CHECK-IN I arrived at Muscat International airport at 1100 for my 1305 departure to London Heathrow on flight WY101. I made my own way to the airport but customers with business or first class tickets are eligible for free chauffeur transfers within a 60km radius of Muscat airport and 50 miles of Heathrow. There was one first and three business class desks open, and I was quickly dealt with. Security and immigration only took a couple of minutes to clear.The lounge At the time of my trip, Oman Air operated the only lounge at the airport, for the use of all airlines. But since then, the carrier has opened new premium class facilities. The first class lounge has à la carte dining, a manned bar, showers and two relaxation rooms. It also has direct access to the tarmac, with passengers transferred to the aircraft steps in Audi A8s.
BOARDING This was done in an orderly fashion with passengers bussed to the plane. I was escorted to my seat, had my jacket taken and was helped with the stowage of my bag (there are lockers instead of overhead bins). I was then offered a drink, nuts, hot towel, newspapers, a menu, Arabic coffee, dates and an amenity kit, which came in a gold cloth bag with items including Amouage toiletries, mints, socks, ear plugs, a shoe horn, sewing kit, hairbrush, razor, toothbrush and mouthwash.
THE SEAT The first class cabin has six seats across two rows – the first row has two by the windows (1A and 1K) with the middle pair converted to a “lounge” with a sofa, while the second row has four seats in a 1-2-1 layout (see seat plan). The product is similar to business class, with beige- and camel-coloured upholstery, but is larger and has more privacy. The seat reclines to a fully flat bed that, at 82in (just over two metres), is one of the longest in its class. It is also wide, at 25.5in (65cm). There is a multi-region power socket and a 23-inch in-flight entertainment (IFE) screen.
WHICH SEAT TO CHOOSE? Window seats have the added advantage of bins next to them, similar to those on the top deck of a B747.But if you have company, middle seats E and F are best.
THE FLIGHT The plane pushed back about 15 minutes late but was airborne very quickly. A sleep suit, slippers and eye mask were offered after take-off and, shortly afterwards, a drink and some canapés. A leisurely lunch was then served, beginning with Sturia caviar and a selection of starters, including Loch Fyne smoked salmon, duck salad and cream of parsnip soup, but I opted for the mushroom crêpe with parsley cream sauce – it was very tasty. The mains were pan-fried hamour fish, vegetarian pasta, grilled fillet of beef or oven-roasted spring chicken. I had the beef, which was good.
There was also an Arabic option including a mezze platter and a combination of dishes including lamb kabsa (a type of curry served with rice). Dessert included fresh fruit, vanilla ice cream, coconut flan, chocolate pudding, or cheese with a prune and walnut log – I opted for the last and it was very nice. Wines included Armand de Brignac NV champagne, Pascal Jolivet Indigene Pouilly-Fumé (2007), Max Reserva Errazuriz Chardonnay (2008), Château Grand-Mayne (1998) and Shaw and Smith Shiraz (2006). The AVOD (audio-video on-demand) IFE system offers live satellite TV (BBC World and Al Jazeera, although these did not seem to be working) and a good selection of shows, films and music. It is easy to use and there are noise-cancelling headphones and USB sockets. The aircraft is also fitted with the Onair communications system, allowing the use of mobile phones and wifi in-flight. The cost of this is US$29.95 (up to 26MB) and it worked well for email, Skype and instant messaging. Merely being connected uses the megabites so log out when not using it to preserve the allocation – it costs an extra US$6 per subsequent megabite. About three hours before landing there was a snack service offering small bites such as onion and feta tart, brioche smoked salmon sandwich, and fresh berry tart. Throughout the flight, the crew regularly offered drinks.
ARRIVAL The flight arrived more or less on time despite a little circling on the approach to Heathrow. First class passengers disembarked before anyone else and as I had no luggage, I was landside in about ten minutes.
VERDICT A truly first class service. A very large, comfortable bed/mini suite, superb personal service and good food.
Julian Gregory
FACT FILE
- PLANE TYPE A330-300
- CONFIGURATION1-2-1
- SEAT LENGTH 82in/208cm
- SEAT RECLINE 180 degrees
- SEAT WIDTH 25.5in/65cm
- PRICE Internet rates for a return first class flight from London to Muscat in April started from £3,214
- CONTACT omanair.com
