Hello everyone: I suggest that we continue the trip to mainland France that was decided at the last minute and that consequently involves deviating from the usual flight plans.
Since the KQ flight on October 8 to CDG is full and the AF flight is not offered, I am oriented towards flights to LHR or AMS. These are two day flights; I have not set foot in LHR for over 15 years, so I'm in favor of LHR.
Enchainement de vols
- 1
- 2KQ100 - Business - Nairobi –> London - Boeing B787-8
Warning
During this report, I will try not to shock any sensitive soul, not to resort to irony, not to propose any geopolitical reflection, all things likely to shake my readers out of their intellectual laziness and to provoke particularly dangerous anathemas in the month of October. If I fail in my endeavor, I implore my vigilant readers not to hesitate to denounce my remarks, and their author, to the censor.
JKIA AIRPORT
Nairobi looks like Bangkok some twenty years ago when the expressways allowed full speed while the toll roads were permanently congested. Thus, after 15 minutes of toll highway, we arrive in sight of the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.
But not just anyone can get in.
Regularly the victim of terrorist attacks perpetrated by the Somali Shebabs during the 2010s, the scene of a violent political life since then, Kenya is quite tense on security issues.
Passengers of all vehicles must cross the airport checkpoint on foot.
Go through a security gate.
Wait on the other side for the vehicle that has been thoroughly inspected.
Allow a good quarter of an hour to complete this formality.
The public bus.
Once you cross the barrier, you enter another world. My driver seemed to doubt the truth of the statement.
A few kilometers further, we are in front of the terminal. The management of the passenger drop-off parking spaces is quite confusing and could give water to my driver's mill.
Cement bollards designed to discourage ramming vehicles are placed everywhere.
The arrivals area I passed through the day before.
I push my luggage towards the entrance.
Where you undergo an initial check of your hold luggage, hand luggage, and your clothes. The passenger is therefore reassured.
The check-in kiosks seem to have seen better days; or are they not yet in service?; apart from being involved in a solidarity movement with Parafe?
The Skypriority space.
I head straight to the PAF, my suitcase having been checked through to CDG. The PAFmen at NBO confirm the deplorable impression left the day before. But I pass and the statement presented above remains true for me.
Nice view of the tarmac after the PAF.
Heading for the second PIF.
The PIF occupies a sort of rotunda. The SP area is located opposite the entrance. In fact, it is shared by pax who have just passed airside and pax in transit. Hence the pandemonium in the early morning when three large carriers arrive one after the other from AMS, LHR and CDG and the pax for the first two destinations and those from regional flights arrive at the airport.
The control will be moderately chaotic and reasonably fast.
And here I am airside, where I arrive when I am just passing through NBO.
SIMBA LOUNGE
Having had breakfast at the hotel, I decide to go explore the Simba lounge which I don't know.
The place is rather cramped and packed… with passengers bound for regional flights. Among them compatriots with loud discussions and two Africans performing a duet of powerful snores.
The photo was taken just before my departure.
At first, I find refuge here.
The lounge is not terribly comfortable but the offer is similar to that of the Pride Lounge.
The lounge is located a few floors above the PAF exit.
In the distance, the 788 that will take us to LHR.
It's time to go to gate G19
Here I am. We are entitled to a final search of our bags and our persons, special London protocol it seems.
Boarding KQ100
The nose of our Masaï Mara, one of the oldest 788s of KQ.
The last thorough search having been successfully completed, direction the gangway.
Instant moteur, aile et fuselage in a single shot.
The crowd at the gate makes a ritually acceptable P-moment impossible. I prepare myself to receive the deserved flogging.
My seat, 3C.
"Eco-friendly" comfort kit in the air of time and headphones.
Instant Fiche de security.
Instead of an Instant Valeurs de la République Nényane about which I confess my ignorance, I offer you a general view of the first part of the J cabin which has not changed for 14 years.
The welcome drink is distributed. It must be time for a champagne toast somewhere on Earth.
Cheers.
Inflight literature.
The feast menu is distributed before taking orders.
The joys of the first service.
Spotting while taxiing.
We push back about on time.
On the way we meet a nice Falcon 7X for private use. According to airfleets, it has something to do with Switzerland and Liechtenstein.
Instant Cargo. KQ only has 737s in this category.
B-777 UNICEF. With little, UNICEF does a lot was the slogan of the Little Christmas Papers which must bring back some memories to those over 50.
We take our place in the queue.
The outdated planes seen the day before.
And here we go.
A few images from around the Kenyan capital.
We quickly reach the clouds. We follow the Rift Valley. The pilot regularly speaks to announce what can be seen to the right or left. Unfortunately, the state of the windows does not allow me to take publishable photos.
First service.
The service is set up. The cabin crew distribute a very hot towel.
The tray is thus brought.
While waiting for the rest, let's look at the landscape 39,000 feet below.
Coffee, bread, pastries are served after a fairly long wait.
Beef sausages are served next. The taste experience is mediocre.
The Cruise is getting a bit boring
The first service ends as we continue up the Red Sea.
Over Ethiopia, the landscape is green.
The poverty of the IFE programming leads to sifting through the downloaded press before leaving NBO.
The landscape changes as we skirt the Red Sea.
The desert offers magical moments. Here in the south of the Sinai Peninsula in the Sharm El Sheikh region.
A mix of nuts and a Gin Tonic help pass the time.
It's still sunny over the desert.
The captain continues to play the guide. We can clearly see the pyramids of Giza, but the reflection of the sun on the window makes any photo shoot futile.
The occupants of the cabin are dozing.
We are flying over Crete when the menu is distributed again to take the order for the second course.
Second course: Hot meal.
The menu.
The meal.
The drinks.
It's always sunny above the clouds.
The platter is thus served. I remain faithful to the South African pinotage.
Improved quinoa. Mediocre.
I opted for the Thai chicken: satisfactory result.
Choose between cheese and dessert: I manage to get both
Camembert and Gouda.
Lemon and almond tart.
The flight continues over Greece, northern Italy, Germany and Belgium.
London keeps itself desired.
While we were about to arrive early, which made my short connection easier, the CDB announced that we would have to wait about thirty minutes before being allowed to land.
We managed to see the Thames.
After long laps of the racecourse, we began our final descent.
Wembley stadium.
LCY.
The O2 Arena.
Twickenham.
The landing is near.
We land gently and join the taxiway.
An A380 EK follows us.
With the connection reduced to its simplest form, I put my things away and put an end to my photoshoots.
We park at the end of Terminal 4 furthest from the connection area. The terminal is ugly.
By hurrying up, the connection will probably be assured despite a new PIF to cross.
However, I am starting to no longer have too many illusions about the fate of my luggage.
Thank you for reading and see you soon!
I certainly agree JKIA needs massive improvement and that will happen after a recent corruption hiccup involving a foreign company. The Pride lounge is the one to use, Simba is too small. I thought the NBO-LHR flight review was a little unkind. I regularly fly that route in KQ biz and most of its features are, to me, better than those of competing airlines on the route. The "old" seats are bigger, more comfortable and far less claustrophobic than KLM's "new" seats. You can really stretch out and sleep. It's rare to encounter a cabin crew member who isn't a credit to KQ. They're what make the difference. Food isn't great but no worse than rival airlines. Recently more movies have been added. Given a choice I'd always pick them over KL, AF, LH or BA. (Economy class I only know from KQ's domestic network but it seems fine to me except that domestic time-keeping appears to be getting worse, possibly due to a shortage of capacity or maintenance issues).
Thanks for reading and commenting.
KQ is not a bad airline. To my opinion, their short-howl product is more interesting than their long-howl one.
I know they propose a streaming entertainment by now.
When I compare with my previous experiences, I feel the product is downgrading while the rates are upgrading.
When you add the luggage problems between NBO and DZA, it is not as Smooth as it should be.