A short stint in Saudi (and QR Doha Stopover)

[RooFlyer]

DOH-JED was originally a B787-9 but ended up another non QSuite, Starling EDIT: StarLINK! enabled bird. I had booked 3A again, but at CGK check-in, they said it was 'taken' but on board it wasn't. I choose 3A in case a QS bird is subbed in, then I'd get the rearwards-facing seat.

On Gulf sectors, they call Business 'First' - identical to Business, but with FC earn on QFF or PC. Lightly loaded, with quite a few pilgrims, or Hajis, in white robes.





Hauling out of DOH



Starlink is a bit slow ...





I was wondering if there might be bar service, at least for a while, but no. When I flew into and out of Tehran in 2017, the booze was on until top of descent going in, and seat belts off going out .

Encouraged to try the So Jennie non alcoholic pink sparkling. Champagne's not really my thing, so this certainly wasn't!



I asked for a half serve of the lamb machboos, but of course got the whole, large serving! Delicious, but I couldn't nearly do it justice.



Some lovely FAs on this sector. I forgot to mention the (lady) CSM on CGK-DOH; one of the best QR CSMs I can remember. Very engaging. I did my usual thing and produced some choccies (enough for each crew member) after they cleared the main meal service away and she was genuinely touched. I know the Gulf carriers can get some very chauvinistic pax locals.

 

[SydneySwan]

The Orchard at least is nice to see after arrival security.

View attachment 494434

But 800m to the train from the gate!

I don't mind the long walks at airports as it helps offset the overeating and meets my steps target. But if that is time that would otherwise be spent in AL Safwa then it is a different matter!

 

[Pvcmenace]

You are lucky it has stayed as an F ticket, my upcoming flight DOH to RUH has been subbed with an ex CX 777 with F cabin. My 1a has been changed to 11a and downgraded to J

 

[jase05]

You are lucky it has stayed as an F ticket, my upcoming flight DOH to RUH has been subbed with an ex CX 777 with F cabin. My 1a has been changed to 11a and downgraded to J

I would say you are very unlucky. Have done plenty of those short ME F flights on QR and never once been downgraded. The odd couple of aircraft substitutes but weirdly on the last 3 occasions we have had a substitute it’s been TO a QSuite fitted aircraft

 

[RooFlyer]

Arriving into Jeddah to a hazy late afternoon



And some freeway traffic. I was aware of this - one of the reasons I didn't want to drive out of Jeddah, but chose the train to Madinah.







At the terminal, bit of a walk, then a train to the main part of the station (wasn't expecting that). It was really fast! I overtook a plane load of pax from Kyrgyzstan, with the gents having 'Kyrgystan' on their backs, like a sporting team, and wearing their Ak-kalpak hats.

Arrival security, then immigration. No queue to speak of (thanks to my overtaking manoeuvre before) then a close examination of passport, a bit of tapping on the computer, fingerprints, a passport stamp! then through. Actual visa not required to be shown.

Collect bags, green lane, no-one enquired about my medicine permit. I had to exchange some money, as my Wise card doesn't do Saudi Ryals. coughpy exchange rate but oh well. I was staying at the Clarion Airport Hotel, and it provides a shuttle. Took a few e-mails to find out where it left from, and the schedule, but the schedule was hourly. I let them know of my airplane arrival time, and of the shuttle I expcted to take - 7pm.

After the money exchange, I followed some basic signage to 'busses' along the crowed terminal then down a level via a lift and then a sign saying 'shuttle busses' at an exit door. It was 6:50pm, so I had good timing to get the shuttle. Lots of taxi touts.

Then the wheels fell off. In front of me was a very large bay full of coaches, taking pilgrims and people doing 'umrah' - the voluntary, lesser pilgrimage to Mecca. There was no marked area for 'hotel shuttles' but there was a Radisson minibus close by and I asked the driver who said for 'Clarion' "here, 10 minutes", so that was good.

7pm came and went. It was dark by now, but still hot and the place was full of coaches, coming and going and parking, with engines on and diesel fuming. Not very pleasant.







The Kyrgyies had caught up with me



I tried to ask a couple of guys where were mustering pax into coaches, but they just brushed me aside. Not having voice service with my Kolet Saudi eSim, I sent e-mails to the 2 addresses I had for the hotel asking what was up. I even opened up my Telstra SIM ($10) to call the hotel, but the calls failed. Fortunately, I then was able to collar a guy who spoke good English and asked him to call the hotel. He did, but they didn't answer. But he knew the driver (!) and called him direct. "10 minutes". They guy that helped me was one of the 'controllers' for the coach pick-ups - JedCo. The bus wasn't there after 20 mins, so my mate called again. Eventually the minibus called and the guy showed me a pic of myself off my web site (??!) and asked if it was me. Um, yes. So after a 85 min hot and bothersome wait amongst the coaches, I was on my way to the hotel.

EDIT @JohnM and me in Kyrgyzstan with the hats a few years ago!

 

[RooFlyer]

At the hotel, the guy at reception was vaguely apologetic - apparently I had e-mailed 'reservations' about my arrival time, not the hotel. "Reservations" were the mob who sent out the info on the shuttle busses, and the 'you are expected ...' e-mail, so . I didn't bother pointing out that the shuttle is supposed to be hourly, not 'on demand'.

Good manners are essential here so I kept my cool and he gave me a 'executive suite' on the side of the triangular hotel not facing the busy road out the front. It ended up being nice and quite except for the aircon which seemed to be powered by a small jet engine. No worries, it did the job and I turned it to auto for the night.







View the next morning