Trip Report: Kenya Airways, Lagos to Dar Es Salaam, Kigali to Lagos via Nairobi (April 2018)

Trip Report: Kenya Airways - Lagos to Dar Es Salaam, Kigali to Lagos via Nairobi

         comment below and let me know your thoughts :)

Traveling around Africa generally can cost a lot, both in time and money.  The ticket price will be high, the travel time long, be very expensive, and most times you have to leave the continent to travel from one country to the other.  Luckily, there are African companies that are making travel within Africa more affordable and convenient; both Ethiopian Airlines and Kenya Airways.  Both are the flag carriers of their respective countries, both seem to have updated fleets, good schedules, and both seem reliable.  I was looking to travel from Nigeria to Tanzania, and return from Rwanda back to Nigeria and in looking at my options both Ethiopian and Kenyan came up in the search.  Both were competitive in price and both had about the same overall travel time, but I choose Kenya Airways for a couple of options: 1) I had flown Ethiopian on my way into Nigeria so wanted to try another airline; 2) it had been about 4 years since I had flown Kenyan so wanted to see what updates were available; 3) the departure timings for Kenyan were better; and 4) Kenya had more options in terms of flight scheduling.

Booking travel with Kenya was very easy through the website.  The site was easy to book and manage your reservation.  I had to make some modifications to my reservation and that could not be accomplished online, so they either have a chat function available or a call center; both of which were helpful.  Another good feature about Kenya is that they offer refunds on your ticket – if your schedule changes and you need to cancel your ticket, you can ask for a refund instead of travel credit.  The refund amount depends on your ticket and class of service, but everything is available online and usually the refund is processed within 4-6 weeks.  A great service from Kenya.

After booking my flight, I managed my reservation through the Kenya Airways app.  Through the app and website I was able to preselect my seats for free, request a special meal, and add my Skyteam frequent flyer number.  I was also able to check-in and print my boarding pass directly from the website 24-hours prior to my departure.  My first flight was from Lagos to Dar Es Salaam via Nairobi.  The Lagos to Nairobi sector was scheduled to depart Lagos at 10:45p and arrive into Nairobi at 6:05am, and then I had 45 minutes to connect to my other flight which was scheduled to depart Nairobi at 6:55am and arrive into Dar Es Salaam at 8:20am.  This was a tight connection, but this is what Kenya Airways provided me and everything was booked on one ticket so I went ahead with it and hoped for the best. 

The first flight was operated by a Boeing 737-800 with a 3-3 seat configuration.  The aircraft operates the Nairobi to Lagos sector, and the same planes brings passengers back to Nairobi.  The incoming aircraft arrived late, and the turnaround time was slow, thus boarding began well past the 10pm which was listed on the boarding pass.  Boarding was done by groups and the groups were strictly enforced; this made for a lengthy and delayed boarding to an already delayed flight.  First impressions upon entering the aircraft were good, as it looked like a new-ish plane with updated seats and personal PTV for each seat.  Each seat also contained a blanket, a pillow, and headphones on them.  The seat pitch was decent, not too tight but not too generous either (I am 6’1 and while my knees were not hitting the back seat, there wasn’t tons of room either) and the seat comfort was also average (it was fine for a 3hr flight but there needed to be more comfort for the longer flights).  Each seat contained a PTV with a USB port and headphone jack, a tray table, and then a seatback pocket with the airline magazine, the duty free, and an airsickness bag.  The doors finally closed, we pushed back for the gate, and headed to the runway for the 5hr 20mi flight to Nairobi.

Kenya Airways is a full service airline so complimentary meals and drinks are provided.  Once we reached cruising altitude, the meal and drink service commenced.  The special meals were delivered at the same time as the regular meal, and for the regular meal there was an option between two choices.  I had ordered a special meal and while I appreciate being served a meal (as these days meals are disappearing from economy), the quality of the meal was not that good.  It was a decent quantity, not too much food but not too light either (perfect for a 4hr flight) but the quality of the food definitely need to be improved.  Complimentary soft drinks, tea, and coffee were also provided.  Once the meal service ended, passengers sat back and watched their screens.  The PTV screens were already on once you sat down, so most passengers just watched the entertainment program the entire flight.  There was a decent selection of TV shows and movies, again good enough for a 3-4 hour flight but you would get bored on longer flights.    

Even though we departed late, we landed roughly on time and taxied to the gate.  There is a separate line for transferring passengers, but because Kenya is starting new flights to the U.S. they have modified the transit so all passengers must go through enhanced screening.  While I understand the security of this, it adds time to the transit process and this needs to be factored into the connection time they provide to customers.  There was a HUGE line of passengers in the transiting security line and it looked like I was going to miss my connection when the airline itself started to call out passengers for my flight.  A representative was pulling passengers and putting them ahead of the security line as I only had a total of 25 minutes to make my connection.  Since I was moved to the front, I went through security and ran to my gate in time to make it to my flight.

The second flight was operated by an Embraer 190 with a 2-2 seat configuration.  While the plane size was small, the seat pitch and comfort were nice and each seat had its own PTV screen as well as USB port.  The plane was only half full so the doors closed and we pushed back for an on-time departure.  Since there were not that many passengers, I was able to move up and stretch out to a row unto myself.  Even though the flight time was 1hr30min, a light breakfast was served just after take-off.  The breakfast consisted of a fresh croissant which was nice, warm and fresh.  It was small but it was nice and that is something I appreciated from Kenyan, especially on this short flight.  Tea, coffee, and complimentary drinks were also served with the meal.  Once the meal service end, most passengers either slept or watched the entertainment system.  The system was not as extensive as the system of my Lagos to Nairobi flight, but there was a decent selection of TV shows to pass the short flight time.  We soon landed in Dar Es Salaam and luckily my bags also made the tight connection in Nairobi.

My return flight was scheduled differently than my outbound flight.  I was returning from Kigali to Lagos via Nairobi, and I had scheduled a long layover in Nairobi.  My flight was scheduled to depart Kigali at 8:30am and arrive into Nairobi 12:35pm, and I was then going to connect to my flight departing Nairobi at 6:35p and arriving back into Lagos at 9:50pm.  The first flight was operated by an Embraer 190 and has a stop in Bujumbura.  The flight was supposed to board at 7:45am, but that came and went without any announcements.  Finally, the announcement was made and we boarded the plane.  This plane looked similar to the plane that I had taken from Nairobi to Dar Es Salaam, with the same legroom, the same individual PTV’s on each screen, and the same 2-2 configuration.  The flight time from Kigali to Bujumbura was only 45 minutes so most passengers past the time watching their screens.  The passengers on the plane consisted of passengers flying from Nairobi to Bujumbura (who stopped in Kigali); passengers flying from Kigali to Bujumbura; passengers flying from Bujumbura to Nairobi; and passengers flying from Kigali to Nairobi (who stopped in Bujumbura).  We landed at Bujumbura, where some passengers got off while others got on, and set off for Nairobi.  Since this was a longer flight, at 1h55m, both a beverage service and a meal service were provided.  The flight was uneventful and we landed in Nairobi close to on-time.

After a scheduled delay, I fought my way through Nairobi traffic to connect to my 6:35p flight to Lagos.  Even though we had boarding groups assigned to us, these were not enforced and everyone boarded as they pleased.  The operating aircraft was a Boeing 737-800, the same aircraft that brought me from Lagos to Nairobi.  The layout was the same, the seat pitch and seat comfort were the same, and again each seat had their own PTV screen.  As this was my fourth flight with Kenyan in the span of two weeks, I had basically exhausted the entertainment options by this point.  As the flight time was 5hr15m, after takeoff a meal and beverage service were provided.  For the rest of the flight, the attendants were not present at all until it was time to get the aircraft ready for landing.  They attendants did not come by with water or to pass through the cabin to collect trash; the attendants just sat in the back talking.  After a bit of a delay, we finally landed in Lagos a bit behind schedule.

Overall, it was a decent experience with Kenya Airways.  Since my last experience with them, some aspects have improved while others have stayed the same.  They definitely have a better on-board product versus what they previously had, and that makes for a better inflight experience.  The food quality still is average, and the overall customer service still needs to be improved.  I had some great flight attendants and great customer service, and I had some really apathetic ones.  I would not hesitate to fly them again, but I would just keep my expectations manageable. 

Stay Report: ibis Lagos Ikeja (Nigeria - April 2018)

Stay Report: ibis Lagos Ikeja
comment below and let me know your thoughts :)

I had an overnight layover in Lagos, Nigeria as I was connecting from my international to domestic flight.  My international flight arrived at 10p while my domestic flight was the next day at 11am, and sleeping at the airport was not an option so I looked for a hotel.  The closest Western-brand hotel to the airport is the ibis and a lot of passengers use the hotel as a transit hotel.  Ibis hotels are a part of Accorhotels and they are a mid to lower-priced brand.  The hotels generally provide basic amenities including a decent room, fast wifi, a restaurant (with complimentary breakfast, depending on which rate you book), and sometimes a gym and/or pool.  There are two ibis’ in Lagos – ibis Lagos Airport and ibis Lagos Ikeja.  I have usually stayed at the ibis Lagos Airport but switched to the ibis Ikeja for one reason; complimentary airport shuttle.  The ibis Lagos does not provide complimentary shuttle but rather arranges one for a fee; on the other hand, the ibis Ikeja does offer complimentary airport shuttle to both domestic and international.  While there is a price difference between the two hotels, with the ibis Ikeja being a bit higher, the comfort of knowing the shuttle is available is well worth the price difference for me.

It was very easy to book the hotel through the Accorhotels website or phone app.  After I had booked my stay, I contacted the hotel to book the airport shuttle.  The hotel got back to me quickly confirming that the shuttle was available and complimentary, and even provided me with the driver’s contact number (the only strange thing was that even though I had provided my flight details, the hotel kept sending emails inquiring about my flight details.)  I had booked the airport shuttle for 10p but due to flight delays I landed later than expected.  I called the driver’s number as soon as I landed and again at baggage claim, but there was a small delay due to shift change (I was the last pickup for the previous driver, but due to delays I got shifted to the next driver).  It was only a small delay and I was able to keep in contact with the driver, who eventually came and transported me to the hotel.

From the outside, the hotel does not have a lot of curb appeal.  The entrance to the hotel is very small and mostly filled with the parking lot, so not great picture from the outside.  The hotel is shaped like an L, with the front desk and entrance in the small part and the rooms in the long part.  As you enter into the lobby, the check-in desks are right in front of you while to the left are the elevators and to the right is the bar and restaurant.  Luggage carts were available in the door to help transport your luggage and right next to the door, on the left side, was a small waiting area plus the ‘business center’ which are two computers connected to the internet.  There is also another small waiting area in between the check-in desks and the bar, and this is where complimentary sheets are provided with the daily news.  The overall look of the hotel was updated and modern, and check-in was efficient so I quickly received my key and took the elevator up to my room. 

As I said, the hotel is shaped like a L with the rooms on the long part, so as you exit the elevator you go down a long corridor to access your room.  As I opened the door, I realized it was a standard ibis room – basic and compact (although it did have some room to maneuver).  As you opened the door, there was a wall on the left and a little entryway that led into the room.  As you go into the room, on the left was the door to the tiny bathroom.  The bathroom contained a shower, a toilet and a sink but it was compact and tiny – there was not a lot of room to move (also, ibis provides minimal amenities; this hotel only provided soap, shampoo, lotion and a towel).

The bed was in the middle of the room and on either side of the bed were small night stands.  The bed itself was a decent in both size and comfort.  The bed had a nice douvet and was generally comfortable; again not a great sleep but a decent sleep.  In front of the bed was the TV nook which had a TV on top and ibis menu and tv guide on the bottom.  Next to that was some space and then there was the open closet.  Ibis has open closets which basically amount to a line of shelves connected to an open area where you can hang your clothes.  It was a small space but decent enough to house your clothes.  The closet was connected to the desk which ran along the wall and looked out onto the window to the city.  At the end of the desk, underneath, was a sitting bench with plugs on the wall.  At the end of the desk was also where the small coffee pot and tea pot was located.  Overall, it was a small and compact room with a decent size bed that provided a comfortable night sleep.

The best amenity ibis provides is the free and fast wifi.  Their wifi speeds are very good and they generally do not limit the number of devices that can be logged on.  In addition to the wifi, other amenities included a restaurant that provided complimentary breakfast (based on which rate you booked) as well as lunch and dinner; a fitness center; and a pool.  My rate included complimentary breakfast so I did try that – there was a decent selection of fruit as well as hot items so it was a good and decent meal.  The breakfast area overlooked the pool and garden so it was a nice and tranquil setting for the breakfast.

Overall, it was a decent stay at the ibis Ikeja.  The rooms were decent, if not small, but they provided a nice and comfortable sleep.  The wifi was free and fast and the complimentary breakfast, if applicable, was decent.  Having stayed at both, there really was not much difference between the two ibis’s in Lagos except for the following: 1) ibis Ikeja provides complimentary airport shuttle; 2) the overlook at the ibis Ikeja seems more updated; and 3) the service at the ibis Ikeja was faster.  While those differences are small, for me they are enough for me to choose the ibis Lagos Ikeja in the future for my stays over the ibis Lagos Airport.

Trip Report: Arik Air, Lagos to Calabar, Nigeria (April 2018)

Trip Report: Arik Air - Lagos to Calabar, Nigeria

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When traveling domestically in Nigeria, there are a couple of options to choose from.  Originally, Arik Air had been the leader but then over the years’ late departures, late arrivals, and cancelled flights brought their reputation down.  Meanwhile, other carriers such as AirPeace (check out that review here) came up and took Arik’s place.  Arik has recently refocused itself and started to become better so I wanted to give them a try when traveling domestically from Lagos to Calabar.

Booking a flight in Nigeria can either be done online, directly at the airport, or through ticketing agents.  I bought mine directly at the airport as it is easier regarding cash payments.  The service at the airport was extremely slow and inefficient, they did not seem in any hurry to issue the ticket.  Once the ticket was issued, they gave me a hand written receipt that included my reservation code and I received a text regarding my booking but no hard copy print out of my reservation.  Once I went home, I went online to Arik’s website to manage my booking and this is where I could see the booking but could not email the booking to myself; it was not a big deal but an unnecessary hassle.

My flight was scheduled to depart Lagos at 11:15a and arrive into Calabar at 12:45p.  The domestic terminal is divided with AirPeace on one side and Arik on the other so I went into the Arik side to check-in my bags.  The check-in counters were not busy so I went directly up to check-in my bags.  Recently, Arik acquired smaller aircraft to use on their domestic and regional services.  Maybe it was because a smaller aircraft was being used, or maybe they just wanted extra money, but Arik was being really strict about how much baggage to bring onboard and how much to check-in.  I normally travel with AirPeace, who have a fleet of bigger planes and do not worry as much, but this was my first time with Arik and they were very strict and it cost me a lot of excess baggage fees.

Boarding was supposed to commence at 10:30a, but that came and went with no announcement and no indication of boarding.  At 11am, they announced boarding for the flight.  There was no process for the boarding, passengers just came through and presented their boarding passes, went through security pat downs, and boarded the first bus/car/vehicle to take them to the airplane.  The operating aircraft was a Dash Q400 with a 2-2 seat configuration.  Once onboard, the aircraft looked clean and modern (although later one many cockroaches appeared from the bottom of the aircraft, so it wasn’t as clean as it looked).  Passengers boarded and took their seats, the boarding door was closed, manual safety demonstrations were conducted, and we taxied to the runway.  Our departure was a bit delayed because the flight attendant went by every passenger to ensure their phone was just in airplane mode, but was completely turned off; in fact, he stood there while you turned the phone off. 

The seat itself was comfortable and decent enough for the 1hr 15m flight.  The legroom was also good, not tight but definitely not substantial either.  The seat had a tray table in the middle, a pocket with the safety card on top, and another pocket for your personal items on the bottom.  In my previous domestic flights with other airlines, as soon as we passed 10,000 feet the flight attendants were up and started their inflight service.  Here, the inflight service began well into the flight even though it was the same service.  In all domestic flights, airlines pass out a snack box which contains juice, a muffin, a napkin, biscuits, and a mint.  As they are passing out the boxes, you are also offered a glass of water.  While it is not substantial, it is a nice gesture and the boxes are appreciated; however, the service was lacking as everything was conducted without smiling or being pleasant.  After the service was conducted and they came by to collect the trash, the rest of the flight was uneventful and we eventually started our descent into Calabar.  We landed and taxied to the stand behind schedule, but then again every domestic flight I have taken in Nigeria has not been on time.

Overall, it was an interesting experience with ArikAir.  I was expecting the worst, because that is what others had told me to expect.  The flight left generally on time and the overall experience was alright.  If I compare it to other domestic airlines, however, then Arik falls short.  The customer service was definitely lacking at Arik, they were very nitpicky regarding baggage and carryon, and overall their service was not as pleasant as other domestic options.  While generally they do offer more competitive rates on their tickets, it is not that much of a difference and thus not an incentive to choose them.  This coupled with their overall lack of service means that in the future I probably would not choose Arik for my domestic flight options.

Trip Report: AirPeace - Calabar to Lagos, Nigeria (December 2017)

Trip Report: AirPeace - Calabar to Lagos, and return

comment below and let me know your thoughts :)

The aviation sector in Nigeria has fluctuated a lot in the past couple of years.  There has been introduction on new international and domestic carriers, with most of them not succeeding and either downgrading or completely shutting down.  Currently there are a couple of carriers in the Nigerian aviation market, but no one carrier dominates.  If you ask locals, they have varying opinions on which airline provides better service, which has a better on-time schedule, and which has better costs.  Arik Air used to be the dominant carrier, but they have struggled recently and have slowed their growth.  Med-View Airlines and Air Peace are two additional carriers who have recently come into the market and are making waves.  I was flying from Lagos to Calabar and return and I could choose between Arik Air or Air Peace – I wanted to fly with Arik to check out their product, but I was warned that their flights tend not to depart on time.  I had an international flight the next day in Lagos so I wanted to ensure I got to Lagos.  For this reason, I choose Air Peace.

I went to the airline’s website to book my ticket.  The website was very easy to use, whether on the computer or on the phone, except for the payment option.  I went through and selected the flights that I wanted and entered my information.  When I got to the payment option, I could either hold the booking and pay in office or pay via credit card.  I originally tried to pay via credit card, but the amount changed each time I changed screens.  This seemed out of sorts and so I cancelled that transaction and choose the ‘hold and pay’ option.  I went to the airport and paid for my ticket and received the paper copy, but overall it was a very inconvenient process.  After everything was confirmed, I went back to the website to manage my booking including updating my contact information and selecting seat assignments.

My departure flight was scheduled to leave Calabar at 4:50pm and arrive into Lagos at 5:50p.  Air Peace operates two flights a day from Lagos to Calabar and return; other airlines usually offer one flight per day so this is an advantage Air Peace has.  The flight was operated by a Boeing 737-600 with a 2-2 seat layout in business and a 3-3 seat layout in economy.  From the outside, the plane had been updated with a new paint job but the inside looked very old and worn.  You board the plane via stairs and, even though you have a confirmed seat on your boarding pass, the airline institutes an ‘open seating’ policy where you sit wherever you like.  It’s very chaotic and a bit confusing to have preassigned seats on your boarding pass but then not enforce that once you get on board.  Usually older planes have more legroom, one of the few advantages of an older plane, but this older plane had almost no legroom.  The seats were very narrow in terms of both width and length, and it was overall an uncomfortable seat.  The seats had a tray table and a seatback pocket, which contained the safety card only. 

In addition to their ‘open seating’, Air Peace also has a flexible on-time departure.  The

flight form Lagos to Calabar was scheduled to leave Lagos at 2:50p and arrive into Calabar at 3:50p.  Boarding started at 2:50p and the boarding doors did not close until 3:30p.  Once all passengers were on board, manual safety demonstrations were conducted and we were ready for takeoff.  The flight time is scheduled for 1h, but actual flying time is only 35m.  Given the short flying time, as soon as we passed 10,000 feet the attendants came by to start their inflight service.  The inflight service consisted of a snack box which contained a muffin, juice, and crackers.  The attendants were also providing cups of water along with the snack box.  Given the short flight time, as soon as the snack boxes were handed out the attendants came by to collect the garbage and prepare for descent.  We landed and proceeded to our parking area where we deplaned via stairs.

Overall, it was an interesting flight with Air Peace.  Their website is easy to use to book flights and manage flights, but the payment of flights is an issue.  Their on-board product definitely needs to be upgraded, and their on-time departure definitely needs to be improved.  Having said all this, they seem to be the airline of choice these days in Nigeria so hopefully they will continue to grow and improve to ensure they are providing a good product for their customers. 

Trip Report: Air Cote d'Ivoire - Lagos to Abidjan (December 2017)

Trip Report: Air Cote d'Ivoire - Lagos to Abidjan

comment below and let me know your thoughts :)

I was planning on spending New Year’s Eve in Abidjan so was looking at options to go from Lagos to Abidjan.  Most of my searches came back with ASKY Airlines which had a stopover in Lomé.  I was not looking forward to stopping, I wanted a direct flight, and I had previously flown with ASKY; so I decided to try Air Cote d’Ivoire.  Recently, the airline has taken possession of new aircraft from Airbus so I was looking forward to trying their product.

I had initially tried to purchase my ticket directly from the airline’s website, however a couple of things prevented me from doing so: 1) for a little while the booking function on the website was not functioning so this made booking a flight impossible; and 2) I was not sure if my credit card would be charged in USD or the local currency.  Given all this, I decided to book my flight through a travel website.  Once I had booked my flight, I tried to go directly to the airline’s website to manage my booking but there was no such function available.  I then contacted the airline directly via email to confirm my booking with them as well as to receive a copy of my itinerary, and the airline was very responsive as within 24 hours they had responded with my confirmed ticket. 

There was a check-in function on the website so I thought I could select my seat assignment through the check-in process.  Each time I tried, I was not able to check into my flight so I had to check-in and receive my boarding pass at the airport and this is where I also requested an aisle seat.  The flight was scheduled to depart at 9:40a and when I arrived at the gate at 9am, the operating aircraft was already there (the plane overnights in Lagos).  The operating aircraft is a Dash Q-400 propeller plane with an estimated flight time of 1hr35min.  It is not a big plane, but the airline flies mostly to regional destinations so these light aircraft are good for their route network.  Boarding started around 9:30am and we walked to the plane and boarded by the plane’s stairs.  Once onboard, the cabin looked new with new seats and updated interiors.  The plane had a small business class with a 2-1 seat layout followed by economy class with a 2-2 seat layout.  I was in economy class and the seats were slimline seats that were comfortable enough for the flight.  The seat pitch was very good; I am about 6’0 and I had plenty of room.  The seatback contained a tray table and a pocket, which contained the safety manual.  As the flight was not full, we boarded rather quickly and the boarding doors were shut for an on-time departure.  Manual safety demonstrations were conducted in both French and English, and then we taxied to the runway and took off.

Air Cote d’Ivoire is a full service airline which means each ticket includes 30kg

complimentary luggage, and they provide complimentary meals and drinks on board.  As soon as we had passed 10,000ft, the attendants came around to start their service.  They passed out boxes which, since it was morning time, contained a chocolate croissant, cookies, and juice.  While it was not a big meal, it was a nice snack that was provided given the short flight time.  Juices and tea/coffee were also served at the same time.  After the meals were cleared, the rest of the flight was left up to you.  There were no PTVs, no drop down screens, and no entertainment.  Some seatback pockets contained the airline magazine, while others didn’t; so it was up to you to pass the time.  After a bit of time, we landed in Abidjan, deplaned via stairs, and were bussed to the arrivals hall.

I was returning to Lagos with Air Cote d’Ivoire, and again I tried to check in online but again the website would not let me know.  At the airport, I requested an aisle seat in the front of the plane, checked in and received my boarding pass.  The plane was scheduled to depart Abidjan at 7:10p and arrive into Lagos at 10:10p.  I went through security and proceeded to the gate, and around 6:30p we were called for boarding.  Boarding was done through gate 1, which meant we walked downstairs to the awaiting bus which would bus us to the airplane.  

Again, it was a Dash Q-400 that was operating this flight but this

time the interior of the aircraft looked older.  The seats were still laid out in the same fashion – with 1-2 in business and 2-2 in economy – but both the seat style and comfort indicated it was an older plane.  The plane was full but it was small so the boarding doors closed on time and we taxied to the runway; this is where the trouble began.  The pilot started accelerating to take off, but then decelerating and taxied to a remote parking stand near the other planes.  No communication was given until we were waiting for a parking stand, at which time the pilot came on and said there was a ‘minor technical fault and it should be a 10 minute fix’.  We finally got to park the plane and 45 minutes later, with 4 technicians coming in and out of the plane, the boarding door closed again.  Instead of heading to the runway, we just went along the taxiway for a bit and returned back to the parking area.  The pilot came out and again, technicians went in.  And again, no communication from the staff at all.  About 15 minutes later, we were told the plane could not fly and we had to deplane; no other information was given.  As passengers were leaving, we asked what was going on and we were told that ‘passengers are being bused to another plane’.  That is the assumption we had when we got onto the bus, but that assumption was wrong.  By this time, we had been on the plane for over 2 hours without going anywhere.

What followed was a series of bad communication, mismanagement, horrendous customer service, and lack of coordination in the Abidjan airport and with the Air Cote d’Ivoire staff.  We were dropped off at arrivals and were told to stand to the side, check-in and wait; at this time we were told that the next flight would be the next morning.  After waiting there for 40 minutes with no information, we were then given ‘yellow transit cards’ and told to go upstairs back to the departure gates.  We were not told that we had to clear security again, and so many of the liquids that passengers had bought post-security had to be thrown away; it was again a series of miscommunication and mismanagement at every level.  When we had cleared security, we had no information so passengers were just told to wait.  Another 20 minutes later, we were told to go and stand in line for dinner.  There is only one restaurant that serves the airport so it was a small restaurant trying to serve us as well as the regular customers; again, it was not well managed nor well communicated.  Additionally, we were not told what food we were receiving and no dietary restrictions nor medical preferences were taken into consideration.

While passengers were standing in line, we were informed that the airline had decided to add our destination to an existing flight taking off.  Instead of the plane travelling from Abidjan to Liberville, the plane would now fly from Abidjan to Lagos to Liberville.  At first we were told the plane would be leaving at 11p – it took most passengers one hour to wait in the line and receive their dinner, so by 11p most passengers still had not eaten.  We were then informed the plane would take off at 11:30, but that time came and went and there was no announcement so we went to the screens.  The screens had three different timings for the flight; 11:30p, 11:55p, and 12:30a.  There was no communication from the airline nor the airport as to which time was correct, so most passengers just went to the gate area around 11:45p and just waited there until the boarding announcement; the boarding announcement came at 12:45a.

Boarding was extremely chaotic and mismanaged, especially since the airline did not change our boarding passes so we were still boarding with our original boarding passes.  Again, we boarded busses to take us to our aircraft.  Because of the combination, the airline was using a larger aircraft so they were using one of their new Airbus A320.  These are the newest planes in the airline’s fleet and they are only a couple of months old.  Boarding took a while because while business class were sitting in their assigned seats, we were told once we got on board that economy class was open seating; you could sit anywhere you want.  This confused many passengers who were not expecting this and having this information prior would have been helpful.  We finally boarded and the boarding door closed around 1:30am.

The Airbus A320 is laid out in a 2-2 in business class and 3-3 seats in economy.  The seats have slimline seats so they are a bit narrow, but have really good seat pitch.  There are no PTV’s on the seatback, instead there is a space where the safety card and airline magazine are held.  Beneath that is the tray table, and beneath that is another pocket to hold your personal belongings.  One nice amenity was that there were universal plugs and USB ports on the bottom of the seats in front of you, and these were on and available for charging from boarding.  After manual safety demonstrations were conducted, we pushed back and finally took off for Lagos.

The flight time to Lagos was 1 hour, so immediately after reaching cruising altitude the flight attendants came by to start their inflight service.  Given it was so late, many passengers were sleeping so I was surprised that the airline would have a full service on this flight.  The in-flight service consisted of a small meal plus complimentary drinks, juice, or water.  The meal was extremely small and not that tasty, but it was a nice addition and something that was not expected.  Once meal trays were cleared, most passengers continued to sleep for the remaining flight.  We finally landed in Lagos around 3:30am, so 5hrs behind schedule.

Overall, it was an interesting experience with Air Cote d’Ivoire.  I judge airlines on how they handle the situation when something goes wrong, not when everything goes right.  By this standard, the airline failed miserably.  While everything is going right, they are a nice airline with a nice on-board product.  When something goes wrong though, they are an airline that do not seem to have the policy, management, nor communication on how to handle these situations.  You can definitely feel the growing pains this airline is experiencing as they grow.    

Stay Report: ibis Lagos Airport (Lagos, Nigeria - December 2017)

Stay Report: ibis Lagos Airport
comment below and let me know your thoughts :)

I was connecting from an international to a domestic flight in Lagos, Nigeria but that is not convenient so I had to overnight in the city.  The closest Western-brand hotel to the airport is the Ibis Lagos Airport so a lot of passengers use this as a transit hotel.  Ibis hotels are a part of Accorhotels and they are a mid to lower-priced brand.  The hotels generally provide basic amenities including a decent room, fast wifi, a restaurant (with complimentary breakfast, depending on which rate you book), and sometimes a gym and/or pool.  The ibis does not provide complimentary airport transportation, but can arrange for airport transfer through their taxi partners.   

My company had booked the hotel but it is very easy to book the hotel through the

Accorhotels website or phone app.  Check-in is usually around 4pm and we arrived at the hotel around 5pm but our rooms were not ready.  It took over one hour for our rooms to be ready, and that only after pleading with the receptionist to get our rooms ready faster (as I was coming off of an international flight).  During the waiting period I got a good look at the lobby – as you enter into the lobby, on the right is the seating area while on the left is the ‘business center’ which are two computers next to the check-in desk.  The check-in desk is connected to the bar which leads into the restaurant; complimentary breakfast is served here along with buffet lunch and dinner.  There is a large seating area for the dining area which looks onto the pool and outside garden.  The elevators are located in front of the check-in counters, and I took the elevators to my room when I finally received my key.

The hotel is shaped like a V with the elevators located at the point; once you get off the elevators you can either go left or right to access your room.  My room was to the left.  As I opened the door, I realized it was a standard ibis room – basic and compact (although it did have some room to maneuver).  As you opened the door, there was a wall on the left and a little entryway that led into the room.  As you go into the room, on the left was the door to the tiny bathroom.  The bathroom contained a shower, a toilet and a sink but it was compact and tiny – there was not a lot of room to move (also, ibis provides minimal amenities; this hotel only provided soap, shampoo, and a towel). 

The bed was in the middle of the room and on either side of the bed were small night stands.  The bed itself was a decent in both size and comfort.  The bed had a nice douvet and was generally comfortable; again not a great sleep but a decent sleep.  In front of the bed was the TV nook which had a TV on top and ibis menu and tv guide on the bottom.  Next to that was some space and then there was the open closet.  Ibis has open closets which basically amount to a line of shelves connected to an open area where you can hang your clothes.  It was a small space but decent enough to house your clothes.  The closet was connected to the desk which ran along the wall and looked out onto the window to the city.  At the end of the desk, underneath, was a sitting bench with plugs on the wall.  At the end of the desk was also where the small coffee pot and tea pot was located.  Overall, it was a small and compact room with a decent size bed that provided a comfortable night sleep.

The best amenity ibis provides is the free and fast wifi.  Their wifi speeds are very good and they generally do not limit the number of devices that can be logged on.  In addition to the wifi, other amenities included a restaurant that provided complimentary breakfast (based on which rate you booked) as well as lunch and dinner; a gym with basic equipment; a pool; and meeting rooms.  My rate included complimentary breakfast so I did try that – there was a decent selection of fruit as well as hot items so it was a good and decent meal.

Overall, it was a decent stay at the Ibis Lagos Airport.  The rooms were decent, if not small, but they provided a nice and comfortable sleep.  The wifi was free and fast and the complimentary breakfast, if applicable, was decent.  The major thing the ibis lacked was transportation to and from the airport – if it was complimentary it would’ve been better, but even paid transportation would have been useful given the amount of traffic to and from the airport.  There is also a general ‘musky’ scent that comes with the AC; this is something the hotel should look into.   

Trip Report: ASKY Airlines - Lome to Lagos (December 2017)

Trip Report: ASKY Airlines - Lome to Lagos

comment below and let me know your thoughts :)

I was travelling to Western African on Ethiopian Airlines.   Normally, to fly to West Africa you must first connect in East Africa which adds to your travel times.  Recently, Ethiopian has been investing in regional African airlines including Togo-based ASKY Airlines; this assists in making ASKY Airlines and Lomé their West African hub.  ASKY Airlines is an initiatives of West African governments to provide air service in the region.  Based in Lomé, the airline operates a combination of Boeing 737 and Dash Q-400 planes.

I connected to ASKY from Ethiopian in Lomé, as I flew from Newark to Lomé on Ethiopian and then from Lomé to Lagos on ASKY.  My flight was operated by a Boeing 737 with a scheduled flight time of 1 hour.   The Ethiopian flight was scheduled to land in Lomé at 12p and the ASKY flight was scheduled to depart at 1:15p.  This was a very tight connection, both for myself and my luggage. 

We landed in Lomé a bit behind schedule at 12:15p, and there were a lot of passengers

who were connecting to ASKY flights and had tight connections.  Even though everything was booked as one ticket, most passengers were not able to access their ASKY boarding passes until we got to Lomé.  As soon as we deplaned, we were met by ASKY representatives who had boarding passes already printed out.  They were also there to direct us to the transfer side where we would have to go through security and then proceed upstairs to our boarding gates.  Even though the airport is small and connections can be made easily, it was not a lot of time to the entire process was hectic and rushed, especially with flight delays.  Luckily, ASKY’s idea of ‘on-time departure’ is a bit flexible.

We were supposed to start boarding at 12:30p for the 1:15p departure, but boarding did not start until about 1pm.  There was no real process for boarding, the airline just announced it was boarding and people lined up to board the plane.  The plane is setup in a 3-3 seat layout in economy and a 2-2 seat layout in business.  There were approximately 12 business class seats and approximately 130-150 economy class seats.  While the plane’s exterior looked freshly painted, the inside was definitely an older plane.  The overhead bins were older, the signs above the seats looked dated and overall the cabin looked worn and dated.  I was seated in the aisle row right behind business class to the legroom was very good, although I could have sat anywhere.  Apparently many African airlines have an ‘open seating’ policy in which you just sit at any open seat, regardless of what your boarding pass says.  It was very interesting and caused some confusion and some passengers followed the ‘open seating’ policy while others followed what was stated on their boarding pass.  The seat itself was decently comfortable but it was definitely not a new seat.  The color scheme of the seats also added to the worn factor and made the plane look even older.

Even though the scheduled departure time was 1:15pm, the boarding doors did not close

until 2:00p.  We pushed back, manual safety demonstrations, in both English and French were conducted, and then we took off for our flight time of 30 minutes.  The flight was making several stops in West Africa so the flight path from was from Lomé to Lagos, to Douala, and then another city before heading back to Lomé.  Those whose final stop was Lagos disembarked in Lagos and those who were continuing on remained on board.  Given the short flight time, there was no in-flight service.  Our scheduled arrival was for 3pm, and given it was only a 30 minute flight we landed generally on time. 

Overall, it was an interesting flight experience with ASKY.  Given their partnership with Ethiopian, their ground staff were very good in greeting the aircraft with printed boarding passes, printed bag tags, and directing passengers where to go.  The on-board staff were not as friendly but provided a basic service.  The older look and feel of the plane made it a negative, but in the end it did not make that much of a difference given the short flight time.  As a side note - in the end, I made the connection but my luggage did not, as with several other passengers who made the connection with me.  There was very little follow-up or numbers to call, and we were just told that the luggage would come on the next day's flight so check back then; luckily that is what happened.  ASKY is trying to build itself as a West African hub and are promoting themselves and connections to Lomé with lower fares to get across West Africa.  I would choose to fly them again if the flight time was short and the fares were low, but they would not be my first choice in air travel.