Etihad AUH to BNE via SIN in Y and J

[markis10]

This was to be my first true EY experience as a follow on from my EY as VA experience ex KUL. As you have probably guessed I am on one of those very cheap KUL MEL fares that first popped up on AFF last year and ideal since I had a one way flight to Asia ex Australia.

Booking was done online easily as was seat selection but checking loads I had a dilemma, the SIN BNE leg looked oversold in Y, and gets treated by VA as one long AUH BNE leg despite the stop in SIN, as there is not flight number change. Should I credit to VA as I could use the SCs (its a B class so full Y) or credit to EY in the hope my EY gold status might assist. Since the introduction of paid upgrade offers like upgrade auctions many FFers feel it affects their chances of an upgrade, logic would imply it obviously does however it also helps airlines with yield, which is why it's increasingly being used. I decided to use my EY number on this leg and take a chance, the loss of VA SCs would be the cost.

Leg 1 AUH SIN, departing 1025 terminal 3.
Seat 41K
Having done OLCI I decided to use the J bag drop, and proceeded through customs and screening using the dedicated J area, it was quick but busy, however I could here the Y area over the partition and it sounded like a zoo, little did I know I would experience that zoo soon.

Terminal 3 is the newest terminal and has a nice lounge apparently, but EY only allow real J and F guests in, so for me it was a ten minute walk to Terminal 1, which means exiting the secure area after being screened, and meeting the noise. The waiting area for screening was packed with people transferring from terminal 1, with the queue going back 500 metres along the walkway from terminal 1, yikes.

I eventually found my lounge and it was OK but small, crowded and no windows, basically a hole really with a semi decent latte on offer. After an inspiring hour I decided to head to the gate, and was pleased to see the security line much smaller, so I took the end queue which was for status and J/F passengers in the main Y screening area. There were 5 screening luggage machines in operation but only one human screener being used, I have no idea why but it took twenty five minutes to get through, not helped by yet another tourist group of first timers clogging the screening.

The gate was downstairs which meant bus to a remote hard stand, very little seating so I was glad for priority boarding? While waiting for boarding numerous couples seems to be having issues with seating together, it was going to be a fun flight.

Soon I was on the plane, and just as I was packing carry on into the overhead locker two guys noticed I was in 41K, one of them was 41H and the other 45K, would I swap, which I was happy to do seeing as it was not that different and they could then sit together.

As expected on board there were many couples trying to reseat themselves and the crew had their hands full, my seating companion was a member of a family of 6 all stretched along our back row. She wanted to be seated closer to mum so eventually she moved to the row in front but in the middle, as it turned out I was left with a shadow, one of the few on the plane!

After an ATC delay we were soon off, so far my EY Gold seemed to be somewhat tarnished, Cest la Vie.

 

[markis10]

Not long after takeoff drinks were served and then lunch, it seems EY have an interesting serving pattern with one aisle starting at the front and one at the back! There were a number of choices on offer and despite being one of the last to be served, all were available.

I have read mixed reviews on EY food, like all airlines it's dependent on departing port, the food on this flight was very good. The menu photo is not that clear, basically the starter was a vege salad with hot bean paste (it was very spicy), then Hot and sour chicken, Fish Biryani or my vegetable pasta.

 

[markis10]

On my flight EY were offering WiFi, cost was very reasonable and a receipt was in my email promptly:

24 hours - Flight Pass Sky
Total amount
21/01/14 11:30
USD
21.95

As its satellite based I was not expecting much, and your sharing that bandwidth with the plane, but I found the experience very good, if somewhat flakey for technical or legal reasons, as some countries don't permit it. Most airlines have a map showing where legal reasons see the service drop but I could not find one on board.

About two hours out of singapore we had a snack, a very nice bread roll and a drink and soon were on the ground. I had enjoyed the flight with the extra room, and wished I was staying in Singapore, instead it was a 90 minute layover which thanks to ATC delays meant no duty free.

 

[JessicaTam]

Thanks for reporting on this, markis10. Glad someone has taken the plunge with one of these flights. (It's on my list)

 

[markis10]

EY Gold gets access to the premier lounge, which was a short walk from the gate. It's hardly a stunner of a lounge, and with their drinks fridge broken hardly premier, but it sufficed. Hot food on offer included a western beef casserole and chicken rice, both were very good. With the fridge offline the sink was full of ice and I found a couple of buried Tiger cans, one of which went down well.

After a short break (I should have had a shower in hindsight as the lounge has them) it was off to the gate, through screening and then boarding pass scanning. No beep, it looked like I was in for a long flight :-|.
I carry a litre water bottle and one of the things I like is the availability of chilled water in the boarding area at Singapore, so I always take advantage of it. At about T-40 boarding started, I was once again one of the first on board and having said I would happy to do the swap again headed to 45K.

I settled it and watched the boarding, the plane started to fill up quickly and clearly there would be no free seats this time, about five minutes before departure I noticed one of the ground crew coming down the back and speaking to the gent who I had swapped with (who had VA Gold tags) As it turned out they had a new seat for me and apologised for the late change, on viewing the new boarding pass and seeing 8C and said no apology was needed at all, the gamble with FF program credit had come up trumps

 

[serfty]

Reading intently - I'll be doing EY J AUH - MEL Sunday (Or really Monday).

 

[markis10]

So I settled in my new seat, legroom issues well and truely gone. The EY J cabin on the a330s is all aisle access, same seating as can be found on the Thai 77Ws. I like the layout as clearly there are some nice couple seats in the middle and plenty of good solo traveller options. The amenity kit is basic, on other flights items are passed out of a tray but I did not see that on my flight! it may have well happened before I got there? Socks and eyeshades were in the blanket/pillow package.

 

[markis10]

Catering on this flight was always going to be of interest to me, it's my third J flight in a short space of time on three airlines on this route so comparisons would be valid, and given the issues some airlines have at present at the difference between catering for guests needs and feeding them, timely.

EY offer a snack service after departure and a full a la carte breakfast.

 

[markis10]

My first choice was gone by the time orders were taken (I think my order was last), so sadly I had to view the Steak sandwich from afar (my neighbour)

 

[markis10]

I ended up with the cheese plate as I was not too hungry after the lounge. Drinks are served and they have a good selection, I will post the menu in better quality in another post, and I do like the way the wine is poured at your seat after and offer to taste. It was not long before I had watched another movie and decided to retire! The crew had already taken my breakfast order and as soon as I awoke I was offered it, lights remained down until an hour or so from Brisbane allowing those who could sleep the opportunity, with the last breakfast being served at that time.

One think I forgot to mention is that there are no middle overhead lockers on the EY a330, it really opens up the cabin yet did not seem to impact on luggage space for a full J cabin, and there were no J restroom queues either, again despite the full cabin.

The other standout, a real coffee, a latte that tasted better than many I have had on the ground.

 

[markis10]

At lights up time Express passes and immigration forms were handed out and soon we were on the ground. The priority container loaded in AUH must have been at the back of the hold, my usual BNE experience once again coming into play with quick smartgate destroyed by the wait for baggage delays, I am seriously thinking of seeing if BNE will let me set up a coffee concession in the baggage hall, its a captive audience!

I enjoyed my flight in J, the seat is better than the QF product, the IFE better than EK with their silly WIFI controllers and the cabin has a more reserved feel to it, something mid way between QF bland and EK bling. Service is more professional than QF and on a par with EK, at no stage during the flight did I feel I wanted for anything or that I was intruding on crews activities.
Food could not really be faulted in either class, overall for two busy flights I thought the crew and offerings shined.

What didn't shine was AUH, clearly there is a lot of work in progress but the airport must really impact on the business VA does with EY and its passengers flying to Europe, it's here that for the status passenger, EK/QF's tie up has a significant advantage. Status recognition on EY for an EY gold member was non existent, lounges are priority pass quality, but the priority boarding works well.

At the end of the day I got some very cheap status credits, some unusual experiences such as the preceding VA wet lease flight and ticked off a new city, for the price paid very much a bargain, with the opUp very much icing on the cake.

Would I do EY in Y again - yes, solid product with good equipment. Full flights test airlines, test passed.
How would I rank four of the choices on offer to the Middle East:

1. EK (bonus points for DXB)
2. EY (points lost for AUH)
3. QF
3. VA

I put VA and QF equal for a number of reasons, firstly I have yet to truly experience the VA product in its own right and secondly QF catering is a concern. If I was travelling as a family with young kids, EY would jump to number 1, where else are you going to get your face painted by a nanny an hour out of Singapore, get kids packs and activities passed to you at regular times during the flight and see crew walking around nursing, presumably giving mum/dad some solo recovery time.

 

[markis10]

As far as points and SCs go, my EY account was showing as credited during the stopover in Singapore! Given the subsequent events I am glad I credited to EY this sector in the end, it resulted in a $150 pointspay credit which makes the whole fare ridiculous, so it was a worthwhile gamble.

 

[serfty]

Terminal 3 is the newest terminal and has a nice lounge apparently, but EY only allow real J and F guests in, so for me it was a ten minute walk to Terminal 1, which means exiting the secure area after being screened, and meeting the noise. The waiting area for screening was packed with people transferring from terminal 1, with the queue going back 500 metres along the walkway from terminal 1, yikes.

I will be departing AUH-MEL from T3 in a couple of days as a VA WP travelling Business.

Does that mean no access to T3 Diamond Lounge? (Lounge Access with Velocity Membership | Velocity Frequent Flyer)

 

[markis10]

I will be departing AUH-MEL from T3 in a couple of days as a VA WP travelling Business.

Does that mean no access to T3 Diamond Lounge?

You will be fine, it's us poor EY Gold that get to go to the Al Reem hole in T1.