Gulf Air?

[Goldpanner 399]

Anyone been on Gulf Air lately?

 

Back in the 80's I always travelled with them. One reason was I got lots of free tickets !! another was their in flight service was superb.

Even in Economy you would get fillet steak and some little bottles of superb red wine, and the film selection was also pretty good (for the 80's)

They would hand out so much booze on board.

Now, reading some reviews it would seem as if they have gone downhill sharply so has anyone travelled out to Bangkok on them lately?

 

[lounge_lizard 108]

I used them in February/March - Economy class Heathrow to Bangkok.

 

Price was good - just under £400.

 

Service was nothing special, but OK. I found the food acceptable, wine was served by the glass.

 

The only predictable downside was a very long (overnight) stopover in Bahrain on the way back. The air conditioning was really fierce. It was so cold that I was forced to put on the winter clothes that I had worn on the trip to Heathrow.

 

I can't blame them for the only other problem. About two hours into the flight from Bangkok to Bahrain, a woman passenger started kicking up, and the cabin crew decided to restrain her. She spent the rest of the flight shouting for a lawyer and a doctor. She may have been deported for visa overstay, but most of her shouts were rather incoherent.

 

That could have happened on any airline.

[Butch 3,456]

I flew on their VC10's in the mid 70's and L1011 Tristars in the 80's and know where you're coming from. I've not heard any particularly good reports about them recently. They've lost a chunk of business to Emirates at al, and their Oman routes have suffered as a result of Oman air developing.

 

I wouldn't put them any better than the other ME carriers, I know a few people who fly to and from Bahrain on GF regularly and from what I've heard they're fairly mediocre.

Edited April 29, 2017 by Butch

[Goldpanner 399]

I was on one of the last Kuwait Air flights from Bangkok to London via Kuwait before the war. I quite liked Kuwait air. There was always an early morning change of flight in Kuwait and they took you upstairs for breakfast. LOADS of bacon & eggs hot tea and toast and it was very nice.

 

Shame about Gulf Air, I was tempted to try them again but the Skytrack reports are horrendous. I remember taking a French Friend out to BKK on GF and they gave out small bottles of wine with dinner. Now my friend was a bit of a wine buff and he was stunned at the quality of the red they served with the steak, he said it was a very very good drink and had 3 more bottles

 

For a giggle I might try China Southern but I see they are flying the Dreamliner which Im not that keen on. Probably end up on TG then drop a sleeping pill.

[Bullfrog 2,224]

Totally irrelevant but amongst the stuff I cleared out the house when my dear old Mum died was a Gulf Airways blanket my missus nicked bloody decades ago. Still in good condition it is now with my sons with other "special" stuff...

[neilri2001 42]

Bumping up this topic i would like to expand the original question and ask if anyone has any recent experience of Gulf Air business class as i have found some excellent fares ( around the £1k mark ) for departures from LHR to BKK this Autumn. Like the original poster i have read the online reviews but it seems that most of their problems stem from only having six ( ageing ) long haul aircraft. If one of these is out of action then it throws their entire schedule into chaos. The only other airline to come anywhere near this price are Turkish ( with an horrendous layover ) and to be honest i don't really fancy them

[valentinoxxx 4]

Bumping up this topic i would like to expand the original question and ask if anyone has any recent experience of Gulf Air business class as i have found some excellent fares ( around the £1k mark ) for departures from LHR to BKK this Autumn. Like the original poster i have read the online reviews but it seems that most of their problems stem from only having six ( ageing ) long haul aircraft. If one of these is out of action then it throws their entire schedule into chaos. The only other airline to come anywhere near this price are Turkish ( with an horrendous layover ) and to be honest i don't really fancy them

 

They wouldn't be my first choice, with angle flat seats. Instead of 180 degree flat bed seats, I think they have 160 degree angle flat seats.

 

You can do BA for £1190, but you'll need a positioning flight to AMS, only to fly back to London in order to fly direct from there. On the way back it is a direct flight to London.

At least they have fully flat beds. But they are behind the times.

Final option is Qatar via VCE for £1100, but then you would need to purchase LON -VCE return. They will have the best product.

But date availability with short stopovers is scarce.

[neilri2001 42]

Thanks for the detailed reply Valentino. I have found flights via Venice on my preferred dates for around 1300 euros but at the moment i am struggling slightly with avios availability for the positioning flights to Venice

[valentinoxxx 4]

Thanks for the detailed reply Valentino. I have found flights via Venice on my preferred dates for around 1300 euros but at the moment i am struggling slightly with avios availability for the positioning flights to Venice

 

Thanks for the feedback. All of the options are relatively good value, if available.