Saudia 777
I paid $600 for the one-way flight from Milan to Jakarta on Saudia Airlines, the first sector on their A320 and the second leg on Saudia's 777 from Jeddah to Jakarta. In comparison to other Boeing 777's around the world, this one is probably my least favorite. The seat, food and service are below average as well as the cleanliness of the cabin but read on for the full review...
Flight Details:
Flight Saudia Airlines SV816
Jeddah (JED) to Jakarta (CGK), March 30th
Boeing 777-300ER HZ-AK15
Duration: 09:00 hours.
Seat: 5A (Business Class)
Saudi Arabian Airlines Fleet of B777 (Active) - Aviation website for aircraft and airline information (flight, photo, travel, fleet listing, production list of Airbus Boeing Douglas Embraer Dash, ATR, Sukhoi, Saab.), plane photos, flightlog database, aviation news, civil aviation forum, aviation store. Saudia business class seats 777 By 5:40PM the boarding process was complete, at which point the female flight attendants came around the cabin with hot towels, and then Arabic coffee and dates. Saudia business class pre-departure hot towels Saudia business class Arabic coffee & dates. May 10, 2020 Saudia Fleet Boeing 777-300ER Details and Pictures. On current fleet, Saudia operates 33 wide-body aircraft Boeing 777-300ER (extended range) with additional 2 aircraft on VIP configuration (HZ-AK44 and HZ-AK45). Saudia flies this aircraft on long-haul routes with several cabin configuration. Aug 12, 2016 Saudia business class seats 777 By 5:40PM the boarding process was complete, at which point the female flight attendants came around the cabin with hot towels, and then Arabic coffee and dates. Saudia business class pre-departure hot towels Saudia business class Arabic coffee & dates.
Saudia First Class JFK To RUH Review I One Mile At A Time
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The Saudia Airlines Boeing 777 Business Class Seat
The airport in Jeddah only has remote gates and Business and Economy Class passenger share the same bus to the plane. The lounge was quite crowded and transiting was a nightmare. The new airport is supposed to open by the end of 2018, that will improve the situation a lot. The 777 used on the Jakarta sector is one of the older ones. The seat is an angled flat bed, similar to Air Asia X Premium Flat Bed on the A330.
The seat features a personal entertainment screen, both USB and a power socket. A total of 30 seats in a 2-2-2 configuration are located in the front and 383 seats in Economy Class. The Boeing doesn't offer a first class, unlike the other ones in Saudia's fleet.
Poor Seat and Alright Entertainment
The crew was doing their job but didn't go the extra mile really. Also I noticed the cabin manager constantly engaging in small talks with other Arabian customers on board. Literally all night long. He didn't work at all. He was just standing around the entire flight and wouldn't make way for the rest of the crew at any time. They also didn't seem to be too eager to work today. Not much of an issue since I had low expectations anyways.
The seat wasn't really comfortable and one of those old recliner ones that doesn't go all the way flat. Very similar to Air Asia X Premium Flat bed. The blanket was really thin and neither comfortable, the same applies to the mini pillow I was given. The amenity kit was designed by Porsche Germany and it even consisted of an USB stick. It had a nice touch to it.
The entertainment was good, however most of the Western movies are heavily edited, and no female skin was shown and all kissing or adult scenes were completely removed.
Average food and Average Service
The catering was done in Jeddah and was no comparison to the food that was served from Milan to Jeddah, which by the way was very delicious. The Cream of Seafood starter was below average and almost tasted off. The Arabic Mezze wasn't any better. They also had a Western Appetizer on the menu but apparently they ran out of it.
Also keep in mind that Saudia is a dry airline which means that they don't serve alcohol on any of their flights. As a main course I could pick between Lamb Chops, Stuffed Chicken Breast or Fish. I tried the fish and it was ok. Nothing special. I skipped the dessert because I was tired and didn't feel like waiting another half an hour since the service was super slow.
The next morning breakfast was served. An omelette with a single mushroom and potatoes.
Saudia Airlines Boeing 777 Bottomline:
The flight was pretty average and the cabin product outdated. Jeddah isn't a nice airport too transit, extremely busy, only remote gates and a crowded lounge. The crew was super slow and distant. Also the food wasn't very satisfying. I found it to be very dry. The seat was probably the worst I have experienced on any Boeing 777 of any airline around the world. However, I'd probably fly them again for that price but never for the full fare.
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Though we suspected as much, Carlisle Interconnect Technologies has confirmed to Runway Girl Network that its new FAA supplemental type certificate (STC)for installation of dual-band satcom provisions on Boeing 777-300 and 777-300ER series aircraft was obtained in support of the Taqnia hybrid Ka/Ku connectivity project for Saudia. The solution will provide broadband connectivity to passengers.
“This STC implements the Taqnia Ka/Ku antenna onto the Saudia aircraft and serial modifications are already in progress,” revealed CarlisleIT director of product management, integrated products Jeff Behlendorf as part of a broader interview during which he explained CarlisleIT’s decision to join the Independent Aircraft Modifier Alliance (IAMA).
Asked if CarlisleIT followed the ARINC 792 spec for this Saudia package, Behlendorf confirmed that the Saudia installation follows the ARINC 791 standard “and we expect that standard to remain in use for most gimballed antenna installations in the future. ARINC 792 is more likely to be adapted for use with flat panels that require a large footprint on the aircraft.”
Saudia is a long-time customer of SITAONAIR’s L-band-supported Internetconnectivity service (and offers a variety of packages including a free WhatsApp plan on various routes). Yet it opted for the Taqnia broadband hybrid terminal for Airbus A320 narrowbodies, and is clearly now doing so for the 777s.
Broadly, industry appears to be seeing some meaningful movement now regarding dual-band antenna offerings. In addition to Taqnia’s work for Saudia, Viasat has placed renewed attentionon a hybrid (having originally launched on Virgin America), and both Viasat and Gilat are eyeing potential hybrid opportunities in China.
From CarlisleIT’s perspective, RGN asked, is hybrid antenna business on the march, and what regions will most likely adopt in the near-term – the Middle East, China, India?
“CarlisleIT has done Ku, Ka, and hybrid antenna installations using the same installation philosophy with a mix of radomes tuned for optimum performance. Generally, customers who fly over regions without a large single provider giving uniform coverage, see advantages in hybrid antennas,” responded Behlendorf.
He added: “It seems likely this will remain a solution being used in the Middle East and on Pacific Ocean routes. Central Asia as well as China and India have single-band options available to themand we would expect them to opt more often for a non-hybrid antenna on the majority of their fleets.”
CarlisleIT is on record sayingit is eager to support Inmarsat and Panasonic’s nextgen GX antenna work. But has any work started on a hybrid solution combining Panasonic Ku with Inmarsat GX?“CarlisleIT remains in contact with Inmarsat and Panasonic regarding their future antenna plans, but we cannot share that information publicly,” said Behlendorf.
Saudia 777-300
Interestingly, Inmarsat regional vice president APAC Chris Rogerson told RGN correspondent Neelam Mathews that – quid pro quo-style – the year-old arrangement between Inmarsat and Panasonic enables Inmarsat to offer Panasonic’s NEXT IFE solutionsto Inmarsat’s commercial aviation customers.
“Over the past year, Inmarsat and Panasonic have made significant progress with aligning our processes and systems. This has been our core focus… [covering] important areas such as sales process, contracts, technology and operations processes,” he said.
Saudia 777-300 Economy
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