First Impressions I arrived at Heathrow Terminal 3 at 0700 for my 0930 flight. There was no queue for the business class check-in (and only a small one for economy), and the attendant advised me to head straight to security due to the recently lengthened checks at the airport. Thankfully I had access to fast-track security, as the queue for economy was extremely long (I later heard that it was taking almost an hour to get through),while in fast-track there were just a couple of people in front of me,and I was through to the lounge by 0730.
Lounge Gulf Air's lounge at Heathrow was opened in November 2004 and is modern and well equipped, if a little small. There is sofa seating for around20, as well as two bedouin-style seating areas. Although there are no computer terminals, passengers enjoy wifi access and broadband connections. There was a good choice of self-service food and drinks,and the staff were attentive, regularly clearing empty plates and restocking food. There is only one shower which might have been an issue if the flight (which was called at 0845) had been busier.
Boarding The flight boarded from Gate 36, which is a long walk from the lounge.I boarded as soon as I arrived, and was offered a drink and selection of magazines and newspapers, and invited to consult the menu. Just before we pulled back from the gate, the stewardess took my food order,and I was offered dates and Bahraini coffee, which was far too strong for my liking but a nice touch. We taxied on time at 0930.
The Seat My seat 11D was one of 24 in a 2-2-2 formation. Business class was almost empty, with only six seats occupied, while economy class was fairly full. The seats felt a little jaded, but much of Gulf Air's fleet has now been revamped with "Sky Beds". The IFE also felt dated,with only one film channel showing a couple of films during the flight,a sports, comedy and technology channel, plus a handful of foreign options.
The Flight Half an hour after take-off I was offered champagne and an amuse bouche. There are two dining options: a fine dining menu with three choices of main course, or a snack option (including paninis and meze)which can be ordered any time during the flight. I chose the former,and had a garden salad, followed by Dajaj Mahshe – a Middle Eastern dish of chicken filled with rice, chickpeas, onion and spices, served with a tomato coulis. For dessert I chose fresh fruit, and later during the flight they handed out tubs of Häagen-Dasz ice cream to enjoy with the IFE. An hour and a half before we landed I was offered another meal, and chose the Arabic meze, which included king prawns, sambosas, kibbe and hummus.
Arrival The flight landed on time at 1910, and I was swiftly through passport check – there is a five dinar (£7.60) charge for all non-nationals on arrival in Bahrain, so it is advisable to take some local currency to avoid a poor exchange rate at passport control.
Verdict A good service, but the seat feels in need of a revamp. This is, however, reflected in the competitive pricing.
Price Return business class fares with Gulf Air (gulfairco.com) cost £2,174.
Mark Caswell
