activities and other suggestions for those with a day in Portugal.

I was connecting to TAP in Newark.  As TAP is part of the Star Alliance network, I had booked the ticket through United as my starting journey - from New Orleans to Newark - was on United.  Once I had booked the ticked through United, I called TAP to obtain my TAP reservation number.  My ticket included one free checked baggage (50lb, 23kg), a free carryon, a free meal onboard and free seat selection.   Even though I had the reservation number, I was unable to manage my booking online - including selecting seats or a special meal.  This meant I had to call TAP again - their hold times are minimal and the service is really good.  They also send email confirmations of the reservation to ensure the information has been updated.

Because I had booked through a Star Alliance partner, I had to check-in at the gate to

obtain my boarding pass.  My flight was scheduled to depart at 6:30p from Newark and arrive into Lisbon at 6:05am.  I had arrived to the gate area very early – around 4 hours prior to departure – and the plane was already there (it arrives from Lisbon at 2:50pm).  There was nobody at the gate so I returned about an hour prior to departure to get my boarding pass – even though I had confirmed my seat assignment and special meal a month before, and reconfirmed the night before, it was not registered and the airline could not find any record of it.  I had to wait for a manager to come and reassign me a seat close to the front of the plane.  It was not a good way to start the journey.

TAP boards in group, so after business class and premium class group A boards.  I had

group A so I went through and boarded the Airbus A330.  The plane was divided into three sections – one business class and two economy sections.  The economy seats were laid out in a 2-4-2 layout and the interior of the plane looked nice – not brand new but not too old.  Originally I had the aisle seat on the 2-person seater, but that got switched and now I was in the aisle seat of the 4-person seater with no one next to me.  The seat itself was comfortable, looked nice, and felt like it had been updated recently.  The padding was decent and the legroom was also good, especially for the 6hr flight.  The seat contained a headrest which could be moved and contoured to your head, and a footrest was provided which was a nice touch. 

Each seat contained a PTV on top, the tray table, and then a space for the airline magazine, duty free, safety card, and air sickness bag.  As you boarded the plane, each seat also contained a pillow, a blanket, as well as headsets.  The PTV was touchscreen and pretty responsive – the selections of movies was pretty good but the selection of TV shows was poor.  There were enough movies to keep you occupied for the 6 hour flight, but the TV selection was limited and odd.  Another negative was the lack of USB ports.

The plane was generally full, with some empty seats here and there.  We boarded on time and the front door was closed for an on-time pushback and departure.  The safety video was shown in the monitors, and the crew came around to check on the passengers.  Generally the service onboard was average, the attendants provided enough service to get the job done; they were generally pleasant but the service was not extra ordinary.

Around 8p, about 1.5hr after departure, the inflight service commenced.  Drinks,

including free soft drinks and certain alcohols, along with dinner were served.  I had requested a special meal but that was not honored, and I had eaten in the lounge, so I generally just picked at the meal.  After the meal, coffee, tea, and additional drinks were served while the trays were being cleared.  The cabin lights were then dimmed so people could get some rest.

The scheduled flight time is 6h 35m but we had very good tailwinds so the flight time was shorter and we were expecting to land early, around 5:30a.  About an hour prior to departure, a snack box and drinks were served.  The snack box contained a granola bar, fruit, and yogurt.  Overall, the food was fine for the short flight time.  We landed early, taxied to the gate, deplaned, went through immigrations and then waited for our luggage.  I flew TAP twice and each time it took almost 45mins for my luggage to come through – each time the wait was ridiculous.

Overall, it was generally a pleasant flight with TAP.  The seats were generally comfortable, the legroom decent, and the availability of movies were also decent.  The negatives included the lack of USB ports, the ordinary service, and the lack of confirming requests for reservations.  I had gone out of my way to book myself on TAP to try out their product and the question is, would I do it again?  i would not go out of my way to book TAP, but I would also not avoid flying them; if the price and schedules were good then I would book TAP again.

Lounge Report: SAS Business Lounge, Newark Airport (February 2017)

Lounge Report: SAS Business Lounge, Newark Airport
comment below and let me know your thoughts :)

I had a long layover at Newark Airport, and there was not a lot to do in the international terminal.  There were some restaurant, a lot of seating, and two lounges – Lufthansa Senator Lounge and SAS Business Class Lounge.  I have never experienced SAS so decided to try out their lounge.

I was not flying on SAS and was not travelling in business class, but I was able to purchase access to the lounge for $45.  SAS has two flights at Newark, both in the evening so when I arrived in the afternoon it was still light and slow in the lounge.

The lounge offered a variety of free products – free wifi, free limited magazines, free soft drinks, free snacks, free soup, and free limited alcoholic drinks.  The snacks included bread, salad, cheese, nuts, and other small items.  The free soup was a tomato-based vegetable soup.  While not a full meal, the soup combined with the salad, cheese, bread, and other snacks made for a decent pre-flight meal.

As I said, it was light when I first arrived so you had a general choice of seats.  There were limited number of couches, and most seats were 4 seats around two small tables.  They also had a section of barstools and tall chairs with individual tables.  The closer it got to departure time for the SAS flight, the more crowded it got and the less available seats became.  It also became very loud.  The lounge was a small to medium size and could not handle the large crowds the closer it got to the departure time.  Despite the rush, the food and snacks were replenished so many people had an opportunity to access the food.

The lounge also contained two bathrooms – again these were available when it was slow but became very crowded and limited when additional people came in.

Overall, it was a decent lounge.  The price to access the lounge is lower than that of United or other members, and for the lower price you get decent amount of snacks and free soft drinks, free water, and free limited alcohol.  You also get somewhat comfortable seats, and free wifi.  Purchasing food and drink in an airport is expensive, so for a bit more I got access to the lounge; and in my head that was a better deal.