Saudia?

[Robin]

I see many low cost dals for Saudia Business Class to London on Expedia et.al.  Anyone with recent experience of these flights?  I usually used Qatar or Emirates if I fly to LON.  always J class.  Would Saudia be a disappointment?

[norfolkandchance]

Check on 'Skytrax'. They didn't have a good past record. I think there is a new Saudi  player coming along. So they might have improved.

[eyeman]

No alcohol what-so-ever.

Female filipinos staff do all the running around, they seem pleased to see a fellow human that has manners, rather than the grunting demanding ninjas.

Male staff do nothing, even if you catch one they'll take your request, ponder it and send a filipino down the aisle..

Flying guests are more unruly than the Chinese, that's the landing gear deployed - time to get the luggage from the overhead bin..

Some male flying guests in business will even ask a little filipino to help them with their luggage - it's beneath them to place it in the bin themselves

That said food is decent and the prune juice etc. Proper meal service with fine china etc.. 

Depends on the price and if you get a good connection in Jeddah, unfortunately even with the discounts many are 8hr in Jeddah which is once a lifetime never to be repeated experience

 

 

Edited January 9 by eyeman

[Ste78]

terrible experience.

 

my mother with assistance had been brought to the wrong gate in Jedda and lost the flight.

 

Big confusion from Saudia and no one gave her a phone to inform me. Only later an employee gave his phone with Whatsapp but not even working properly.

 

In the end she was brought to hotel and caught the flight 24h later!

 

I had to call directly the hotel because it seems it did not have wifi

 

 

[norfolkandchance]

2 hours ago, norfolkandchance said:

Check on 'Skytrax'. They didn't have a good past record. I think there is a new Saudi  player coming along. So they might have improved.

 

[Deserted]

Their customer care needs improving for sure.

[Photoguy21]

On 1/9/2024 at 2:04 PM, Robin said:

I see many low cost dals for Saudia Business Class to London on Expedia et.al.  Anyone with recent experience of these flights?  I usually used Qatar or Emirates if I fly to LON.  always J class.  Would Saudia be a disappointment?

Business class in Saudia is pretty good. No drink if that bothers you but otherwise not bad.

[Walker88]

Had a memorable flight on Saudia many years ago, on a business trip from NY to Jeddah. Got put next to a Saudi woman holding a baby. Mom's face was covered, but she decided to breast feed shortly after takeoff. Her 'milk carton' was out in the open about a foot from my face. It was......uncomfortable.

 

I asked the flight attendant if I could be moved. She found an empty row in Economy, and asked if that was okay. I went back there, and the entire section was all female, all Western. Apparently the women were temp hires to be used on charter Hajj flights. So back section economy was one guy and 100 temp flight attendants. While it sounds entertaining, the lines for the bathroom went forever. I was kind of disabused of the fantasy of 'doing the flight attendant'.

 

I kept thinking of the Robin Williams' skit about 'AIr Jihad': "Will you be sitting in armed, or unarmed?"

 

Since I had an entire row (seating back there was 3-5-3), I put all the arm rests up in my row and made it a bed.

 

No booze, but overhead compasses let me know the exact direction of Mecca, just in case I felt the need to pray (which I did not).

 

I would not recommend Saudia, unless the flight was free. Even then, no.

 

[Chivas]

If the motor gets from A tp B safely thats all that matters

Anything else is a bonus

[Robin]

Thanks for the insights.  Rather as I suspected.  Even the cheapo ticket on offer does not tempt me.  I have been caught in a poor J class before, thinning how much I would pay to get out.  

You get what you pay for, if you are lucky.

Am i the only J class passenger that is upset by being charged for seat selection.  Seems that this was started by BA and now being taken up by other airlines.